Dr. Kellie Thiessen is a midwife Clinician Scientist who has an extensive clinical background in maternal/child health. She is a registered midwife and a registered nurse, an Associate Professor at the College of Nursing, University of Manitoba. She is also a Research Scientist at the Children’s Hospital Research Institute of Manitoba (CHRIM) and the Director of the University of Manitoba (UM) Bachelor of Midwifery Education Program. She has worked as a midwife in the United States, Brazilian, and Canadian health care systems and is committed to developing innovative collaborative models of midwifery practice that will increase choices for persons and their families, as well as provide comprehensive maternity care. She also holds an appointment as Senior Specialist in Maternal Health and Midwifery for the Institute for Global Public Health, University of Manitoba.