Nurse Midwife Jane Gehring Shares What Inspires Her About GPA's Work
"GPA focuses on facilitating positive outcomes for kids and families in a way that’s not top-down but organic. That’s what makes their work so meaningful to me."
***
We recently spoke with Jane Gehring, a Nurse Midwife who has been supporting GPA's work for many years. We think you'll enjoy reading the interview!
Jane, how did you become involved as a donor with Global Pediatric Alliance?
I'm a native San Franciscan. My family moved to Central America when I was 12, and I went to high school in Costa Rica. Subsequently, I pursued parts of my education in other places.
I trained as a Nurse Midwife, and have been practicing for over 30 years. I started my training at LA County Hospital, and most of our clients were new immigrants, primarily women from Guatemala. Many of them came from mountain communities that were being persecuted during that time. After several years in Los Angeles, I returned to the Bay Area and started working for Marin HHS and Marin General.
That’s where I met Scott Cohen, GPA’s founder. What struck me about GPA was that they focused on training and empowering traditional midwives to support their communities and improve children’s outcomes. I thought, “Wow, someone finally gets it.”
What motivates you to donate to GPA?
It’s funny—I don’t come from a family with a culture of charitable giving. But with GPA, it’s a cause that uses its resources effectively and really supports people, helping them figure out what they need to do in their own communities. I think that’s wonderful.
I haven’t been on the ground with GPA, but one thing that stands out is the importance of collaboration between the medical community in Mexico and traditional midwives. In places with a history of oppressing Indigenous people, opening lines of communication and fostering mutual respect is vital. That respect is critical for both midwives and health workers. For those participating in GPA’s workshops, it must be transformative.
Why do you think people should consider supporting GPA?
People interested in women’s health care should definitely support GPA. Smaller organizations like GPA are often more impactful than large ones. For me, it’s also satisfying to contribute to an organization where there’s a personal connection.
At GPA's anniversary celebration, Janet Jarman’s “Birth Wars” photographs of midwives in rural Mexico were on sale. I bought one that really touched me—a photo of a midwife’s notebook where she recorded her births. It gave me chills, reminding me of my early days as a midwife, recording details of every birth I attended. Here was this photograph of the book of a midwife in a tiny town in Mexico who had done the same.
What inspires you about GPA’s work in particular?
GPA focuses on facilitating positive outcomes for kids and families in a way that’s not top-down but organic. That’s what makes their work so meaningful to me.
You have to take a holistic view. You can’t fix everything, but you can look at how problems grow, and intervene strategically. Empowering and supporting midwives and community health workers to improve children’s outcomes is crucial.
I’m delighted that more than 20 years on, GPA is still going strong and evolving. Needs change, and it’s great to see an organization adapt alongside communities.
Thank you so much Jane!
Comments