meet the teAM
April Brake, CDEM, CPM | Midwife
April has been married to her husband for over 20 years. She has 4 children, all of which were born at home in the water with a CPM, CDEM midwife. Following the desire to help advocate for natural birth and support women and families in the birthing community, April became a doula in 2004. Through the process, she found herself wanting to provide massage on a professional level for her clients. She attended The Alexandria School of Scientific Therapeutics (massage school) and graduated in 2007.
CREDENTIALS:
April is an Indiana Certified Direct Entry Midwife, as well as a Certified Professional Midwife at Serene Midwifery. She holds a License in Indiana to practice midwifery and has a degree in Midwifery from Midwives College of Utah. In 2016, April began working in collaboration with a physician. April's holds up-to-date certifications in neonatal cardiopulmonary resuscitation (NRP), adult, infant and child cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), Birth Emergency Skills Training (BEST), MCU Complications Workshop, and additional skills workshops/training's taught by local midwives.
MIDWIFERY SPECIFIC TRAINING:
April's apprenticeship was 3 ½ years training under several midwives, including: Certified Nurse Midwives and Certified Professional Midwives, as well as training at a Birth Center in Virginia for 3 months. Her education involved hands-on experience under the supervision of Midwives with prenatal, labor, birth, postpartum, and well-women care. April is currently a member of the North American Registered Midwives and a member of the National Association of Certified Professional Midwives (NACPM).
Kalu Vaughan, CDEM, CPM | Midwife
Kalu got married in May 2023 to her husband Jonathan. She had her first homebirth in March 2024. Kalu began attending births in 2018 and loves supporting birthing families. She finds joy going on trips with her husband, hanging with her friends, doing portrait photography, climbing and reading Jane Austen novels in her spare time.
Kalu is a Certified Professional Midwife at Serene Midwifery and got her certification through North America Registered Midwives (NARM). She has a Midwifery degree from the Southwest Tech Midwifery Program. She has attended well over 150 births with Serene Midwifery and has experience as both doula and birth assistant, as well as birth photographer. Kalu holds up-to-date certifications in neonatal cardiopulmonary resuscitation (NRP), adult, infant and child cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), Birth Emergency Skills Training (BEST), and additional skills workshops/training's taught by local midwives.
Julia Ramos, RN, BSN | Birth Assistant & Office Administrator
Julia joined the Serene Midwifery Team in August 2020. She graduated with her Bachelor of Science in Nursing from the University of Massachusetts Amherst in 2019. She currently holds her RN license for the state of Indiana, as well as certifications in neonatal cardiopulmonary resuscitation (NRP), adult, infant and child cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and birth doula (Birth Arts International). Julia has a passion for natural birth and loves supporting families to accomplish their goals through informed, compassionate healthcare.
Julia is married to her husband Diego. She gave birth naturally to her two boys- Oliver and Theodore.
Megan Short RN, BSN | Birth Assistant
Megan graduated from Indiana University Indianapolis in 2016 with her Bachelor of Science in Nursing and currently holds her RN license for the state of Indiana. She is certified in neonatal cardiopulmonary resuscitation (NRP) and adult, infant and child cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR). Megan is an advocate for holistic and informed prenatal/postpartum care as well as natural birth. She is committed to supporting women and their families through the childbirth process.
Megan is married to her husband, Andrew. They have three children, Easton, Eilam and Adalai. Megan received midwifery care throughout each of her pregnancies and birthed all three babies naturally.