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Jennifer Abbass, RN, IBCLC, RLC
Jennifer Abbass is a Register Nurse and Lactation Consultant.
She graduated from Queen’s University in 1995 and did
a specialization in maternity nursing at Humber College in
1997. Jennifer has worked with new and expectant families
in the hospital setting and in the community for many years.
Educating both parents and professionals has been a main focus
of Jennifer’s work. She has spent much of her career
developing educational programs that inform parents and give
them the knowledge and tools they need to prepare for their
parenting journey.
Jennifer is a core teacher at Ella Centre where she teaches
parents both prenatally and after baby has come. In addition
to teaching at Ella Centre, Jennifer started the Ella Breastfeeding
Support Group where she assists clients in achieving a positive
and fulfilling breastfeeding experience.
Jennifer is the proud mother of three children.
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Michelle Bodner
Dr. Michelle Bodner, voted Best Naturopath by NOW Magazine
readers, has a general family practice with a special focus
on fertility, labour and birth, women's health and pediatrics.
Dr Bodner graduated from the Canadian College of Naturopathic
medicine in 2000. She is a member of the Canadian Naturopathic
Doctors, and is the Vice President of the Association for
Perinatal Naturopathic Doctors. She has been a Birth Assistant
in home and hospital births since 1999. Michelle's practice
is rooted in medical science, but is expressed through intuition
and passion for healing. She believes in the power inherent
in the body, and the value of personal choice, education and
support in making health care choices.
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Sandra Cole, Core Teacher
Sandi Cole has been a registered nurse for over 30 years,
working in various Toronto hospitals with medical, surgical,
and intensive care unit patients, and as a community health
nurse with the Victorian Order of Nurses.
For the past 18 years, Ms. Cole has devoted herself to the
care and teaching of pregnant women and mothers with young
babies, primarily at Mount Sinai Hospital where she has taught
prenatal, breastfeeding and baby care classes. A certified
doula for the past 10 years, Ms. Cole's interest in prenatal
education comes as a result of her own personal experiences.
She has four children, ranging in age from 18 to 24 years.
Ms. Cole speaks regularly on issues of prenatal and infant
care.
At Ella, Sandra Cole will be teaching a number of courses
addressing various issues relating to the challenges and joys
of early baby care.
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Kristina Greig, O.T. Reg. (Ont.)
Kristina graduated from the University of Toronto with a Bachelor of Science in Occupational Therapy and has been in private practice for the past 9 years.
Kristina’s work focuses on helping parents to promote the development of sensory motor, fine motor, gross motor, and visual perceptual skills in the early years. The successful development of these skills in babies, toddlers, and preschoolers is the key to successful intellectual/academic skills in school-age children.
Kristina’s passion is to work with children in places like Ella Centre, daycares, schools, and/or homes. She works with children of all ages from infancy through to adolescence.
Kristina is the mother of a very active but delightful almost 3 year old boy. She believes that meshing professional & personal experiences (i.e. from raising her son) help her to be the most effective in her work. (e.g. I “get it” – I’ve been there.)
Kristina looks forward to welcoming you and your child to Ella’s Learn, Move & Play Program.
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Leigh Meadows
Leigh brings to Ella a wealth of experience from both the
corporate and health sectors. A native of London, England,
Leigh was a managing partner of a company in the financial
services industry. Moving out of the corporate world in the
past eight years, Leigh has built a private practice as a
therapist and teacher in the fields of acupuncture, aromatherapy,
childbirth education and as a doula. Leigh's teaching and
practice is tailored specifically to the needs of new and
expectant parents and children. As a new mom to lively Jacob,
Leigh has first hand experience of the joys and challenges
of parenting, partnering, living and working. Leigh is available
to you in all her functions as a core teacher, even if that
is simply an ear to a thought, need or request.
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Matthuschka Sheedy, RN, ICCE
Matthuschka graduated from Queen's University in 1990 with a BNSc, and has been pursuing a career in obstetrics since 1992. Her work has taken her north to Moose Factory, south to Honolulu and home again to Toronto where she has been working at Mt. Sinai hospital for the last 12 years.
Matthuschka's experience as a labour and delivery nurse brings an authentic, hands-on aspect to her energetic classes. As a mother of three energetic young boys, she is also keenly aware of the need to support new mothers in the first few weeks and months as they adjust to the many challenges of caring for a newborn.
As an Ella Core Teacher, Matthuschka has found the ideal place to share her knowledge of the birth process and the postpartum experience by offering well-researched content and lively exchange in her classes and services geared towards both expectant and new parents.
Matthuschka is a Certified Childbirth Educator.
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Amy is the owner and founder of Ella. Ella combines Amy's
business background with her vision to meet the needs of new
and growing families in Canada. 