Our Team
Our team is made up of a dynamic, diverse, positive and passionate group of women who work closely together to deliver the best services we can to the community. Together, we have created and manage a team of compassionate caring and qualified doulas who provide this special and important service.
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Renee Adair - Founder
Renee Adair is the founder and director of the Australian Doula College, the Groundwork Program and the ADC’s charity-arm Doula Heart Network. With a background in natural therapies, she first began working with women and babies and in 1998 and after the home births of her two biological children, began studying and working as a Doula and Childbirth and Early Parenting Educator.
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Renee then transferred her skills to an Australian Red Cross young women’s health program/refuge in Sydney’s East, setting up both the outreach and childbirth and early parenting education programs for that child protection service.
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Working In collaboration, in 2013 Renee helped produce the first research on Doulas in Australia which was published in the Journal of Perinatal Education. She is a regular contributor to radio programmes, conferences and seminars and a range of publications, websites and podcasts.
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Renee has worked to change the way we think about Doula support launching an End of Life Doula Training for the College in 2021 with a view for the wider community to see Doula support though a broader lens, supporting all major life transitions, not just in the birthing space.
In 2019 Renee proudly partnered with CDU’s Molly Wardaguga Institute for First Nations Birth Rights to co facilitate Accredited Doula training for Indigenous women in the remote First Nations community of Galiwin’ku. She now sits on the official Galiwin’ku steering committee to restore Birthing on Country and managers the ADC’s Djakamirr coordinator role on the ground in Galiwin'ku. Renee has sat on the Consumer Advisory Board of the Australian College of Midwives, trained thousands of Doulas and supported hundreds of women, their partners and families through pregnancy, birth, early parenting and end of life, over the course of her career.
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A fierce advocate for human rights, the proud mother of three adult children and four grandkids, Renee blends her life’s work, spending downtime with her family, friends and fur babies.
Deb Nolan - Manager
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Deborah began her journey with The Groundwork Program in 2018, through signing up as a contractor after learning about the program through her professional relationship with The Australian Doula college.
As a mother herself, Deb deeply understood the support and attention all mothers and their babies need during the postpartum period. She recognised that these vulnerable members of our community could greatly benefit from the wealth of knowledge and specialised approach offered by The Groundwork Program.
After working as a contractor for over 4yrs, Deb was promoted to a management role within the Groundwork Program, where her first hand experience of being on the ground, became a valuable asset and she is now the driving force behind all of our operations.
Deb’s dedication to excellence coupled with her extensive experience in team management, rostering and recruitment, she ensures that our projects run smoothly and efficiently.
Alongside her responsibilities within the program, she excels at liaising with external Child Protection agencies, further strengthening our partnerships and increasing our programs working collaborations.
Deb's passion for operational excellence and her commitment to fostering a positive team and working environment truly shine through in everything she does.
Outside of work, located on the beautiful south coast of Wollongong, a mother to three children, 2 dogs and a flock of birds, there is nothing she likes more than spending time with her husband, family and friends and with her love of plants will spend any free time in her garden.
Stevie Norris - Support Officer
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Stevie is a mama of two children and Sunny, the family's cocker spaniel, Stevie is a doula, placenta encapsulator and works in the Ground Work Program in a support role to Deb (GWP Manager).
Stevie reflects a profound commitment to assisting women and their families through the various stages of pregnancy, childbirth, and beyond.
Having accrued a wealth of experience in hospitality management, Stevie embarked on journeys across Australia for a multitude of challenging and fulfilling positions. From notable stays in Ulluru to bustling days in Manly Beach, Stevie's 15-year tenure in the hospitality sector has been a tapestry of organising dynamic nightclub events, collaborating with esteemed chefs, and fostering connections in rustic country pubs. This background proves invaluable in Stevie's current doula and GWP support role, where adaptability, attention to detail, and a knack for reading people and environments are key attributes.
Now embracing a more deliberate phase of life, Stevie finds fulfillment in supporting the Ground Work Program at the ADC. Working alongside remarkable and compassionate women and leaders, Stevie derives immense joy and optimism from contributing to a cause dedicated to aiding women and families.
During leisure moments, Stevie finds solace in beach strolls with Sunny, culinary explorations, plotting future adventures, quality time with friends, and baking sessions with the children.
