
Carolina Nkouaga, MPH, LM, CPM

Stephanie Murillo, LM, CPM

Marissa Evarts, BSM, LM, CPM

Claire Barrett Bettler, CNM, IBCLC

Taleisa Benally

Angelique Steadman

Saychelle Rincon Y

Natasha Bowman

Julia Hall (Hoki Pah), BA

Carolina Nkouaga, MPH, LM, CPM
Interim Executive Director

Stephanie Murillo, LM, CPM
Director, Rematriating Apprenticeship

Marissa Evarts, BSM, LM, CPM
Staff Midwife
Marissa was first introduced to the concept of physiological birth in 2007 while working on a bachelor's degree in Holistic Nutrition. This is when her passion to become a midwife began. She went on to serve as a birth doula for over 10 years before studying to become a midwife. Marissa is a certified professional midwife (CPM) and is a licensed midwife (LM) in the state of New Mexico. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Midwifery from the Midwives College of Utah and is currently working on a Master of Science in Midwifery with a focus on education. Marissa has a passion for working with students and teaching midwifery topics and skills as well as preserving the profession of midwifery.
Marissa has been married to her spouse since 2000 and they have two children together. Marissa has a deep pride for her Sicilian and southern Italian heritage and loves to share this with others. Marissa loves to be outdoors homesteading, hiking, and canoeing. Gardening is one of her favorite forms of meditation. Marissa also has a creative side and enjoys making jewelry, stained glass, and mosaics. She has lived in Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Oregon, and Colorado, but has found a home in the beauty, people, and culture of New Mexico. She lives in the South Valley of Albuquerque where she cherishes the rich farming history of this community. She also shares her life with a few dogs, several goats, a large flock of chickens, two bearded dragons, and a parakeet. Marissa is honored to serve the clients of CWI and work alongside their amazing team.

Claire Barrett Bettler, CNM, IBCLC
Easy Access Clinic Midwife
My name is Claire Barrett Bettler (she/her) and, as a midwife who is passionate about community-based healthcare, I feel incredibly honored to be joining CWI’s amazing team. I have watched this organization grow and create real change in our state, and I’m deeply grateful for the opportunity to be a part of this work.
My pathway to and through midwifery has been varied and winding, allowing me to observe, support, and experience birth & reproductive health care in homes, birth centers, small community clinics, and large hospitals. I have lived & worked in rural communities and busy cities in the US and other countries, and I currently own a small community-based midwifery practice here in Albuquerque. I deeply value respect, simplicity, and humility, and I look forward to our working together.

Taleisa Benally
Functional Nutrition Counselor
My name is Taleisa Benally (Diné) and I am the new Nutrition Aid Coordinator for Changing Women Initiative. I come from the Navajo Nation out in Arizona and came to New Mexico as a college student. I am a recent graduate from the University of New Mexico where I completed my BS degree in Nutrition and Dietetics. The opportunity CWI has given me is a dream come true and I look forward to leading the indigenous people of New Mexico to a brighter, healthier future. I grew up on a traditional Navajo Ranch, what most Navajos know as sheep-camp, where I grew up farming and herding sheep and goats as a young child. Because of this, I am very well aware of the declining health of our people and the struggles we face in getting access to fresh, nutritious food. I am happy to guide you in your journey to health. I live by the motto that “Health is Wealth.”

Angelique Steadman
Midwifery Fellow

Saychelle Rincon Y
Midwifery Fellow
Saychelle is an intuitive, kindhearted Midwifery Fellow who strives to always be learning. Saychelle is proud to be part of a large Caribbean family who immigrated to New York City and Miami, Florida. After earning their Bachelor's degree in English Literature, they began attending births in 2010 as a DTI doula and in 2017 as a Birth Assistant with CPR and NRP certifications. Since then they have attended over 100 births in Utah, Pennsylvania, Idaho and the Big Island of Hawaii. They had their own home birth to a kiddo named Zeke in 2015 and have been an advocate for Queer family-making wherever they serve. Although new to the Enchanted Desert, Saychelle is creating a sustainable relationship with those supporting the childbearing year here in New Mexico.
Their offerings as a birth keeper and facilitator range from Spiritual Cleanings (Limpias) and Bone Closing Ceremonies to Full Spectrum Doula support, as well as transmuting Placenta medicine and practicing as a Licensed Massage Therapist, specializing in Child Development and Pregnancy Massage. They have been studying and applying the wisdom gleaned from Birthwise Midwifery School, Body Ready Method and Spinning Babies, as well as attending a range of birth environments from hospitals to birth centers, bath tubs to bedrooms, even outside in nature, for the last 10+ years, loving every minute of growth given.
Now, as they focus into developing their Midwife skills towards licensure, as well as authentically showing up as a queer and non-binary matriarch, they take pride in serving their ancestral, chosen and surrounding community.

Natasha Bowman
Student Midwife
Diné
She is from the Navajo Nation Reservation; Fort Defiance, AZ. She currently resides in Rio Rancho, NM. Her clans are Red Running into Water and Meadow People. Natasha is committed to helping birthing people feel empowered through their pregnancies, labor/postpartum period and through their breastfeeding or chest feeding journeys. Birth services should be accessible to everyone and not considered a luxury.
Julia Hall (Hoki Pah), BA
Health Administrator
Pueblo/ Anishinaabe