Prior to founding Initiating Lactation, Sarah's clinical background was in Pediatric Home Nursing, Critical Care, Labor and Delivery and lactation consultation in a hospital setting. 

 

Her years of experience as a registered nurse combined with over twenty-five years of practicing massage therapy bring a unique combination of compassion and dedication to clinical excellence with a foundation in evidence based practice. 

 

As the mother of two children, she has learned that parenting requires great flexibility and can lead us down unexpected paths.  

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After the birth of her first child in 2006, she was disappointed with the gap in care for families during early postpartum.  Becoming a parent led her on a path toward becoming a nurse and lactation consultant. Her career has been dedicated to improving lactation support and early postpartum care for families in the South Puget Sound.

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On days away from the clinic, Sarah can be found adventuring with her two children and dog or in her flower gardens.  Sarah is nearly as passionate about dance as she is about lactation and loves west coast swing. 

 Gigi is a Craniosacral therapist, massage therapist and has attended over a thousand births as a doula.  She has served families in Minnesota, working in an inpatient and outpatient setting.  

She believes that understanding the individual and familial stories are paramount to provide support with healing mind, body and soul.  Her holistic approach acknowledges hormones, muscle tension, mental health and lifestyle.  She brings a unique perspective, compassionate postpartum care and offers extraordinarily intuitive bodywork.  

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On her days off, you can find Gigi on her paddle board or exploring the PNW. 

Christina developed a passion for lactation in 2010 while breastfeeding her first baby in nursing school, especially in those first few months.  Although she tried to reach out to care providers, she received very little help.   It was a professor (also a lactation consultant) and Sarah Cassidy who stepped in to provide the support and advice that she so desperately needed. Each child that Christina had created unique breastfeeding experiences, which only fueled deep desire to one day be able to come alongside other parents in similar situations.  

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Christina graduated from Pierce Community College in 2001 with her degree in paralegal studies and worked in the legal field for ten years before starting her nursing career.  She returned to school while pregnant with her first child and graduated with her Bachelor’s of Science in Nursing from St. Martin’s University.

After becoming a nurse in 2012, Chris has served in Critical Care, Telemetry, Mother baby, and in management.  Since 2019, she has worked at a local hospital where she cares for patients preparing for surgery. She is serving region currently with prenatal education and is expected to sit for her IBCLC exam in April.    

 

Christina’s childhood was very eclectic due to her dad being in the Army.  She’s lived in many places, including Germany, where she had the privilege of being directly embedded in their culture and lifestyle.   She moved to Olympia in 1992 and it became her forever home. 

 

Christina lives in Tumwater with her husband and three kids.  Her true passion is to see connection flourish in all its forms, from her garden, to her volunteer work with pediatric cancer families, to adventures with her family!  It is truly a joy and a privilege to see nursing parents, not only experience relief from the pains and frustrations that can come with breastfeeding, but to also witness the incredible connection that happens in the breastfeeding relationship.

Dr. Ash grew up in the Olympia area and graduated from the Evergreen State College with a bachelors of science degree concentrating in chemistry and pre-medical studies.

She then completed a course at the Seattle Midwifery School to become a doula.

 

Dr Ash graduated from the National College of Natural Medicine in Portland, OR with a degree in naturopathic medicine in 2005, completing training with many different doctors. She spent extra time studying pediatrics, obstetrics, geriatrics, homeopathy and women's health. 

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Dr Ash is so happy to be one of the owners of Vibrant Health, an amazing medical facility in Olympia, Washington that offers well rounded holistic healthcare to our area.

Jasmine joined the Initiating Lactation team in 2020 and has helped us to serve families while using their insurance benefits.  Jasmine is a mother of three with a background in medical billing for a variety of medical specialties.  Thanks to her compassionate approach and attention to detail, Jasmine allows us to do the work we love while providing for our families.  

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You can reach Jasmine with billing related questions at billing@inlactation.com

Jolene brings a unique blend of compassion, experience as a mother and attention to detail to make your experience scheduling and interacting with our practice seamless.  When she is not supporting the team at the clinic, you can find her tending her homestead, playing with ducklings and mixing plant medicine. 

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Contact support@inlactation.com with administrative questions or contact

(360) 706-8771 by phone or text.  

Steffanee has supported the Initiating Lactation Team since 2022 in an administrative role. As a mother and trained doula, she brings steady and compassionate care to our practice. 

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Contact support@inlactation.com with administrative questions or contact

(360) 706-8771 by phone or text.  

We are proud to be part of a collective of wellness providers at the Vibrant Health Clinic.  We are a collective of Naturopathic and chiropractic physicians, lactation consultants, nutritionists, massage therapists and mental health providers.

 

Visit www.vibranthealtholympia.com for 

information about our providers.