Founder and Director
Ninotte Lubin, a certified professional midwife from Jacmel, Haiti, founded and is the director of the Grace Community Birth Center. Ninotte had the idea for the center after working for three years at two non-profit birthing centers following the 2010 earthquake in Haiti that killed over 200,000 people. She has spent a lot of time studying Haiti and its ongoing poverty and through this came to realize that the development of any society depends on how the children were birthed and how they are raised.
Ninotte received her training at American and Canadian midwife-run, non-profit birth centers in Haiti, as well as through two private practices in Michigan. In 2015 she passed the North American Registry of Midwives (NARM) examination to become a certified professional midwife.
Board of Directors
Kathi Mulder, CPM, President
Kathi is a newly retired Licensed Midwife and former owner of Dance of Life Midwifery. As the GCBC President Kathi provides the overall leadership for project planning, fundraising, meeting agenda setting, communications, and BOD operations.
Kathi saw the need for more equitable maternity care firsthand when she traveled to Haiti in 2011 to offer relief services following the 2010 earthquake. She had the opportunity to serve as one of Ninotte’s mentors. Kathi feels strongly that the best way to make a difference in the lives of women and families in Haiti is to invest in one midwife who can then help many. She brings her years of experience of leading other midwifery boards and committees to Grace.
Lynette Biery, PA-C, Vice-President
Melinda Parenteau, CPM, Secretary
Melinda lives in British Columbia, Canada. She is currently a non-practicing registered midwife and the mother of two young children. Melinda keeps the GCBC on task, organizing meeting minutes and correspondence. Melinda is currently focusing on fundraising for the building project within her community. Melinda met Ninotte in 2010 when she moved to Haiti to practice midwifery soon after the 2010 earthquake that killed over 200,000 Haitians. Melinda and Ninotte continued to work together over the course of the next four years at two birth centers. Melinda was one of several of Ninotte's midwifery preceptors. She was witness to Ninotte's passion to see change and new possibilities for Haitians. Midwifery met Ninotte's heart and enabled her an outlet, a voice and platform to help women, babies and families succeed in the most trying of times. Melinda is committed to Ninotte's vision for midwifery in Haiti. They share a passion to provide holistic, compassionate and family centered care.
Kate Mazzara, Director
Craig Mulder, Treasurer
Craig retired from Northwestern Michigan College as the head of technology and information services and now devotes some of his many skills and energies toward managing GCBC’s financial operations, donors, website, and all things IT. Craig has worked in many ways throughout his life to make the world a more just and equitable place for families and the GCBC fits well in his wheelhouse of projects to achieve those goals. He values the fact that GCBC is Haitian-directed.