Rachel Dennis | Ojibway – Nipissing First Nation in Northern Ontario

Persevere

Like her mother, Carol, Rachel Dennis is passionate about bringing birth back to her community, the Nipissing First Nation, and other Indigenous communities. Born in St. Catherines, Ontario, Rachel moved to Toronto while still an infant and grew up tagging along with her mom, Carol Couchie, to various midwifery visits and conferences. She eventually realized that midwifery was also her calling.

Despite not finishing high school and the obstacles of undiagnosed dyslexia and ADHD,
Rachel pursued a university degree. While she questioned her place in academia, her mother supported and encouraged her. One of her preceptors remarked that she was similar to the Inuit students she taught—that books and tests may cause anxiety, but her hands were steady and sure. Rachel is a testament to perseverance and a positive spirit and earned the respect of her peers, her tutors, and her preceptors, all while graduating two weeks before her second child was born.

Rachel is a dedicated and hard worker. Her humility and commitment allow her to learn from all her mentors, Indigenous and non-Indigenous, that she has had the good fortune to come across in her journey. While a fledgling practitioner with Seventh Generation Midwives in 2014, the practice moved into the revolutionary new Toronto Birth Centre. When Rachel and her mother moved back to their ancestral territory in Nipissing in 2016, they were inspired to incorporate the best of their Toronto experience with their new practice, K’Tigaaning Midwives. It has since become known for its skilled, compassionate, and community-based care. The midwives credit this reputation to the good way Rachel and Carol founded and continue to guide the practice.