Our professors are distinguished scholars, active researchers, published writers, and faithful Christians who demonstrate what it means to be both Christ-followers and leaders in their academic fields. As mentors and role models, they play a huge role in the integration of faith and learning at Bethel.

Program Directors & Lead Faculty

Katrina Wu

Program Director | katrina-wu@bethel.edu | Started at Bethel: 2014

Katrina Wu is a certified nurse-midwife with expertise in home and birth center settings and developing sexual and reproductive healthcare services. Her clinical and research interests include innovative models for prenatal care delivery, increasing access to midwifery care in underserved communities, and increasing racial and cultural diversity among midwives. Her dissertation work titled, "The Integration of Telemedicine in Routine Prenatal Care." . . . read more.

Faculty

Diane Banigo

Adjunct Faculty | dib72237@bethel.edu | Started at Bethel: 2022

Diane Banigo is a doctorate-prepared nurse-midwife (with in & out of hospital birth experience) called to do more than help women birth babies. When she is not at the bedside of moms, Dr. Banigo is journeying alongside women giving birth to their vision while living out their God-given purpose in life. As a fierce community advocate for Black Maternal Health matters, she is also a nurse educator, perinatal consultant, and business owner.

Renee Clark

Assistant Professor | r-clark@bethel.edu | Started at Bethel: 2017

Renee Clark is a nurse-midwife with experience in hospital and birth center settings. Her interests include primary care, increasing diversity in the midwifery workforce, care for displaced people, and integrative medicine. Her DNP work focused on the use of shared decision-making and the use of obstetric ultrasound in a freestanding birth center.

Dawn Dahlgren-Roemmich

Clinical Director and Adjunct Faculty | dawn-roemmich@bethel.edu | Started at Bethel: 2017

Research interests include waterbirth vs conventional birth and the outcome differences

Taneesha Douglas

Associate Professor | taneesha-douglas@bethel.edu | Started at Bethel: 2023

Taneesha Reynolds Douglas, MSN, MBA, CNM is joining the nurse-midwifery program as an associate professor. Hailing from Dayton, OH, and living in Nashville, Tennessee, Taneesha's journey to nursing and midwifery was sparked by a transformative encounter during her college years, compelling her to empower others mentally, spiritually, and physically. With degrees from Vanderbilt University, Tennessee State University, and the University of Phoenix, her expertise as a Certified Nurse Midwif. . . read more.

Toni Estis

Adjunct faculty | aestis57569@bethel.edu | Started at Bethel: 2022

I am a certified nurse midwife, with experience in hospital and birth center settings. I currently work for a community clinic, and support women from a variety of diverse backgrounds-which is one of my favorite things about the work of midwifery. My clinical passions include breastfeeding, postpartum support and truly just being present with families.

Carrissia Feaster

Faculty | caf78793@bethel.edu | Started at Bethel: 2022

I am a Certified Nurse-Midwife and Family Nurse Practitioner currently practicing in Reno, NV in both roles. I love mentoring students, catching babies, and Michigan football.

Rachel Hanus

Adjunct Faculty | rah79986@bethel.edu | Started at Bethel: 2022

Rachel Hanus is a nurse midwife with clinical experience in home birth, birth centers, and hospital settings. Currently working at the Minnesota Birth Center. She co-founded a non-profit providing transitional housing to homeless pregnant women in 2013. Her clinical interests include functional medicine in women's health, infertility, and increasing access to midwifery care.

Paige Hardy

Associate Professor of Nursing | p-hardy@bethel.edu | Started at Bethel: 2020

Paige practices full scope midwifery in a rural critical access hospital in western Minnesota. She has been a Nurse-Midwife for 19 years, all at the same clinic.

Rebecca Smith

Adjunct Faculty | rms23539@bethel.edu | Started at Bethel: 2021

Rebecca currently practices in a large tertiary-care facility in southern Minnesota where she does inpatient and outpatient obstetrical care, as well as being an early pregnancy loss provider. She is pursuing a PhD with research in risk stratification in rural obstetrical patients and risk for severe maternal morbidity/mortality.

Melan Smith-Francis

Adjunct Faculty | mj-smith-francis@bethel.edu | Started at Bethel: 2024

Certified Nurse-Midwife and Family Nurse Practitioner...loving what I do!

Julie Ann Vingers

Associate Professor of Nursing | j-vingers@bethel.edu | Started at Bethel: 2011

Dissertation research on lateral violence in nursing and nursing education. Nursing experience in Mental Health and Maternal-Child nursing. Has been working as a Certified Nurse-Midwife serving a diverse population of women since 1995. Named as a fellow to the ACNM in 2022. Currently teaching in the M.S. in Nurse-Midwifery program and practices at Minnesota Women's Care. Clinical interests include perinatal mental health, trauma informed care, and antenatal care.. . . read more.