Lamaze Australia - Board Of Directors
Tanya Cawthorne LCCE, FACCE
Tanya is a co-founder of Lamaze Australia. She is a Melbourne-based Lamaze Certified Childbirth Educator, Doula and a Fellow of the Association of Certified Childbirth Educators (FACCE). In 2022, Tanya served as the President of Lamaze International, and was the first non-North American to serve on the Board of Directors in Lamaze’s 60-year history.
She is a passionate advocate for evidence-based, woman-centred maternity care and is a prolific writer on all things related to birth and early parenting. Her articles have appeared in The Journal of Perinatal Education, Australian Midwifery News, Connecting the Dots (blog of Lamaze International), and Interaction – the journal of the Childbirth and Parenting Educators Association of Australia (CAPEA).
Tanya is currently completing her Masters degree in Women’s & Children’s Health at the University of Technology Sydney.
Tanya offers an internationally-accredited Lamaze Educator Training program and is very excited to be training a new generation of Australian Lamaze educators. Last, but definitely not least, Tanya is also the mum of two beautiful children, her son Liev and daughter Amalia.
Email me at: tanya@lamazeaustralia.com
Leslie Arnott LCCE, BFA, MA
Leslie has over 19 years’ experience as a consumer advisor and advocate in maternity services and is a Lamaze Certified Childbirth Educator (LCCE). As co-founder of Lamaze Australia she heads up The BEAR (Birth Equity Advocacy Research) Program that provides consumer advocacy and develops projects and partnerships with various stakeholders to improve health outcomes for birthing women and their families. Along with her role as a mother of two teenage boys, she holds positions on various committees such as Women’s Healthcare Australia’s (WHA) breakthrough collaborative, ACSQHC’s Clinical Care Standards on Perineal Tears, Lamaze International Research Committee and AHRA’s Women’s Health Research Translation & Impact Network. Leslie has a Master’s Degree in Maternal-Child Health Systems and her thesis was instrumental in developing WHA’s Consumer Engagement Plan.
Leslie specialises in stakeholder liaison development with a focus on health equity for all birthing women. She brings to the table a wide range of experiences from connections with users and providers of maternity services.
Email me at: larnott.thebear@lamazeaustralia.com
Liz Lazarus - Lamaze Australia Board of Directors, LCCE
Liz is a Lamaze Certified Childbirth Educator (LCCE), a postpartum Doula, ex-lawyer and social media manager. She is passionate about educating women on their birthing rights and improving health outcomes for women and their families. She is a mother of one son aged 5 and is pregnant with her second baby after a long fertility journey. The birth of her son has fuelled her passion for all things related to pregnancy and birth.
Liz is committed to educating women by providing evidence-based information and advocating to improve maternity care in Australia.
Email me at: liz@lamazeaustralia.com
Jennifer Lorance - Secretary, Lamaze Australia Board of Directors
Jennifer is a member of the Lamaze Australia Board and holds the position of secretary. She has four children, aged 14, 8, 6 and 1.
Jennifer has been passionately committed to improving maternity care in Australia through involvement with maternity consumer organisations, as a representative on various government and agency forums, sessions and working groups with medical and midwifery students and within the community.
Her professional role in sustainability as a consultant and advisor has given her skills and experience in governance, policy, regulation and emerging trends.
Email me at: jlorance@lamazeaustralia.com
Pauline Ahearne - Treasurer, Lamaze Australia Board of Directors
Pauline comes to Lamaze Australia with longstanding expertise as a qualified accountant and as a consumer advocate in maternity services, after the birth of her daughter in 1999. As Lamaze Australia's Treasurer, Pauline has enjoyed maintaining her passion for improving health outcomes for birthing families by continuing to be involved in consumer-led organisations during the past 22 years. Having held the position of Treasurer in a number of community organisations and as an accountant by day, Pauline brings much experience and expertise to this role.
Email me at: pauline@lamazeaustralia.com
Past Board Members
We would like to thank and acknowledge our past serving board member of Lamaze Australia.
Gemma Wilson
Gemma is a Lamaze Certified Childbirth Educator (LCCE), a birth and postpartum Doula and owner of Birthability on the Central Coast of NSW. She is passionate about improving birthing rights and health outcomes for women and their families.
Gemma is committed to supporting and advocating for women who birth on the Central Coast. Through her work as a consumer advocate in Friends of Maternity services, Central Coast, she works to ensure women receive evidence-based, culturally conscious maternity care.
Gemma is of Gamilaraay (Kamilaroi) descent and identifies as a proud Gamilaraay woman who is passionate about supporting indigenous birth rights and culture.
