Kaye Kanne

Executive Director

Certified Direct Entry Midwife, Certified Professional Midwife

Kaye Kanne, CDM, CPM is the founder and Executive Director of the Juneau Family Health and Birth Center. She started the non-profit birth center in 1998, evolving from her midwifery practice of 15 years in Juneau, and working with a growing number of families that wanted to see an alternative to home or hospital birth.

Kaye worked successfully to lobby midwifery legislation into law on numerous occasions, helping to create the Certified Direct-Entry Midwife licensing Board in 1992 and serving on the Board from its inception until her term limit was met in 2000. During this time she served as chair and helped craft the laws that govern Certified Direct-Entry Midwives today.

Kaye is a preceptor with the National College of Midwifery and feels strongly that educating student midwives is vitally important. Kaye earned her certificate in nonprofit management in December 2006, and continues to enjoy learning all aspects of the Executive Director role.

Kaye led the Capital Campaign to raise the $3.9 million needed for this new facility over 6 years, while serving as Executive Director and full time midwife. The labor was long but the birth of the new facility was ecstatic! In July of 2008 the new facility was completed, expanding services to create a “campus” of health, social service, and support for families.

Kaye is married to Bob Bartholomew, her tireless supporter, and is the mother of three grown children and grandmother to two grandchildren. Her midwifery career was inspired by the birth of two of her children at home and the empowerment she felt from her own positive experience working with a midwife. Her mission is to empower women in this same way, to allow them to utilize their full potential. Her love for women and families continues to motivate her to strengthen our community; one woman, one family at a time.