Midwifery Advisory Committee

The Midwifery Advisory Committee's mandate is to protect the public's health and safety, and to promote the welfare of the state by regulating the competency and quality of professional healthcare providers under its jurisdiction. The committee accomplishes this through a variety of activities working with the Department of Health, Health Systems Quality Assurance.

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Committee Information

Description

The Midwifery Advisory Committee's mandate is to protect the public's health and safety, and to promote the welfare of the state by regulating the competency and quality of professional healthcare providers under its jurisdiction. The committee accomplishes this through a variety of activities working with the Department of Health, Health Systems Quality Assurance division.

Committee duties

The Midwifery Advisory Committee shall advise and make recommendations to the secretary of health on issues including, but not limited to:

  • continuing education
  • mandatory reexamination
  • peer review

Qualifications

The committee is made up of one physician who is a practicing obstetrician; one practicing physician; one certified nurse midwife; three licensed midwives; and one public member. Public member representatives shall not have any financial interest in the rendering of health services. All members must be U.S. citizens and Washington residents

Committee participation expectation guidelines

The following expectation guidelines are intended to serve as a reference for current members and for prospective appointees of the committee:

  • Attend regular board meetings
  • Prepare for all meetings by reading materials sent one to two weeks in advance of the scheduled meeting date. The packets take an average of two to four hours to read before each business meeting.
  • Assist newly appointed committee members as necessary.
  • Members may not serve more than five years consecutively.

Total annual time commitment

Meetings and conferences: Four to five days per year.
Meeting preparation: Two to four hours per meeting
Sub-committee meetings: Four to five hours per year

Committee Members

Name and term expiration date of members

Member Term Expires
Steven Maynard, MD March 31, 2027
Robin Vazquez, public member, chair November 30, 2024
April Haugen, licensed midwife February 29, 2024
Rachael Cook, licensed midwife March 31, 2027
Katherine Sauerlender, licensed midwife, vice-chair March 31, 2027
Alex Hamling, MD August 31, 2023
Karen Swift, certified nurse midwife June 30, 2023

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Committee Meetings

(subject to change)

Date Location Documents
March 8, 2023
Cancelled		 Lacey Community Center, 6729 Pacific Ave SE, Olympia, WA 98503/Webinar - Cancelled  
June 14, 2023 Lacey Community Center, 6729 Pacific Ave SE, Olympia, WA 98503/Webinar  
September 13 Lacey Community Center, 6729 Pacific Ave SE, Olympia, WA 98503/Webinar  
December 13 Lacey Community Center, 6729 Pacific Ave SE, Olympia, WA 98503/Webinar  
Meeting Minutes

2021

2020