Brandi Bogan
I got started in birth work because as a Birth Doula, I was frustrated by how few reliable options I had for my beloved clients for their postpartum care. I’d become close with many of these women, I wanted to make sure that the care on both sides of their delivery was thorough and thoughtful. So I made it a priority to get to know the postpartum community in Pittsburgh, to give a soft introduction to my clients who needed more care than I was equipped to provide at that time.
Postpartum work is personal in such a different way than birth because the work is done at home. As parents you welcome us into your homes at a time when things are in a state of disarray, you’re exhausted, the baby is learning how to exist in a world outside of the body and here we are, strangers; hoping to make sense and bring ease to it all. I do this work in honor of every client I didn't get to do it for and for every client who doesn’t know what they need, yet.
I’m not a mother, but I love parents. I respect the sacrifice that you make with your bodies and lives and I believe that shouldn’t happen without the support of a caring community. Society has progressed to such a place where we don’t all have (or want) the loved ones we used to rely on. So we look to services like birth and postpartum support, but it doesn’t have to feel like a service when we come into your home. My hope is that when I, and any Doula from Selah Pittsburgh enter your home, you feel the peace and ease of a trusted community member coming to lighten the load for you in an important way.
I’m Brandi and this is Selah Pittsburgh, we’re care that comes to you.
Founder / Doula
Kimmy Krebs
Kimmy Krebs is an international board-certified lactation consultant (IBCLC), licensed occupational therapist (OT), and assistant professor at the University of Pittsburgh. She has a clinical background in pediatric occupational therapy spanning early intervention, schools, pediatric mental health, sensory integration, and feeding therapy. Kimmy uniquely combines her OT and IBCLC lenses to understand and address the many complex factors that shape a caregiver and baby's feeding journey. Rather than addressing lactation and breastfeeding in isolation, Kimmy considers the physical and sensory needs of the feeding dyad, the environment in which feeding takes place, and the personal beliefs and values each family brings to their experience.
Kimmy also holds board certification in pediatrics through the American Occupational Therapy Association and has completed an advanced training certificate in sensory integration through the University of Southern California, equipping her to support child development in areas beyond feeding, such as play, physical development, and building independence with everyday tasks.
As a mom herself, Kimmy knows firsthand how meaningful and challenging and magical feeding a baby can be. She is deeply committed to creating a space where moms feel heard, supported, and empowered to reach their own goals, whatever those may look like.
IBCLC | Occupational Therapist
Mahogany Harrington
Mahogany Harrington is a Pittsburgh native, a postpartum doula, and a yoga instructor. She was drawn to birthwork in the summer of 2018 after observing how prenatal yoga could ease labor symptoms and, in some cases, significantly shorten active labor. As she often says, “I am a big sister, and therefore I have been a caretaker for my entire life.”
In early 2020, just before the pandemic, she chose to formally pursue this path by becoming a prenatal yoga instructor and enrolling in postpartum doula training with Cornerstone Birthwork. Mahogany believes the postpartum period is often overlooked and finds meaning in supporting families during this time.
The early months with a new baby are a period of adjustment and learning, and she is honored to be part of that transition.
By profession, Mahogany is an accountant, and she values the duality of structured work and the unpredictable nature of birth work. In her free time, she is usually barefoot—reading, tending to her plants, or experimenting with new recipes.
Doula | Prenatal / Postpartum Yoga Instructor
Desiree Jennings
Hi, I’m Desiree! I live on the North Side and have been in Pittsburgh for 13 years. I call Atlanta, Georgia, my hometown, and come from a large, multicultural, multilingual (English and Spanish) family. My husband and I have been married for 20 years and are parents to two creative and spirited girls, aged 14 and 8. I’m a full-spectrum birth doula through Masters of Maternity, and plan to receive my Perinatal Doula Practitioner certification by Spring 2026. I love music, singing, dancing, and roller skating, and am always looking for a new book to read, a great podcast to listen to, a fun place to thrift, and a good conversation to spend time in.
My passion for doula care was sparked by my own diverse experiences with pregnancy, birth, early motherhood and maternal care. I had beautiful, uplifting birth and labor experiences in which my care was provided with expertise and dignity, my needs were met fully, and I was enveloped in safety, trust and love. I also navigated debilitating morning sickness throughout my pregnancies, felt overwhelmed by the breastfeeding challenges I faced with both my daughters, and struggled deeply with postpartum depression and anxiety after my first birth. And while I was blessed with several family, friends, and care providers who nurtured me through these experiences, the doula care that I received–prenatal, birth, and postpartum care with my first daughter, and prenatal and postpartum care with my second–was singular. My doulas listened to me with open hearts, offered suggestions and guidance without judgment, remained steady and present through my moments of doubt, reminded me of my strengths and shared in my joys. I was deeply grateful for their compassion and expertise, and their example has been one of the most significant inspirations in my doula journey.
I believe pregnancy, birth and early parenthood is rich and complex. One moment, you’re soaring to an incredible high, then the next (or sometimes, in that same moment!), you’re struggling through an immense low. In recognition of this complexity, my doula practice is grounded in four core commitments –curiosity, care, connection and community. I also bring insights from nearly 20 years of work in early childhood-grade 12 education to my practice, as well as experience working with neurodivergent populations and immigrant and refugee populations in a range of communities and contexts. Though I look forward to supporting families throughout the perinatal journey, postpartum care has my heart.
I am honored to carry out this sacred work, and delighted to have the opportunity to provide care to you and your family!
Doula
Rachel Gilliam
When you finally find your calling, you feel at peace and grateful with the path you had to take to lead you to that place. Birthwork is my calling as it combines all of my strengths and my passions of learning and teaching. My strengths of being a strong sounding board that allows space for processing and questions, being a naturally nurturing person,being a teacher and providing education, learning new things and gaining new skills, empowering and uplifting those around me and my ability to adapt quickly.
My career as a birth, postpartum, and bereavement doula, newborn care specialist, and childbirth educator combines my calling and passion of birthwork and my background as a babysitter, nanny, tutor, and teacher. I have always loved to help people especially as a little girl and spending days in the summer spending time with my grandma and sister being out in the community. My grandmother who passed away in 2025 had always showed what the power of empathy, compassion, and the eagerness to help can really impact people for a lifetime. She was a true pillar of the community and I strive to continue her legacy through my work as a doula.
I am a mother of 3, a daughter and twin sons. Having preeclampsia twice and being a NICU mom to premature twins helped me reflect and appreciate the support of my colleagues and fellow doulas. The support that we provide really impact families for a lifetime and fosters long lasting connections. One of my favorite things are receiving milestones, birthday, family and updated pictures of the babies and families that I have been able to serve and feeling that they think of me in their story of parenthood. Families that I have had the privilege to support have described me as the comforting voice of reassurance and encouragement, someone that is able to support and uplift them in challenging moments,someone that pays close attention to details and the care I pour into their experiences, and having me as someone that they will have a special bond with forever.
As a postpartum doula, newborn care specialist, and mother, postpartum is a time that can be challenging, full of transition and learning, but a time to acknowledge the little things, the good days, and the high points of navigating parenthood. Having that extra support postpartum can give that extra listening ear, helping hand, and a safe space to allow yourself to step back and breathe knowing that your baby will be cared for. My background and experience combined with my ability to be a strong sounding board with a natural instinct to nurture and my ability to adapt can be a great addition to your postpartum village and your journey into welcoming a new baby.
Rachel Gilliam, CD-L, CPD
Doula / Newborn Care Specialist
Lily Bean
Hi! I’m Lily and I am so excited to help your family create a new rhythm as you settle in with a new baby. Whether it’s light house keeping, diaper changes, meal prep, or simply another set of eyes on the baby so you can rest, I am happy to help!
I began my birth work journey as a Birth Doula in 2021. I love being a Birth Doula. As I became more comfortable in my role I became interested in another facet of birth that is largely under recognized — postpartum care. Fast forward to becoming a Postpartum Doula. I believe it is so important for new parents to have in-home support during those first few weeks with a new baby.Having had four children myself with a husband who travels, I am intimately aware of the myriad of needs during the tender postpartum period.
I live in Butler with my husband and our four children, a dog, and countless chickens. When I am not working or homeschooling (or watching soccer practice),I like to read and run. We spend most of our family time outdoors hiking, kayaking, or fishing.
Doula
Katie Klassen
Birth work started for me eight years ago, after I finished my degree in psychology just before my third daughter was born. After a wild couple years with young kids, school, internship, and working. I was burnt out and didn’t have it in me to start a masters program. A friend pointed out my love for birth and suggested I teach childbirth classes. I latched onto the idea and that Summer I certified as a childbirth educator through Lamaze.
Shortly after I began teaching, I started to see that supporting families well meant being in it with them as a birth doula. I felt so much peace at the first Birth I attended. I could finally show up and just be. I didn’t have to put on a face or become someone else. It’s about witnessing this person doing the hardest thing they’ve ever done and finding ways to support them in the middle of it.
But your birth is just an introduction to this new person you are. Now you have an expanded role to navigate with this tiny person you spent months growing in your body!
As a postpartum Doula, I offer guidance and reassurance through the fourth trimester. Whether you’re working through feeding, sleep, or the emotional shifts that come with this time. My role is to care for both you and your baby.
I’m available to tend to your baby so you can rest, shower, or simply take a moment for yourself. I can assist with grocery pickup and in-home meal preparation, as well as light household tasks related to your care—such as laundry, dishes, and kitchen tidying. I want to ease your load so you can focus on what matters most, your healing and your baby.
I have three kids myself (13, 11, & 8). My family and I moved to Dormont last summer from Washington State. I love exploring the city—from local shops and restaurants to Kennywood (a family favorite), and seeing anything on a stage. I value honesty, open communication, meaningful one-on-one conversations and I genuinely love a life story!
Doula / Child Birth Educator