Our Team

Reception Team

Jodi

Jodi

Reception Team

Katelyn

Reception Team

GP Obstetricians

Dr Sarah Bombell

Dr Sarah Bombell

Sarah is a GP Obstetrician and Lactation Consultant who works in the field of Breastfeeding Medicine. She also cares for women birthing at Queanbeyan Hospital.

Sarah completed her medical degree at the Australian National University. She gained her Advanced Diploma in Obstetrics and Gynaecology and her fellowship as a General Practitioner.

Sarah is passionate about providing families with evidence-based management whilst remaining mindful of the differing opinions and goals of families when it comes to infant feeding and newborn care. She has a special interest in oral restrictions including tongue and lip ties and runs regular tie clinics.

Dr Hollie Berghofer

Dr Hollie Berghofer

Hollie is an experienced GP obstetrician. She has worked providing comprehensive birthing, emergency medicine and general practice services in regional and rural Queensland since graduating from James Cook University in 2010.

She has a special interest in medical education and has been teaching and supervising medical students, junior doctors, and registrars since 2015. Hollie prides herself on being a warm and engaging doctor who adores her work with antenatal women, birthing and postnatal care.

Hollie is available for preconception planning, antenatal care, postnatal care, neonatal and paediatric medicine, and procedural contraception such as IUD placement and removal.

Paediatric Physiotherapy

Emily Evans

Emily Evans

www.canberrachildrensphysio.com.au

Emily is passionate about supporting little people and their families in their developmental journey. She enjoys treating children with delayed attainment of milestones such as rolling, crawling and walking, torticollis, plagiocephaly and other musculoskeletal concerns.

She has further training in the assessment of children using the Neurosensory Motor Developmental Assessment (NSMDA) tool and the Hammersmith Infant Neurological Examination (HINE) for assessment of neurological conditions. Additionally, Emily has completed the Masters of Advanced Paediatric Physiotherapy from Monash University.

Osteopathy

Dr Betsy Foskett

Dr Betsy Foskett

www.northcanberraosteopathy.com.au

Betsy graduated in 2015 with a Master of Health Science (Osteopathy) and is passionate about helping babies feel comfortable and supported. There are a wide range of conditions that Betsy can address, including neck preferences, feeding issues and support pre and post tongue tie release.

As an Osteopath this may include gentle mobilising of their joints, light massage of their muscles, or some work intraorally. Exercises or advice may be given to compliment the treatment and help your baby feel better as soon as possible.

Having an understanding of your baby’s health is important to Betsy, and she will guide you through the care of your little one. Betsy’s passion is to see everyone eat, breathe and sleep well, and this starts with a comfortable beginning.

Dr Anna Walton

Dr Anna Walton

www.northcanberraosteopathy.com.au

Sometimes our baby patients need some manual therapy, and that’s where osteopath Anna can help. With over 20 years of clinical experience and extensive postgraduate paediatric manual therapy training,

Anna looks after babies with a wide range of musculoskeletal issues such as tight jaws and stiff necks, and also provides pre and post tongue tie bodywork. Treatment is gentle, a bit like a relaxing massage.

Anna works at the Mother Hub when Betsy can’t be there.

Clinical Psychology

Dr Liz Layard

Dr Liz Layard

Liz is a Clinical Psychologist and Board approved Supervisor with 20 years of experience working across the lifespan from child and adolescent mental health through to palliative care. She has a special interest in perinatal wellbeing and matresence.

Liz completed her doctoral research thesis on Attachment Theory and explored the psychological wellbeing and relationship satisfaction among parents based on the infant care arrangements they used. Liz has a strong appreciation of the foundation the early years establish and the importance of early intervention to enable both parents and infants to thrive and for parents to enjoy their role and their baby.

Liz’s work at the Mother Hub includes addressing antenatal and postnatal depression and/or anxiety, adjustment, birth trauma, pregnancy counselling, fertility impacts on wellbeing, perinatal grief and loss, gender dysphoria, difficulty with caregiver-infant attachment, parenting, re-establishing identity/role in the workplace and perinatal relationship changes. Liz tailors her therapeutic approach to the individual needs of her clients.

Liz sees people who are considering conception through to 2 years post-partum. Liz can see clients privately but recommends getting a Mental Health Care Plan to assist with the affordability of the appointments and enables a shared care approach where she and your doctor are both working together to address the concerns.

Endorsed Midwives

Chrissie Foy

Chrissie Foy

www.caremidwifery.com.au

After graduating as a midwife in 2011 Chrissie worked in New Zealand for a short time and then returned to Canberra, working predominately in the Birth Centre at Centenary Hospital for Women and Children. Chrissie enjoyed her time working in continuity of care, supporting, advocating and navigating the system in partnership with women and families.

Her journey to providing planned homebirth care was ignited by the Publicly Funded Homebirth Trial and program. Supporting women to birth at home has had a profound impact on her practice and has felt like a natural progression. Women and families choose homebirth for many different reasons. It is an honour and privilege to be invited into their space to share this experience.

Chrissie became an Endorsed Midwife in 2022 and has worked at The Mother Hub since then. She has found working at the Mother Hub has added to her practice enabling her to support women in their lactation and breastfeeding journey.

Mel Pearce

Mel Pearce

www.caremidwifery.com.au

Mel graduated as a midwife in 1997. Mel worked at Calvary Hospital for a few years prior to working at the Birth Centre at Centenary Hospital for Women and Children between 2001 and 2017. During this time Mel worked as a continuity midwife and also managed the Birth Centre and Continuity Midwife Program. Her work involved providing support, leadership and advocacy for both women and midwives during this time.

Mel received several awards and recognition for her clinical excellence and midwifery leadership in this time. However, she says the highlight of her midwifery career has been the establishment of the Mother Hub. Mel completed her IBCLC in 2017 and enjoys the challenge caring for women and babies experiencing complex lactation issues.

Mel is passionate about supporting women to achieve their best parenting journey, whether this is through pregnancy care, labour and birth care or the woman’s breastfeeding and parenting journey. However, the journey looks for each individual family.

Dr Ali Teate

Dr Ali Teate

www.caremidwifery.com.au

Ali is an Endorsed Midwife and Lactation Consultant who discovered a passion for midwifery and working with childbearing women during her midwifery training in 1991-1992.

Physiology and woman-centered care informs every action and interaction Ali undertakes. She works to support women to be the mother they wish to be and to advocate for them when systems or individuals do not listen to them.

For over 30 years, Ali has worked as a Midwife, Lactation Consultant, Researcher and Educator in many different settings. She has experience in pregnancy care, labour and birth care, breastfeeding support and postnatal care.

Her doctoral thesis explored how midwifery continuity of care improved clinical and satisfaction outcomes for women and their babies, during pregnancy, the labour and birth and with early parenting. Having a known midwife with you during your childbirth and parenting journey enables your worries to be heard and understood, your care to be tailored to your needs and for you to feel less worry and more hope.

Women’s Health GPs

Dr Nabila (Billie) Rajabali

Dr Nabila (Billie) Rajabali

Billie is interested in all aspects of women’s and children’s health and provided high quality care in a non-judgemental manner. She feels that all patients and their families should be given comprehensive details about management options so they are able to make an informed decision based on their particular needs and expectations.

Billie received her medical degree from the University of Queensland in 2008. She finished her GP Registrar training with TSAJ in 2021 and then gained her Fellowship from the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners.

She eagerly joined The Mother Hub in 2023 because she wanted to work within a multi-disciplinary team to holistically support the mother and baby relationship. Billie is a passionate GP that strives to continue learning from her colleagues and her patients on a daily basis.

Dr Hayley Engel

Dr Hayley Engel

Hayley is a warm and experienced GP with a passion for women’s health. She supports women through all life stages, with expertise in pre-conception care, fertility assessments, contraception (including IUD insertions), antenatal care, chronic pelvic pain such as endometriosis, PCOS, and menopause. She also provides comprehensive infant care.

Hayley emphasises patient-centered care, taking the time to listen and address each patient’s unique needs. She strives to ensure patients’ feel supported and well-informed.

Since becoming a GP in 2014, Hayley enjoys mentoring medical students and registrars as they develop their skills and confidence in practice.