Joanna Whitlow, Founder
Joanna works as a lactation consultant, professional birth and postpartum doula, and childbirth educator. She is the director of “For Moms and Babies” as well as the annual Fall Family Festival held in Old Town, La Quinta.
In 2011 Joanna founded the non-profit About Families, Inc., and currently is the Executive Director. She is also the local coordinator for Postpartum Support International (PSI) and is working on the film "After Birth Project". In 2012 Joanna joined the faculty of Childbirth and Postpartum Professional Association (CAPPA) and began training doulas.
Most importantly, Joanna is a dedicated mother to 4 guys who she is over the moon in love with!
In 2011 Joanna founded the non-profit About Families, Inc., and currently is the Executive Director. She is also the local coordinator for Postpartum Support International (PSI) and is working on the film "After Birth Project". In 2012 Joanna joined the faculty of Childbirth and Postpartum Professional Association (CAPPA) and began training doulas.
Most importantly, Joanna is a dedicated mother to 4 guys who she is over the moon in love with!
Krystal Yokimcus, Secretary
Arizona native Krystal Yokimcus moved to the Coachella Valley in 2006 and soon married local teacher Travis. After her 2010 homebirth to son Everett, she discovered her passion to support couples who are making the transition into parenthood by educating them on the importance of breastfeeding, informed childbirth options, postpartum care, and attachment parenting.
Currently a stay at home mom and CAPPA Postpartum Doula, she plans on furthering her education by becoming a CAPPA Labor Doula, and Certified Lactation Educator. She has her BA degree in Public Relations and Advertising from Northern Arizona University.
Currently a stay at home mom and CAPPA Postpartum Doula, she plans on furthering her education by becoming a CAPPA Labor Doula, and Certified Lactation Educator. She has her BA degree in Public Relations and Advertising from Northern Arizona University.
Matthew Gonda, Treasurer
Matt Gonda was born and raised in the Detroit-metro area. He graduated Summa Cum Laude from Wayne State University with a degree in accounting. After working for Plante & Moran in Michigan, he and his wife moved to Indio, California to pursue new career opportunities. He is currently an audit and assurance manager at Maryanov Madsen Gordon & Campbell, CPA’s, in Palm Springs, where he specializes in accounting and tax issues for non-profit organizations, employee retirement plan compliance, and general small and medium size business issues. He has held numerous positions in a variety of non-profit organizations, including Past President of the Wayne State chapter of Sigma Pi Fraternity, Int’l., Board member of The Unforgettables Foundation in Riverside, California, Treasurer of Light of Life Church in Bermuda Dunes, California, as well as other organizations. He is also a graduate of and mentor for the Leadership Coachella Valley program.
He and his wife, Krysten, are high school sweethearts and are the proud parents of their son, Eoghan. When not working he enjoys playing with his three dogs, working on home renovation projects, reading, and, most recently, learning how to play rugby.
He and his wife, Krysten, are high school sweethearts and are the proud parents of their son, Eoghan. When not working he enjoys playing with his three dogs, working on home renovation projects, reading, and, most recently, learning how to play rugby.
Nikki Allen, Director
Nikki B. Allen is an attorney in Palm Desert with the law firm of Anderholt Whittaker LLP. Nikki graduated from the University of Massachusetts in 1996 with a BBA and graduated cum laude from the University of Denver College of Law in 2000 and is a member of the California and Colorado Bar Associations. Nikki’s practice focuses primarily on business transactions, civil litigation and trust and probate planning and litigation, including business structuring and financing, commercial disputes, homeowner association disputes, commercial leasing and real estate issues. Nikki is married to Brian Allen and their pride and joy is their son, Jack, who is currently sixteen months old.
Krysten Gonda, Director
Krysten Gonda is a native of southeastern Michigan. From an early age she had a strong desire to work with children and young adults, which led her to earn a bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education from Western Michigan University and a Master’s of Education in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages from Grand Canyon University. She moved with her husband, Matt, to Indio to pursue her career in education. After spending three years teaching elementary school she seized an opportunity to teach secondary education at an East Valley high school.
She is the mother of a happy, energetic boy, Eoghan. When she’s not busy being a mom, wife, or teacher, she spends her time pursuing credentials from CAPPA as a postpartum doula and lactation educator. She has a passion for teaching and is eager to begin birth, lactation, and postpartum education programs aimed towards at-risk youth in the Coachella Valley.
She is the mother of a happy, energetic boy, Eoghan. When she’s not busy being a mom, wife, or teacher, she spends her time pursuing credentials from CAPPA as a postpartum doula and lactation educator. She has a passion for teaching and is eager to begin birth, lactation, and postpartum education programs aimed towards at-risk youth in the Coachella Valley.
Jeni Van Horn, Director
Jeni Van Horn is born and raised on Southern California and moved to the Coachella Valley just over 5 years ago. At the ages of 11 and later at 13, she witnessed the birth of her brothers and began her love for pregnancy and newborn babies. After having her son about three years ago, she started her birthwork journey in hopes to empower other women to have a more positive birth experience.
Jeni is primarily a stay at home mom to her three kids but also works part time at a Naturopathic doctor’s office in La Quinta. She became a Childbirth Educator (Informed Childbirth) and a Birth Doula in September 2011. She is also a passionate advocate for breastfeeding, babywearing and attachment parenting.
When she is not busy being a mommy or helping new families, she enjoys hiking, baking and crafting. She is currently working on her credentials to be a certified Postpartum Doula (CAPPA) and furthering her education to become a Midwife.
Jeni is primarily a stay at home mom to her three kids but also works part time at a Naturopathic doctor’s office in La Quinta. She became a Childbirth Educator (Informed Childbirth) and a Birth Doula in September 2011. She is also a passionate advocate for breastfeeding, babywearing and attachment parenting.
When she is not busy being a mommy or helping new families, she enjoys hiking, baking and crafting. She is currently working on her credentials to be a certified Postpartum Doula (CAPPA) and furthering her education to become a Midwife.
Sara de la Rosa, Director
Sara is a DONA trained Doula, childbirth educator (Informed Childbirth), a wife and a mom to four beautiful kids. In July of 2011 she graduated from the Grow Our Own Lactaction Consultants Training and is studying to become a postpartum doula through CAPPA.
Christy Jo Hendricks, Community Liason
Christy Jo is a former English teacher from southern California. After taking a short hiatus from teaching while being a full time mom to her three children, she jumped at the opportunity to become a part time Public Health Educator. From there things quickly progressed. Her first widely known contribution to new moms is the Lego Stack, a three-dimensional representation of how formula stacks up to breast milk, which is currently being used by hospitals, public health programs, and even Texas’ WIC website. She followed that up by writing and illustrating the book “Mommy Feeds Baby,” which seeks to normalize and encourage breastfeeding for moms. Her book has sold over 10,000 copies and is becoming more popular every day. Aside from her success in public speaking and writing, she is a DONA certified doula and CAPPA certified postpartum doula. She is the author and former educator of the Grow Our Own IBCLC curriculum and currently is a CAPPA CLE Faculty educator. She has dedicated her life to advocating for women, children, and the entire birth and early childhood experience.
