About Audrey Certified nurse midwife Audrey Katz has been interested in pregnancy since she was young. She knew she wanted to spend her life serving others, so she chose nursing while applying to college. “Once I became a labor and delivery RN, I loved everything about it, especially patient advocacy and being present with my patients during such exciting, scary and vulnerable times.” Her first job as a nurse was on the Mother Baby Care Unit at the University of Iowa, but it was on a service trip in Haiti that Audrey decided to become a certified nurse midwife. To do this, Audrey pursued her master of science in nursing at Frontier Nursing University in Versailles, Kentucky. This expanded her ability to deliver care and connect with patients.  "I love that as a certified nurse midwife I can continue being with my patients during labor and birth, but I can also form deeper connections while being their provider beforehand,” Audrey explains.   Midwifery is ideal for Audrey as it creates a continuum of care and lasting relationships while still involving pregnancy and labor.  “We provide women’s care from adolescence through  late adulthood. We can see you for your annual wellness exams, provide birth control, talk about period concerns and screen for STIs and provide pap smears. Midwives also care for low-risk women throughout pregnancy, labor, birth and postpartum.” Because of her unique role in women’s health, Audrey has adopted a unique practice philosophy. “I am my patients’ biggest advocate. You are the captain of your health care, and I am here to support you!” she says. “Going to a medical setting, even if it is just for an annual exam at the office, can make people feel anxious and vulnerable.  I will prioritize getting to know you, understanding what is important to you and giving you the power to make decisions about your care.” In Her Own Words What was your first job growing up? What do you remember about it? Besides babysitting, I spent my summers in high school working at Champps Sports Bar &  Grill.  I still have nightmares about forgetting people’s order or spilling food! What were your best/worst subjects in school growing up?  My favorite was a human development class in high school. We got to wear pregnancy suits for a day and take those robot babies home for a weekend. It was around this time that I dreamed of becoming a labor and delivery nurse! If you could sit down to dinner with anyone (alive or deceased) who would it be and why? I would love to have dinner with my parents, but when they were in their 20’s. I think it would be super interesting to meet them at that stage of life. What is something most people don’t know about you?  I came to my family through open adoption. With my open adoption and close relationship with my birth parents, at my wedding, they walked me the first half of the aisle and my adoptive parents walked me the second half.