Nicole Ann-Maharaj

Nicole’s academic accomplishments include a Bachelor of Science degree in Biomedical Sciences from the University of Guelph, a Master’s in Public Health from Lakehead University, and post-graduate certifications in Regulatory Affairs and Project Management from the University of Toronto.

Her professional career has led to her living in Japan, Spain, and Denmark, and along the way, she learned Spanish, French, and Japanese. Nicole has almost ten years of experience in pharmaceutical compliance and quality assurance. Furthermore, she spent over eight years as an educational instructor. Her passion for public health, especially in reproductive and maternal health, led to a stint at the World Health Organization Regional Office for Europe in the Division of Non-communicable disease—Sexual and reproductive, maternal and newborn health.

She loves to travel in her spare time (visiting almost 50 countries on six continents), tries new cuisine, and makes new toys and games for her infant son.

Maryam Tayadon

My name is Maryam Tayadon and I have a Bachelor’s degree in Software Engineering. However, my interests extend beyond IT and programming. I am passionate about maternal care.

My interest in health, specifically maternal care, was sparked by hearing the news of a mother dying during childbirth. This led to me studying Midwifery at the University of Medical Sciences in Tehran. I have assisted in the deliveries of over 60 babies. Furthermore, I have worked as a healthcare provider in the Ministry of Health of my home country where I focused on reproductive, maternal, and newborn healthcare.

I strongly believe in lifelong learning and I get to do this by supporting my teenage children study to achieve their goals. In my free time, I like cooking and spending time with my family.

Lizzy Berg

My name is Lizzy Berg. I am a young female professional volunteering as the Graphics Designer for Maternity Today. I’m very honored to be a part of this team to combine my passion for graphic design with my advocacy for women’s rights.

I graduated from Carleton University with a Bachelor of Arts Honours in Psychology. I plan to continue my studies and pursue a Master of Social Work in the near future, focusing on the advancement of gender equality. Although my career has taken me down a social work path, I still love to design. Since an early age, I have taught myself the ins and outs of graphic design and have developed a passion for such. I wish to pursue this passion and gain more experience in my self-taught discipline, discovering new outlets for me to design professionally.

As a team player, I hold myself to the highest ethical standards – respecting others, practicing patience and compassion, and embracing a culture of life-long learning. I am a ringette coach to young girls in my community, and I encourage them to be strong female leaders. I believe that females in our society are capable of greatness.