Jenna Galarneau, CPM, LM

Jenna Galareau is a certified professional midwife, licensed in Minnesota (LM# 1103). 

Jenna was first drawn to birth during her years studying herbal medicine at Minneapolis Community and Technical College. The works of Dr. Aviva Romm, Rosemary Gladstar, and Susan Weed resonated with her, each in their own ways. In 2015, soon after finishing her certificate in herbal medicine, she attended her first birth and continued on this path to serve birthing people by completing a DONA doula training workshop. She then went on to graduate from St. Catherine University with a bachelor's degree in Nutrition and Exercise Science where she focused her studies on the childbearing years and on social justice and ethics in healthcare.

She has a natural drive to serve others. In 2012, Jenna completed a 200-hour yoga teacher certification and has since been leading classes throughout the Twin Cities. She considers the practice, both physical and philosophical, of yoga to be one of the many tools a birthing person can use to gain a deeper understanding of their bodies. She sees a yoga practice as a place where you can invite courage & vulnerability in the same moment, in the same breath. To her, birth is all about the balance between those two dualities: being courageous and being vulnerable.

In the early months of 2020, Jenna began full-spectrum birth work training through Birthing Advocacy Doula Trainings whose courses are “socially conscious, culturally appropriate, diverse, and action-oriented”. She believes all people deserve respect and freedom in their healthcare choices. To her, birth is a radical demonstration in which she is there to be a guardian and hold space for the birthing person.

By the end of 2020, Jenna was enrolled at Midwives College of Utah pursuing her second bachelor's degree in the science of midwifery. She spent her years as a student learning from the midwives at Willow and completed the program at the end of 2023. Jenna is now a Certified Professional Midwife (CPM) and is excited to continue on this lifelong journey of learning and expansion.

Jenna and her partner are parents to two curious kiddos, who were both born at Willow. During the summer you’ll find her at any body of water watching her kids play, going hiking, canoeing, and camping with her family, or in her backyard with a margarita. In the winter she’s usually hibernating on the couch with a good television series, listening to her favorite podcasts, or getting sweaty in Barre class. She also enjoys a little competitive play and indulges in this joy via card games, softball and beach volleyball.