Meet our Midwives!

All of our midwives are registered with the College of Midwives of Ontario, are active members of the Association of Ontario Midwives, and hold current certifications in Neonatal Resuscitation, CPR and Emergency Skills.

KANMANI GURUSWAMI, RM

My name is Kamani Guruswami, most people call me "Kay". I am one of the midwives here at Kensington Midwives. I have been here since April, 2000, when we first opened our doors as Access Midwives of Toronto. I received my formal training as a midwife from McMaster University in Hamilton, Ontario and was awarded a Bachelor of Health Sciences with Honours in Midwifery. As a newly graduated midwife, in the fall of 1996, I moved to Toronto. I worked at the Midwives Collective of Toronto for four years. In the years before starting the Midwifery Education Program I worked as a doula and childbirth educator. I also attended home births with midwives in the Vancouver area. I spent time tree-planting, waitressing and traveling. In 1990, I completed a Bachelors of Biology at the University of Western Ontario in London, Ontario.

My heritage includes a father who was born in Tamilnadu, India who came to Canada in 1965 to complete his Masters in Civil Engineering. My mother came to Canada in 1966 from Switzerland where she was born; she studied at McGill University and achieved a Ph.D. in Mathematics. I was born in Calgary, Alberta, and have two siblings. We grew up in Montreal and Ottawa and regularly travelled as a family to India and Europe. I now live in the Kensington Market area. I am the mother to Zakary who was born on December 3rd, 2000. Zakary is the love of my life and the best thing that has ever happened to me.

mohammed mohammed, Rm

Hello, my name is Mohammed. I am thrilled to be part of Kensington Midwives.

I was trained and educated as a midwife in Ethiopia, Eastern Africa. I graduated as a gold medalist in 2015 with Bachelor of Science in Midwifery and have completed an additional 2 years of training in high risk obstetrics. I practiced Midwifery as academician, researcher, and hospitalist midwife in Ethiopia.

I moved to Canada in 2018 and entered the International Midwifery Preregistration Program at Ryerson University a year after. I did my orientation placement to Ontario Midwifery care with Kensington Midwives.  It has been a wonderful experience being part of the beautiful journey of pregnancy and child birth. I believe that each birth and each family’s journey is unique and it is such a privilege to join in with them on that adventure. I am excited to be part of your care and look forward to meeting you.

kearston bergeron, rm

My name is Kearston and I am thrilled to be joining Kensington Midwives as a registered midwife.

I completed a Bachelor of Health Sciences in Midwifery at Laurentian University in the spring of 2019 and completed my first year of practice in Squamish, British Columbia. I have also obtained a Bachelor of Arts in Indigenous Studies, which has informed my work as a midwife.

I am a proud First Nations Algonquin woman, with roots in Northern Ontario-Quebec. I speak both English and French fluently. My inspiration for a career in midwifery started with my sister, who has 6 children. She taught me to respect pregnancy as a state of health, and childbirth as a normal process.

I am committed to providing equal access to culturally safe, quality maternity care to our community. I believe in the importance of evidence-based informed choice, and the positive impact this kind of care can have on an individual’s experience.

I am grateful to be involved in your care and look forward to meeting you!

kyla Austin, rm

My name is Kyla Austin, and I graduated from Ryerson University’s Midwifery program in 2021. I spent my senior year here at Kensington Midwives and I loved my experience so much I decided to stay on after graduation. Before Midwifery I completed a degree in Early Childhood Studies at the University of Guelph-Humber and I was going to continue on to become a Speech Pathologist, but when I had three babies with the help of midwives I realized that Midwifery was where I needed to be instead. I trained as a doula and attended births for a few years before applying to the Midwifery program. 

I am a first-generation Canadian settler as both my parents immigrated from England. I live with my partner, our three daughters and a house full of pets. I am conversationally fluent in ASL and I used to teach Baby Sign classes. I have a strong creative streak and my hobbies include painting, drawing, knitting, sewing, or somehow keeping my hands busy with whatever other project I've found. I am also very good at making tea and then forgetting about it. 

My goal is to provide our clients with client-centered care that's heavily rooted in informed choice and respects birth as a physiological process. Being able to support people while they navigate some of the most vulnerable and also most powerful times of their lives is an honour, a privilege and a gift. 

jemal endris, rm

Hello! My name is Jemal. I was born and raised in Ethiopia before moving to Canada at the end of 2019. I have studied Family Medicine and worked there for about 5 years. During my practice, I discovered my passion to help pregnant people and their babies. Most of my previous clinical practices therefore were focused in maternal and infant health, and providing family centered care for my community.  I realized in Canada that my work in Ethiopia as a family physician was the work of a midwife in Canada. I graduated from the International Midwifery Pre-Registration Program (IMPP) at Ryerson University in Toronto in 2021 and then joined Kensington Midwives, first as a clerk student and as a Registered Midwife later. 

I am looking forward to meeting you in person and to be part of your care!

tori whyte, RM

My name is Tori Whyte (she/they pronouns) and I am a settler with ancestry in the British Isles. I graduated from the Midwifery Education Program at Toronto Metropolitan University in 2022 after receiving a Masters in Gender Studies from the University of Ottawa (2015) and a fine arts degree from McMaster University (2007). My Master’s thesis was on social narratives of sexual health, while my art thesis was printmaking and sculpture. I have long standing interests in healthcare for marginalized genders, but came to deeply miss working with my hands. For me, midwifery is a way to do good and tangible work that matters.

Shortly before enrolling in midwifery, I was part of a team doing sociological research on the culture of hospitals, solidifying my desire to be present in healthcare. I value accessibility and body positivity. I invite critical feedback if there are ways that I can be better to you.

My parents are both from west end Toronto, but raised my brothers and I in Barrie, where my mother was politically active as an advocate for breastfeeding in the 1970s. I feel kinship and honour to practice midwifery not far from where my parents were born.

Sodere Djirata, RM - on leave

Sodere trained as a midwife in Ethiopia and graduated in 2010 with a Bachelor of Science in Midwifery and a Master of Science in Reproductive and Maternal Health Nursing in 2014. She practiced Midwifery as a lecturer and Community and Hospital midwife from 2010 to 2017 in Ethiopia, East Africa. She moved to Canada in 2017 and joined the International Midwifery Preregistration Program at Ryerson University. In 2019, Sodere did her clerkship at Diversity Midwives in Scarborough and Sages Femme Rogue Valley Midwives. She completed her NR year at Community Midwives of Toronto.

She is passionate about midwifery care and feels thankful for the opportunities to serve families during their pregnancy journey, the birth of their baby, and the postpartum period. Sodere likes reading, sports and social life in her leisure time.

Sodere provides care to clients in English, Afan Oromo, and Amharic.

veronica luburic, rm

Hi there! My name is Veronica Luburic and I am thrilled to be joining the Kensington Midwives team as a Registered Midwife. I recently graduated from the Midwifery Education Program at Toronto Metropolitan University (formerly Ryerson) and completed my senior year placement with Kensington. Before that, I earned my Bachelor of Science at Western University, majoring in medical science and minoring in psychology. I then went on to work a plethora of jobs, from event coordinating to tour guiding and marketing at Leafs and Raptors games, before finding my way to midwifery.

I also work part-time as a personal trainer and am looking forward to helping my clients exercise safely during pregnancy and in the postpartum period.

In my spare time I foster and train service dogs to help Canadians with differing abilities. I recently adopted my last foster as he was not selected for the program. My other hobbies include trying new restaurants with my husband, walking my pup, traveling, weightlifting, and hiking.

My favourite part about midwifery is the continuity we get with our clients, from getting to know one another in early prenatal appointments to weighing your little ones at 6-weeks postpartum. It is an absolute privilege to be a part of such a special time in people’s lives and I look forward to helping you grow your families!

Fun fact: I have a black belt in taekwondo!

laura borczon, rm

Hello! My name is Laura Borczon (she/her), and I am very excited to be working at Kensington Midwives.

I am a graduate from the Bachelor of Health Sciences in Midwifery from Toronto Metropolitan University. Before midwifery I received a Bachelors of Fine Arts from York University, and had a 10 year career working in Canadian Film & Television as an Art Director. For the 5 years prior to entering the midwifery education program I was a birth doula and taught prenatal/childbirth education to families across the GTA.

I am a third generation settler with Polish/Ukrainian ancestry. I have 2 kids that keep me busy outside of work, and when I am not catching baby’s I can be found at our tiny chunk of land with our homemade tiny home trailer. Always building campfires and toasting marshmallows.

My inspiration to practice Midwifery started with the births of my children where I found the empowerment of choice in healthcare. I continue to strive to provide culturally safe care, client-centered care, with a deep belief in informed choice and the birthing process.

I am humbled daily by this work and feel extremely privileged to be able to provide Midwifery care during the most transformative time in many people's lives.

I look forward to meeting you!