Our Mission Statement

Michelle Ruffalo, LM, CPM has been a Florida Licensed Midwife since 2010 and in birth work since 2004. Her path started as a Certified Doula, Childbirth Educator and a Certified Hypnobirth instructor. When she was with women in labor, supporting and educating them, she witnessed how women were not listened to and that obstetrical violence was real. Since she could not change the system from the outside, she decided to change it from the inside. At the age of 40, she started Midwifery School and it was the BEST decision she ever made! She has been married to Ralph for almost 30 years and has a son, Malachi. She also has two kitties that she loves very much. 

Courtney Julien, LM, CPM, has been practicing midwifery since 2017 in a variety of Florida settings. She first earned a Bachelor's in women's studies which is what inspired her affinity for this work. She is also the Student Success Coordinator at The Florida School of Traditional Midwifery, allowing her passion for caring for marginalized communities to come to fruition. She and her husband Mike have a daughter, Meila. 

Torri Richardson is a Student Midwife at The Florida School of Traditional Midwifery, set to graduate in August 2026. Prior to pursuing midwifery, she attended USF to obtain her Bachelor's and Master's degrees in Public Health with a concentration in Maternal and Child Health. Learning about racial disparities in regard to the maternal mortality rate is what ultimately drove her to focus on pregnancy and childbirth in an out of hospital setting. Creating a safe and comfortable space for people of all backgrounds to embark on their pregnancy, childbirth, and postpartum journey is the ultimate goal for her. In addition to midwifery, she also offers prenatal and postpartum meal prep services in the Tampa area.