Meet Our Board of Directors
The Board of Directors of The Birthstone Center for Appalachian Perinatal Resilience is a dedicated team of community leaders, birth professionals, and advocates who share a passion for equitable access to wellness, bodywork, and family-centered care. Together, they guide our mission, ensuring that every program and service reflects our core values of compassion, integrity, and inclusion.
Our board members bring a diverse range of expertise—from healthcare and nonprofit management to education, business, and community outreach. They volunteer their time and talents to provide strategic direction, uphold accountability, and support the sustainability and growth of our programs.
Their collective vision drives our commitment to nurturing families, empowering providers, and strengthening the communities we serve.
Caroline LaFrenier
President
Caroline LaFrienier was not born in WNC but is so incredibly grateful to have spent the last 20 years here, graduating from Franklin High and Western Carolina University. She has a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration and Law and worked in local government from 2015-2023. Although her career was important to her, she decided to stay home with her two children, Otto and Juniper, while they are young. Her husband, Chris, is an electrical contractor and owner of Avodah Electric. She is passionate about building community in Western North Carolina and is very thankful for the opportunity to serve on Birthstone’s board. Caroline enjoys playing with her kids, being in the woods, picking flowers and true crime.
Kyle Palmer
Treasurer
Kyle Palmer serves as Treasurer on the Board of the Birthstone Center for Appalachian Perinatal Health. He and his family call Bryson City home and are grateful for the opportunity to serve their community through compassion and collaboration. A follower of Christ, Kyle believes every person carries inherent worth and should be treated with dignity and respect. Motivated by his hope that his wife, daughters, and future generations—and every woman navigating pregnancy, birth, or loss—receive compassionate, equitable care, he is honored to support the Center’s mission alongside others who have long been faithfully doing this work.
Erin Maxfield-Steele
Rev. Erin Maxfield-Steele is the Rector of St. John's Episcopal Church in Sylva. She grew up in the Shenandoah Valley in Virginia and moved to Western North Carolina in 2019. Erin holds a Masters of Divinity from Vanderbilt University and a postgraduate degree in Anglican Studies from Virginia Theological Seminary. She is a contributing author to Story, Formation, and Culture: From Theory to Practice in Ministry with Children (2018, Pickwick Press), and is author/illustrator of the children's book You Made Me (2020, Wipf & Stock). Erin has served at St. John's since 2022. She and her wonderful family live in Jackson County.
Angie Parker
Angie Parker is a registered nurse and an IBCLC. She has been a nurse for 24 years and a lactation consultant for 15 years, all of which have been spent serving the women and children of Western North Carolina. She has worked as a mother/baby nurse, a lactation consultant, started a local mommy support group, and taught breastfeeding and newborn care prenatal classes. Currently Angie is the Nurse Supervisor and Program Administrator for the Southwest Nurse Family Partnership program. She is passionate about helping families learn to be the best parents they can be and meet all their goals and dreams.
In her free time, she enjoys spending time with her husband and 2 sons, traveling, camping, reading and is active in her church.
Megan Ridley
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Autumn Ellis
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