Meet Our Team
Heather Sullivan, Co-Founder, Owner, Licensed Master Social Worker (LMSW), and Perinatal Mental Health Certified (PMH-C)
Heather Sullivan is a dedicated social worker with over 15 years of experience supporting families in the Marquette and Alger communities. As a longtime resident of the Upper Peninsula, Heather has developed a strong connection to local resources, which allows her to offer personalized and effective support to families in need. She earned her Master’s in Social Work with a certificate in school social work in 2017 and furthered her expertise by becoming certified in Perinatal Mental Health in 2023. She is also currently working toward her Lactation Counseling certification to continue expanding her ability to serve new parents.
Outside of her work, Heather enjoys spending quality time with her three children, supporting them in their various activities, and traveling as a family. She also has a love for live music, reading, and baking, finding joy and relaxation in these hobbies.
Jamie Kitchel, Co-Founder, Owner, Certified Nurse-Midwife (CNM), Certified Lactation Counselor (CLC), and Perinatal Mental Health Certified (PMH-C)
Jamie Kitchel is a certified nurse-midwife with experience caring for families in the home, freestanding birth center, hospital and clinical settings. Additionally, she has certifications in perinatal mental health and as a lactation counselor. Prior to becoming a midwife, Jamie worked at Marquette General Hospital as a critical care nurse. During this time she also worked as a birth doula. She has provided healthcare as a nurse, doula and nurse-midwife in our community since 2004. Her experience as a midwife, as well as her own three postpartum journeys has fueled her dedication to improve the frequency and duration of professional, knowledgeable and person-centered care received postpartum.
Jamie is a homeschooling mother to three teen and tweenage children (two born at home, one in the hospital), wife to her partner of 18+ years, old-time fiddler, dog lover and outdoor enthusiast.
Melinda/M. Britton, Co-Founder, Owner, Certified Doula (CD)DONA, Certified Lamaze Childbirth Educator (LCCE) and Certified Lactation Counselor (CLC)
Melinda/M. Britton has been supporting families in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula since 2010 as a Certified Full Spectrum Doula, Lamaze Certified Childbirth Educator, Evidence Based Birth Instructor, and Certified Lactation Counselor. She is passionate about providing evidence-based education and empowering parents to advocate for their needs throughout pregnancy, birth, and postpartum. Her deep commitment to postpartum care stems from her own experiences with motherhood and loss. In addition to her work at Rooted, Melinda is the Owner of Doulas of Marquette, where she leads a team offering birth doula services to UP families. M. believes in the power of collaboration to provide comprehensive care and that it truly “takes a village.”
Outside of work, Melinda enjoys Lake Superior days and camping with her family, traveling solo to big cities to seek out art and new foods, embodiment practices (yoga and sauna especially), and pursuing a growing passion for photography.
Rooted’s Story:
In late 2023, brought together by a shared passion for supporting families and a desire to make a difference in our community, the three of us met up at a local coffee shop. We came together to talk about what we saw as the real needs in our local area and jokingly said at the time, to “change the world.” As we talked about our own experiences—through birth, postpartum, and the work we’ve done in our respective fields—common themes began to emerge: the need for realistic postpartum education, the importance of accessible in-home support and the overwhelming sense of isolation felt by so many families.
We brainstormed, dreamt out loud and realized that maybe, just maybe, together we could change the world. Each of us brought a unique background and our different personal and professional lenses only deepened the conversation. We shared stories, tears, and a mutual understanding. Somewhere in that moment, there was a look between the three of us that said, we’re in.
From that day on our shared vision became clear: to build something Rooted in compassion, education, and community. It all started with a cup of coffee and a deep belief that change is possible—one family at a time.
Rooted’s Mission:
Our mission is to bridge the gap in postpartum care by providing in-home support for Upper Peninsula families during this time of transition. We empower families with evidence-based information, multidisciplinary guidance, and empathetic, hands-on advocacy.
