Associate Medical Director, Duke University Hospital Birthing Center
Estela trained at the University of Pennsylvania to become a midwife, earning both her Bachelor and Master of Science in Nursing. She worked as a nurse in the Intensive Care Nursery at Pennsylvania Hospital and went on to start her midwifery career at the same institution, a busy obstetric hospital in the heart of Philadelphia. There she served a diverse clientele of women throughout their lifespan as part of a 24/7 well-established midwifery practice. She attended births in the hospital as well as in the nearby affiliated birth center. She worked with a team in a South Philadelphia clinic to initiate a Centering Pregnancy program in English and Spanish. She joined the Duke Midwifery Service in 2011 after moving to North Carolina to be closer to family. Here, she has helped guide numerous students (nursing, medical, CNM, NP) and residents (OB, family practice) in the care of women in pregnancy, labor, birth, and the postpartum period. In addition to Centering Pregnancy, her professional interests include family planning and working with Spanish-speaking immigrant populations. She enjoys cooking, baking and the great outdoors. She lives in Chapel Hill with her husband and their three children.
Education and Training
Oberlin College: Bachelor of Arts in Biology/minor in Women’s Studies
University of Pennsylvania: Bachelor and Master of Science in Nursing