KIM HOLDEN
ARCHITECT | DOULA | EDUCATOR | CONSULTANT | ADVOCATE
Creating space and awareness for birth and beyond
Thank you for being here!
HELLO, I'M KIM...
I am an Registered Architect (RA, AIA), Certified Advanced Birth Doula (CABD), Certified Lactation Counselor (CLC), Educator, Consultant, and Maternal Health Advocate based in Portland, ME and New York, NY.
REIMAGINING BIRTH THROUGH DESIGN
An evening at the University of New England dedicated to reimagining how we welcome life into the world. Through thoughtful design of spaces, systems, tools, and lived experiences, we can transform pregnancy, labor, and postpartum care into experiences that are more humane, equitable, and deeply supportive. March 2026.
DESIGNING FOR EQUITABLE CHILDBIRTH
An AIA NY Public Architecture Committee lecture and panel inviting architects, designers, birth workers, and the public to consider childbirth as a shared spatial and societal health concern, and to explore how thoughtful design can support safer, more humane, and more equitable birth experiences. March 2026.
HELP ERADICATE MATERNAL MORTALITY
Kira Johnson unnecessarily lost her life after a routine C-Section. In response, her husband, Charles Johnson, founded 4 Kira 4 Moms, a non profit on a mission to eradicate maternal mortality. It was my absolute privilege to introduce Charles, at Vision for Birth, fundraiser for The Birthing Place Foundation. Dec 2025.
BRONX BIRTH CENTER RECEIVES $5M IN FUNDING
The Birthing Place was awarded $5M in critical funding as part of Governor Hochul’s latest initiative to invest in the health and well-being of New Yorkers. This support, highlighted in the Governor’s recent announcement, in marks a significant step forward for birth centers and the families we serve across the state.
TRANSFORMING BIRTH SPACE: A GLOBAL COLLOQUIUM, TORONTO
Honored to be an exhibitor, and in conversation about the intersection of birth and design with experts from around the world. We KNOW that the collaborative model of midwifery and birth center care produces far better outcomes. Our next task is to figure out how to use that knowledge to effect change.
MADAME ARCHITECT "DAYS WITH"
Thank you to Madame Architect for featuring a typical day with me in Portland, Maine!
PODCAST ON THE INTERSECTION OF DESIGN AND BIRTH
Thank you to Trent Bell of Architecture Design & Photography for our podcast conversation on the intersection of design and birth. The interview is sponsored by Maine Home+Design.
IMPACT OF BIRTH ENVIRONMENTS ON MATERNAL EXPERIENCES
Thank you to everyone at Maine Home + Design for featuring my work in your July 2025 issue!
MATERNAL HEALTH DAY OF ACTION IN ALBANY, 03/26/25
WHAT A DAY! Our goal was to amplify several bills related, but not limited, to:
-Reducing Birth Center regulatory and systemic barriers to meet demand for safe, cost effective midwifery-led care
-Recognizing Certified Professional Midwife (CPM) licensure
-Enacting Paid Leave after stillbirths
MATERNAL HEALTH DAY OF ACTION PRESS CONFERENCE, 03/26/25
Please join the Mobilize Maternal Health Coalition (MMHC) Wednesday, March 26th at 10am for LiveStream Press Conference.
MATERNAL HEALTH DAY OF ACTION, ALBANY 03/26/25
Please join the Mobilize Maternal Health Coalition (MMHC) Wednesday, March 26th as we raise our voices for maternal health in Albany! 📢 Please fill out this form if you are interested in joining us, in-person or remotely. www.bit.ly/mar26action
TEACH-IN 03/19/25
The Mobilize Maternal Health Coalition (MMHC) presents Learn About Your Rights and Protections as a Pregnant, Birthing, or Postpartum Employee, a live discussion with A Better Balance. This is the third of several Teach-Ins that the MMHC has planned for 2025.
TEACH-IN 02/25/25
The Mobilize Maternal Health Coalition (MMHC) presents Certified Professional Midwives (CPMs) and Licensure, a live discussion with community advocates. This is the second of several Teach-Ins that the MMHC has planned for 2025.
PRESS EVENT 02/04/25
The Mobilize Maternal Health Coalition (MMHC) presents Empowering Reproductive Justice, a live discussion with community advocates and legislators.
TEACH-IN 01/28/25
The Mobilize Maternal Health Coalition (MMHC) presents New York: Unpacking the Crisis - A Teach-In on the State of NY Maternal Health Justice, a live discussion with community advocates. This is the first of several Teach-Ins that the MMHC has planned for 2025.