North Valley Birth Center has new director

The Birth Center at North Valley Hospital in Whitefish welcomed a new director earlier this week who brings with her years of experience as a labor and delivery nurse.

Felicity Williams, who officially stepped into her role on Monday, replaced Cindy Walp who held her position for almost 15 years. She has been a registered nurse since 2007 and has worked as a labor and delivery nurse at two hospitals in California, including the renowned Loma Linda University Medical Center.

She moved her career to North Valley Hospital in 2014, where she started work as a charge nurse in the Birth Center, according to a press release from North Valley Hospital. Prior to becoming the new director, Williams earned a Bachelor of Science in nursing, furthering her education while maintaining her role as a charge nurse.

“Working with women and their families has always been a passion; now I look forward to taking on management aspects of working with the Birth Center’s amazing staff as we continue to focus on patient care and experience, postpartum education and resources, and our Baby Friendly practices,” Williams said in a prepared statement.

Williams steps into her role during an exciting time for North Valley.

According to a recent report from the hospital, North Valley delivered 566 babies in 2018, up from 542 deliveries in 2017.

The hospital also earned a Baby Friendly Hospital designation in 2018. The new label, which was given by the World Health Organization and the United Nations Children Fund, adds the North Valley Birth Center to a list of about 20,000 maternity centers worldwide.

“Felicity has extensive knowledge and experience regarding women’s health services and labor and delivery with a calm demeanor for patient care and staff interactions,” said Amy Vanterpool, chief clinical officer at North Valley Hospital. “She is a respected leader within our team already, so she transitions to this new role with great staff report.”