Kelly Rutan is the co-owner of Doulas of Raleigh. Helping to build a solid foundation for families so that they feel supported and connected is her passion and the reason she has pursued a career as a postpartum doula. The path that has led her here, however, has not been a straight one.
A native North Carolinian, Kelly received her BA in International Studies from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. During her time at UNC-CH she studied abroad in Beijing, China, an eye-opening adventure that allowed her to experience a completely different lifestyle than the one she had known.
Kelly went on to pursue her law degree at American University's Washington College of Law in Washington, DC. She graduated summa cum laude and joined a private DC law firm where she practiced antitrust litigation. During this time, Kelly got married and started her family with the arrival of her son in 2009.
Balancing the demands of an extremely high-stress career with motherhood really opened Kelly's eyes to the importance of a solid support network for new families. Raising her own children far from home without the support of friends or family is a challenge that she can relate to. Following the birth of her daughter in 2010, Kelly returned home to North Carolina and stepped away from her legal career.
Kelly knows firsthand that motherhood can be lonely, particularly without the right support system. She also knows how challenging it can be to balance parenting, career, and life, especially with a newborn. This is why she was drawn to becoming a postpartum doula, so that she could provide families with the support and connection that is so often lacking in today's modern communities.
In early 2015, Kelly launched her solo, postpartum doula business, Motherline, and began serving families as an independent doula. After connecting with Heather at a training in 2016, she knew that they would do great things together. From their shared vision to bring professional, nonjudgmental care to as many families as possible, Doulas of Raleigh was born in 2017.
Kelly is a ProDoula certified Postpartum & Infant Care Doula, a ProDoula certified Postpartum Placenta Specialist, and a ProDoula certified Infant Feeding Specialist and Infant Feeding Educator. Kelly has also completed a CAPPA Working with Multiples Advanced Training and thoroughly enjoys supporting twin or triplet (or more!) families. She is always looking to enhance her skills and increase her knowledge in the fields of pregnancy, postpartum, and parenting. Kelly has supported more than 100 Triangle families and considers it a true honor to have been a part of each and every one of these families’ postpartum experiences.
Kelly also holds the position of Director of Education for the doula training and certifying organization, ProDoula, and works for ProDoula as a trainer too. She can often be found traveling around the country and the world training new Postpartum & Infant Care Doulas and Infant Feeding Educators.
In addition to her husband and two middle school-aged children, Kelly shares her home in Cary with two loveable rescue dogs - one three-legged super mutt and one four-legged stubborn hound dog. Sushi and softball are a few of her true loves in life. Kelly's happy place can be found snuggling on the couch and watching movies with her family.
Heather Clements is the co-owner of Doulas of Raleigh. Heather became a doula because of her Christian faith. She uses her gifts of encouragement, service, and mercy to support families during birth and the postpartum stage.
Heather has not always been a doula. She received a BA in Elementary Education and a BA in Psychology from Queens University of Charlotte. During her time at Queens she spent much of her time supporting philanthropic efforts in the Queen City. She also had the great privilege to do an extended study in Italy.
After graduation from college, Heather was immediately employed by the Charlotte Mecklenburg School system as a first grade teacher. She also was active with RAIN, a Charlotte based volunteer group. During her 2nd year of teaching she met her husband, Casey, and they were married in 2003. In 2006 they welcomed their first child, John, and moved to the Triangle to be closer to family. Heather began teaching kindergarten and first grade for Wake County Public Schools. During her tenure with Wake County Schools she became a National Board Certified Teacher. In 2008 Heather and Casey welcomed daughter Gracie. 2011 brought the birth of Will, their youngest child.
In 2012 Heather began doula work after completing a spiritual gifts test and upon learning about the work of a doula. She became a certified birth doula and launched Tarheel Birth Services in 2014. Supporting families became a larger and larger part of Heather's life and, in 2016, she chose to step away from the classroom to focus solely on doula work.
Heather has supported births throughout the Triangle, including all area hospitals and freestanding birth centers. She develops positive, professional relationships with hospital and birth center staff members to help create a harmonious atmosphere for the clients she serves.
Heather met Kelly at a training in early 2016 and immediately knew they had a shared vision. Doulas of Raleigh started as a conversation on a ride home from the training and developed into a fully formed agency in early 2017.
Heather is a ProDoula Certified Labor Doula (original certification with DONA International), a ProDoula Certified Postpartum Placenta Specialist, and a ProDoula Certified Postpartum & Infant Care Doula. She has also completed HypnoBabies training. Heather relies on her background in teaching to teach the Comprehensive Childbirth Education classes in a fun and engaging way. Having all these skills helps her make a fluid transition with all clients through pregnancy, birth, to well into the postpartum months.
Heather thought the house was not crazy enough with three young children so her family added 2 dogs, Lady and Bear, to the family in 2012. Although those two loveable dogs have sinced passed over the Rainbow Bridge, “Clements Farm” is still thriving with dozens of chickens currently enjoying free range on Heather’s land, a bearded dragon, named Smaug, and their charming yet vigilant cat, Storm, keeping all the other critters..and the tweens and teens… in line. Besides her family Heather holds her love of coffee and reading close to her heart and is constantly plotting ways to visit the beach.