ICAN’s April Volunteer of the Month is Nicole Goddard!
Nicole is the Western Regional Coordinator for ICAN.
How did you first find ICAN?
My first birth ended in an unnecessary cesarean, and I suffered from PPD due to the way my birth ended up. I googled all sorts of stuff pertaining to VBACs and support with my depression issues. I found ICAN and got directed to our local Phoenix chapter which at the time was pretty dormant. I didn’t receive anything back for a few months and again lost hope in future dreams for a better birth. Finally I received an email from a gal who was trying to get the chapter started up again. I attended my first meeting shortly after that and remained active in the Phoenix chapter for four years and was the Treasurer for two of those years. I then was asked to help out at a National level and became the Southwest Regional Coordinator, in which I’ve been doing for 6 years now.
What motivates you as a volunteer?
Giving back has always been a big deal for me and to give back to an organization who has done so much for me and so many other families makes me feel very good. I’m motivated by the resilience and strength of others. I’m also motivated by my own personal experiences and the challenges I’ve had to overcome to get to where I am today. Many of us have experienced challenges or moments that have shaped us into who we are today and the work to which we choose to dedicate our lives.
Do you have a profession or any other passions outside of ICAN?
I’m a happy mother to three beautiful kiddo’s. My first baby Ashlee is 8 and she’s my cesarean baby. My second Reagan is 6 and she’s my 1st vbac baby. My third is our little boy Nash who will be 2 in August and he is my 3rd vbac baby. I’ve been happily married to my husband for 10 years. We live in Parker Colorado which is a suburb of Denver.
My other job is at Southwest Airlines as a flight attendant, which I’ve been doing for 17 years. My hubby is also a flight attendant and that is obviously where we met (smile). In my spare time, I enjoy snow skiing, water skiing, hiking, camping and spending time with my family.
What was your proudest moment as an ICAN volunteer? What about your hardest?
I have had countless proud moments as an ICAN volunteer, from helping place a very discouraged mom with the right support in her community to a chat on the phone with a mom who thought she was out of options. I was there once and to know I tried my hardest to make a difference, made me very satisfied and proud.
I truly enjoy helping people get to the place I am today.
Thank you for your continued dedication, Nicole! We appreciate everything you do for ICAN, and for the community!
