About our Founder

Janice Banther, CCCE, CD(DONA), CLD, CHBE

Janice Banther is the founder and Executive Director of For the Love of Birth, Inc. (formerly the Women's Health Center). She has been supporting expecting mothers and their babies since 1983 and has been a birth doula at over 600 births and has taught thousands of couples in the Tampa Bay Area. She is also the founder of Birth Behind Bars, the childbirth education and labor doula program at Pasco County Jail.

She was one of the first certified labor doulas with DONA International in Florida and is also a certified labor doula with CAPPA. Janice is a certified childbirth educator with CAPPA. She also is certified with HAPPIEST BABY ON THE BLOCK. She is a RTS Bereavement counselor and Coordinator for mothers and their families to help them in their time of deepest need. Janice is a Faculty Member with CAPPA as a labor doula and childbirth educator. Janice is a former member of the Board of Directors of DONA International. She now serves as a mentor for members with CAPPA.

Her love and work with expecting mothers, many in crises or difficult life circumstances, was recognized by the Salvation Army in 2002 when they bestowed upon her the coveted "OTHERS" Award for the Southeastern United States in honor of work on behalf of others. Her personal achievement and her development of a staff of caring professional women earned Janice recognition by the Palm Harbor Junior Women’s Club in 2001 as Woman Of The Year. The Healthy Start Coalition of Pinellas County recognized her for her outstanding work in the community in 2009.

Janice has been featured in numerous television, radio and print interviews including the national magazine CHILD. But she considers her most rewarding work as wife to Barry and mother to David and his wife Ruth, and her youngest son, John. Also, Casey, the best lap dog always is part of the family. Her hobby is collecting old quilts, scrap booking, reading, and going to the mountains in North Carolina.