Cydney Afriat Menihan

Cydney Afriat Menihan's Professional Life:

Cydney has an BSN from the University of Pittsburgh, an MSN from California State University and her midwifery certificate (CNM) from the University of Southern California School of Medicine. Her clinical experience includes being a nurse in labor and delivery at Cedars-Sinai in Los Angeles, followed by 20+ years as a clinical midwife in both California and Rhode Island. She was a clinical instructor in OB/GYN at Brown University School of Medicine and an adjunct assistant professor at the University of Rhode Island Graduate Program in Midwifery.

Albeit an unusual trait for a midwife, Cydney always felt a pull toward the technologies that enhance women's health care. Beginning in 1976, Cydney taught hundreds of electronic fetal monitoring (EFM) interpretation courses throughout the US and Canada; and she is certified in electronic fetal monitoring by NCC. In 1994, she obtained her certificate in OB/GYN ultrasound (US) from the ARDMS. From that point forward, she added ultrasound education to her teaching pursuits. Cydney has published numerous manuscripts in both EFM and US, as well as several textbooks on both topics. Cydney has also worked as a consultant to attorneys and hospitals, and has been on professional advisory boards and committees for AWHONN, ACNM, AIUM, and ARDMS. Most recently, she was at the forefront of developing the ARDMS ultrasound certifying exam for midwives, which became available in 2017.

Cydney Afriat Menihan's Retirement Life:

Cydney has expanded her love of writing from professional and educational to imaginative and fictionalized writing. In 2017 she first created the children's book, The Fairy Grandmother of the Sea and Sun, under the nom de plum (pen name) of Miss Iris O'Day, (with original illustrations by Janice Causey). Now she has gone one step further in writing a fictionalized family memoir, By Way of Conshohocken, published in 2023, which has received a 5-star review from Readers' Favorites:

Professional Reviews:

Reviewed by Amy Raines for Readers' Favorite

In By Way of Conshohocken: A Fictionalized Family Memoir by Cydney Iris Afriat Menihan, the author includes some interesting facts that are key factors in the fictional history of her family. She goes with her family to a musical that moves her grandfather, Bob, to tears, and she wonders what memories he must have of the city he lived in that brought on such strong emotions. A patchwork quilt brings to light some interesting background about Bob and the time he served in the Russian Army. Later, Don, Cydney’s father, struggles with figuring out what to do with his life and has difficulty holding down a job even though he has plenty of ambition. Just like her father, Cydney also struggles to decide on what career she wants to pursue. Aside from personal experience, what truths will Cydney discover by questioning everything and fact-checking family history?

I thoroughly enjoyed the way Cydney Iris Afriat Menihan dove into fact-checking and changed historical fiction to fictional history as she unraveled the truths about her family’s life before and after moving to America. I find it inspiring that the author wanted to know more than what might have been true and the way she used references for important facts about some of the people, places, and events in a way that adds meaning without taking away from the story. It was a lot of fun to learn about officers during WWII as well as Russian conscription and drafting. I recommend By Way of Conshohocken to anyone who enjoys a story that is both fiction and fact and teaches something new by way of research along the way."

Review by Kristen O'Connell as posted on Goodreads

May 28, 2026

By Way of Conshohocken: A Fictionalized Family Memoir presents an intimate and historically reflective narrative that blends family legacy, immigration history, and imaginative reconstruction into a cohesive storytelling experience. Through the framework of a fictionalized memoir, Cydney Iris Afriat Menihan explores how personal histories intersect with broader historical movements, tracing the lasting effects of early twentieth-century immigration on future generations.

What immediately stands out is the book’s fusion of documented history with creative interpretation. Rather than presenting a conventional genealogical account, the narrative appears to use whimsical dialogue and fictionalized scenes to breathe emotional life into real people and historical circumstances. This approach gives the work a warmth and accessibility that allows readers to engage not only with facts, but with the personalities, emotions, and relationships behind them.

The setting of Conshohocken itself functions as more than a geographic backdrop. The town becomes a symbolic point of departure—a place tied to migration, reinvention, family formation, and the uncertainty of a changing century. By grounding the story in a specific community while expanding outward into generational consequences, the memoir creates a strong sense of historical continuity and inherited identity.

Another compelling aspect of the book is its intergenerational perspective. The narrative suggests an awareness of how historical events ripple across families over time, shaping descendants in ways that may not be immediately visible. This gives the memoir emotional depth beyond nostalgia, positioning it as a reflection on memory, belonging, and the lasting influence of ancestral journeys.

The fictionalized memoir format also allows for a more fluid and engaging reading experience than strictly factual historical retellings. The balance between historical grounding and imaginative storytelling creates space for emotional interpretation while still honoring the underlying realities that inspired the work.

Overall, By Way of Conshohocken succeeds as both a family-centered historical reflection and a creative act of preservation. It transforms personal and generational memory into narrative form while inviting readers to reflect on the broader immigrant experience, the passage of time, and the enduring impact of family history across generations.