Naomi Bar-Yam,ACSW,  PhD, has been working in maternal and child health for over 35 years as an educator, researcher, advocate, and writer. She is past president of the Human Milk Banking Association of North America (HMBANA) and the director emerita of Mothers' Milk Bank Northeast, which provides safe donor milk to hospitals and families throughout the northeastern US. An expert on access to perinatal health care and policies that support breastfeeding, she has been a consultant to the Centers for Disease Control (on a panel that created "The CDC Guide to Breastfeeding Interventions”), to the United States Breastfeeding Committee (developing an issue paper addressed to CEOs and legislators on breastfeeding and the workplace), and to the March of Dimes (developing educational material for women and families who are medically and socially vulnerable to high-risk pregnancy). She also developed a curriculum for hospital personnel about combining breastfeeding with their work. She reviews articles submitted to the Journal of Human Lactation, Breastfeeding Medicine, and other publications related to breastfeeding, milk banking, and access to perinatal child care. As the founder and Director Emerita of Mothers' Milk Bank Northeast, she is thoroughly versed in the technical, procedural, and ethical aspects of milk banking. She often speaks at professional conferences, hospital staff trainings, and grand rounds about milk banking and breastfeeding policies.

Liz Brooks, JD, IBCLC, FILCA, is a lawyer/litigator (since 1983) and private practice lactation consultant (since 1997) who offers lively explanation of the overlap between clinical lactation support, ethics, and the law. Breastfeeding helpers (like IBCLCs) struggle with ethical, moral, and legal conundrums in their everyday work settings. With plain language and humor, Liz explains how the everyone can work ethically and legally, and offers pragmatic tips for immediate use in daily practice. She has served on the boards of directors of the International Lactation Consultant Association (ILCA), the United States Breastfeeding Committee (USBC), and Human Milk Banking Association of North American (HMBANA). She wrote the only textbook focusing on IBCLC ethics and law, authored chapters and articles in several texts and journals, and is a well-received speaker, writer, and educator in her field.

Melissa Cole, MS, IBCLC, RLC is a board certified lactation consultant, neonatal oral-motor assessment professional, and clinical herbalist in private practice. Melissa has been passionate about providing comprehensive, holistic lactation support and improving the level of clinical lactation skills for health professionals. She enjoys teaching, researching and writing about wellness and lactation-related topics. Melissa holds a bachelor of science degree in maternal child health and lactation consulting and her master’s work is in therapeutic, clinical herbalism. Melissa actively conducts research and collaborates with several lactation and health care professional associations. Before pursuing her current path, Melissa’s background was in education and cultural arts, which has served her well in her work as a lactation consultant and healthcare educator. She loves living, working and playing in the beautiful Pacific Northwest with her 3 children. Luna Lactation & Wellness Speaker Packet, Available Presentations, and Media Kit

Cynthia Good, MS Clinical Psychology, is an International Board Certified Lactation Consultant, Psychotherapist, author, consultant, and internationally recognized speaker. She is also Certified in Acute Traumatic Stress Management, and formerly served as an Adjunct Professor in the Department of Midwifery at Bastyr University in Washington, USA where she taught counseling skills. She has a strong interest in the emerging field of lactational psychology. She is the Director of Perinatal Mental Health and Parent Support at Sandbox Therapy Group in Washington, USA and serves as Program Chair for GOLD Lactation. She formerly served as Research Associate in the Publications Department of La Leche League International, faculty of Parkland College in Illinois, USA, and Education Manager at the International Lactation Consultant Association. She has authored, contributed to, and provided editorial review of numerous publications related to lactation, culture, psychology, and social justice.

Dr. Hazelbaker maintains a private practice in Columbus, Ohio. She has been a La Leche League Leader for over 30 years and a practicing lactation consultant for nearly 30 years. She incorporates her special training in Cranio-Sacral Therapy and Lymphatic Drainage Therapy into her lactation practice. She authored the "Assessment Tool for Lingual Frenulum Function" and invented the Hazelbaker(TM) FingerFeeder. She is one of the few lactation consultants who earned a graduate degree in human lactation (Master's.) Dr. Hazelbaker also holds a doctorate in Psychology, specializing in Energetic and Transformational Healing. Dr. Hazelbaker mothered her five children through long-term breastfeeding and is the proud grandmother of two breastfed grandchildren, Aidan and Eva.

Christy Jo Hendricks, IBCLC is an international speaker, educator, inventor, and author known for her innovative ability to simplify complex lactation concepts for diverse audiences. With 15 years as a high school teacher and over 22 years with the Department of Public Health WIC Program, she brings a powerful blend of classroom expertise and public health experience to perinatal education.

A pioneer in lactation training, Christy Jo has developed several lactation courses. She created the Grow Our Own Lactation Consultant/IBCLC Prep Course in 2010, which has helped hundreds of aspiring professionals successfully prepare for the IBCLC exam. In 2024, she launched Lactation University’s Certified Lactation Professional (CLP) 95+ Hour Lactation Training, a LEAARC-endorsed program providing high-quality virtual lactation education grounded in mentorship, evidence-based practice, and community. She also created and teaches the Foundations of Lactation Education (FLE) course for perinatal professionals seeking to strengthen breastfeeding knowledge and communication skills. She has personally supported over 2,000 breastfeeding advocates with her lactation courses.

Christy Jo’s work has earned national recognition, including the U.S. Presidential Volunteer Service Award, the Phyllis Klaus Founder’s Award for strengthening the mother–baby bond, the Above and Beyond Award for innovative public health projects, Lactation Educator Faculty of the Year, and the CAPPA Visionary Award.

As a practicing IBCLC, childbirth educator, and doula, Christy Jo continues to elevate perinatal education while mentoring the next generation of lactation professionals. Based in California, she is deeply committed to expanding access to evidence-based breastfeeding education and empowering professionals to better serve families.

Tom Johnston is unique as a midwife and lactation consultant and the father of eight breastfed children.  Recently retired after 27 years in the US Army, he is now an Assistant Professor of Nursing at Methodist University where he teaches, among other things, Maternal-Child Nursing and Nutrition. You may have heard him at a number of conferences at the national level, to include the Association of Woman’s Health and Neonatal Nurses (AWHONN), the International Lactation Consultant's Association (ILCA), or perhaps at dozens of other conferences across the country. In his written work he routinely addresses fatherhood and the role of the father in the breastfeeding relationship and has authored a chapter on the role of the father in breastfeeding for "Breastfeeding in Combat Boots: A survival guide to breastfeeding in the military".

Dr. Hope Lima (she/her) is a nutrition and lactation educator and clinician who wants to help raise the bar for how we care for clients in the field of maternal and child health. She is trained as a nutrition researcher, an International Board Certified Lactation Consultant (IBCLC), and a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist (RDN). Hope has advanced training in pediatric food allergies, metabolism, and utilizing an Internal Family Systems-informed counseling approach to support families. Hope has experience in curriculum development, program planning and research methods as a professor in a university-level dietetics department. Hope also has experience in clinical counseling through her private practice, Hope Feeds Families, based in Rock Hill, SC. She uses these experiences to provide meaningful, engaging learning experiences for professionals in the fields of nutrition, dietetics, and lactation. Hope founded Feeding Families Education and Consulting in 2023 with a vision of changing the way that we train clinicians and raising the bar for continuing education. When she is not working on her professional endeavors, Hope can be found playing with her 3 dogs, hiking in national parks with her husband, or riding roller coasters with her step-kids.

Bonnie Holt Logsdon (she/her) is a Registered Dietitian (RD), International Board Certified Lactation Consultant (IBCLC), DONA-trained birth doula, and international perinatal health speaker and educator. With over 20 years of experience in community-based nutrition and lactation practice (from public health to private practice), Bonnie is known for delivering engaging, evidence-based education that translates seamlessly into clinical practice.

She is the owner of Bonnie Knows Breast®, a private practice based in Louisville, Kentucky, where she has supported and educated thousands of families through the prenatal and postpartum period. Bonnie facilitates new parent groups, develops innovative education programs, and trains healthcare professionals across disciplines.

Bonnie serves on the board of The Milk Bank and is an advisor for GOLD Lactation Learning Academy. She is also a member of the Healthy Babies Louisville Coalition and a member and past President of the Kentuckiana Lactation Improvement Coalition.

She is passionate about making lactation education accessible, inclusive, and actionable—for both families and the professionals who support them.

Lisa Marasco has been working with breastfeeding mothers for over 35 years and has been Internationally Board Certified since 1993. She holds a Master's degree in Human Development with specialization in Lactation Consulting and was designated a Fellow of ILCA in 2009. Lisa is co-author of Making More Milk: The Breastfeeding Guide to Increasing Your Milk Production, a contributing author to the Core Curriculum for Interdisciplinary Lactation Care, and a Cochrane Collaborative author. She is recently retired from WIC of Santa Barbara County as well as her volunteer position with La Leche League, but assists the California WIC Breastfeeding Committee as she continues to research, write and speak.

Jake Kathleen Marcus, J.D., PG. Dip., is a legal expert serving the healthcare community for over thirty years. As in-house counsel to multiple healthcare companies and in private practice, she has long been immersed in the shifting regulatory landscape in which lactation consultants and other healthcare providers work. A longtime HIPAA expert, she earned a masters degree from Queen Mary University of London School of Law in Technology, Media, and Telecommunication studying international privacy law and the role of AI in healthcare. Currently features writer and legal columnist for the Academy of General Dentistry, she was Politics Editor at Mothering magazine until it ceased publication. While at Mothering, Marcus authored "Lactation and the Law," a comprehensive article on U.S. public breastfeeding law, "Pumping 9 to 5," an article on workplace pumping law which was a finalist for a MAGGIE Award and "Lactation and the Law Revisited." Jake also represents private practice healthcare providers.

Meghan McMillin holds a Master’s Degree in Human Nutrition from the University of Illinois at Chicago. She has been a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist (RDN) since 2013 and became an International Board Certified Lactation Consultant (IBCLC) in 2019 Meghan spent 5 years working clinically in the NICU, pediatric floor and women’s units of a local hospital. In 2019, Meghan started her own private practice with a focus on postpartum and infant care. The mama to two young kids with food allergies, helping other families manage food allergies, whether it’s while breastfeeding, during the introduction of solids, or later in childhood, is her passion. Meghan is a member of the International Lactation Consultant Association and the United States Lactation Consultant Association. She enjoys sharing her knowledge through social media, freelance writing and public speaking. Meghan is the coauthor of the eBook What To Eat When Your Baby Can’t Tolerate Milk, Soy, or Egg Protein; Nutrition guidance for avoiding milk, soy, and/or eggs while lactating. Meghan has presented both nationally and internationally including for GOLD learning, the National WIC Association and the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. In 2020, Meghan was awarded the Emerging Professional in Women's Health Award from the Women's Health Dietetic Practice Group of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics  Meghan lives with her husband and two children outside of Chicago, IL. In her spare time she enjoys working out, allergen-free baking and having dance parties with her kids in the kitchen.

Kathy Parkes is a registered nurse, an International Board Certified Lactation Consultant, a Fellow of the International Lactation Consultant Association, has a Masters in Nursing-Education,and a Bachelors in psychology. She has been board certified since 1992, and has worked with mothers and babies in a wide variety of breastfeeding situations in both hospital and private practice settings. Kathy provides evidence and research-based lactation inservices, presentations on breastfeeding, parenting, and well-woman care, and lactation consultations through Breastfeeding Perspectives, her private practice. One of Kathy's specialties is lactation choices following pre-natal, post-natal, and infant loss. She is also a Certified Health Counselor, specializing in pregnancy and lactation and a Certified Attached at the Heart Parenting Educator.

Barbara D. Robertson, IBCLC, has been involved in education for over 34 years. She received a Bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education in 1988 and her Master’s in Education in 1995. Barbara left teaching elementary students in 1995 to raise her two children. Barbara is now the Director of The Breastfeeding Center of Ann Arbor and of the brand new business LactaLearning. The Breastfeeding Center of Ann Arbor will still continue to serve breast/chestfeeding families and now LactaLearning will be dedicated to all of Barbara’s professional lactation trainings. Barbara has developed two 95 hour professional lactation training, a group training and a completely self study training with Nancy Mohrbacher. Barbara’s idea of creating professional book groups has exploded with her hosting Making More Milk with Lisa Marasco, Supporting Sucking Skills with Cathy Watson Genna, Breastfeeding Answers, 2^nd Edition with Nancy Mohrbacher, and new for the fall, Safe Infant Sleep with Dr. James McKenna.  Barbara will be hosting a one day online conference in the fall with Lisa Marasco and Cathy Watson Genna using all of her tech savvy skills to make this a one of a kind experience. Barbara is also a speaker for hire on a wide variety of topics including Motivational Interviewing.  Barbara volunteered for the United States Lactation Consultation Association as the Director of Professional Development for 4.5 years.  She just retired as Associate Editor for Clinical Lactation, a journal she helped create for USLCA. Barbara has free podcasts, a blog, and Youtube videos which can all be found on her websites lactalearning.com and bfcaa.com. She has written many articles as well. She loves working with parents and babies, helping them with breast/chestfeeding problems in whatever way she can.

Dr. Ashley Robinson, DrPH, IBCLC, is a Doctor of Public Health and International Board Certified Lactation Consultant with seven years of clinical experience in private practice in New York City. A Certified Lactation Educator and Certified Labor Doula, she brings comprehensive perinatal expertise to her work supporting breastfeeding families. Dr. Robinson is the author of The Supportive Partner: An Expert Guide for Dads Supporting Breastfeeding (Barnes & Noble Press) and conducts research on breastfeeding outcomes and partner engagement.

Nicola Singletary, MAT, PhD, IBCLC, is an Associate Teaching Professor of Nutrition at NC State University with over 20 years of experience in education, research, and clinical lactation. She is a contributing author to the Core Curriculum for Interdisciplinary Lactation Care and has 12 years of clinical experience in inpatient, outpatient pediatric, and private practice settings. At NC State, she teaches courses in clinical lactation, child nutrition, global nutrition, and nutrition communication, and her current research explores innovative uses of technology to enhance breastfeeding education and support.

Marian Tompson is one of the seven Founders of La Leche League International. She currently serves on the International Advisory Council for WABA (World Alliance for Breastfeeding Action.) Marian spends every spare minute gathering information, raising critical questions and stimulating needed research about breastfeeding in the context of HIV/AIDS and is the founder, President and CEO of AnotherLook, a not-for-profit corporation.

Marsha Walker, RN, IBCLC. Marsha is a registered nurse and international board certified lactation consultant. She has been assisting breastfeeding families in hospital, clinic, and home settings since 1976. As such, she advocates for breastfeeding at the state and federal levels. She served as a vice president of the International Lactation Consultant Association (ILCA) from 1990-1994 and in 1999 as president of ILCA. She is a previous board member of the US Lactation Consultant Association, Baby Friendly USA, Massachusetts Lactation Consultant Association, and the Massachusetts Breastfeeding Coalition. She serves as Associate Editor of Clinical Lactation, and president of the National Lactation Consultant Alliance. Marsha is an international speaker, and an author of numerous publications including ones on the hazards of infant formula use, Code issues in the US, and Breastfeeding Management for the Clinician: Using the Evidence, 5th edition.

Catherine Watson Genna has been an IBCLC in private practice in NYC since 1992. She has a special interest in the anatomical, genetic and neurological influences on infant sucking skills, and writes and speaks on these topics. Catherine's research with Columbia University and Tel Aviv University departments of Biomedical Engineering includes using ultrasound and cervical auscultation to study sucking and suck:swallow coordination in infants with ankyloglossia as well as biomechanical aspects of breastfeeding. She is an avid clinical photographer and the author of Supporting Sucking Skills in Breastfeeding Infants (Jones and Bartlett Publishers, 2023, 2016, 2013 and 2008) and Selecting and Using Breastfeeding Tools (Praeclarus Press, 2009). She served as the founding associate editor of Clinical Lactation for it's first 7 years.

Nancy has been providing breastfeeding help and support for 40 years and has been a national speaker for 30. She has been a perinatal educator and consultant since the late 1970's. Her second career is that of a Marriage and Family Therapist. Her passion is to explore the larger picture of the mother-baby dyad in the context of the breastfeeding relationship.

Alisa is a registered nurse and a board-certified lactation consultant currently in clinical private practice. She is the owner of Momentum Lactation in Edwardsville, IL. She brings over thirty years of experience as an obstetric nurse, educator, and IBCLC to her speaking and teaching engagements. Alisa has a passion for lactation practice skill-building, incorporating an awareness of mental health and social support into lactation care, and integrating evidence into practice. She is an affiliate member of the Academy of Breastfeeding Medicine.

Laurel Wilson is an international keynote speaker, author, and consultant with more than 30 years of experience in lactation, perinatal health, and women’s midlife wellness. She is the founder of MotherJourney and Thrive with Laurel, and a recognized leader in advancing evidence-based, integrative care for women across the lifespan, from early parenthood through menopause.

Laurel has held numerous leadership roles within the maternal/parental-child health field, including serving as Executive Director of Lactation Programs for CAPPA for 17 years. She has contributed at the national level as a board director for the United States Breastfeeding Committee and as a board member for Kindred Media. She currently serves as an advisor to InJoy Health, an Expert Advisor for the Perinatal Professionals Association, and a board member-at-large for the Colorado Breastfeeding Coalition.

As an Academic Development Specialist with the GOLD Lactation Academy, Laurel led the development of a comprehensive 95+ hour IBCLC preparatory program, helping to train the next generation of lactation professionals worldwide.

Her areas of expertise include the microbiome and estrobolome, epigenetics, lactation physiology, hormone health, and the long-term impact of early life experiences such as feeding, attachment, and skin-to-skin care. She is particularly passionate about bridging the connection between perinatal health and midlife wellness, bringing a rare, lifespan-based perspective to her work with both healthcare professionals and organizations.

Laurel is the co-author of The Attachment Pregnancy and The Greatest Pregnancy Ever, and a contributing author to Round the Circle: Doulas Talk About Themselves. Known for her dynamic, visually engaging presentations, she blends cutting-edge science with practical application, challenging professionals to think differently and take meaningful action.

At the heart of Laurel’s work is a deep belief that the journey into parenthood, and beyond, is a transformative rite of passage that deserves to be informed, supported, and honored.

Marie Zahorick, MS, APRN, FNP-C, IBCLC became a La Leche League Leader in 1999 and an IBCLC in 2005.  After several years of working as a hospital-based bilingual IBCLC, she attended nursing school and eventually became a board-certified Family Nurse Practitioner.  In the meantime, she continued working as a hospital-based lactation consultant doing inpatient, outpatient, and Level III NICU lactation support at a variety of hospitals and with a wide variety of patient populations.  After graduate school, Marie was recruited to work as a nurse practitioner in psychiatry.  She was fellowship-trained to manage patients in the acute inpatient setting, partial hospitalization, outpatient office, and OB patients in the general hospital setting.  She specializes in women’s psychiatry, especially medical management of women who are pregnant or lactating. Her expertise includes psychopharmacology in pregnant and lactating women as well as general psychopharmacology.  She is experienced at diagnosing and treating mental illnesses such as bipolar disorder, perinatal/postpartum mood and anxiety disorders, postpartum psychosis, obsessive-compulsive disorder, premenstrual and perimenopausal mood disorders, and personality disorders. She lives in the Chicago area with her husband and three adult children in the transient stage of life.  Her children all breastfed for at least two years but now just make faces when confronted with that fact.