Board and Staff

Stacy Davis has been inspired by her own lived experiences of being a Black woman and mother trying to navigate inequitable systems. She has dedicated her professional experiences to addressing inequities in infant nutrition and maternal child health. In the past 10 years, Stacy has assisted in the creation of programs and services aimed to address racial and health inequities, including instituting Pathway 2 lactation programs in Historically Black Colleges and Universities, which seek to positively impact the maternal and infant mortality and morbidity rates, improve maternal and child nutrition outcomes, and increase, strengthen, and diversity in birth and lactation supporters and providers. 

Stacy has received extensive training in racial equity, and cultural competence and humility through participating in cohorts such as Race Forward’s (formally known as Center for Social Inclusion) First Food Racial Equity Cohort and the Advancing Health Equity to Achieve Diversity and Inclusion AHEAD in WIC Health Equity Champion. 

She obtained her undergraduate degree from Davenport University and graduate degree in Public Health from Western Michigan University. Currently, Stacy is the Senior Manager of Health Equity and Community Partnerships for the National WIC Association. Stacy is a lifelong resident of Detroit, MI and mother to four sons. 

Francesca O’Donovan is a compassionate and dedicated International Board-Certified Lactation Consultant (IBCLC) committed to supporting families through their infant feeding journeys. Her passion for lactation was sparked by the premature birth of her twins at 34 weeks, an experience that influenced her career path. Francesca holds a Bachelor of Science in Finance from St. Joseph’s University, where she established a solid foundation for her career in the financial services sector, including various roles at a leading investment bank. She furthered her education with a Master of Arts in Human Lactation Studies from National Louis University, where her thesis examined how health education can significantly improve breastfeeding rates and reduce nutrition-related chronic diseases.

As treasurer of the board, Francesca is enthusiastic about leveraging her financial expertise and dedication to breastfeeding to support and advance USLCA’s mission.

Dawn Baltz has more than 30 years of experience in nursing with a primary focus on maternal child health.  Having experienced her own struggles with breastfeeding and through the support of two IBCLCs, she was able to realize that there was so much more to supporting mothers and their infants.  She continued to work with mothers and infants at a hospital that was on a path to Baby Friendly and then at a Children’s hospital (that had a Lactation team) while working on her education and clinical skills hours to sit for her IBCLC.  Since becoming an IBCLC, she has continued to work with mothers and infants in a Children’s hospital and currently at a Baby Friendly Initiative Hospital.  She is the lactation team leader, provides lactation care to the mothers and infants in an inpatient setting and also in the outpatient office.  Mrs. Baltz also triages breastfeeding issues for moms who call the Lactation warm line and provides on-going staff education and guidance on lactation.  She has served as the Recording Secretary for the Florida Lactation Consultant Association for 4 years and is currently serving as their treasurer.  She is also a participant and Board Member at large for the Tampa Bay Breastfeeding Taskforce. 

She has a Bachelor’s of Science in Nursing from the University of South Florida, a Master’s of Science in Nursing Education from Walden University, is certified in Neonatal Intensive Care nursing and well as being an International Board-Certified Lactation Consultant.

Shirley Monge is a Los Angeles-based marketing strategist of Costa Rican heritage who has more than 20 years of volunteering + working with non-profits.  Part researcher, part strategist, part creator, I specialize in presenting data fused with storytelling. I’m currently enrolled in childbirth educator and doula training as well as breastfeeding studies. Pura Vida!

Debbie Sandberg joined USLCA in January of 2022.  She earned her bachelor’s degree in Business Administration from The University of Central Florida in her hometown of Orlando, Florida.  She grew up at Disney World as the child of a parent who worked in corporate Disney for 40 years.  Her interest in lactation stems from her personal positive experience working with lactation consultants during her own challenging, and eventually successful breastfeeding journey.  She is passionate about helping to grow the organization and serving USLCA members in any way she can.  She currently lives in San Antonio, Texas and enjoys traveling, exploring new restaurants and spending time with her husband, three-year-old son and pug.

Jessi Gomez is an IBCLC and WIC Breastfeeding Program Supervisor in Pinal County, Arizona. She has been Board Certified as a Lactation Consultant for over 9 years, which led to her recent Bachelors of Science degree focused in Maternal & Child Health from National Louis University with an emphasis on Human Lactation. Professionally, Jessi is involved in local breastfeeding/chest feeding, maternal & child health, and early education coalitions that focus on public health and child development within her direct community. Jessi also recognizes the importance of centering and uplifting the Latino voice among breastfeeding and postpartum support environments, and listens as a member of the Pueblo Steering Committee to create and implement better healthcare provider practices. Hosting breastfeeding peer counselor conferences, Jessi’s passion for continued education shares a more holistic understanding of the role as a breastfeeding supporter, and she is happy to expand that enthusiasm beyond Arizona.