USLCA is excited to welcome the members of its first ever Advisory Board! This new endeavor with USLCA is an opportunity to bring together individuals with diversity of background, thoughts and experience to expand to the knowledge and skills of the organization.
Holly Beck, IBCLC, LCCE –New Mexico
Holly recently joined the WIC state management team as the Nursing (Breastfeeding) Manager for New Mexico, and loves her new role and the organization. Previously, she was a hospital lactation consultant in Santa Fe, and began her journey to lactation support as a NM WIC Peer Counselor. She recently became certified through Intimacy Coach International, and she provides private lactation services, Lamaze childbirth education, and intimacy coaching through The Holding Presence LLC. Holly lives in Santa Fe with her husband, Christopher and her children. Holly is an MFA candidate at Spalding University, where she will graduate in 2020 with a focus in dramatic writing. She loves advocacy, traveling, exploring haunted towns and locations, creating art in various mediums, and writing.
Jasmine Esmay, RNC-OB, CLC –Alaska
Jasmine is a Registered Nurse of 17 years and a Certified Lactation Counselor. She has been working in maternal child health since 2008. She currently works at a baby friendly critical access hospital in Southeast Alaska. Jasmine’s focus is on increasing access to lactation support and education, and promoting evidenced based obstetric care, especially in rural and marginalized communities. Jasmine is also a musician performing at small venues across the US, and uses music to cope with the stresses of working in healthcare. She resides in Southeast Alaska with her husband and 4 children.
Lourdes Santaballa, IBCLC, IYCFS – Puerto Rico
Lourdes is a community activist and organizer who has worked in lactation as a volunteer peer counselor, IBCLC and mentor. She is the co-founder of Alimentación Segura Infantil, a program focused on increasing breastfeeding, leadership and training in marginalized communities, with a focus on disaster preparedness and recovery. ASI is currently the largest non-profit community-based infant and young child feeding organization in Puerto Rico, an IBCLC Care Award recipient and a mentorship path for aspiring IBCLCs. Lourdes is active in the USBC and IFE Core Group. You can listen to her weekly podcast in Spanish, Teta y Pecho: Lactancia Interseccional.
Mystique Hargrove, MS, CCE, CLE (She/They) –North Carolina
Mystique is a community birth, postpartum and full spectrum doula who services people of color in Greensboro, NC and surrounding areas. Mystique holds a MS in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from NC A&T State University, as well as certifications in Marriage and Family Counseling, Wellness and Nutrition Consulting and Counseling, Herbalism, Reiki I and II, Lactation Education and Childbirth Education. Currently, Mystique is a PhD student for Counselor Education and Supervision with a research focus on inclusive services and advocacy in mental health and reproductive justice for communities of color.
Nichelle Clark, CBS (she/her) – Virginia
Nichelle is a Certified Breastfeeding Specialist (CBS), wife, and mother of one from Chesapeake, Virginia. Born and raised in Upper Marlboro, MD, Nichelle joined the United State Navy in 2010 and served honorably for 7.5 years. In her spare time, she admins multiple online support groups for People of Color. She is the owner of SonShine & Rainbows Lactation Services, providing breastfeeding support and lactation education to her local community.
Whitney Dula, CBS – Maryland
Whitney is a native-born Marylander, having lived in the DMV region her entire life. She began her journey into lactation support after noticing a lack of providers in her immediate area, as well as providers that looked like her. She’s been a Certified Breastfeeding Specialist since 2019, working in a local health department clinic as a lactation counselor providing prenatal breastfeeding education and postpartum support. In addition to her counselor duties, she’s extremely involved with the Maryland Breastfeeding Coalition, serving on the Board of Directors as an At- large member. Her advocacy focuses on closing the gaps in maternal/infant mortality, increasing Black breastfeeding rates, Medicaid coverage, and paid family leave. She lives in the DC suburbs with her high school sweetheart husband and two daughters.