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Unit 1, Session 1A |
Do we hear you? |
Oct 25, 3-4pm EST |
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Unit 1, Session 1B |
Counseling in practice |
Oct 15, 4-4:30pm EST |
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Unit 1, Session 2 |
Why breastfeed? |
Nov 6, 1-2pm EST |
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Unit 1, Session 3 |
Lactation and medication |
Week of Nov 18 |
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Unit 1, Session 4 |
QI for busy professionals |
Dec 6 |
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Unit 1, Session 5 |
PDSAs without PTSD |
Dec 16 |
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The CHAMPS National Training Platform offers comprehensive trainings designed for CHAMPS National hospital staff and their community partners. CHAMPS National trainings cover the competencies outlined in the Ten Steps to Successful Breastfeeding, focusing on equity and safety. The curriculum includes a prerequisite Safety Training and five units covering counseling skills, prenatal and postpartum care, quality improvement, special cases, and discharge, follow-up, and community support.
CHAMPS National began in September 2023 as a three-year cooperative agreement with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to implement evidence-based maternal health practices with hospitals nationwide. Led by the Center for Health Equity, Education, and Research (CHEER) at Boston Medical Center, CHAMPS National is dedicated to promoting equitable maternity care practices to address disparities in breastfeeding rates. The program has enrolled 100 hospitals across the US and its territories to help facilities increase exclusive breastfeeding rates, reduce racial disparities, and promote maternal-child health practices. The combined births at all CHAMPS National hospitals exceed 200,000 births annually.
CHAMPS National began in September 2023, as a three-year cooperative agreement with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to implement evidence-based maternal health practices with hospitals nationwide. CHAMPS National is led by the Center for Health Equity, Education, and Research at Boston Medical Center, and is dedicated to promoting equitable, maternity care practices to address disparities in breastfeeding rates. The program has enrolled 100 hospitals across the US and its territories, and focuses on reducing racial disparities in breastfeeding rates and promoting maternal-child health practices. The combined births at all CHAMPS National hospitals exceeds 200,000 births annually.
September 5, 2024 04:00 pm
Anne Merewood, PhD, MPH
CHEER Director
CHEER Director, Executive Director and Founder of CHEER International Group (CHEERing)
Anne Merewood, PhD, MPH, is the Executive Director of the Center for Health Equity, Education, and Research (CHEER) and Executive Director and Founder of the CHEER International Group (CHEERing) a nonprofit organization working with refugees in Greater Athens, Greece. Additionally, Dr. Merewood is an Associate Professor of Pediatrics at the Chobanian and Avedisian School of Medicine, an Associate Professor of Community Health Sciences at the Boston University School of Public Health, Affiliate Faculty at the Boston University Center on Forced Migration, and visiting Associate Professor at the University of Nicosia School of Medicine, Cyprus.
For years, Dr. Merewood has led millions of dollars’ worth of funded projects that have successfully increased breastfeeding rates and reduced disparities in Mississippi, Louisiana, and Southern Texas and among Tribal Communities in Alaska, Arizona, Montana, New Mexico, and Oklahoma, by increasing the number of Baby-Friendly designated hospitals in those regions. Due to the documented success of the CHAMPS (Communities and Hospitals Advancing Maternity Practices) and Dr. Merewood’s other previous work with hospitals in Massachusetts and New Jersey, CHEER earned a 3-year cooperative agreement with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to replicate the success of CHAMPS nationally.
Dr. Merewood has coauthored over 80 peer-reviewed publications, spoken at conferences nationally and internationally, and served as a member of the American Public Health Association, the International Society for Research into Human Milk and Lactation (ISRHML), and the Society for Prevention Research. She is the former Editor in Chief of the Journal of Human Lactation and current editorial board member for the Journal of Maternal Child Nutrition. Dr. Merewood has also served as a consultant for the National Institute for Children’s Health Quality, the DHHS Indian Health Service, and is a current consultant for the World Health Organization and UNICEF.
Trendle Samuel, MPH, BSN, RN, CLC
CHEER Senior Research Project Manager, CHAMPS National Coach
CHEER Senior Research Project Manager, CHAMPS National Coach
Trendle Samuel, MPH, BSN, RN, CLC, is a Senior Research Project Manager at CHEER and CHAMPS National hospital coach. She has been a registered nurse for more than 25 years, and was even named one of Alabama’s 10 Top Nurses in 2021. Before CHEER, Trendle served as one of five Perinatal Coordinators in the state who examined infant and fetal mortality as well as maternal mortality as a committee member.
Trendle’s career in nursing was primarily inspired by the caring for others she witnessed through her own family. After 16 years of experience as a clinical nurse, she went to work at a Federally Qualified Health Center, serving uninsured, underinsured, and/or underserved patients. In her role at the Alabama Department of Public Health, Trendle reviewed why patients became sick and how we could do things differently to prevent infant mortality and other poor health outcomes. She has collaborated with agencies, organizations, and advocates to better understand families’ experiences and make recommendations come to life.
Lori Feldman-Winter, MD, MPH, FAAP, FABM
Cooper Medical School of Rowan University, CHAMPS National Consultant
Cooper Medical School of Rowan University, CHAMPS National Consultant
Lori Feldman-Winter, MD, MPH, is a breastfeeding medicine expert recognized nationally and internationally for her expertise in physician education, policy, and public health interventions. Dr. Feldman-Winter is a professor of pediatrics at Cooper Medical School of Rowan University and a CHAMPS National consultant. She currently represents the Academy of Breastfeeding Medicine as the member representative to the United States Breastfeeding Committee, and previously served as the Chair of the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) Section on Breastfeeding.
Dr. Feldman-Winter entered the field of pediatrics more than 35 years ago after completing a residency at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia. Since then, she has worked on many projects to drive knowledge and support for breastfeeding and to reduce the disparities and barriers that contribute to the culture of formula feeding in vulnerable communities. She has developed multiple resources, curricula, and webinars, contributed to over 100 publications, and mentored numerous people in the breastfeeding field.
Jennifer Ustianov, MS, BSN, RN
CHAMPS National Coach
CHAMPS National Coach
Jennifer Ustianov’s vast experience in maternal-child health spans over three decades. She is currently a consultant for CHAMPS National, leading the program’s Quality Improvement (QI) initiatives and hospital coaching.
Over the past 20+ years, Jennifer has led and supported international, national, regional, statewide, and local projects focused on improving breastfeeding rates, healthcare and the systems that impact maternal and infant mortality and morbidity, and other healthcare and systems gaps that impact maternal-child health outcomes. These experiences have provided her with extensive knowledge in QI methodologies, teamwork strategies, patient safety, and system re-design.
Laura Burnham, MPH
CHEER Associate Director
CHEER Associate Director
Laura Burnham, MPH, is the Associate Director at the Center for Health Equity, Education, & Research (CHEER) at Boston Medical Center. Her work focuses on quality improvement and program implementation in the field of maternal and child health, with a particular focus on breastfeeding and maternity care practices. Laura manages CHEER’s CHAMPS (Communities and Hospitals Advancing Maternity Care Practices) programs, which assist birthing hospitals to safely implement the Ten Steps to Successful Breastfeeding.
October 25, 2024 01:37 pm
Cathy Carothers, BLA, IBCLC, FILCA
EveryMother Co-Director, CHAMPS National Coach
Every Mother Co-Director, CHAMPS National Coach
Cathy Carothers, BLA, IBCLC, FILCA, is a CHAMPS National hospital coach and consultant, a national breastfeeding promotion and support expert, and Co-Director of Every Mother, Inc., a nonprofit organization providing counseling and lactation training for health professionals across the United States. Cathy is an International Board Certified Lactation Consultant since 1996; past president and Fellow of the International Lactation Consultant Association; and past chair of the United States Breastfeeding Committee. She currently serves as the North American representative to the World Alliance for Breastfeeding Action (WABA) Steering Committee. She has provided more than a thousand training events in the field of lactation in every US state and territory and many countries. She was honored in 2014 with the National Leadership Award in the “Friend of WIC” category from the National WIC Association.
In addition, Cathy serves as the national project director for numerous USDA Women, Infants, and Children curriculum development projects, including project director for the new WIC Breastfeeding Curriculum, a comprehensive breastfeeding staff training curriculum for all levels of WIC staff. She also developed the national WIC peer counseling program training curricula and management materials. Cathy previously worked with the HHS Office on Women’s Health (OWH) and Maternal Child Health Bureau (MCHB) to develop national resources for supporting breastfeeding employees and their employers, including the MCHB Business Case for Breastfeeding, and the OWH Supporting Nursing Moms at Work national initiative. She has provided state-level workshops for employers and community advocates on worksite lactation support in 37 US states.
October 25, 2024 04:00 pm
Cathy Carothers, BLA, IBCLC, FILCA
EveryMother Co-Director, CHAMPS National Coach
Every Mother Co-Director, CHAMPS National Coach
Cathy Carothers, BLA, IBCLC, FILCA, is a CHAMPS National hospital coach and consultant, a national breastfeeding promotion and support expert, and Co-Director of Every Mother, Inc., a nonprofit organization providing counseling and lactation training for health professionals across the United States. Cathy is an International Board Certified Lactation Consultant since 1996; past president and Fellow of the International Lactation Consultant Association; and past chair of the United States Breastfeeding Committee. She currently serves as the North American representative to the World Alliance for Breastfeeding Action (WABA) Steering Committee. She has provided more than a thousand training events in the field of lactation in every US state and territory and many countries. She was honored in 2014 with the National Leadership Award in the “Friend of WIC” category from the National WIC Association.
In addition, Cathy serves as the national project director for numerous USDA Women, Infants, and Children curriculum development projects, including project director for the new WIC Breastfeeding Curriculum, a comprehensive breastfeeding staff training curriculum for all levels of WIC staff. She also developed the national WIC peer counseling program training curricula and management materials. Cathy previously worked with the HHS Office on Women’s Health (OWH) and Maternal Child Health Bureau (MCHB) to develop national resources for supporting breastfeeding employees and their employers, including the MCHB Business Case for Breastfeeding, and the OWH Supporting Nursing Moms at Work national initiative. She has provided state-level workshops for employers and community advocates on worksite lactation support in 37 US states.
Laura Burnham, MPH
CHEER Associate Director
CHEER Associate Director
Laura Burnham, MPH, is the Associate Director at the Center for Health Equity, Education, & Research (CHEER) at Boston Medical Center. Her work focuses on quality improvement and program implementation in the field of maternal and child health, with a particular focus on breastfeeding and maternity care practices. Laura manages CHEER’s CHAMPS (Communities and Hospitals Advancing Maternity Care Practices) programs, which assist birthing hospitals to safely implement the Ten Steps to Successful Breastfeeding.
Michelle Owens, MD
Ascension St. Vincent Hospital, CHAMPS National Consultant
Ascension St. Vincent Hospital, CHAMPS National Consultant
Michelle Owens, MD, is a clinical professor of maternal and fetal medicine at Ascension St. Vincent Hospital, lead for maternal health in the state of Mississippi, and consultant physician on CHAMPS National. She is currently the National Assistant Secretary for the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists and President of the MS State Board of Medical Licensure. Dr. Owens is a passionate advocate for women’s health and health equity both locally and nationally.
Dr. Owens’ research and clinical interests are in hypertensive and substance use disorders in pregnancy, maternal and infant mortality, sickle cell disease, and health disparities. She has authored numerous articles and book chapters, and is the inaugural host of Mississippi Public Broadcasting’s “Southern Remedy for Women,” a talk-radio show focused on health issues for women and the people who love them.
December 6, 2024 01:00 pm
Jennifer Ustianov, MS, BSN, RN
CHAMPS National Coach
CHAMPS National Coach
Jennifer Ustianov’s vast experience in maternal-child health spans over three decades. She is currently a consultant for CHAMPS National, leading the program’s Quality Improvement (QI) initiatives and hospital coaching.
Over the past 20+ years, Jennifer has led and supported international, national, regional, statewide, and local projects focused on improving breastfeeding rates, healthcare and the systems that impact maternal and infant mortality and morbidity, and other healthcare and systems gaps that impact maternal-child health outcomes. These experiences have provided her with extensive knowledge in QI methodologies, teamwork strategies, patient safety, and system re-design.
December 16, 2024 11:00 am
Jennifer Ustianov, MS, BSN, RN
CHAMPS National Coach
CHAMPS National Coach
Jennifer Ustianov’s vast experience in maternal-child health spans over three decades. She is currently a consultant for CHAMPS National, leading the program’s Quality Improvement (QI) initiatives and hospital coaching.
Over the past 20+ years, Jennifer has led and supported international, national, regional, statewide, and local projects focused on improving breastfeeding rates, healthcare and the systems that impact maternal and infant mortality and morbidity, and other healthcare and systems gaps that impact maternal-child health outcomes. These experiences have provided her with extensive knowledge in QI methodologies, teamwork strategies, patient safety, and system re-design.
January 8, 2025 06:00 pm
Anne Merewood, PhD, MPH
CHEER Director
CHEER Director, Executive Director and Founder of CHEER International Group (CHEERing)
Anne Merewood, PhD, MPH, is the Executive Director of the Center for Health Equity, Education, and Research (CHEER) and Executive Director and Founder of the CHEER International Group (CHEERing) a nonprofit organization working with refugees in Greater Athens, Greece. Additionally, Dr. Merewood is an Associate Professor of Pediatrics at the Chobanian and Avedisian School of Medicine, an Associate Professor of Community Health Sciences at the Boston University School of Public Health, Affiliate Faculty at the Boston University Center on Forced Migration, and visiting Associate Professor at the University of Nicosia School of Medicine, Cyprus.
For years, Dr. Merewood has led millions of dollars’ worth of funded projects that have successfully increased breastfeeding rates and reduced disparities in Mississippi, Louisiana, and Southern Texas and among Tribal Communities in Alaska, Arizona, Montana, New Mexico, and Oklahoma, by increasing the number of Baby-Friendly designated hospitals in those regions. Due to the documented success of the CHAMPS (Communities and Hospitals Advancing Maternity Practices) and Dr. Merewood’s other previous work with hospitals in Massachusetts and New Jersey, CHEER earned a 3-year cooperative agreement with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to replicate the success of CHAMPS nationally.
Dr. Merewood has coauthored over 80 peer-reviewed publications, spoken at conferences nationally and internationally, and served as a member of the American Public Health Association, the International Society for Research into Human Milk and Lactation (ISRHML), and the Society for Prevention Research. She is the former Editor in Chief of the Journal of Human Lactation and current editorial board member for the Journal of Maternal Child Nutrition. Dr. Merewood has also served as a consultant for the National Institute for Children’s Health Quality, the DHHS Indian Health Service, and is a current consultant for the World Health Organization and UNICEF.
January 20, 2025 01:00 pm
Anne Merewood, PhD, MPH
CHEER Director
CHEER Director, Executive Director and Founder of CHEER International Group (CHEERing)
Anne Merewood, PhD, MPH, is the Executive Director of the Center for Health Equity, Education, and Research (CHEER) and Executive Director and Founder of the CHEER International Group (CHEERing) a nonprofit organization working with refugees in Greater Athens, Greece. Additionally, Dr. Merewood is an Associate Professor of Pediatrics at the Chobanian and Avedisian School of Medicine, an Associate Professor of Community Health Sciences at the Boston University School of Public Health, Affiliate Faculty at the Boston University Center on Forced Migration, and visiting Associate Professor at the University of Nicosia School of Medicine, Cyprus.
For years, Dr. Merewood has led millions of dollars’ worth of funded projects that have successfully increased breastfeeding rates and reduced disparities in Mississippi, Louisiana, and Southern Texas and among Tribal Communities in Alaska, Arizona, Montana, New Mexico, and Oklahoma, by increasing the number of Baby-Friendly designated hospitals in those regions. Due to the documented success of the CHAMPS (Communities and Hospitals Advancing Maternity Practices) and Dr. Merewood’s other previous work with hospitals in Massachusetts and New Jersey, CHEER earned a 3-year cooperative agreement with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to replicate the success of CHAMPS nationally.
Dr. Merewood has coauthored over 80 peer-reviewed publications, spoken at conferences nationally and internationally, and served as a member of the American Public Health Association, the International Society for Research into Human Milk and Lactation (ISRHML), and the Society for Prevention Research. She is the former Editor in Chief of the Journal of Human Lactation and current editorial board member for the Journal of Maternal Child Nutrition. Dr. Merewood has also served as a consultant for the National Institute for Children’s Health Quality, the DHHS Indian Health Service, and is a current consultant for the World Health Organization and UNICEF.
February 1, 2025 01:00 pm
Cathy Carothers, BLA, IBCLC, FILCA
EveryMother Co-Director, CHAMPS National Coach
Every Mother Co-Director, CHAMPS National Coach
Cathy Carothers, BLA, IBCLC, FILCA, is a CHAMPS National hospital coach and consultant, a national breastfeeding promotion and support expert, and Co-Director of Every Mother, Inc., a nonprofit organization providing counseling and lactation training for health professionals across the United States. Cathy is an International Board Certified Lactation Consultant since 1996; past president and Fellow of the International Lactation Consultant Association; and past chair of the United States Breastfeeding Committee. She currently serves as the North American representative to the World Alliance for Breastfeeding Action (WABA) Steering Committee. She has provided more than a thousand training events in the field of lactation in every US state and territory and many countries. She was honored in 2014 with the National Leadership Award in the “Friend of WIC” category from the National WIC Association.
In addition, Cathy serves as the national project director for numerous USDA Women, Infants, and Children curriculum development projects, including project director for the new WIC Breastfeeding Curriculum, a comprehensive breastfeeding staff training curriculum for all levels of WIC staff. She also developed the national WIC peer counseling program training curricula and management materials. Cathy previously worked with the HHS Office on Women’s Health (OWH) and Maternal Child Health Bureau (MCHB) to develop national resources for supporting breastfeeding employees and their employers, including the MCHB Business Case for Breastfeeding, and the OWH Supporting Nursing Moms at Work national initiative. She has provided state-level workshops for employers and community advocates on worksite lactation support in 37 US states.
February 1, 2025 01:00 pm
Andrea Serano, CLC, IBCLC
Reaching Our Sisters Everywhere (ROSE)
Reaching Our Sisters Everywhere (ROSE) Interim Chief Executive Officer
Andrea Serano, B.S., CLC, IBCLC, holds a Bachelor of Science in Maternal Child Health with a focus on Human Lactation from Union Institute and University. Currently, she is pursuing a Master of Public Health at Georgia Southern University. Ms. Serano's dedication to breastfeeding advocacy arises from her commitment to addressing maternal and infant health disparities, especially within communities of color. She views breastfeeding as a key preventative measure in reducing infant mortality, maternal morbidity, and the health inequities that disproportionately affect African American families.
In 2012, Ms. Serano played a pivotal role in coordinating the inaugural breastfeeding and equity summit for Reaching Our Sisters Everywhere (ROSE), titled “Reclaiming an African American Tradition.” Following the summit, she relocated from North Hollywood, California, to Atlanta, Georgia, where she now serves as the Executive Director of ROSE. In this role, she supports and coordinates local and national ROSE initiatives to improve health outcomes for mothers, infants, and families.
In addition to her leadership at ROSE, Ms. Serano is the Chair of the Stork’s Nest Committee for the Phi Omicron Zeta chapter of Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Inc., serving Rockdale and Newton counties in Georgia. She has also served on the Board of both the Georgia Breastfeeding Coalition and the United States Breastfeeding Committee. Ms. Serano was selected as a member of the Center for Social Inclusion’s (CSI) National 2016 First Food Racial Equity cohort, where she facilitated workshops on equity and action planning for community organizations. Additionally, she has provided direct lactation support to families in two Baby-Friendly designated hospitals in Metro Atlanta.
March 1, 2025 01:00 pm
Anne Merewood, PhD, MPH
CHEER Director
CHEER Director, Executive Director and Founder of CHEER International Group (CHEERing)
Anne Merewood, PhD, MPH, is the Executive Director of the Center for Health Equity, Education, and Research (CHEER) and Executive Director and Founder of the CHEER International Group (CHEERing) a nonprofit organization working with refugees in Greater Athens, Greece. Additionally, Dr. Merewood is an Associate Professor of Pediatrics at the Chobanian and Avedisian School of Medicine, an Associate Professor of Community Health Sciences at the Boston University School of Public Health, Affiliate Faculty at the Boston University Center on Forced Migration, and visiting Associate Professor at the University of Nicosia School of Medicine, Cyprus.
For years, Dr. Merewood has led millions of dollars’ worth of funded projects that have successfully increased breastfeeding rates and reduced disparities in Mississippi, Louisiana, and Southern Texas and among Tribal Communities in Alaska, Arizona, Montana, New Mexico, and Oklahoma, by increasing the number of Baby-Friendly designated hospitals in those regions. Due to the documented success of the CHAMPS (Communities and Hospitals Advancing Maternity Practices) and Dr. Merewood’s other previous work with hospitals in Massachusetts and New Jersey, CHEER earned a 3-year cooperative agreement with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to replicate the success of CHAMPS nationally.
Dr. Merewood has coauthored over 80 peer-reviewed publications, spoken at conferences nationally and internationally, and served as a member of the American Public Health Association, the International Society for Research into Human Milk and Lactation (ISRHML), and the Society for Prevention Research. She is the former Editor in Chief of the Journal of Human Lactation and current editorial board member for the Journal of Maternal Child Nutrition. Dr. Merewood has also served as a consultant for the National Institute for Children’s Health Quality, the DHHS Indian Health Service, and is a current consultant for the World Health Organization and UNICEF.
March 1, 2025 01:00 pm
Anne Merewood, PhD, MPH
CHEER Director
CHEER Director, Executive Director and Founder of CHEER International Group (CHEERing)
Anne Merewood, PhD, MPH, is the Executive Director of the Center for Health Equity, Education, and Research (CHEER) and Executive Director and Founder of the CHEER International Group (CHEERing) a nonprofit organization working with refugees in Greater Athens, Greece. Additionally, Dr. Merewood is an Associate Professor of Pediatrics at the Chobanian and Avedisian School of Medicine, an Associate Professor of Community Health Sciences at the Boston University School of Public Health, Affiliate Faculty at the Boston University Center on Forced Migration, and visiting Associate Professor at the University of Nicosia School of Medicine, Cyprus.
For years, Dr. Merewood has led millions of dollars’ worth of funded projects that have successfully increased breastfeeding rates and reduced disparities in Mississippi, Louisiana, and Southern Texas and among Tribal Communities in Alaska, Arizona, Montana, New Mexico, and Oklahoma, by increasing the number of Baby-Friendly designated hospitals in those regions. Due to the documented success of the CHAMPS (Communities and Hospitals Advancing Maternity Practices) and Dr. Merewood’s other previous work with hospitals in Massachusetts and New Jersey, CHEER earned a 3-year cooperative agreement with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to replicate the success of CHAMPS nationally.
Dr. Merewood has coauthored over 80 peer-reviewed publications, spoken at conferences nationally and internationally, and served as a member of the American Public Health Association, the International Society for Research into Human Milk and Lactation (ISRHML), and the Society for Prevention Research. She is the former Editor in Chief of the Journal of Human Lactation and current editorial board member for the Journal of Maternal Child Nutrition. Dr. Merewood has also served as a consultant for the National Institute for Children’s Health Quality, the DHHS Indian Health Service, and is a current consultant for the World Health Organization and UNICEF.
March 1, 2025 01:00 pmApril 1, 2025 01:00 pmApril 1, 2025 01:00 pm
Margaret Parker, MD, MPH
UMass Memorial Medical Center, CHAMPS National Consultant
UMass Memorial Medical Center, CHAMPS National Consultant
Meg Parker, MD, MPH, is a Professor of Pediatrics and Academic Chief of Neonatology at UMass Memorial Medical Center. Dr. Parker is a neonatal health services researcher and holds several federal and foundation grants in the area of social disparities in preterm birth outcomes; she has a particular interest in safe sleep and breastfeeding. Dr. Parker is also an expert in multi-site implementation science, is the Co-Chair of the Neonatal Quality Improvement Collaborative of Massachusetts, and is an Improvement Advisor from the Institute of Healthcare Improvement. She has led multi-site NICU quality improvements focused on breastfeeding and family engagement. Dr. Parker applies a health equity lens to her local and multi-site quality improvement projects and is a member of the American Academy of Pediatrics Committee of Fetus and Newborn
May 1, 2025 01:00 pm
Reaching Our Sisters Everywhere (ROSE)
Reaching Our Sisters Everywhere (ROSE) Interim Chief Executive Officer
Andrea Serano, B.S., CLC, IBCLC, holds a Bachelor of Science in Maternal Child Health with a focus on Human Lactation from Union Institute and University. Currently, she is pursuing a Master of Public Health at Georgia Southern University. Ms. Serano's dedication to breastfeeding advocacy arises from her commitment to addressing maternal and infant health disparities, especially within communities of color. She views breastfeeding as a key preventative measure in reducing infant mortality, maternal morbidity, and the health inequities that disproportionately affect African American families.
In 2012, Ms. Serano played a pivotal role in coordinating the inaugural breastfeeding and equity summit for Reaching Our Sisters Everywhere (ROSE), titled “Reclaiming an African American Tradition.” Following the summit, she relocated from North Hollywood, California, to Atlanta, Georgia, where she now serves as the Executive Director of ROSE. In this role, she supports and coordinates local and national ROSE initiatives to improve health outcomes for mothers, infants, and families.
In addition to her leadership at ROSE, Ms. Serano is the Chair of the Stork’s Nest Committee for the Phi Omicron Zeta chapter of Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Inc., serving Rockdale and Newton counties in Georgia. She has also served on the Board of both the Georgia Breastfeeding Coalition and the United States Breastfeeding Committee. Ms. Serano was selected as a member of the Center for Social Inclusion’s (CSI) National 2016 First Food Racial Equity cohort, where she facilitated workshops on equity and action planning for community organizations. Additionally, she has provided direct lactation support to families in two Baby-Friendly designated hospitals in Metro Atlanta.
CHEER Director
CHEER Director, Executive Director and Founder of CHEER International Group (CHEERing)
Anne Merewood, PhD, MPH, is the Executive Director of the Center for Health Equity, Education, and Research (CHEER) and Executive Director and Founder of the CHEER International Group (CHEERing) a nonprofit organization working with refugees in Greater Athens, Greece. Additionally, Dr. Merewood is an Associate Professor of Pediatrics at the Chobanian and Avedisian School of Medicine, an Associate Professor of Community Health Sciences at the Boston University School of Public Health, Affiliate Faculty at the Boston University Center on Forced Migration, and visiting Associate Professor at the University of Nicosia School of Medicine, Cyprus.
For years, Dr. Merewood has led millions of dollars’ worth of funded projects that have successfully increased breastfeeding rates and reduced disparities in Mississippi, Louisiana, and Southern Texas and among Tribal Communities in Alaska, Arizona, Montana, New Mexico, and Oklahoma, by increasing the number of Baby-Friendly designated hospitals in those regions. Due to the documented success of the CHAMPS (Communities and Hospitals Advancing Maternity Practices) and Dr. Merewood’s other previous work with hospitals in Massachusetts and New Jersey, CHEER earned a 3-year cooperative agreement with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to replicate the success of CHAMPS nationally.
Dr. Merewood has coauthored over 80 peer-reviewed publications, spoken at conferences nationally and internationally, and served as a member of the American Public Health Association, the International Society for Research into Human Milk and Lactation (ISRHML), and the Society for Prevention Research. She is the former Editor in Chief of the Journal of Human Lactation and current editorial board member for the Journal of Maternal Child Nutrition. Dr. Merewood has also served as a consultant for the National Institute for Children’s Health Quality, the DHHS Indian Health Service, and is a current consultant for the World Health Organization and UNICEF.
EveryMother Co-Director, CHAMPS National Coach
Every Mother Co-Director, CHAMPS National Coach
Cathy Carothers, BLA, IBCLC, FILCA, is a CHAMPS National hospital coach and consultant, a national breastfeeding promotion and support expert, and Co-Director of Every Mother, Inc., a nonprofit organization providing counseling and lactation training for health professionals across the United States. Cathy is an International Board Certified Lactation Consultant since 1996; past president and Fellow of the International Lactation Consultant Association; and past chair of the United States Breastfeeding Committee. She currently serves as the North American representative to the World Alliance for Breastfeeding Action (WABA) Steering Committee. She has provided more than a thousand training events in the field of lactation in every US state and territory and many countries. She was honored in 2014 with the National Leadership Award in the “Friend of WIC” category from the National WIC Association.
In addition, Cathy serves as the national project director for numerous USDA Women, Infants, and Children curriculum development projects, including project director for the new WIC Breastfeeding Curriculum, a comprehensive breastfeeding staff training curriculum for all levels of WIC staff. She also developed the national WIC peer counseling program training curricula and management materials. Cathy previously worked with the HHS Office on Women’s Health (OWH) and Maternal Child Health Bureau (MCHB) to develop national resources for supporting breastfeeding employees and their employers, including the MCHB Business Case for Breastfeeding, and the OWH Supporting Nursing Moms at Work national initiative. She has provided state-level workshops for employers and community advocates on worksite lactation support in 37 US states.
CHAMPS National Coach
CHAMPS National Coach
Jennifer Ustianov’s vast experience in maternal-child health spans over three decades. She is currently a consultant for CHAMPS National, leading the program’s Quality Improvement (QI) initiatives and hospital coaching.
Over the past 20+ years, Jennifer has led and supported international, national, regional, statewide, and local projects focused on improving breastfeeding rates, healthcare and the systems that impact maternal and infant mortality and morbidity, and other healthcare and systems gaps that impact maternal-child health outcomes. These experiences have provided her with extensive knowledge in QI methodologies, teamwork strategies, patient safety, and system re-design.
CHEER Associate Director
CHEER Associate Director
Laura Burnham, MPH, is the Associate Director at the Center for Health Equity, Education, & Research (CHEER) at Boston Medical Center. Her work focuses on quality improvement and program implementation in the field of maternal and child health, with a particular focus on breastfeeding and maternity care practices. Laura manages CHEER’s CHAMPS (Communities and Hospitals Advancing Maternity Care Practices) programs, which assist birthing hospitals to safely implement the Ten Steps to Successful Breastfeeding.
Cooper Medical School of Rowan University, CHAMPS National Consultant
Cooper Medical School of Rowan University, CHAMPS National Consultant
Lori Feldman-Winter, MD, MPH, is a breastfeeding medicine expert recognized nationally and internationally for her expertise in physician education, policy, and public health interventions. Dr. Feldman-Winter is a professor of pediatrics at Cooper Medical School of Rowan University and a CHAMPS National consultant. She currently represents the Academy of Breastfeeding Medicine as the member representative to the United States Breastfeeding Committee, and previously served as the Chair of the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) Section on Breastfeeding.
Dr. Feldman-Winter entered the field of pediatrics more than 35 years ago after completing a residency at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia. Since then, she has worked on many projects to drive knowledge and support for breastfeeding and to reduce the disparities and barriers that contribute to the culture of formula feeding in vulnerable communities. She has developed multiple resources, curricula, and webinars, contributed to over 100 publications, and mentored numerous people in the breastfeeding field.
UMass Memorial Medical Center, CHAMPS National Consultant
UMass Memorial Medical Center, CHAMPS National Consultant
Meg Parker, MD, MPH, is a Professor of Pediatrics and Academic Chief of Neonatology at UMass Memorial Medical Center. Dr. Parker is a neonatal health services researcher and holds several federal and foundation grants in the area of social disparities in preterm birth outcomes; she has a particular interest in safe sleep and breastfeeding. Dr. Parker is also an expert in multi-site implementation science, is the Co-Chair of the Neonatal Quality Improvement Collaborative of Massachusetts, and is an Improvement Advisor from the Institute of Healthcare Improvement. She has led multi-site NICU quality improvements focused on breastfeeding and family engagement. Dr. Parker applies a health equity lens to her local and multi-site quality improvement projects and is a member of the American Academy of Pediatrics Committee of Fetus and Newborn
Ascension St. Vincent Hospital, CHAMPS National Consultant
Ascension St. Vincent Hospital, CHAMPS National Consultant
Michelle Owens, MD, is a clinical professor of maternal and fetal medicine at Ascension St. Vincent Hospital, lead for maternal health in the state of Mississippi, and consultant physician on CHAMPS National. She is currently the National Assistant Secretary for the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists and President of the MS State Board of Medical Licensure. Dr. Owens is a passionate advocate for women’s health and health equity both locally and nationally.
Dr. Owens’ research and clinical interests are in hypertensive and substance use disorders in pregnancy, maternal and infant mortality, sickle cell disease, and health disparities. She has authored numerous articles and book chapters, and is the inaugural host of Mississippi Public Broadcasting’s “Southern Remedy for Women,” a talk-radio show focused on health issues for women and the people who love them.
CHEER Senior Research Project Manager, CHAMPS National Coach
CHEER Senior Research Project Manager, CHAMPS National Coach
Trendle Samuel, MPH, BSN, RN, CLC, is a Senior Research Project Manager at CHEER and CHAMPS National hospital coach. She has been a registered nurse for more than 25 years, and was even named one of Alabama’s 10 Top Nurses in 2021. Before CHEER, Trendle served as one of five Perinatal Coordinators in the state who examined infant and fetal mortality as well as maternal mortality as a committee member.
Trendle’s career in nursing was primarily inspired by the caring for others she witnessed through her own family. After 16 years of experience as a clinical nurse, she went to work at a Federally Qualified Health Center, serving uninsured, underinsured, and/or underserved patients. In her role at the Alabama Department of Public Health, Trendle reviewed why patients became sick and how we could do things differently to prevent infant mortality and other poor health outcomes. She has collaborated with agencies, organizations, and advocates to better understand families’ experiences and make recommendations come to life.
CHEER Director, Executive Director and Founder of CHEER International Group (CHEERing)
CHEER Director, Executive Director and Founder of CHEER International Group (CHEERing)
Anne Merewood, PhD, MPH, is the Executive Director of the Center for Health Equity, Education, and Research (CHEER) and Executive Director and Founder of the CHEER International Group (CHEERing) a nonprofit organization working with refugees in Greater Athens, Greece. Additionally, Dr. Merewood is an Associate Professor of Pediatrics at the Chobanian and Avedisian School of Medicine, an Associate Professor of Community Health Sciences at the Boston University School of Public Health, Affiliate Faculty at the Boston University Center on Forced Migration, and visiting Associate Professor at the University of Nicosia School of Medicine, Cyprus.
For years, Dr. Merewood has led millions of dollars’ worth of funded projects that have successfully increased breastfeeding rates and reduced disparities in Mississippi, Louisiana, and Southern Texas and among Tribal Communities in Alaska, Arizona, Montana, New Mexico, and Oklahoma, by increasing the number of Baby-Friendly designated hospitals in those regions. Due to the documented success of the CHAMPS (Communities and Hospitals Advancing Maternity Practices) and Dr. Merewood’s other previous work with hospitals in Massachusetts and New Jersey, CHEER earned a 3-year cooperative agreement with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to replicate the success of CHAMPS nationally.
Dr. Merewood has coauthored over 80 peer-reviewed publications, spoken at conferences nationally and internationally, and served as a member of the American Public Health Association, the International Society for Research into Human Milk and Lactation (ISRHML), and the Society for Prevention Research. She is the former Editor in Chief of the Journal of Human Lactation and current editorial board member for the Journal of Maternal Child Nutrition. Dr. Merewood has also served as a consultant for the National Institute for Children’s Health Quality, the DHHS Indian Health Service, and is a current consultant for the World Health Organization and UNICEF.
CHEER Associate Director
CHEER Associate Director
Laura Burnham, MPH, is the Associate Director at the Center for Health Equity, Education, & Research (CHEER) at Boston Medical Center. Her work focuses on quality improvement and program implementation in the field of maternal and child health, with a particular focus on breastfeeding and maternity care practices. Laura manages CHEER’s CHAMPS (Communities and Hospitals Advancing Maternity Care Practices) programs, which assist birthing hospitals to safely implement the Ten Steps to Successful Breastfeeding.
CHEER Senior Research Project Manager, CHAMPS National Coach
CHEER Senior Research Project Manager, CHAMPS National Coach
Trendle Samuel, MPH, BSN, RN, CLC, is a Senior Research Project Manager at CHEER and CHAMPS National hospital coach. She has been a registered nurse for more than 25 years, and was even named one of Alabama’s 10 Top Nurses in 2021. Before CHEER, Trendle served as one of five Perinatal Coordinators in the state who examined infant and fetal mortality as well as maternal mortality as a committee member.
Trendle’s career in nursing was primarily inspired by the caring for others she witnessed through her own family. After 16 years of experience as a clinical nurse, she went to work at a Federally Qualified Health Center, serving uninsured, underinsured, and/or underserved patients. In her role at the Alabama Department of Public Health, Trendle reviewed why patients became sick and how we could do things differently to prevent infant mortality and other poor health outcomes. She has collaborated with agencies, organizations, and advocates to better understand families’ experiences and make recommendations come to life.
CHEER Senior Research Project Manager, CHAMPS National Coach
CHEER Senior Research Project Manager, CHAMPS National Coach
Becky Knapp, MPH, RN, IBCLC, has been a maternal-child health nurse for 18 years. Since the start of her career, she has been driven to support moms, babies, and their families during the prenatal and postpartum period. Becky’s passion quickly became promoting and protecting breastfeeding, in particular addressing socioeconomic and racial inequities that can so often complicate the breastfeeding journey. This has guided her work across the country as a postpartum, nursery, and antepartum nurse and lactation consultant in hospitals and the community. Additionally, Becky has worked on research teams looking at best practices to address inequities in maternity care.
Project Management Specialist, CHEER
Project Management Specialist, CHEER
Mariah Banks, MPH, is a Program Management Specialist at the Center for Health Equity, Education, and Research (CHEER) at Boston Medical Center. She received her Master’s in Public Health from Boston University in May 2023, with a special interest in maternal and child health, especially in refugee and immigrant health. Her focus areas included program design, implementation, and evaluation, and health communications and promotion.
Mariah previously supported immigrant and refugee populations in Boston as the Social Media & Communications Specialist and Patient Advisory Council Coordinator at Boston Medical Center’s Immigrant & Refugee Health Center. She also worked as a communications specialist for the nonprofit Nature and Culture International, promoting environmental and community health in Mexico and South America. Additionally, Mariah was the CHEER International Group (CHEERing)’s first ever fellow, coordinating various aspects of CHEERing’s preventative health program in Greece.
Research Assistant II, CHEER
Research Assistant II, CHEER
Kathryn Pollack-Hinds, MPH, is a Research Assistant at the Center for Health Equity, Education, and Research (CHEER) at Boston Medical Center. She received her Master’s in Public Health from Boston University in May 2023 where she focused on community assessment and program design and maternal- child health. At CHEER, she supports the team in developing and facilitating virtual and in-person clinician trainings using a racial equity lens. She also works to promote the workplace lactation support project, Mississippi WINS, and analyzes data trends from the Interprofessional Module, Breastfeeding | Human Medicine.
Research Assistant, CHEER
Research Assistant, CHEER
Gianna Hamann is a Research Assistant at the Center for Health Equity, Education, and Research (CHEER) at Boston Medical Center. Previously, she volunteered with the CHEER International Group (CHEERing), supporting CHEERing’s Grow Clinics and football training program and coordinating healthcare appointments. She also worked with Madison Street Medicine during her studies at the University of Wisconsin, providing direct healthcare to unhoused folks, assisting folks with getting health insurance and healthcare appointments, and running a blood pressure screening project. Gianna is passionate about nutrition, food access and equity, maternal-child health, healthcare access, and LGBTQ+ health.
Research Assistant, CHEER
Research Assistant, CHEER
Madeline Caughron is a Research Assistant at the Center for Health Equity, Education, and Research (CHEER) at Boston Medical Center. Madeline previously worked in behavioral and clinical psychology research and has a passion for helping people and advancing healthcare access for all, especially marginalized communities. She completed an internship in Australia developing DEI surveying and doing data analysis, and has worked for a women’s health business in Southwest Missouri where she advocated for women’s health education. Madeline aims to work to improve health equity and accessibility for communities across the globe.
Research Assistant, CHEER
Research Assistant, CHEER
Olivia Choi is a Research Assistant at the Center for Health Equity, Education, and Research (CHEER) at Boston Medical Center. Olivia has previously been involved in numerous mental health and maternal/child health advocacy & research initiatives at both Villanova and Brown University. She has worked as a Clinical Research Intern at MGH’s Department of Psychiatry and was also a 2023 Hassenfeld Summer Scholar at Brown. Additionally, she has actively been involved in serving her communities, such as teaching at the Korean School of New England on the weekends and volunteering with the Read to a Child program to promote youth literacy. Olivia hopes to work on and create interventions that address maternal and child-related health disparities, especially in marginalized and underserved populations. She aims to make a positive impact in all the communities she is immersed in and surrounded by.
