Meet the Steering Committee
The steering committee is a group of volunteers who provide leadership to the Breastfeeding Community of Practice and help support the energy, passion and vision of its members. Steering Committee members come from a variety of disciplines and work in many different settings.
Steering Committee Members
Steering Committee Members
- Kathryn Hayward, Assistant Professor, Dalhousie University School of Nursing
- Hilary Marentette, Volunteer Doula Program
- Trena Gallant, Private Practice Doula and Birth Educator
- Cynthia Mann, La Leche League
- Nancy Harmon, Registered Nurse and IBCLC
- Dr. Kim Blake, Professor of Pediatrics, Dalhousie University
- Katherine Malec, Public Health Nurse
- Grace McCreight, Public Health Nurse
Kathryn Hayward
Kathryn is an assistant professor in the School of Nursing at Dalhousie University. In the past, she has worked as a Staff Nurse & Clinical Educator, NICU at the IWK Health Centre. Kathryn has been certified as lactation consultant since 1998.
Kathryn's research is clinically based in the field of neonatal pediatrics. This research is focused on human lactation, prematurity and co-bedding multiples. Kathryn's master’s research studied the effect of nipple shield use on the maternal breastfeeding experience when breastfeeding the preterm infant, specifically examining milk transfer, maternal milk volumes, and maternal breastfeeding self-efficacy. As well, her research around co-bedding is collaborative, multi-centred and brings together a multi-disciplinary team which has representation from community, four disciplines, two universities, two health centres, and three provinces. This groundbreaking research which examines the efficacy of co-bedding premature twins in a common incubator or crib as opposed to the common practice of providing care in separate incubators won the ‘Best of JOGNN’ award in 2016.
Kathryn's research is clinically based in the field of neonatal pediatrics. This research is focused on human lactation, prematurity and co-bedding multiples. Kathryn's master’s research studied the effect of nipple shield use on the maternal breastfeeding experience when breastfeeding the preterm infant, specifically examining milk transfer, maternal milk volumes, and maternal breastfeeding self-efficacy. As well, her research around co-bedding is collaborative, multi-centred and brings together a multi-disciplinary team which has representation from community, four disciplines, two universities, two health centres, and three provinces. This groundbreaking research which examines the efficacy of co-bedding premature twins in a common incubator or crib as opposed to the common practice of providing care in separate incubators won the ‘Best of JOGNN’ award in 2016.
Hilary Marentette
Hilary has been involved with birthing and breastfeeding for many years; first as a pre-natal educator and then as a doula. She established the Volunteer Doula Program with the Chebucto Family Centre (formerly the Single Parent Centre) in 1996 and continued there until her retirement in 2011.
Hilary continues to volunteer as a doula. She has been a long time advocate for positive birthing and breastfeeding experiences for women and has served on many local committees and is now happy to be part of the Breastfeeding Community of Practice.
Hilary continues to volunteer as a doula. She has been a long time advocate for positive birthing and breastfeeding experiences for women and has served on many local committees and is now happy to be part of the Breastfeeding Community of Practice.
Trena Gallant
Trena Gallant is a Fellow of the Academy of Certified Childbirth educators, a DONA Approved Birth and Postpartum Doula Trainer, Infant Massage Instructor, Certified Sleep Educator, Child passenger safety technician and Hypnobirthing Practitioner. Her passion for birth and babies began at a very young age, when she frequently offered her family pets doula support (much to their dismay), and helped care for the many foster babies who her parents welcomed into their home. After graduating with her Bachelor of Arts, she began pursuing her education in birth and postpartum, and has been educating and supporting families in groups and individually for over 14 years. In addition to supporting families, Trena felt drawn to adult education, and went on to become a Birth and Postpartum Doula Trainer, and established one of only 24 Lamaze Educator programs in the world. Despite her many years of formal education, her most influential teachers continue to be her partner and their four amazing children.
Cynthia Mann
Cynthia is a LLL leader, perinatal nurse, and mother of five. She has Master's degrees in both Nursing and Health Administration with focuses on obesity and women's mental health in particular postpartum depression.
Cynthia has been supporting women throughout her career as a registered nurse. She has also been providing women with mother to mother support as a LLL leader. Her passion is helping women get the information and support they need to be empowered to make choices that feel right for their families, as well as helping other mothers support women so that we create a network of support around new mothers and families.
Cynthia has been supporting women throughout her career as a registered nurse. She has also been providing women with mother to mother support as a LLL leader. Her passion is helping women get the information and support they need to be empowered to make choices that feel right for their families, as well as helping other mothers support women so that we create a network of support around new mothers and families.
Nancy Harmon
Nancy Harmon, BScN RN IBCLC is a Registered Nurse and International Board Certified Lactation Consultant. A graduate of Saint Francis University, Nancy began her nursing career in 1975 with a passion for maternal-child health. A Lactation Consultant since 1993, Nancy has provided care and support to hundreds of nursing families in Nova Scotia and British Columbia, in both rural and urban, inpatient and outpatient settings. A specialist in infant feeding, breastfeeding science, and human lactation, Nancy's professional focus is to facilitate a greater understanding of infant latch technique, while fostering maternal breastfeeding skills for happy and healthy babies. Nancy opened a private practice in 2012, Good Latch Breastfeeding Support Services, making home visits to families in HRM and surrounding areas. Other areas of interest include clinical instructor for Dalhousie University and NSCC nursing students, second attendant for midwifery home births in Lunenburg County, designated LC on Maternal/Child Unit at South Shore Regional Hospital, and recently conducting a research project as Infant Feeding Specialist in Colchester County.
Dr. Kim Blake
Dr. Kim Blake is a professor of pediatrics in the faculty of medicine at Dalhousie University. She works at the IWK Health Centre as a general pediatrician and is involved in teaching and research both at the IWK and at Dalhousie. Dr. Blake is originally from London, England she graduated in medicine from St. Bartholomew’s Hospital, University of London (1983). She then completed her pediatric training at a number of prestigious hospitals including Great Ormond Street Hospital, The Royal Free Hospital and University College Hospital. Dr. Blake’s first academic appointment as an assistant professor was in St. John’s Newfoundland where she worked in developmental pediatrics on the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) and as a child protection consultant. Dr. Blake moved to Nova Scotia in 1997 and has always been very involved in the teaching of both undergraduates and residents. Dr. Blake has a substantial research career with over 100 published papers. She has three grown up children and is a strong advocate for breast feeding as well as teaching and learning around breastfeeding.
Dr. Blake hopes to bring to the group a pediatric medical academic lens to breastfeeding concentrating on how, when and what we should be teaching our under graduate students and residents around our roles in advocating and helping our breastfeeding community.
Dr. Blake hopes to bring to the group a pediatric medical academic lens to breastfeeding concentrating on how, when and what we should be teaching our under graduate students and residents around our roles in advocating and helping our breastfeeding community.
Katherine Malec & Grace McCreight
Katherine started her nursing career at the IWK In adolescent mental health. She soon followed her interests into maternal/child nursing, and spent three years working on the Family Newborn Care Unit. This sparked her passion for breastfeeding and supporting mothers in their journeys. Now transitioned into her current role of Public Health Nurse in the Early Years Program, this passion has strengthened and she looks forward to developing relationships in the community. Katherine breastfed her first son, and she is soon be a mother of two! Katherine will be working in this role until she goes on her maternity leave in early 2019.
Grace is the daughter of a former La Leche League Leader, and in so, was immersed in the breastfeeding community and culture from a very young age. Upon starting her nursing career, her professional focus had originally been in adult mental health services. After breastfeeding her first son to age 3, and her second to age 2 (and counting!) she shifted her career focus to Public Health, and recently joined the Early Years Program. She looks forward to sharing this role with Katherine in the coming year, and expanding her knowledge within this community. Grace will work in this role until Katherine returns from her maternity leave in early 2020.
Grace is the daughter of a former La Leche League Leader, and in so, was immersed in the breastfeeding community and culture from a very young age. Upon starting her nursing career, her professional focus had originally been in adult mental health services. After breastfeeding her first son to age 3, and her second to age 2 (and counting!) she shifted her career focus to Public Health, and recently joined the Early Years Program. She looks forward to sharing this role with Katherine in the coming year, and expanding her knowledge within this community. Grace will work in this role until Katherine returns from her maternity leave in early 2020.
