"Thank you for the opportunity to participate in the leadership academy. By the end of the kick off workshop, my learning team and I were excited to continue working together and motivated to successfully complete our projects. Each of our projects will support those who have been left out and underserved thus far – we aim to reduce the disparities that have developed in our health systems and better support breastfeeding families. Thank you for the chance to continue to grow and learn more through this program!"

Nicole Hackman, MD

"While we all have big ideas, I'm so appreciative of the effort put into teaching us the tools we'll need to really succeed in our efforts. I'm so excited for the year ahead with the Leadership Academy and all the seeds planted and watered by colleagues and mentors this past weekend!"

Amy Brandon MD, IBCLC, FAAP 

"Working in an underserved area of the country with a very diverse population; San Bernardino County, learning these leadership skills will enable me to lead other health care providers, the next generation of doctors in the promotion of lactation. The orientation meeting was very informative and has already helped me fine tune my project to promote successful lactation in the postpartum period in the hospital. Wanting to learn more about policy to promote lactation, I am looking forward to impacting my community on a broader level. I am to excited to continue learning leadership skills over the next year and to collaborate with other like-minded individuals."

Elaine Hart, MD

"I really enjoyed the whole experience, and am looking forward to learning and growing this year with the Leadership Academy group.  It was all extremely well organized and relevant. I came away with great ideas for my project, which aims to improve physician knowledge and advocacy amongst MDs in Alabama who are training to serve in rural/underserved areas, as well as renewed enthusiasm for my own advocacy efforts. I'm honored to be a part of this group."

Beth Sahlie, MD

"Attending the opening workshop of ABM Leadership Academy last month gave me the clarity, confidence, and motivation I needed to take initiative and stand up as a leader in my community. In just the first month, I have worked with our local public health leaders to formulate an action plan to create and implement a much needed breastfeeding education and support program for our local underserved and underrepresented families. Under my leadership, we have already applied for a privately funded community grant to fund this project."

Karen Federici, MD, IBCLC, FABM

 "I did learn a great deal and am excited to take what I learned and put it into practice. I am a Primary Care Physician in a town full of pediatricians and OB/GYNs but without a true ‘breastfeeding doctor.’ I attended many lectures and workshops at the conference. Some of those lectures that were particularly useful included one on racial disparities and on updated protocols for breastfeeding.

I am starting a project to look at breastfeeding support in my own community of Pensacola, Florida. I am hoping to partner with local programming to provide more support and education to our breastfeeding families. I will take what I learned at the conference and bring that directly to Pensacola."

Tristan Brooks, DO

Evelyn Aboagye

Stephanie Attarian

Courtney Bilodeau

Amy Brandon

Sarah Brennan

Tristan Brooks

Sarah Calhoun

Leigh Campbell

April Castillo

Mariana Colmenares Castano

Meaghan Combs

Laura Coulson

Andrea De Icaza Gonzalez

Leslie-Anne Dietrich

Andrea Dotson

Elizabeth Doyle

Lena Edelstein

Olamide Egbewunmi

Elizabeth Elsagga

Andrea Esquivel

Tarayn Fairlie

Karen Federici

Ester Flores

Shelley Gat

Susan Goldberg

Shruti Gupta

Alejandra Gutierrez Montero

Nicole Hackman

Miena Hall

Elaine Hart

Ofri Hayosh

Adrienne Hoyt-Austin

Camron Johnson-Privitera

Sarah Jordan-Crowe

Tejal Kaul

Andrea Kittrell

Sheila Kredit

Kara Kuhn-Riordon

Leslie Kummer

Elizabeth Lavery

Candy Lincoln

Adetola Louis-Jacques

Sandra Massry Dana

Cristina Nunez

Adora Okogbule-Wonodi

Kia O'Neal

Denyoalli Ponce

Melissa Robey

Rosaly Rodriguez Farah

Elizabeth Sahlie

Jamie Sibel

Ileana Yisel Sierra Wabi

Marche' Smith

Alyssa Stachowiak

Katherine Standish

Elizabeth Stehel

Zaharah Sulaiman

Shimona Thakrar

Kavita Thanakrishnan

Andi Toufexis

Katherine Turner

Paola Vallarino

Tara Williams

Mario Yrigoyen