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Empoderando a madres para amamantar cada paso del camino
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Program Coordinators
Pamela Reichert-Anderson, MA, RDN, CLC
Project Coordinator
Pamela is a registered dietitian for General Pediatrics at CCMC and is the project coordinator. She has extensive experience with implementing health interventions in various settings. In a similar role on our previous grant, she coordinated training and quality improvement projects in nine pediatric practices to help change their breastfeeding culture. She played an instrumental role in helping Dolan Family Health Center successfully become the first NYS designated Breastfeeding Friendly practice in the Metropolitan region. For this project, Pamela will coordinate all aspects of the project including outreach, provider training, follow-up, assist in implementation and evaluation of operational activities, work closely with project staff to connect organizations and develop strong coalitions, and report any collected data.
Use this space to introduce yourself and share your professional history.
Henry (Hank) Bernstein,
DO, MHCM, FAAP
Primary Investigator
Dr. Bernstein is a professor of Pediatrics at Hofstra Northwell School of Medicine. He is involved in a broad range of clinical, educational, research, and advocacy activities and has notably enhanced pediatric clinical practice. He is a published representative of nationally established groups and has directly influenced national policy. In 2013, he created FeedingYourBaby.org, a unique online educational tool available in English and Spanish, to support individualized maternal education, provide guidance, and time management to promote breastfeeding during the baby's first 6 months of life. Dr. Bernstein will oversee all activities, budget, and reporting functions of the grant.
Jennifer L. Giordano is the Director of Latch With Love, Inc., East Setauket, NY and Lactation Consultant for Peds First Pediatrics, Medford, NY. Jennifer is an International Board Certified Lactation Consultant (IBCLC) and known as an expert in the field of lactation management. She was the Lactation/Perinatal Education Coordinator for St. Catherine of Siena Medical Center and Lecturer/Board Advisor for Prepared Childbirth Educators, Inc. She taught a Certified Breastfeeding Counselor course nationally which focused on preparing hospitals for Baby-Friendly designation and is a member of the Association of Lactation Providers, Long Island, NY. Jennifer is excited to assist increasing breastfeeding community support as the IBCLC of the New York State Department of Health-Northwell BFREE Grant Team.
Jennifer L. Giordano,
MS, APRN, FNP, IBCLC
Lactation Consulant
Developer
Use this space to introduce yourself and share your professional history.
Tari is a public health professional holding Master's degrees in Public Health and Project Management and is one of the project coordinators for the BFREE Team. She has extensive experience with planning and implementing maternal health interventions for black and brown mothers on Long Island. She played an instrumental role in setting up the Birth Justice Warriors foundation, an educational non-profit dedicated to eliminating disparities in adverse health outcomes for black birthing people in Nassau County. She has also had the opportunity to identify and lead quality improvement programs to improve the quality of care for geriatric populations. Tari will coordinate outreach and provider training, and assist in implementation and evaluation of operational activities on the BFREE Team, working closely with project staff to connect organizations, develop strong coalitions, and report any collected data.
Tari Ajeh,
MPH, MS, CLC, CHC
Project Coordinator
Associate Program Coordinators
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Sarah Yashar-Gershman
Angela Cabrera
Siri Peddineni
Angelica Joshi
Sarah se graduó de la Universidad de Princeton en 2022 con un título en Psicología y especialización en Salud Global y Política de Salud. Ha realizado investigaciones previamente sobre la salud de las mujeres indígenas en Ecuador y sobre el aprendizaje de idiomas de niños bilingües en un laboratorio de psicología del desarrollo. Está entusiasmada por trabajar con BFREE y las comunidades de Long Island para promover iniciativas de apoyo a la lactancia.
Angela se graduó de la Universidad de Illinois en Urbana-Champaign, donde obtuvo un título de grado con honores en Biología Molecular y Celular, con especialización en Psicología. En el pasado, ha realizado investigaciones sobre la maximización de la eficiencia fotosintética de las plantas mediante clonación molecular con el fin de combatir la inseguridad alimentaria. Angela está muy entusiasmada por trabajar con el equipo de BFREE y colaborar con las comunidades de Nueva York para promover el apoyo y la educación sobre la lactancia.
Siri se graduó de la Universidad de Emory en 2023 con un título en Antropología/Biología Humana y especialización en Salud Global, Culturas y Sociedad. Ha realizado una investigación previamente sobre el aumento de las tasas de vacunación contra el COVID-19 entre las comunidades de refugiados, inmigrantes y migrantes en Clarkston, Georgia. Siri está motivada por unirse al equipo de BFREE y trabajar junto a los miembros de la comunidad para impulsar iniciativas y promover la educación sobre lactancia en toda la zona de Nueva York.
Angelica se graduó de la Universidad de North Carolina en Chapel Hill en 2023 con un título en Química y especialización en Biología y Neurociencia. Ha realizado investigaciones previamente sobre nanoespectroscopia infrarroja y la exposición de los adolescentes al alcohol utilizando un modelo animal. Le entusiasma trabajar con el equipo de BFREE y las comunidades de Long Island para promover la lactancia/dar el pecho.
Meet the Lactation Support Group Facilitators
Pat Esposito, RN-PD, MS, IBCLC
Pat is a Registered Nurse with a Masters Degree in Health Administration. She has been a Lamaze Certified Childbirth Educator since 1978 and an International Board Certified Lactation Consultant since 1998. She has guided many couples in achieving their birthing goal and assisting them on their breastfeeding journeys.
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Pat retired from her position as Head Nurse in the Labor and Delivery Unit at South Shore University Hospital in 2008, after serving in that role for 20 years. She continues to be employed at SSUH, as a per diem Lactation Consultant. She created the weekly Breastfeeding Support Group at SSUH in 2010 and often facilitates that in-person group on Tuesday afternoons. In addition to that, Pat counsels new moms in the Maternity Unit and facilitates our virtual lactation support groups every Tuesday from 7-8 pm.
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When not spending her time working with new families, Pat enjoys gardening, kayaking, paddle boarding, boating, and other outdoor activities. Pat relishes her family life, her husband, her 4 grown children and their spouses, and her 10 grandchildren. She feels that the experiences of her own life have aided her in being successful in the many facets of her work life.
Marta Blanco
Paola Duarte
Sandy McCabe
Maryjean Williams
Jeanne Rosser
Lizeth Villa
Italia Granshaw
Former Program Coordinators
Anastasia Schepers, MA, RDN, CLC, MS
Anastasia is a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist with a Master's degree in clinical nutrition. Most of her 35 years in the field have been spent educating youth and parents on making healthy lifestyle choices, focusing particularly on food and beverages. Anastasia provides a variety of interactive and educational programs in Queens, Nassau, and Western Suffolk under the Kohl’s Cares Keeping Kids Healthy Program, a grant aimed at reducing the prevalence of childhood obesity. Programs focus on including more fruits and vegetables, eating breakfast, making healthy beverage and snack choices, and engaging in physical activity. For this project, Anastasia will coordinate all aspects of the project with Pamela, work closely with project staff to connect organizations and develop strong coalitions, and report any collected data.
Dawn Kempa, RN, IBCLC​
Dawn ha servido como especialista acreditada en lactancia y enfermera para 22 años y fue la administradora de programas. Ha sido la directora de programas para WIC en el centro médico de Cohen Children's y tiene mucha experiencia apoyando a las madres Dawn ha servido con muchos comités con Northwell Health para hacer amamantando lo normal, que incluye hacienda las prácticas y hospitales amigos de la lactancia materna. Para este proyecto, utilizará su experiencia para proveer el apoyo administrativo del personal completo, enseñando cómo amamantar, y ayudar a crear los Baby Cafés®.
Former Associate Program Coordinators
Alix Rosenberg, BS
Maria Fernanda Machicao, BS
Muskaan Sawhney, BS
Michiyah Collins​, BA, CLC
Janvi Shukla, BA
Caroline Castleman, AB, CLC
Gloria Zhao, BA, CLC
Chisom Chigozie-Nwosu, BA, CLC
Heesu Park, BS, CLC
Tara Mathias-Prabhu​, BS, CLC
Abby Coco, BA
Michelle Chen, BA, CLC
Maggie Sherin, BA, CLC
Pearl Subramanian, BA, CLC
Yingna Wang, BA
Casidhe-Nicole Bethancourt, BA, CLC
Victoria Chi, BA, CLC
Shannon Cleary, BA, CLC
Ling Jing, BA, CLC
Angie Lee, BA, CLC
Irene Song, BA, CLC
Tiffany L. Wang, BA, CLC