Speakers

Conference Speakers

Dr. Kathleen Kendall-Tackett, PhD, IBCLC, FAPA, is a health psychologist and International Board Certified Lactation Consultant, and the Owner and Editor-in-Chief of Praeclarus Press, a small press specializing in women's health. Dr. Kendall-Tackett is Editor-in-Chief of two peer-reviewed journals: Clinical Lactation and Psychological Trauma. She is Fellow of the American Psychological Association in Health and Trauma Psychology, Past President of the APA Division of Trauma Psychology, and a member of the Board for the Advancement of Psychology in the Public Interest. Dr. Kendall-Tackett specializes in women's-health research including breastfeeding, depression, trauma, and health psychology, and has won many awards for her work including the 2016 Outstanding Service to the Field of Trauma Psychology Award from the American Psychological Association’s Division 56. Dr. Kendall-Tackett has authored more than 400 articles or chapters, and is currently completing her 35th book, The Phantom of the Opera: A Social History of the World’s Most Popular Musical. Her most recent books include: Depression in New Mothers, 3rd Edition (2016, Routledge UK, in press), Women’s Mental Health Across the Lifespan (2016, Routledge US, in press, with Lesia Ruglass), Psychology of Trauma 101 (2015, Springer, with Lesia Ruglass) and The Science of Mother-Infant Sleep (2014, Praeclarus, with Wendy Middlemiss). Her websites are
UppityScienceChick.com, BreastfeedingMadeSimple.com, and PraeclarusPress.com.

Dr. Pamela Heggie, MD, IBCLC, FAAP, FABM, is a pediatrician and lactation consultant. She has practiced pediatrics in the Twin Cities for over 20 years, and breastfeeding medicine for 8 years. She attended Brown University for her undergraduate education in Rhode Island where she received a B.A degree in Biomedical Ethics. She went went to medical school at Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, Ohio. Dr. Heggie completed her pediatric residency and fellowship in Developmental-Behavioral Pediatrics at the University of Rochester in New York. Dr. Heggie became a lactation consultant (IBCLC) in 2008 and a fellow of the Academy of Breastfeeding Medicine in 2014. She is currently Director of Breastfeeding Medicine at Central Pediatrics in St. Paul and Clinical Assistant Professor at the University of Minnesota.

Cheyenne Johnson, CD(DONA) is a queer DONA certified full-spectrum doula with over 100 births under her belt, and recent foster parent to a trans teen. Cheyenne’s work with families was inspired by a passion for serving underrepresented communities such as LGBTQ families, single parents, and teen parents. Her background includes supporting youth as a middle school math teacher and serving as Education Coordinator for the Minnesota GLBTA Campus Alliance for several years. As a Faculty Presenter at the Creating Change Conference – the largest annual gathering of activists in the GLBTQ movement – she has led day-long Ally Institutes focused on ally identity development for audiences including top-level executives and directors of nonprofits.

Janine Stiles, CPM is a Certified Professional Midwife and her practice, Mandala Midwifery Care, strives to provide loving and individualized care to all family types. She has sought, and continues to seek, additional training and awareness to appropriately serve people of color and those in the LGBTQ community. In addition to prenatal, postpartum and home birth care, Mandala Midwifery Care provides fertility consultations and insemination services to women, transmen and those whose gender identity is fluid.

Brittney Volker, CST, Professional Doula, PES. Over the last decade, Brittney Volker has been dedicated to helping mothers with breastfeeding. She volunteered her time supporting mothers online starting in 2006, and has continued to dedicate much of her time to helping mothers with their breastfeeding questions. In 2009, Brittney expanded her knowledge and outreach by becoming a Birth Doula. In 2013 she became a Craniosacral Therapist through Dr. Carol Phillips who teaches Dynamic Body Balancing, a powerful blend of Craniosacral Therapy and Myofascial Release. She specializes in breastfeeding issues and other pediatric concerns, such as pregnancy and birth trauma, torticollis, plagiocephaly, tongue-tie, colic, reflux, and many other issues.. She owns a busy practice with two offices located in Sartell and Alexandria.

Maureen Campion, MS, LP, is a licensed psychologist and relationship expert. She specializes in the early years of parenting and building families. She writes a free weekly newsletter Notes from a Marriage Geek and teaches inclusive, research-based parenting and marriage classes. She also is an expert in birth trauma and the author of Heal Your Birth Story. www.marriagegeek.com

Holly Fix, CPM, LM, is a home birth midwife with a small private practice. She also provides postpartum care and lactation support for families birthing at Roots Community Birth Center. Holly has been involved in birth advocacy, public education, doula work, and midwifery for the last 10 years. She lives in St Louis Park with her partner and three sons.

Casey Berberich, La Leche League Leader, CLC, has been an LLL Leader since 2009 and the area Communication Skills Instructor since 2016. She is the mother of four boys (11, 9, 6, and 4). She visits families to provide developmental screens for the younger members of the community. She also enjoys reading, gardening, and has recently taken up swimming.

Deb Pladsen is the Coordinator of Leader Accreditation for Minnesota and the Dakotas. She has been a La Leche League Leader since 2009 and also works part-time for an investment firm. Deb has worked with many Leader Applicants in the preparation for leadership and enjoys helping them to support other breastfeeding moms. Deb keeps busy enjoying downtime with her husband and two children as well as reading, running, and (sort-of) knitting.

Anne Casey served as a La Leche League Leader for nine years and was the Area Communications Coordinator for three years. She served as editor of Northern LLLights, La Leche League of Minnesota and Dakotas’ newsletter for Leaders and has contributed to New Beginnings, the magazine of LLL USA. Anne lives in St. Louis Park, MN with her husband, two children, and many musical instruments.

Anna Brauch-Sapp is a mother of two from South Minneapolis and a Leader with LLL of Golden Valley, MN. They earned their B.A. in Gender, Women and Sexuality Studies in 2007 and are enjoying finding ways to create space in the intersection of queer identity and parenting. When Anna isn't working on LLL projects, they are taking their toddler and preschooler on public transportation adventures and organizing family programs for Minneapolis Parks and Rec. They have led workshops on queer cultural topics for EXCO Twin Cities, The Queer Birth Project, the Femme Collective, and the Midwest BLGTA College Conference.

Christina Forga is a La Leche League Leader with the St. Paul Metro Group. She is the mother of two beautiful children. Christina grew up in a breastfeeding household, her mother has been a LLL Leader for 35+ years, and she is the oldest of six children who were all breastfed. Her partner, Russell, has been an incredible supporter of their family's breastfeeding and parenting journey.

Ingrid Kaufman is a La Leche League Leader with the Waconia Group. She has two daughters, Madeline (11) and Isabelle (7). Ingrid started attending LLL meetings when Madeline was 6 months old in hopes of finding like-minded parents. She has been a Leader for 9 years. In her spare time, Ingrid likes to read, cook and train for triathlons.

Lindsay Taylor has been a La Leche League Leader for four years and is the Area Communications Coordinator, serving within that role as editor of Northern LLLights, the newsletter for the Leaders of La Leche League of Minnesota and the Dakotas. She lives in St. Paul with her husband of twelve years and their three children, ages nine, seven, and three, all who have very different nursing and weaning stories. She is a birth doula and enjoys reading and creative writing, and believes the words we attach to our experiences affect how we move through and beyond them.

Jill Christianson is a birth doula, certified childbirth educator, La Leche League Leader, and Area Finance Coordinator for La Leche League of Minnesota and the Dakotas. Over the past 10 years, she has helped hundreds of families during pregnancy, birth, and breastfeeding. She and her husband have four children, aged 4-13.

Vickie Albright, LLL Leader, IBCLC, RLC, has been a Leader with La Leche League since 2008. She is the Area Coordinator of Leaders and a District Advisor as well as the Area Database Administrator. Her private practice, MamaWise Lactation, provides in-home lactation support. She is a proud mama to two daughters and a member of the International Lactation Consultant Association.

We are currently accepting submissions from local presenters who would like to participate in our conference. If you have knowledge and expertise to share related to breastfeeding, birth, babies, families, or parenting, please email Anne Ferguson.