Past Graduates
Class of 2022–2024
Fouzia Alhreashy
Dr. Fouzia Alhreashy is a Saudi family medicine physician and a lactation consultant. She graduated from the College of Medicine at King Saud University, followed by family medicine residency training at King Abdulaziz Medical City. She has worked as a faculty member at the College of Medicine at Imam Mohammed Ibn Saud Islamic University, at Riyadh, Saudia Arabia.
Her journey in breastfeeding started as a counselor at the individualized patient care, and then expanded to the community. She realized with time that breastfeeding is a public health concern that requires multisectoral coordination. She recently joined the national breastfeeding promotion program at the Ministry of Health with bright future view in breastfeeding promotion. She is currently engaged in scientific taskforces like protocol, policy development, and breastfeeding indicators, beside family medicine practice.
Dr. Alhreashy has few research publications and a translated handbook in breastfeeding. She is interested in learning and teaching advanced breastfeeding and lactation medicine and studying this issue within the context of Islam rulings.
Organization membership: Member of Academy of Breastfeeding Medicine
Emily Beckett
Dr. Beckett completed her pediatric residency from the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) in June of 2020 and has been practicing outpatient general pediatrics at the Arkansas Children’s Southwest Little Rock Clinic for two years. Her interest in breastfeeding medicine began in residency after she created an “original elective” and had the opportunity to work with a pediatrician who was also practicing breastfeeding and lactation medicine (BFLM) and had her IBCLC. Since that time, she has had an interest in BFLM and is fortunate enough to work alongside Dr. Sarah Sobik, who is a phenomenal pediatrician practicing BFLM with her IBCLC at the ACH Southwest Little Rock Clinic.
Dr. Beckett graduated from Baylor University and is a proud Baylor Bear. She loves spending time outside with her husband, 15 month-old daughter and two dogs. She is a native Texan, but has planted roots in Arkansas and is looking forward to serving the community in central Arkansas and beyond.
Brianna Clark
Brianna Y. Clark D.O., M.P.H., CNPM, CLC, is a military brat who received her B.S. from Baylor University, and her Master of Public Health, and Graduate Certificate in Nonprofit Management from Texas A&M University School of Public Health and The Bush School of Government and Public Service, respectively. She is a proud Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine with a degree from Edward Via College of Osteopathic Medicine ( VCOM) Carolinas- Campus and a Certified Lactation Consultant through the Academy of Lactation Policy and Practice ( ALPP). A champion for diversity, equity, and belonging in healthcare, Dr. Clark is a primary care physician at a Critical Access Hospital in rural South Central Kansas.
Dr. Cheryl Godcharles
I am a board-certified OB/Gyn and IBCLC currently working at the University of South Florida Morsani College of Medicine and Tampa General Hospital. I completed my residency at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital in Philadelphia. My main interests within OB/Gyn are family planning and postpartum care (including lactation).
I have two kids, Ben (almost 3) and Sophie (6 months). Ben was born at 29 weeks during my final year of residency. It was during his NICU stay that I realized how little I knew about lactation and how difficult it was to access support in our community. Our challenges motivated me to become more knowledgeable about lactation in order to be a resource for my patients.
Dr. Miena Hall
Dr. Hall is a board-certified family medicine physician and International Board Certified Lactation Consultant who has been supporting breastfeeding families since 2005. She first became involved with lactation as a La Leche League Leader and Area Coordinator of Leaders for La Leche League of Illinois, while at home establishing her family. Later, after matriculating at the University of Illinois at Chicago, she worked as a clerkship instructor teaching her fellow medical students about breastfeeding. Since graduating from residency at UChicago Medicine AdventHealth Hinsdale Hospital in 2021, Dr. Hall has been practicing breastfeeding and family medicine in the western suburbs of Chicago and is the current president of the Northern Illinois Lactation Consultant Association. She is also a member of the inaugural class of the University of Rochester Lessons in Lactation Advanced Curriculum (LILAC) Fellowship. Starting in July 2023, Dr. Hall will be working as a Clinical Instructor and Primary Care Research Fellow at the University of Wisconsin-Madison working to develop clinical imaging tools to quantify mammary hypoplasia and better identify prenatal patients who are at risk of insufficient milk production. She credits her breastfeeding journey with her four children as her continuing inspiration to help lactating dyads in need.
Nneka Ihejeto
I am a Board Certified Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP, MSN, PHN, IBCLC) and a graduate of Samuel Merritt University in Oakland, California, as well as an International Board Certified Lactation Consultant. Although my Lactation counseling experience spans about 22 years, I have had over 18 years of professional practice experience, successfully assisting mothers and families meet their breastfeeding goals. My professional journey as a Lactation Consultant truly began at University of California San Francisco, California, as a postpartum home visiting nurse before moving on to practice in primary care.
I reside in Northern California, married for 28 years, with two adult children, and my beautiful timid cat. I was born in Lagos, Nigeria and emigrated to the United States in my mid-teens. My first graduate degree is in Biology and I worked for several years as a Research Associate in the Biotechnology Industry. When my children were born, I switched careers to Nursing and subsequently earned a graduate degree in International Health as well.
I currently work as a Board Certified Lactation Consultant at a hospital-based urban Pediatric Primary Care Clinic caring mostly for newborns and their moms. As a trained Nurse Practitioner, I believe my scope of practice and clinical experience in the Lactation Consultant field could extend and encompass the full scope of my training as a mid-level provider.
My interests include spending time outdoors, hiking/walking and reveling in nature, reading (mystery and thrillers), trivia puzzles and watching horror movies (I know, appalling!)
Organization membership: Academy of Breastfeeding Medicine-Affiliate member (ABM), American Association of Nurse Practitioners (AANP), Nurse Practitioners for Women’s Health (NPWH), Association of Women’s Health, Obstetrics and Neonatal Nursing (AWHONN)
Maria Jimena Paz
I am a GP and I have a Diploma in Primary Health Care and Community Health. Even before I started my medical training I was deeply interested in breastfeeding, in public health and in many aspects more regarding women´s and children´s health. And my interest greatly increased with the birth of my amazing son, allowing us the opportunity to experience first-hand the perinatal journey. I am currently living in Spain with my family and I am pursuing a Diploma in Vocational Training for Trainers in Teaching and Research in Health Services. I am truly looking forward to this curriculum and to connecting with passionate colleagues.
Oriana Ly-Mapes
Originally a native of Ottawa, Canada I earned my Doctorate of Dental Surgery in 2008 from the University of Western Ontario and later practiced in a family dental practice until deciding to pursue a specialization in pediatric dentistry. I completed my Pediatric Dental residency in 2012 at the University of Rochester. I currently love splitting my time between private practice, clinical teaching at the University of Rochester Eastman Institute for Oral Health, research in improving perinatal and children oral health outcomes, and my family (which includes my husband, four children, and a dog)!
Brie Proctor
Hello! I am a family medicine physician in Montana. I graduated medical school from OSU-COM and completed residency in 2022 at Cherokee Nation in Tahlequah, OK. I became interested in breastfeeding medicine after being a foster parent for 18 months. My husband and I saw the importance of infant attachment and became passionate about supporting the mom baby relationship. We have a daughter who is our whole world. We enjoy spending time as a family, reading, drinking a good cup of coffee, and visiting the National Parks.
Galina Radunsky
Dr. Radunsky moved to the United States from Belarus when she was nine years of age. She graduated from University of Michigan with a B.S. in Cellular and Molecular Biology. In 2006 she moved to Chicago to attend medical school at Chicago College of Osteopathic Medicine and in 2010 came to the University of Rochester for her pediatric training. She joined Genesee Pediatrics in 2013, a Federally Qualified Health Center. Outside of the office Dr. Radunsky spends her time on adventures with her two children and partner, as well as their dog, Banjo.
Katherine Standish
Dr. Standish, M.D., M.S. a clinician and researcher in the Department of Family Medicine at Boston University and is co-founder of the Breastfeeding Equity Center at BMC. Her research addresses breastfeeding services and interventions in marginalized and high-risk populations including dyads impacted by maternal substance use. Dr. Standish is currently the Chair of Protocol Committee of the Academy of Breastfeeding Medicine. Dr. Standish studied medicine at Yale University, completed residency training and a primary care academic fellowship at Boston Medical Center, and earned an MS in Epidemiology at Boston University School of Public Health. Prior to studying medicine, she worked in epidemiologic and community-based participatory research on opioid use disorder and infectious diseases in the U.S., Mexico, and Nicaragua.
Misty Virmani
Misty D. Virmani M.D., FAAP is a neonatologist at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences and Arkansas Children’s Hospital who specializes in breastfeeding medicine and education. Dr. Virmani completed her medical education (2003) and pediatric residency (2006) at UT Southwestern Medical School and Children’s Health in Dallas, Texas. In 2013, following work as a pediatric and neonatal hospitalist for several years in Missouri and New York, she moved to Arkansas to join the Neonatal/Perinatal Medicine Fellowship at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) in Little Rock. Dr. Virmani developed a passion for breastfeeding support and education after struggling with breastfeeding following the birth of her first child. Dr. Virmani has been instrumental in the implementation of breastfeeding supportive measures in Arkansas including moving the hospitals toward Baby Friendly designation and developing outpatient breastfeeding clinics in Arkansas. She has additionally developed several online resources for nursing and physician breastfeeding education used statewide. Dr. Virmani currently serves as the Director of Breastfeeding Medicine at UAMS and ACH as well as the Executive Medical Director of the Natural State Human Milk Bank at UAMS. Dr. Virmani currently resides in Little Rock, AR with her husband and 3 children ages 12, 10 and 6.