COBA BOARD OF DIRECTORS
At January 25, 2017 General Meeting: Dee Dee Grayson, Cheryl Coleman, Ruth Piatak, Montika Collins, Karen Palumbo, Laura Wardwell
At January 30, 2016 General Meeting, L to R: Laura Wardwell, Montika Collins, Becky Mannel, Karen Palumbo, Ruth Piatak, Claire Powers
At 2015 Strategic Planning Meeting, L to R: Claire Powers, Ruth Piatak, Becky Mannel, Linda Malthaner, Karen Palumbo, and Laura Wardwell.
|
COBA Interim Chair
Becky Mannel, MPH, IBCLC, FILCA Becky has worked in lactation for over 20 years. She developed and managed the hospital-wide lactation service at OU Medical Center for 15 years. She is currently Director of the Oklahoma Breastfeeding Resource Center in the Department of OB/GYN at OU Health Sciences Center (OUHSC) and Executive Director for the Oklahoma Mothers’ Milk Bank. She leads the Becoming Baby-Friendly in Oklahoma project sponsored by the Oklahoma State Department of Health (OSDH). Becky also developed and oversees the Oklahoma Breastfeeding Hotline and provides professional training/education to Oklahoma hospitals to improve their breastfeeding care and outcomes, both OSDH-funded projects. As a faculty member at OUHSC, Becky has developed a variety of curricula for health care and public health providers. She developed the first formal clinical training in Oklahoma for aspiring lactation consultants, a 6-month program approved by the International Board of Lactation Consultant Examiners. Becky has presented extensively at state, national and international professional conferences. She serves on the Editorial Review Board of the Journal of Human Lactation and has served twice as Lead Editor for the International Lactation Consultant Association (ILCA) textbook, Core Curriculum for Lactation Consultant Practice. She is past Chair of IBLCE and past President of ILCA. Becky has represented the lactation consultant profession at national-level meetings, including those for the development of the 2011 U.S. Surgeon General's Call to Action to Support Breastfeeding and at national strategy meetings sponsored by the CDC from 2010 - 2014. She currently represents the International Board of Lactation Consultant Examiners (IBLCE) on the US Breastfeeding Committee. She was elected as a full member in 2014 of the International Society for Research in Human Milk and Lactation. Becky has been involved in COBA since its founding in 2000 and has served in various offices, including Chair from 20___ to 2017. Becky has 3 grown children and lives with her husband in Edmond. Contact Becky: chair@okbreastfeeding.org |
COBA Vice Chair
(Position open -- write to governance@okbreastfeeding.org for information)
(Position open -- write to governance@okbreastfeeding.org for information)
COBA Interim Secretary
Ruth Piatak, BA, MS, LLLL, IBCLC
Breastfeeding has been an integral element of Ruth’s experience of motherhood since she joined La Leche League in April 1985 and gave birth to her first son in September 1985. She read breastfeeding information voraciously, and when her life aligned to facilitate community service, she became a La Leche League Leader in 2001. She has been a Baby Cafe fan and COBA member since 2010, an International Board Certified Lactation Consultant since 2011, and Area Professional Liaison for La Leche League of Kansas and Oklahoma since 2014. Ruth has also spent time as the spouse of an immigrant, a WIC client, a teaching assistant, a research technician, a single mother, a foster mother, a member of breastfeeding coalitions in California and Texas, a doula, and a WIC Breastfeeding Peer Counselor. The help she received from family, La Leche League and WIC made her conscious of how well-supported breastfeeding sets an enduring pattern of maternal empowerment.
Ruth’s other COBA roles have included Communications Coordinator from 2012 to 2017, United States Breastfeeding Committee Conference Designated Attendee August 2012, Best Fed Beginnings Continuity of Care Connections Project co-Director 2013-2014, and website co-architect 2015-2016.
Ruth lives in Tulsa, Oklahoma with her husband, a few miles from their third son and his family of four breastfeeding enthusiasts.
Ruth is Chair of the Website/Visibility Committee and serves on the Workplace/Public Committee.
Contact Ruth: secretary@okbreastfeeding.org
Ruth Piatak, BA, MS, LLLL, IBCLC
Breastfeeding has been an integral element of Ruth’s experience of motherhood since she joined La Leche League in April 1985 and gave birth to her first son in September 1985. She read breastfeeding information voraciously, and when her life aligned to facilitate community service, she became a La Leche League Leader in 2001. She has been a Baby Cafe fan and COBA member since 2010, an International Board Certified Lactation Consultant since 2011, and Area Professional Liaison for La Leche League of Kansas and Oklahoma since 2014. Ruth has also spent time as the spouse of an immigrant, a WIC client, a teaching assistant, a research technician, a single mother, a foster mother, a member of breastfeeding coalitions in California and Texas, a doula, and a WIC Breastfeeding Peer Counselor. The help she received from family, La Leche League and WIC made her conscious of how well-supported breastfeeding sets an enduring pattern of maternal empowerment.
Ruth’s other COBA roles have included Communications Coordinator from 2012 to 2017, United States Breastfeeding Committee Conference Designated Attendee August 2012, Best Fed Beginnings Continuity of Care Connections Project co-Director 2013-2014, and website co-architect 2015-2016.
Ruth lives in Tulsa, Oklahoma with her husband, a few miles from their third son and his family of four breastfeeding enthusiasts.
Ruth is Chair of the Website/Visibility Committee and serves on the Workplace/Public Committee.
Contact Ruth: secretary@okbreastfeeding.org
COBA Treasurer
(Position open -- write to governance@okbreastfeeding.org for information)
(Position open -- write to governance@okbreastfeeding.org for information)
COBA Board Member at Large
Karen Palumbo, MEd, AdvCD/BDT(DONA), CBE, CCE
Karen has worked with families during pregnancy, labor, birth, and the postpartum period since 1988 in both the class and hospital setting, and has extensive experience in curriculum development. She has been a Certified Breastfeeding Educator since 1998, a Certified Childbirth Educator since 1990, a DONA Certified Birth Doula since 2001, a DONA Birth Doula Trainer since 2007, and a DONA Advanced Certified Doula since 2015.
Karen received an Associate of Science degree in Alcohol and Substance Abuse Counseling from OSU-Oklahoma City in 1996, a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology from University of Central Oklahoma in 1998, and a Master of Education in Adult Education from University of Central Oklahoma in 2003. Karen's 2014 publication, Early Childhood Nutrition in an American Indian Community: Educational Strategy for Obesity Prevention, depicts her study through OU Health Sciences Center of a set of educational interventions with Native American families in Southwest Oklahoma about breastfeeding and toddler feeding practices.
Karen belongs to the Doula Association of Central Oklahoma (DACO) where she has served as President, Vice President and Secretary. She is also a member of Oklahoma Birth Network, Oklahoma Lactation Consultant Association, and Daughters of the American Revolution. Karen has participated in COBA since 2002, and assisted with both the development of COBA’s Model Hospital Policy and its recent revision. She has served as Secretary since 2012, and was instrumental in COBA's drafting of bylaws and achievement of 501(c)(3) status in 2014.
Karen lives in Warr Acres with her husband of 40 years. She enjoys spending time with him, their 3 sons and their wives, and their two treasured grandchildren.
Contact Karen: karenp@okbreastfeeding.org
COBA Board Member at Large
Montika Collins, BS, BSN, RN, CLC, IBCLC
Montika serves as an international board certified lactation consultant, a resource nurse, an activist, and an avid supporter of everything breastfeeding. She has worked with both premature and full term newborn mother/baby dyads to help them successfully breastfeed. Montika is passionate about expanding and improving breastfeeding support in Oklahoma City, Tulsa and statewide. She is the wife of her amazingly supportive husband Paul and the mother of their three superhero children, ages 3, 5, and 11, who were all extended breastfeeders.
Montika's research interests and experience include extended and tandem breastfeeding, socioeconomic disparities in birth outcomes, development of health care models to improve breastfeeding outcomes in African American women, development of health care models to lower African American infant mortality rates, and the impact of early postpartum progesterone-only contraception on lactation and birth spacing.
Montika holds a Bachelor of Science in Biology and Chemistry from Northeastern State University. She graduated Magna Cum Laude from Oral Roberts University with a Bachelor of Science in Nursing and she is currently pursuing a Holistic Lactation certification.
In addition to COBA, Montika is an active member of Sigma Theta Tau International, Honor Society of Nursing (STTI), La Leche League International (LLLI), Association of Women’s Health, Obstetric, and Neonatal Nurses (AWHONN), and International Lactation Consultant Association (ILCA).
In 2011/2012 Montika was honored to receive the Every Day Hero award from Emergency Medical Services Authority (EMSA) and the Save a Life Hero award from The Red Cross for saving the life of a four year old boy. She was recently instrumental in the rescue of her own son from a severe choking incident -- another great testimony to her courage and readiness in caring for children!
Montika lives in Broken Arrow, OK and offers lactation support for women who live in the surrounding areas.
Contact Montika: montikac@okbreastfeeding.org
Montika Collins, BS, BSN, RN, CLC, IBCLC
Montika serves as an international board certified lactation consultant, a resource nurse, an activist, and an avid supporter of everything breastfeeding. She has worked with both premature and full term newborn mother/baby dyads to help them successfully breastfeed. Montika is passionate about expanding and improving breastfeeding support in Oklahoma City, Tulsa and statewide. She is the wife of her amazingly supportive husband Paul and the mother of their three superhero children, ages 3, 5, and 11, who were all extended breastfeeders.
Montika's research interests and experience include extended and tandem breastfeeding, socioeconomic disparities in birth outcomes, development of health care models to improve breastfeeding outcomes in African American women, development of health care models to lower African American infant mortality rates, and the impact of early postpartum progesterone-only contraception on lactation and birth spacing.
Montika holds a Bachelor of Science in Biology and Chemistry from Northeastern State University. She graduated Magna Cum Laude from Oral Roberts University with a Bachelor of Science in Nursing and she is currently pursuing a Holistic Lactation certification.
In addition to COBA, Montika is an active member of Sigma Theta Tau International, Honor Society of Nursing (STTI), La Leche League International (LLLI), Association of Women’s Health, Obstetric, and Neonatal Nurses (AWHONN), and International Lactation Consultant Association (ILCA).
In 2011/2012 Montika was honored to receive the Every Day Hero award from Emergency Medical Services Authority (EMSA) and the Save a Life Hero award from The Red Cross for saving the life of a four year old boy. She was recently instrumental in the rescue of her own son from a severe choking incident -- another great testimony to her courage and readiness in caring for children!
Montika lives in Broken Arrow, OK and offers lactation support for women who live in the surrounding areas.
Contact Montika: montikac@okbreastfeeding.org
COBA Board Member at Large
Julia Profit-Johnson, BSN, RN
Julia “JP” Profit-Johnson Julia has been a nurse since 1998, and received her bachelor’s degree with honors in nursing from Oklahoma City University in 2016. She serves as _____ with the Association of Women's Health, Obstetric and Neonatal Nurses (AWHONN).
Julia is Birthing Center Manager at Bailey Medical Center in Owasso, where she strives to empower her staff to take care of their patients and prepare her patients to take care of their babies. When JP wanted to help mothers stay close to home preparing for birth, she developed the curriculum, trained staff and launched a community-based childbirth education program so mothers wouldn’t have to drive to Tulsa to get the education they needed. In 2015, Julia received a Spirit of Achieving Cost Savings Award from the Oklahoma Hospital Association for a training program partnership with Hillcrest Medical Center which strengthened the Birthing Center staff’s involvement and flexibility.
Julia Profit-Johnson, BSN, RN
Julia “JP” Profit-Johnson Julia has been a nurse since 1998, and received her bachelor’s degree with honors in nursing from Oklahoma City University in 2016. She serves as _____ with the Association of Women's Health, Obstetric and Neonatal Nurses (AWHONN).
Julia is Birthing Center Manager at Bailey Medical Center in Owasso, where she strives to empower her staff to take care of their patients and prepare her patients to take care of their babies. When JP wanted to help mothers stay close to home preparing for birth, she developed the curriculum, trained staff and launched a community-based childbirth education program so mothers wouldn’t have to drive to Tulsa to get the education they needed. In 2015, Julia received a Spirit of Achieving Cost Savings Award from the Oklahoma Hospital Association for a training program partnership with Hillcrest Medical Center which strengthened the Birthing Center staff’s involvement and flexibility.
COBA Board Member at Large
April Stuart, BA, MPH
April’s passion and professional background is in nonprofit program management, development, and fundraising. Over the past 10 years she has worked for Goodwill Industries of Tulsa, Up With Trees, and American Association of Petroleum Geologists Foundation. She served on the Board of Up With Trees from 2014-2016. Most recently she has accepted a position with Presbyterian Health Foundation, a private foundation based in Oklahoma City’s Research Park. Her new role with PHF includes assisting with communications and program development, disseminating information about cutting edge biotechnological and medical advancements right here in Oklahoma.
April aims to serve her community in a public health capacity. She completed the Master of Public Health program at University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center in 2015.
While earning her MPH, April realized the importance of advocating for maternal and child health in Oklahoma. Bearing children in 2015 and 2017 gave her insight into the critical nature of the perinatal period. She had access to breastfeeding resources but still struggled to nurse her own children. The experience helped her appreciate the support families need during the perinatal period and the myriad of barriers they often face in accessing resources. Her return to the workforce following the birth of her first child revealed the challenges involved with juggling breastfeeding and pumping all while trying to balance work and family life.
April hopes that her experience positions her to make a difference in the lives of breastfeeding families in Oklahoma. She hopes to add value to COBA by providing program support and assisting with development and outreach strategies that will ultimately empower all women and families to successfully breastfeed their children.
April and her husband, Zach, recently moved from Tulsa to OKC. She’s enjoying getting to know the city and finding activities for their young children, who are 17 months apart in age. She is regularly on-the-go, taking them to the library for music and art classes, to explore at the Science Museum, and to area parks. In her spare time she enjoys discovering new favorite places in OKC with her husband, reading, and being outdoors. Together they enjoy lots of family time in their living room and dream of traveling internationally.
Contact April: aprils@okbreastfeeding.org
April Stuart, BA, MPH
April’s passion and professional background is in nonprofit program management, development, and fundraising. Over the past 10 years she has worked for Goodwill Industries of Tulsa, Up With Trees, and American Association of Petroleum Geologists Foundation. She served on the Board of Up With Trees from 2014-2016. Most recently she has accepted a position with Presbyterian Health Foundation, a private foundation based in Oklahoma City’s Research Park. Her new role with PHF includes assisting with communications and program development, disseminating information about cutting edge biotechnological and medical advancements right here in Oklahoma.
April aims to serve her community in a public health capacity. She completed the Master of Public Health program at University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center in 2015.
While earning her MPH, April realized the importance of advocating for maternal and child health in Oklahoma. Bearing children in 2015 and 2017 gave her insight into the critical nature of the perinatal period. She had access to breastfeeding resources but still struggled to nurse her own children. The experience helped her appreciate the support families need during the perinatal period and the myriad of barriers they often face in accessing resources. Her return to the workforce following the birth of her first child revealed the challenges involved with juggling breastfeeding and pumping all while trying to balance work and family life.
April hopes that her experience positions her to make a difference in the lives of breastfeeding families in Oklahoma. She hopes to add value to COBA by providing program support and assisting with development and outreach strategies that will ultimately empower all women and families to successfully breastfeed their children.
April and her husband, Zach, recently moved from Tulsa to OKC. She’s enjoying getting to know the city and finding activities for their young children, who are 17 months apart in age. She is regularly on-the-go, taking them to the library for music and art classes, to explore at the Science Museum, and to area parks. In her spare time she enjoys discovering new favorite places in OKC with her husband, reading, and being outdoors. Together they enjoy lots of family time in their living room and dream of traveling internationally.
Contact April: aprils@okbreastfeeding.org
COBA Board Member at Large
Rachel Nelson
Rachel is a Black Stay at Home Mom to Gabrielle Sophia Nelson, born in September 2017 seven weeks before her due date. Rachel serves in the United States Air Force Reserves. Originally from Norfolk, Virginia, she moved to Missouri in 2015, where she met her husband Scott Nelson. The Nelsons moved to Oklahoma in December of 2017. Rachel got involved in Oklahoma City’s Milk Moms support group right away, joined COBA, volunteered to serve on the COBA Board of Directors, and was elected with Gabrielle on her lap at our January 2018 meeting in Tulsa!
Rachel and Scott discussed breastfeeding prior to becoming pregnant. Rachel did a ton of research about it and discovered breastfeeding support as her passion. Gabrielle was due in November, but in August Rachel was hospitalized with a large chorioangioma, a tumor on the placenta raising risks for complications such as hydrops (extra fluid) and anemia. Gabrielle was born 3 weeks later and remained in the NICU for 24 days -- the hardest of the Nelsons’ lives! Rachel pumped around the clock and lived at Ronald McDonald house while Gabrielle matured, receiving her milk by nasogastric tube. When Gabrielle started showing hunger cues, they started practice feeds. She would latch on perfectly but would quickly get winded. When Gabrielle was able to take full feeds by mouth it was the most amazing feeling in the world!
Rachel Nelson
Rachel is a Black Stay at Home Mom to Gabrielle Sophia Nelson, born in September 2017 seven weeks before her due date. Rachel serves in the United States Air Force Reserves. Originally from Norfolk, Virginia, she moved to Missouri in 2015, where she met her husband Scott Nelson. The Nelsons moved to Oklahoma in December of 2017. Rachel got involved in Oklahoma City’s Milk Moms support group right away, joined COBA, volunteered to serve on the COBA Board of Directors, and was elected with Gabrielle on her lap at our January 2018 meeting in Tulsa!
Rachel and Scott discussed breastfeeding prior to becoming pregnant. Rachel did a ton of research about it and discovered breastfeeding support as her passion. Gabrielle was due in November, but in August Rachel was hospitalized with a large chorioangioma, a tumor on the placenta raising risks for complications such as hydrops (extra fluid) and anemia. Gabrielle was born 3 weeks later and remained in the NICU for 24 days -- the hardest of the Nelsons’ lives! Rachel pumped around the clock and lived at Ronald McDonald house while Gabrielle matured, receiving her milk by nasogastric tube. When Gabrielle started showing hunger cues, they started practice feeds. She would latch on perfectly but would quickly get winded. When Gabrielle was able to take full feeds by mouth it was the most amazing feeling in the world!
This page last updated 6/12/2018 by RMP.
