Conference | Pierce County Lactat

Dear Participants,

We would like to apologize for the delay in getting these videos out to you. We have had some unforeseen circumstances that were out of our control. We value your time and understand the inconvenience caused by these disruptions, and it is our priority to make it right for you. Your continued support and understanding are greatly appreciated, thank you for your patience and trust in us.
You will get an email coming from pcbfaliance@gmail.com.
After each recording there is a short mandatory quiz to receive IBCLE CERPS. Once all the quizzes are completed and received, we will email your certificate to you within 24 hours. Please be sure to enter your email address when asked so your certificate can be emailed to you. The recording will be available until 02/15/2025.
Feel free to reach out to Patricia Alva or Delores Baccus if you have any questions and/or concerns, email us at pcbfalliance@gmail.com

Meet our Speakers - 2024 Virtual Lactation Conference

Dixie Weber, MSN, RN

Ms. Weber, serving as a Public Health Nurse Consultant at the Washington Department of Health, is deeply committed to advancing the state's Maternal Mortality Review program. Her exceptional dedication to women’s and children’s healthcare was honored with the 2020 Distinguished Professional Service Award from the Association of Women’s Health, Obstetrics, and Neonatal Nursing, recognizing her impactful advocacy for nationwide women's healthcare access, improved maternal health outcomes, and child health initiatives.

With specialized expertise in providing exemplary care for Unique Perinatal Populations, including those navigating adoption planning, struggling with substance use disorders, survivors of sexual assault giving birth, individuals in correctional care during pregnancy, and families utilizing surrogacy, Ms. Weber's efforts have garnered widespread acclaim. She was honored with a Congressional Award from the Congressional Coalition Adoption Institute in 2017. Ms. Weber also sets rigorous standards for healthcare professionals, ensuring the delivery of comprehensive, consistent, and high-quality medical care for these complex patients.
With over 23 years of unwavering dedication to maternal-child healthcare, Ms. Weber holds a master’s degree in health systems management and a post-master’s certificate in adult learning theory from Regis University in Denver, CO, further enriching her expertise in the field.

Suet Kam Lam, MD, MPH, MS, FAAP

Dr. Lam is the founding faculty director of the Andrew B. Kaufman World Medicine Pathway of Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine. She was also the co-director and research advisor of the former Peru Health Outreach Project (PHOP). In addition to student mentorship and scholarly outputs, she organizes and conducts global health seminars, workshops, and conferences to support pre-departure preparation and global health education that align with the Consortium of Universities of Global Health (CUGH) competencies.

She has worked in six countries in clinical and public health settings and the Navajo Nation of the Indian Health Service. Her public health work includes: mapping the H1N1 outbreak with the World Health Organization (WHO) in Cambodia;
researching latent tuberculosis treatment as an Epidemiology Elective Fellow at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in the National Center for HIV/AIDS, Viral Hepatitis, STD, and TB Prevention investigating water-related injuries with CDC Epidemic Intelligence Service Officers; and epidemiology work in the Expanded Program on Immunization office as the CDC-Hubert Global Health Fellow in the Western Pacific Regional Office of the WHO.
As a Gates Millennium Scholar, she pursued studies in biochemistry, Spanish, and history at Washington & Jefferson College and a Master of Science in Physiology and Biophysics in Complementary and Alternative Medicine from Georgetown University. Dr. Lam obtained her Master in Public Health in Epidemiology and Global Health during medical school at George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences. She completed her pediatric residency at University Hospitals Rainbow Babies and Children’s Hospital, and was chosen as a chief resident, where she expanded the residency’s global health and advocacy tracks programming and education. After working as a pediatric hospitalist at the Cleveland Clinic Children’s Hospital, she switched her career to outpatient breastfeeding medicine and is now the Assistant Medical Director of the Cleveland Clinic Breastfeeding Medicine Clinic.
She is dedicated to teaching, mentorship, and innovative education and community-based initiatives and research. She has been awarded the outstanding preceptor for year 3 medical students from the Cleveland Clinic Lerner College of Medicine (CCLCM). Her passion in global health education includes creating stimulating workshops and conferences to support pre-departure preparation and improving clinical skills for trainees and practicing healthcare professionals. Dr. Lam was selected to join the national AAP Global Health Education Conference Planning Group and served for 3 years and was selected as the 2021-2022 Medical Education Fellow at the Cleveland Clinic to advance local global health education in the literature, as well as a Research Fellow at the Cleveland Clinic from 2022-2023. Dr. Lam has received institutional and national grants for community projects to examine and decrease healthcare disparities, including increasing breastfeeding health equity, and is a two-time recipient of the Cleveland Clinic Caregiver Catalyst Grant. She volunteers as a Trustee board member of her alma mater, Washington & Jefferson College.

Isabella Knox, MD, EdM

Dr Isabella Knox is a board-certified neonatologist and has practiced in many NICU settings across the Unites States. When she finished her fellowship in 1984 less than 20% of all newborns and approximately 0% of NICU infants breastfed at all. She has seen massive changes in all aspects of lactation in the intervening 40 (!) years, including greater understanding of the importance of mother's milk, the donor milk system and its use, the reappreciation of tongue tie as a barrier to breastfeeding and the development of lactation support infrastructure. It has been the greatest honor of her career to have been able to help NICU families and families with babies with tongue tie meet their breastfeeding goals.

Ginna Wall, RN, MN, IBCLC

Ginna received her master's degree in nursing from the University of Washington in Seattle and has been an IBCLC since 1987 later working with IBCLE on the exam committee. Ginna founded the lactation program at University of Washington in 1986 bringing evidence-based, family-friendly care to the high-risk hospital and clinic setting until her retirement. Her works Development of Nursing Diagnosis, Prenatal Breastfeeding Courses, Breast Pump Rental Program, Breastfeeding Assessment Form, creation of Formal Outpatient Lactation Clinic and more have set the standard used throughout the United States, including the CDC when they developed their mPINC.

In 2009, Ginna led the University of Washington Medical Center through Baby-Friendly certification. Her commitment to research and knowledge dissemination can be seen through her founding the Publication of Lactation Support Newsletter, Seattle Lactation Journal Club, tenure as part of the Editorial Board of the Journal of Human Lactation and faculty of Evergreen Perinatal Education since its inception speaking internationally providing research-based best practice.

Shevonne Tsegaye, CLC, IBCLC,

Shevonne is a Senior Breastfeeding and Peer Counseling Consultant with the Women, Infant, and Children (WIC) office at the Washington Department of Health and former Co-Lead of Open Arms’ Lactation Support Program.

Shevonne is a dedicated and passionate International Board-Certified Lactation Consultant (IBCLC), leveraging expertise in lactation advocacy, program management, and policy development. A transformative leader driving structural change, promoting health equity, and fostering inclusive environments for lactating individuals across diverse communities. Seeking a challenging role to continue catalyzing systemic shifts in healthcare policies and practices that advance maternal and infant health outcomes while championing anti-racist principles.

Delores A. Baccus, MA, RN, IBCLC

Delores is the Breastfeeding Peer Counseling Program Manager at Public Health Seattle & King County WIC and Nutrition Services.
Experienced Peer Counseling Program Trainer and Manager with a demonstrated history of working in the government administration industry. Skilled in Nonprofit Organizations, Program Evaluation, Volunteer Management, Public Speaking, and Management. Extensive background and training working with Equity and Social Justice Issues. Strong program and project management professional graduated from Bastyr University.

The Jo Backus, RN, IBCLC, Scholarship Application

The Pierce County Lactation Alliance (PCLA) is proud to offer an educational scholarship in honor of Johanna “Jo” Backus, RN, IBCLC. Jo was a charter member of the Pierce County Breastfeeding Alliance, having actively participated since the inception of the Alliance in 1986. Jo worked as an International Board-Certified Lactation Consultant (IBCLC) for Tacoma General Hospital, and as a nurse for Mary Bridge Children’s Hospital. Jo loved life and loved people. She aspired to make people feel welcome, accepted, and involved. She was selfless in her commitment to the community and was a profound humanitarian at heart. On July 10, 2005, while leading a climb with the Mountaineers in the North Cascades National Park, rock falls killed Jo and two fellow climbers. Jo died doing what she loved as evidenced by this quotation that hung on her refrigerator door:

“Life should NOT be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in an attractive and well-preserved body, but rather to skid in sideways, champagne in one hand, strawberries in the other, body thoroughly used up, totally worn out and screaming ‘WOO-HOO’- what a ride!”

The Pierce County Breastfeeding Alliance has established educational scholarships in Jo’s honor. The amount awarded to each recipient will vary based on the scholarship funds available at the time of the request. Applications will be reviewed and approved by a committee of the Pierce County Lactation Alliance.

Partial scholarship awards for educational offerings may be considered.
Scholarship requests will be considered for educational offerings that are lactation related only.
Scholarship recipients must reside or work in Pierce County.

Application

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