Speakers

Mary Ann Cahill—In 1956, Mary Ann Cahill found herself at a church picnic discussing breastfeeding.  That conversation was pivotal in creating La Leche League International.  Mary Ann serves on the La Leche League Board of Directors and spends much of her time enjoying her family, which consists of 11 children, more than 50 grandchildren and more than 30 great-grandchildren.

Michelle A. Angeletti, MSW, PhD,—Michelle Angeletti is an Associate Professor in the College of Health Professions at Florida Gulf Coast University. Her research focuses on workplace lactation management and breastfeeding in emergencies, and she has published articles in the Journal of Human Lactation, the Journal of Emergency Management, as well as the Journal of Health and Human Services Administration.  She is a founding board member of the Western Florida Chapter of the American College of Healthcare Executives and an accredited La Leche League Leader.  She currently resides in Fort Myers, Florida with her husband and three daughters.

David Berger, M.D., FAAP—Dr. David is a Board Certified Pediatrician who specializes in holistic pediatric primary care, nutritional and detoxification therapies for autism, ADHD and related disorders and immune dysregulation.   He graduated from The Medical College of Pennsylvania in 1994 and did his pediatric residency at the University of South Florida. He started using holistic therapies at the Tampa General Hospital/USF Pediatric Clinic during his residency. He has served as the team doctor for Tampa Catholic High School, the Medical Director for a summer camp run by the Tampa AIDS Network and the Medical Liaison for the Palm Beach County Breastfeeding Task Force. He has been in private practice since 1997, and in 2005 he opened Wholistic Pediatrics in Tampa, Florida. Dr. David has been an advanced Defeat Autism Now! (DAN!) Doctor since 1999.

Kendall Cox, BA, IBCLC, RAC—Kendall Cox is co-director of EVERY MOTHER, INC, which provides consultation, curriculum development and training programs in counseling and breastfeeding promotion nationwide. She is the former Breastfeeding Coordinator for Best Start Social Marketing, and previously worked for the Mississippi State Department of Health WIC Program, managing the peer counseling program and the breastfeeding promotion and support program over a nine-county district. An International Board Certified Lactation Consultant and La Leche League Leader, Kendall has coordinated the Mississippi WIC and La Leche League of Alabama/Mississippi/Louisiana annual "Breastfeeding: The Gold Standard" Healthcare Provider Seminar. Kendall lived in Botswana, Africa for three and a half years where she was a Peace Corps volunteer and a trainer. She and her husband Wade are the parents of breastfed twins.

Hilary Flower—Hilary Flower lives in Florida with her partner Ben, daughter Nora Jade and son Miles. She is the author of Adventures in Tandem Nursing: Breastfeeding During Pregnancy and Beyond, published in July 2003 by La Leche League International.  She tandem nursed for 18 months while writing the book. She also authored Adventures in Gentle Discipline: A Parent-to-Parent Guide, published in September 2005 by La Leche League International. Her essays have appeared in Hip Mama, New Beginnings, Leaven, and Mothering magazine.

Cynthia Gentry—Cynthia Gentry is the Founding Director of the Atlanta Taskforce on Play (ATOP).  A twenty-year veteran of the corporate world, Gentry quit in 1995 to found Art Heals and paint wonder-filled rainforest murals wherever there were children in pain.  In 2003, Cynthia’s next-door neighbor and two little sons were killed by a tree that fell on their car.  Gentry organized the community to build a memorial playground and discovered a new passion.  Since then, she has traveled the country speaking on the importance of play.  She founded ATOP to work with the City of Atlanta and KaBOOM! to make Atlanta an inspiring center of play in the country.  Cynthia’s current focus is ATOP’s Playable10 International Design Competition (www.PlayableDesign.org).  Partnering with the Georgia Tech College of Architecture, Playable10 is focusing designers around the world on developing more creative playspaces for children everywhere.   Gentry lives in Atlanta with her husband, Al Dale, a retired correspondent from ABC World News Tonight, and his twin 14-year-olds.  Her son is grown and lives nearby with his new wife.  In addition to play and her family, Gentry’s life focuses on writing, travel, reading, art, and developing a Web TV show on play. She also serves on the board of the International Play Association/USA.

Martin Keane, A.P., C.C.H—Martin Keane began studies of Oriental Medicine in 1982 and has been a practicing Acupuncture Physician (A.P.) in Florida since 1990.  He achieved national board certification in classical homeopathy in 1993, earning the designation Certified in Classical Homeopathy (CCH). He is also integrating Medical Qi Gong into his practice.  Homeopathic and herbal medicines are the focus of Martin Keane's work, and he is dedicated to increasing awareness of these alternative medical sciences. Martin Keane is Dean of Homeopathy at the East West College of Natural Medicine in Sarasota where he teaches graduating acupuncture students an introductory course in homeopathy.  Martin Keane practices at Classical Medicine of St. Petersburg, which is located at 1432 Dr. M L King Street North in St. Petersburg (727-821-7771).

Evelyn Ojeda-Fox—Evelyn Ojeda-Fox is a Massage Therapist, Birth Doula and Birth Wisdom Mentor. She is the founder of The Peaceful Birth Project,  whose mission is to inspire, inform and support women to birth and parent gently.

Karen Strange—Karen H. Strange practiced as Midwife and Clinical Director at Maternidad La Luz, a high-volume birth center and midwifery school on the US/Mexico border.  Later, she had a small homebirth practice in the Dallas/Ft. Worth area.  She served on the Texas Department of Health Midwifery Board and as chairperson of the Complaint Review
Process Committee six and a half years.  She has been an instructor for Neonatal Resuscitation (AAP/NRP) since 1991, tailoring her style for those who work in the out-of-hospital setting.  Karen is an advocate for the conscious and aware prenate.

Rebecca Thompson, M.S.—Rebecca Thompson, is the founder of The Consciously Parenting Project. Rebecca has been actively educating parents and facilitating parent groups and workshops that encourage conscious decision-making in family life since 1998. As a wife and the mother of two boys, she has personal as well as professional experience
navigating the terrain of parenting. She holds a bachelor’s degree in Education and a master’s degree in Marriage and Family Therapy, with specialized training in attachment and trauma.

Cindy Wallace—Cindy Wallace is a Certified Pediatric Nurse Practitioner in private practice. She started her education at the University of Florida and settled on pediatrics while working at Shands Hospital. Cindy furthered her education with a master's degree from the University of South Florida. Being a full-time working mother with a busy schedule did not stop Cindy from exclusively breastfeeding her children! Cindy resides in Lakeland with her husband and four
children.

Jill Welch—Jill Welch, owner of The Kitchen Goddess and Blessed Be Midwifery, is a natural foods chef and educator and a licensed midwife. She has 16 years of experience in helping people improve their diet and lifestyle by adopting a natural foods way of life. She provides guidance on the role of food in chronic diseases and the connection to vibrant health. She has extensive study and experimentation with macrobiotics, raw foods, vegan cooking, making traditional food healthy, and food and healing. She believes that a healthy diet is key to healthy pregnancy, birth, development of a growing child and having good energy for child rearing!  Visit her at www.thekitchengoddess.org.

Diana West, BA, IBCLC—Diana West is an international board certified lactation consultant (IBCLC) in private practice, co-author with Teresa Pitman and Diane Wiessinger of the 8th edition of the La Leche League International book "The Womanly Art of Breastfeeding." She is also co-author with Lisa Marasco of "The Breastfeeding Mother's Guide to Making More Milk" and Dr. Elliot Hirsch of "Breastfeeding After Breast and Nipple Procedures." She is the author of the "Clinician's Breastfeeding Triage Tool" and "Defining Your Own Success: Breastfeeding After Breast Reduction Surgery." She has a bachelor's degree in psychology, is a La Leche League Leader, a Web site developer, and administrator of the popular BFAR.org, LowMilkSupply.org, and LactSpeak.com websites. She lives with her three sons and one husband in the picturesque mountains of western New Jersey.