OUR SPECIALISTS
Adrian hales from Miami Florida and has been a Wisconsin resident for the past 15 years. She is a Community Educator for Planned Parenthood of Wisconsin in Madison, WI. Adekola serves as a secretary for the Wisconsin Alliance for Women’s Health board. She is an alumni of the University of Wisconsin Madison with BA in Afro-American Studies and Women Studies.
Her passion for quality reproductive health began to develop during her undergraduate career as a student representative on the Wisconsin National Community Service board, working in the University Health Services Women’s Clinic as a student medical assistant, and as a facilitator for Sex Outloud. Prior to coming to Planned Parenthood, she was able to exercise some of interests as Program Coordinator for Girls Inc of Goodman Community Center. Adrian Adekola has great interests in adolescent sexual health and the comprehensive education for youth.
Adrian Jones, BA
Hershey is the mother of four, and grandmother of seven. Her breastfeeding experience was complicated by not knowing what to do. She started breastfeeding 1st child and was told “stop, he is jaundice”. This was the third day in the hospital. 2nd child premature “need to breastfeed”, but sent home to pump but never taught how to feed at breast. This child was only provided breastmilk while hospitalized. 3rd child breastfed until childcare provider wasn’t sure baby was getting enough. 3rd child continued until about 9mos. 4th and final child, Hershey received support from her doctor, childcare provider, job and breastfed 27 mos.
Hershey graduated from the University of Wisconsin, Madison with a RN, BSN. She has worked at the Madison Department of Public Health, and now Public Health Madison and Dane County over 34 years. She has continued training in Breastfeeding Counseling over 30 years. She is committed to decrease the health disparity in the African American population, by educating the community regarding breastfeeding as the healthiest start for this population. She has provided breastfeeding classes to WIC clients, UW-Madison and Edgewood College nursing students for over 25 years. She is one of the founders of African American Breastfeeding Alliance of Dane County established in 2003. Her desire is to continue encouraging breastfeeding as a normal postpartum behavior for all women and societal norm
Hershey Barnett
Bridges, RN, BSN, CLC
Nar grew up in a country where breastfeeding is second nature. However, as she went through the Dane county breastfeeding peer-counseling certificate, she realized how beneficial it is in children’s healthy biosocial and cognitive growth. She also came to the realization that breastfeeding could be challenging in an area where women’s lives are changing. Most women are no longer staying home and caring for our children. They are wearing many hats as lives are becoming busier by the day.
When Nar started nursing her son, all her doubts subsided. Those times were crucial for his development but more importantly, it was a chance to connect, relax our senses, and enjoy each other’s company. It became a time to bond. This was such an amazingly rewarding experience that she nursed both her children for over two years.
Therefore, she urges those thinking about breastfeeding to consider all the benefits of breastfeeding for your child and yourself and give it a try. She also urges you to consider joining the African American Breastfeeding Alliance as all are mothers who have breastfed, and the AABA will provide the peer support and activities that will ease the process and provide the opportunity to connect with a group of people who share the love of breastfeeding.
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Nar has a Bachelor’s degree in Language and Literacy and a Master’s in Early Childhood Education. Her specialties and interests include specialties and Interests: professional development, coaching and mentoring, program management, child development and developmentally appropriate practices; technical assistance; diversity, equity and social justice, communication and collaboration, and organizational climate.
Nar Doumbya
Doris J Franklin, MS, RD, CD, CLS
Doris first became a breastfeeding advocate while working for WIC for 17 years. As Doris learned more about breastfeeding and how beneficial it is to the health of mother and child, she took breastfeeding to heart. Coming from a family where breastfeeding was expected, she didn’t put much thought into making her own infant’s feeding decisions. She experienced some breastfeeding difficulty with her only child and stopped within a few weeks. Now with increased knowledge, she is able to help mothers avoid her own mistakes and hopefully have a successful breastfeeding experience.
Doris attended the University of Arkansas, Fayetteville for her BS and Masters degree. She attended the University of Wisconsin Hospitals and Clinics, Madison to become a Registered Dietitian. Doris’s additional studies include Breastfeeding Basics & Beyond, Georgetown University Medical Center, sponsored by St. Mary’s Perinatal Center; a Certificate in Child and Adolescent Obesity, through the American Dietetic Association; the Intensive Course in Pediatric Nutrition, through the University of Iowa; the Lactation Consultants and WI WIC, Lactation Specialist Certification Course, and the National Maternal and Child Health Intensive Course on Nutrition, University of Minnesota.
Merta is the mother of four children. She breastfed each child for two to four years, but after having difficulties with breastfeeding her first child in Minneapolis, she decided to become an international lactation consultant. In 1998, Merta became an International Board Certified Lactation Consultant. As a lactation consultant she feels that she can formally encourage and support other mothers successfully breastfeed their babies. Finally, as a registered nurse, Merta feels that breastfeeding especially in the African American community serves as a very important primary intervention against poor outcomes for this population.
Merta Maaneb de Macedo, MPH, BSN, RN, IBCLC
Tamara is a wife and the mother of five beautiful children. Breastfeeding her babies has been one of the most beautiful and rewarding parts of her life as a mother. Breastfeeding became easier with each child. Her husband played a positive role in her confidence, which lead me to talk to others about it. She is very passionate about encouraging other women to realize their own strength as mothers, trusting their bodies amazing natural ability to birth and nourish life.
Tamara joined the African American Breastfeeding Alliance in their effort to support, educate, and empower women. AABA believes that by holding ‘Breastfeeding 101’ classes, hosting support groups for new Moms & Dads, and by participating in events in the African American community they will create positive health. And who knows what else could improve if African American children had the very best the world could offer, from day one? Tamara wants to be a part of that change right here in the community, the state, the country, the world! She encourages everyone to join her and become a part of the African American Breastfeeding Alliance. Tamara also provides doula support services to mothers and families in the greater Madison area and co founded Harm bee Village with Tia Murray.
Tamara Thompson Moore, CLC, BD
Tia was born and raised in Madison, WI and she is a mother of four breastfed children. Tia obtained her degree in Community & Environmental Sociology for the UW Madison, and is currently a UW Infant, Early Childhood, and Family Mental Health Fellow. She is also a Certified Lactation Counselor, a Doula, and Parent Educator. Her work around breastfeeding involves bringing attention to the lack of community support for breastfeeding mothers of color, and to raise awareness about racial disparities in breastfeeding rates right here in Wisconsin. Her work also heavily emphasizes the need for empowering mothers in our community to feel confident and supported in their breastfeeding journeys.
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In 2005, she first heard about the African American Breastfeeding Alliance of Dane County (AABA), when she was struggling to breastfeed her first born child. She attended her first support group with AABA that year, and after attending, she felt a sense of relief knowing that there were other women like her breastfeeding their babies and that she was she alone in her journey. Her work for and commitment to AABA stems from the support and compassion they provided for her to make her breastfeeding experience a success. She hopes to provide the same channel of support for other breastfeeding mothers in our community, through the current work of AABA. Tia co-directs Harambee Village, a community based doula program and provides doula services to local women and families.
Tamara Thompson Moore, CLC, BD
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