Charline Ogbeni, IBCLC

Mrs. Ogbeni is a proud NICU mom and Owner of Supporting Our Mothers Initiative, LLC  a company created to address the needs of birthing individuals in Queens, NY.  She is a International Board Certified Lactation Consultant (IBCLC), Certified Breastfeeding Specialist, self-proclaimed Lactivist, former Volunteer CLC with Brownsville Baby Café.  She is also a Community Transformer and Breastfriend facilitator with Reaching Our Sisters Everywhere (ROSE).  Reaching Our Sisters Everywhere (ROSE) is a national nonprofit created in 2011 to address breastfeeding inequities in the African American community.

Mrs. Ogbeni has spent nearly 10 years educating parents and providing social emotional support to scholars across New York City.  She gained an interest in breastfeeding after attending the Brownsville Baby Café program.   Mrs. Ogbeni has participated in trainings facilitated by Healthy Children Project, Reaching Our Sisters Everywhere (ROSE), Lactation Education Resource, USBC, and Contra Costa WIC program.  She continues to arm herself with knowledge to empower and educate parents.  As a birth and postpartum doula with Healthy Children, Healthy Women project she provides prenatal, labor, and post-partum support to mothers. She also works with private clients throughout the New York City area.  In the near future she hopes to provide support to parents all around the world.

Her future goals include starting a nonprofit benefiting breastfeeding mothers, establishing a weekly breastfeeding support group in Queens, NY, and uniting all New York based breastfeeding support professionals.  One of her recent advocacy wins include the installation of a Mamava pod at Queens Borough Hall to help create a safe, clean place for lactating individuals to feed and express milk in the Queens community. 

Mrs. Ogbeni received her Bachelors in Human Services with a minor in psychology as well as a Master’s in Education School Counseling from St. John’s University.

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DeShana Pettiford, Intern

I am a mother of 3, Rainbow NICU graduate twins and one. I have been in the customer service field for over 10 years. I am passionate about helping people. I decided to pursue a career as a lactation consultant due to recommendations from family, friends, and own breastfeeding journey. Before having children, I knew that I would breastfeed. My experience with breastfeeding is the motivation behind my aspirations to become an International Board Certified Lactation Consultant (IBCLC). I was unaware of the work and support needed to be successful at breastfeeding. As a new mom of 30-week-old twins, my idea of normal was tossed out the window. I had to adjust to life. I learned to pump and build my supply all while teaching myself and preemie babies to feed directly from my breast. With minimal support, I breastfed my twins for two years. I breastfed my subsequent singleton for two years as well.   
I am a mom who has experienced loss and joy. Learning how to manage my body postpartum was new to me and I wish I had someone to tell me what I know now. Lactation support is a much-needed resource, and knowledge from an International Board Certified Lactation Consultant (IBCLC) would have made a difference in my life. 
Currently, I am a Pathway 2 student at Union Institute and University.  I am in the process of expanding my breastfeeding education through clinical experience and mentoring with Charline Ogbeni, IBCLC.  I look forward to becoming a well-rounded and successful IBCLC. Breastfeeding requires work, support, and a village. I want to be part of your village to help you reach your personal breastfeeding goals.
I am Certified in Basic Life Support
I am a Certified ROSE (Reaching Our Sisters Everywhere) BreastFriend 
 

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Makiyah Faison, Certified Breastfriend

Makiyah is a new mom of one. She came to love the art of breastfeeding during her own breastfeeding journey. After finding that she was pregnant at 29 weeks, Makiyah hustled to gather as much information as she could about infant feeding. During that time, she also would support other new moms and encouraged them to stay on their breastfeeding journeys. By trade, Makiyah works in Finance. In her spare time, she creates "momtent" on Tiktok and Instagram. Her goal is to shatter the notion that single parenthood is a curse and that there can be balance in life after baby. She believes that with proper prep and planning, it is not impossible to maintain your sanity in the 4th trimester. She maintains that breastfeeding is the reason that she has been able rest as well as she does. Makiyah is passionate about all aspects of maternal support and mental health. She intends to pursue her IBCLC when baby is a little bigger. For now, she wants to reach as many parents as possible and support them through any hurdles that they may face in their infant feeding journeys.  

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