Meet the Breastfeeding CHAMPS Team:

With eight years of nursing and three years of research experience, she is excited to work on the Breastfeeding CHAMPS as it seeks to understand mother and infant outcomes. This also aligns with Sandra’s personal goals as a Ph.D. student at the University of New Mexico College of Nursing, hoping to improve health outcomes for Latinas in New Mexico. Sandra will be working with families at the University of New Mexico North Valley Maternity and Family Planning Clinic.

Jess’ passion for lactation support began when she had challenges breastfeeding her first daughter. She received support through a breastfeeding support group which she believes played a vital role in her breastfeeding success. Jess is thrilled to be participating in this important research that endeavors to set precedents for earlier detection and intervention for breastfeeding issues.

Anais’s mother was a new immigrant, enrolled in WIC, when she was a baby. Rooted from this place of gratitude, Anais is interested in how body feeding supports health and wellness, particularly to improve outcomes for our low-income communities of color.

first as a nutrition educator and lactation counselor, and now as an IBCLC in private practice. Alexandra is eager to be contributing to this important research to improve lactation care and support for breastfeeding and bodyfeeding families.

Raised in northern New Mexico, Leigh spent many years on the east coast before relocating with her family back to the southwest during the pandemic. As a maternal health and breastfeeding advocate, Leigh is thrilled to contribute to the Breastfeeding CHAMPS Research Study.

She is also an MSW Graduate student focusing her studies and practice in perinatal and postpartum mental health and family centered care. She strives to walk alongside New Mexico families and communities offering resources and wrap-around services in family planning, reproductive health, birth and postpartum support to include lactation education and outreach.

She has experience both in the hospital and in the community. Most recently she has worked in the community with pregnant families and their babies where she supported them as a nurse and a CLC. She is currently attending the University of Pennsylvania for a Master’s of Applied Positive Psychology. She is passionate about community health and well being and hopes to use this degree to support her community.

Julia brings a wealth of knowledge and compassion to her work. She is completing her graduate studies with a focus on Maternal and Child Health.
Beyond her professional pursuits, Julia is a devoted mother to five beautiful children. Her own experiences in motherhood have fueled her desire to empower families, ensuring they have access to the care and resources they need to thrive.

She has worked with pregnant and postpartum families in several capacities throughout her career including as a volunteer, massage therapist, CLC, doula, and nurse in the Mother Baby Unit and Maternity and Family Planning Clinic. Supporting families throughout the lactation journey is a personal and professional joy for Carmen

Kelly Gregory is a Research Scientist at the Pioneer Valley Life Sciences Institute and is an Adjunct Research Assistant Professor at UMass Amherst. Her research focus has been on early changes that contribute to breast cancer risk.

She has lived and worked in the greater Springfield area her entire life, and she is excited to support important studies like the Breastfeeding CHAMPS Study that could positively influence and support health interventions for families in her community.

She oversees an array of clinical and research activities that support the health of mother-preterm infant pairs, specifically in the area of optimizing neonatal nutrition and overall health.

Eva earned a bachelor’s degree in Environmental Science and her M.S. in Environmental Toxicology. She has worked in Dr. Arcaro’s lab on projects ranging from analyzing cytokines in human milk to managing a diet intervention study in lactating parents to determine if increased fruit and vegetable consumption could decrease breast cancer risk. She is eager to learn more about mammary epithelial permeability and how it affects human milk composition.

Emma is studying under Drs. Kathleen Arcaro and Sallie Schneider. Emma is enthusiastic about the permeability of breast epithelium and how this contributes to milk supply.

She has facilitated postpartum support groups, interned at a community health clinic, and volunteered with La Leche League in California. Her primary goal is to improve maternal and infant health outcomes and reduce associated health disparities. She is particularly focused on understanding the influence of microbial factors on health outcomes.

She is a certified Community Health Worker and has handled over 100 patient cases at a time. Her studies mainly focus on pediatric infectious disease and chronic disease.

Marissa has collaborated in the past on independent research focused on understanding the role of the microbiome in the brain and overall well-being.