Who We Are

Our History

In 2003, California’s breastfeeding rates were stagnant.

The work of protecting, promoting and supporting breastfeeding took place in pockets of the state, led by local coalitions. Advocates were committed but results were inconsistent.

More importantly, breastfeeding wasn’t top of mind among decision-makers when it came to policies and procedures affecting pregnant and lactating Californians.

We needed a statewide presence to unify and amplify the work of local coalitions and community-based organizations.

Dr. Jane Heinig of the UC Davis Human Lactation Center and representatives from community breastfeeding coalitions saw the need to build a unified movement committed to improving breastfeeding rates in California. This was a driving force behind what you now know as the California Breastfeeding Coalition (CBC).

In October 2007, under the fiscal sponsorship of the California WIC Association (CWA), the coalition’s founding members applied for the nonprofit 501(c)3 status. The CBC was recognized as a corporation in April 2011 and received its official nonprofit 501(c)3 status in January 2013, with an effective date of January 18, 2011.

By design, the CBC is a grassroots coalition of community breastfeeding coalitions, along with public and private partners who have influence throughout the state.

Our Mission and Vision

Our mission is to improve the health and well-being of Californians by working collaboratively to protect, promote, and support lactation. We do this by cultivating collaborative relationships among state and local organizations, government agencies, hospitals and health care providers, employers and community-based chest/breastfeeding support organizations throughout California.

Our vision is that all California families receive equitable access to quality timely essential lactation support throughout the perinatal period. We recognize the vast disparities in breastfeeding rates exist due to racist structures and systems in health education, communication and medical policies and practices. Through our advocacy and education efforts, we amplify the voices and experiences of those who have been historically ignored.

The California Breastfeeding Coalition (CBC) seeks to bolster the current lactation healthcare system to promote and support chest/breastfeeding consistently with evidence-based best practices. Through a comprehensive and coordinated approach, the CBC will convene partners from across the continuum of care to enact sustainable and effective systems change.

Our recent accomplishments include:

Legislative advocacy in support of SB 951, which takes effect Jan. 1, 2025 and increases the rate of wage replacement for workers who take paid family leave and state disability.
Normalizing human milk feeding practices, including the use of pasteurized donor human milk and informal milk sharing.
Initiatives to amplify the work of local coalitions, cultural task forces and community organizations focused on public health promotion throughout the state.
Presenting the California Breastfeeding Summit, an annual convening of lactation advocates, professionals, health care providers, researchers and public health officials. The three-day event presents the latest in research, evidence-based practices and trends affecting maternal-child health.
Publication of Lactation Support for Low-Wage Workers (collaborative effort with California Department Public Health and the California WIC Association)
Launch of CBC Learn webinar series on the intersection of breastfeeding and the COVID-19 global pandemic
Implementation support for AB 2507 (Pump & Pick-Up Policy for county jails)
Publication of 9 Steps to Breastfeeding Friendly: Guidelines for Community Health Centers and Outpatient Care Centers (collaborative effort with California Department Public Health and the California WIC Association)
Participation in the development of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office on Women’s Health online searchable database, Supporting Nursing Moms at Work: Employer Solutions

Mission

To improve the health and well-being of Californians by working collaboratively to protect, promote, and support lactation and human milk feeding.

Vision

There are no barriers to breastfeeding in California.

Jasmine Pettis, MPH, IBCLC

Executive Director

Jasmine Pettis is the Executive Director of the California Breastfeeding Coalition (CBC). As the chief executive officer of the coalition, she leads the organization’s efforts to protect, promote, and support breast, chest, and human milk feeding throughout California.Jasmine is an International Board Certified Lactation Consultant (IBCLC) with years of experience supporting families across California, including work at Highland Hospital in Oakland and Lamorinda Pediatrics in Lafayette. She currently lives in Davis with her two children and serves on the boards of the Sacramento State Alumni Association and the Human Milk Banking Association of North America.

Jasmine is author and illustrator of Breastfeeding All Around the Bay, a children’s book published in 2020 with the aim of adding much-needed character diversity and breastfeeding to children’s literature. She holds a bachelor’s degree in health science with an emphasis on community outreach and education from Sacramento State and a Master’s of Public Health from San Jose State.

Chanel Shows, IBCLC, Doula

Community Engagement Coordinator

Chanel Shows (she/they) is the one who dots the i’s and crosses the t’s at the California Breastfeeding Coalition. She manages customer service and supports all aspects of the organization’s mission in her work.

Chanel is an International Board Certified Lactation Consultant and doula with her private practice, Kazue Birth Sister. She believes birthing people deserve to make informed decisions for themselves and their families with loving support from their communities.

Maurisa Jones-Straley

Content Coordinator

Maurisa Jones (she/her) and her team at Maurisa Jones Social Media + Web Services strategizes and creates all the creative content that you see from the CBC. She works to craft engaging and informative content that amplifies the Coalition’s mission and supports their work in empowering lactation education and advocacy.

With a passion for supporting and advancing women’s health – Maurisa’s boutique agency specifically serves in the women’s health space. With over a decade of experience in content strategy, Maurisa brings her expertise in digital storytelling to connect communities and create spaces for meaningful conversations. Her work ensures that all voices, especially those of underrepresented communities, are heard and supported.

Raksha Singh

Project Coordinator

Raksha (she/her) brings her passion for maternal health and equity to every aspect of her work at the California Breastfeeding Coalition. As a dedicated public health practitioner, Raksha currently manages grant-related logistics while supporting the organization’s mission to create inclusive, equitable health systems for all birthing people. She is committed to uplifting and empowering marginalized communities, staying motivated by the words of a professor from her MPH program: “Public health is the discipline of hope.”

Raksha’s career is grounded in the belief that everyone deserves access to compassionate care and the ability to make informed decisions. Her dedication to maternal health and advocacy is driven by a desire to contribute to a system that provides hope to the most vulnerable populations. She holds a bachelor’s degree in Health Care Administration (’19) and a Master of Public Health from Sacramento State (’23).

Board of Directors

The California Breastfeeding Coalition is governed by a working Board of Directors. These individuals, representing the expansive span of California and its diverse network of delivery systems for lactation services, actively participate in coalition operations and initiatives.

You will find board members leading CBC fundraisers, chairing subcommittees, speaking at conferences, writing grants and sharing their expertise generously with others.

Brenda Vieyra, IBCLC (2023-Present)

Chair

Brenda Vieyra, IBCLC is a nursing parent and the Infant Feeding Liaison at BreastfeedLA. She has supported pregnant & lactating families in hospitals, community clinics, WIC, and as a human milk donor and advocate. Her passion is in supporting the unique barriers affecting Latino/x breast/chestfeeding outcomes. She is a member of the Union de Lideres de Lactancia Latina/x and co-founder of the California Latinx Lactation Collective.

She has been a longtime CBC volunteer, supporting the success of several California Breastfeeding Coalition initiatives. She hopes to improve the infant feeding landscape in California, where all families can thrive.

Karlee Vincent (2023-Present)

Co-Chair

Karlee Vincent works in events production, but her passion is the work she does to support workplace lactation programs through her own business, The Traveling Milk Truck. She is the author of Pump or Bust: A New Mama’s Guide to Office Politics, Breast Health, and Pumping on the Road!

As the conversation about chest/breastfeeding and human-milk feeding develops within California, Karlee hopes to help the CBC work to guarantee an equitable support system for parents.

Angelica Rojas, CLE (2023-Present)

Secretary

Angelica Rojas is a marketing consultant. She first became interested in the lactation field while working for the WIC program in a rural agricultural community in 2006.
Angelica’s hope is to further improve lactation initiation and human milk feeding rates among the state’s agricultural workforce.

Jasmine Creighton, CBS (2025-Present)

Member at Large

Jasmine Creighton is a Maternal and Reproductive Health advocate, Certified Breastfeeding
Specialist (CBS), and Perinatal Health Specialist at Loma Linda University Children’s Hospital.
Based in the Inland Empire (Southern California), she is a wife and mother of two. Jasmine is a
pathway three student pursuing her International Board Certified Lactation Consultant (IBCLC)
credential. She serves on the board of the Inland Empire Breastfeeding Coalition (IEBfC), where she coordinates the Cultural Task Force and chairs the IE Black Breastfeeding Task Force. She is dedicated to expanding education and resources for Black communities and is the owner of Yaya’s Hands Perinatal and Lactation Services.

Shana Wright, MPH (2025-Present)

Member at Large

Shana Wright, MPH is a passionate and accomplished public health professional with over a decade of experience supporting healthier communities. She serves as the Director of Community Engagement & Partnerships for the UCSD Human Milk Institute and the Director of Community Collaborations & Strategy at UCSD ACTRI’s Center for Community Health in the Child, Family, & Neighborhood Health Unit.
Shana’s unwavering commitment to equitable human milk access is demonstrated through her leadership in implementing policy, systems, and environmental change strategies that create lactation-friendly environments and ensure appropriate lactation accommodations. A skilled collaborator and advocate for collective impact, Shana has worked across sectors to build coalitions, foster partnerships, and champion community-driven solutions. Previously, she led the Lactation Supportive Environments projects at the UCSD Center for Community Health, partnering with community organizations, businesses, schools, and healthcare centers to enhance equitable access to human milk.
Shana is excited to join the board and contribute her expertise and passion to advancing the mission of the California Breastfeeding Coalition. She lives in San Diego with her husband, two kids, and dog. She enjoys hiking, roller skating, and traveling with her family.

Laura Todaro, IBCLC (2025-present)

Member at Large

I began my interest in women’s health as a volunteer at Berkeley Free Clinic, where I became passionate about reducing disparities in health outcomes for marginalized communities. In 1992 I became a childbirth and postpartum doula and educator, supporting families of all kinds throughout the San Francisco Bay Area. I received Medi-Cal, WIC and SNAP during both of my pregnancies and breastfed both of my children for over two years each. As my children started school, I started on my path to become a Certified Nurse Midwife. I received an AA in Health Sciences from Merritt College, a Bachelor’s of Science in Nursing from California State University East Bay and finally a Master’s in Science from the University of California at San Francisco in 2014. I have worked in a variety of settings as a Certified Nurse Midwife including Kaiser, Lifelong Medical Care, Highland Hospital and Alta Bates. In 2022, I became an IBCLC and have worked as a lactation consultant with families in the East Bay and Alta Bates Summit Medical Center, which became Baby Friendly in 2025. I am also a Perinatal Mental Health Specialist in order to fill the treatment gaps that exist for women experiencing mood disorders in the perinatal period. I authored a textbook chapter on PMAD’s (Perinatal Mood and Anxiety Disorders) in Clinical Guidelines for Advanced Practice Nursing, 4th Edition, associated with UCSF. I am deeply dedicated to birth justice and breastfeeding equity for black and brown families and am an advocate for truly informed choice and autonomy around medical decision making. I live in Oakland and love to cook, garden and hike in the East Bay’s many trails and spend time with my husband, Jakada, and our blended family. I am honored and thrilled to be part of the California Breastfeeding Coalition and hope to bring my skills and experience to improve breastfeeding rates and experiences among all of California’s families for years to come.

Sudha Rani Narasimhan, MD, IBCLC (2023-present)

Treasurer

Dr. Narasimhan is a neonatologist with Santa Clara Valley Healthcare, serving as both NICU Medical Director and Chair of Pediatrics at O’Connor Hospital.

She was motivated to join the board after hearing at the 2023 California Breastfeeding Summit that many NICUs do not have access to donor human milk. Her hope is to help the CBC bridge that gap, so that these patients have access to life-saving human milk.

Irma Valencia, CLC, CLE (2025-present)

Member at Large

Irma is a seasoned Lactation Educator with over 28 years of experience working with
families to provide education, encouragement, counseling, and support for breastfeeding or chestfeeding. Irma is also a Certified Lactation Counselor (CLC).

Irma’s passion lies in assisting new mothers in making informed decisions about how to feed their newborns. Irma is currently working for California Health Collaborative as a Lead Care Manager. She is also Chair of the Fresno County Breastfeeding Coalition and the Chair-elect of the Madera County Breastfeeding Coalition. Irma has successfully chaired several community events, including the Annual Breastfeeding Walk and Celebration, held every year to promote breastfeeding awareness.

In her spare time, Irma enjoys spending time with her family, especially her new
grandson, Santino. She is also an active member of Saint Joachim Catholic Church in
Madera, California, where she volunteers in parish activities. Irma has worked in the
Community Health and Well-Being Department at Saint Agnes Medical Center for 3
years. Previously, she spent 19 years working for Fresno EOC WIC and 8 years in the
Labor and Delivery/Postpartum department at Clovis Community Medical Center.