Welcome to HMBANA's Newest Board Members
Fort Worth, Texas, January 15, 2021—The Human Milk Banking Association of North America (HMBANA) is pleased to highlight its newest board members: Jannette Festival, Mona Liza Hamlin, Angela Love-Zaranka, and Sarah Taylor.
We are thrilled to welcome these four individuals to the HMBANA board. Their distinctive qualifications and diverse backgrounds will strengthen the organization. We chose each candidate to help HMBANA fulfill its mission to increase access to pasteurized donor human milk and support breastfeeding. Read more about the candidates below.
Jannette Festival, RN, BN, IBCLC
“My vision for HMBANA is to develop and champion an equity lens focus so that human milk is the priority for all infants regardless of race, religion, sexual orientation and care provider’s ability to pay.”
Jannette serves as Executive Director of NorthernStar Mothers Milk Bank located in Calgary, Alberta in Canada. As an original founder, she has played a key role in the re-introduction and concept of community milk banking in Canada. In her current role, she leads the organization’s laboratory, clinical and administrative divisions. She also plays an active role in HMBANA through her service on numerous committees aiming to improve milk banking processes and access to donor milk.
Mona Liza Hamlin, MSN, RN, IBCLC
“As a clinician and Black mother, my vision is that all lactating parents will be able to achieve their self-determined goals for providing their babies with breastmilk, either by breast or alternative feeding methods.”
Mona Liza serves as the Manager of Perinatal Resources & Community Programs for Christiana Care Hospital in Newark, Delaware in the U.S. She participates as a leader in the development and implementation of maternal and child focused population health initiatives for vulnerable populations. As past chair of the United States Breastfeeding Committee, with a focus on healthcare equity and racial equity, she has the skills to address practice, policy, ethical, and legal barriers that are present in this field.
Angela Love-Zaranka, BA, IBCLC, RLC
“I believe the most effective way to tackle the issue of privilege and systemic bias is to name them, talk about them and take personal and collective responsibility to change them.”
Angela is clinical instructor and program director for Lactation Education Resources and lives in Alexandria, Virginia. She is an accomplished IBCLC with 30 years’ experience in the lactation field and a foundation in nonprofit management and business. Her diverse background provides her with objectivity and insight to see different aspects of current and future challenges that the organization faces.
Sarah Taylor, MD, MSCR
“I am so proud to be part of an organization that harnesses the precious benefits of altruism to develop a safe, efficacious, and cost-effective resource for infants. And while building on this altruistic foundation, HMBANA’s attention to equity is the ideal focus required to ensure that all infants and mothers experience this benefit.”
Sara is an Associate Professor for the Department of Pediatrics at the Yale School of Medicine in Connecticut and is a member of the medical advisory council for the Mothers’ Milk Bank Northeast. As a result of her education and experience, she was recruited into her present role as the Director of Clinical Research for the Yale Division of Neonatology. She first became involved with HMBANA when she spearheaded the development of the Mothers’ Milk Bank of South Carolina in 2014. Since then, she has remained dedicated to HMBANA’s mission and sought this opportunity so she may continue her involvement and support of the organization with her milk banking experience and scientific expertise.
Thank You to Our Outgoing Members
HMBANA expresses a heartfelt thank you to departing board president, Amy Vickers, for her tireless dedication to the organization. She has provided unfailing and thoughtful guidance, and HMBANA is a stronger organization for her work. HMBANA would also like to take this opportunity to congratulate and welcome Becky Mannel as the new HMBANA President. We are excited to have her as our new board president and believe her experience, talents and expertise will further aid in the advancement of HMBANA’s mission and vision.
Additionally, we thank Ashlynn Baker, Laraine Lockhart Borman, Maryanne Perrin, and Sharon Unger, board members that have completed their terms, for their tremendous contributions to HMBANA’s Board of Directors. HMBANA is a stronger organization for their efforts.
