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ANGELA GRANT BUECHNER

INTERIM PRESIDENT
TERM 2020

Angela started her career as a Birth Doula, completed a degree in Biology & Psychology, and then complete her Nursing degree program at University of Toronto. As a Registered Nurse, she has worked in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) at a major, Toronto teaching hospital ever since.

After 10 years as a bedside nurse in the NICU, a few years teaching Childbirth Education for Peel Public Health, and two exclusively breastfed children, Angela also completed her education hours and the exam to become an IBCLC in 2009. She continued working in the NICU as a Lactation Consultant, and then shortly after began her private practice supporting members of the community.

Angela is a published author of a textbook chapter on Breastfeeding Challenges in the NICU, she is a member of a hospital Baby-Friendly Initiative committee, was a Breastfeeding Educator for Health Care Professionals, and has presented at an International Lactation Consultants Association Conference.

After her third child & maternity leave, Angela started building Nutmeg Consulting, her team of 20 wonderful, non-judgmental Birth & Postpartum Doulas and Lactation Consultants who offer in-home / hospital support to their clients. She also created Birth, Babies & Breastfeeding Virtual Academy which creates online courses for new and expecting parents.

Angela also spent 5 years as part of a Board of Directors for a non-profit organization and held several roles, including Assistant Coordinator, and President. She looks forward to helping to grow the presence of the CLCA and to inspire and support IBCLCs across Canada!

Bethany Heintz

PAST PRESIDENT
TERM 2020

Bethany has a passion for integrative and functional medicine and works hard to keep abreast of new studies in these areas. Her career path as a nurse and lactation consultant have fostered in her a passion for the importance of both western and alternative medicines. She has a particular interest in holistic medicine including lactation, airway function, hormone regulation an digestive health.

After graduating as a nurse, Bethany worked in hospital and long term care facilities, eventually finding her career calling in primary care. Following the birth of her second child, she trained at the Newman Breastfeeding Institute in Toronto. Before writing her boards, Bethany spend more than 2,000 hours in direct contact with breastfeeding mothers, working closely with them and their families to achieve their personal breastfeeding objectives.

Bethany holds a seat on the Baby Friendly Initiative Committee at the Woolwich Community Health Centre in St. Jacobs, Ontario. She continues to work as a primary care clinical nurse and Telemedine Nurse Coordinator in St. Jacobs; as an IBCLC at Robins' Nest Family Care; and as a private practice IBCLC at Nourishing Foundations Lactation Consulting in Guelph, Ontario. She is currently furthering her education in herbal medicine for women under the tutelage of Dr. Aviva Romm.

Jandy Beresford

Secretary
term 2020-2021

Like many lactation consultants, it was Jandy’s own struggles with her first child that inspired her to become an IBCLC. Jandy began attending a mother to mother support group when her oldest was one week old. She continued attending through her second pregnancy and while she continued nursing her second child. 5 years later, when she began the observation period to become an IBCLC, she stopped. It was the mothers in that group and the IBCLC that ran it that helped her develop her passion from breastfeeding and helping mother reach their individual breastfeeding goals. In 2014 Jandy began the program at the International Breastfeeding Centre and in 2017 she wrote the exam and certified as an IBCLC.

Jandy now has a growing private practice in Durham Region and surrounding areas, she works frequently at the International Breastfeeding Centre helping mothers from all over Ontario, Canada and around the world who come from help there. Jandy also works with the team at Barefoot Health in Ajax. She is also a Babywearing Educator and loves to help parents find the carrier that best fits their family’s needs.

Jandy is active in her local community helping plan National and World Breastfeeding week events and is an active member of the Durham Breastfeeding Coalition serving as the chair from 2012 to 2018.

She graduated from the University of Ottawa with a Bachelor of Social Science in Leisure Studies.

Jandy grew up in Toronto and now lives in Ajax, Ontario with her husband, their 3 children and their dog.

Laura Patterson

treasurer
TERM 2020-2021

It was Laura's own struggles with breastfeeding that highlighted the need for more support in this area. Her background is in the pharmaceutical industry where she felt too far removed from the impact she was making on others Iives to be truly content. The change to her career came just as Laura was laid off from her job and pregnant with her third child. Like many others before her, she took him to the breastfeeding clinic while she obtained her clinical hours. Just like breastfeeding success, she credits the support of her entire family to reach her goal of becoming an IBCLC.

She sees families at home pre and post natally in the York, Durham and surrounding areas. She am is staff at the Newman Breastfeeding Clinic in Toronto Ontario.

Laura has a Bachelor of Arts and Science from Athabasca University, and a diploma in Science Laboratory Technology from Fanshawe College.

Jillian Simon

Communications director
TERM 2020-2021

As a registered midwife and IBCLC Jillian is passionate about supporting families in their plans for chest/breastfeeding. As the owner of a 8 midwifery clinic she has dedicated much time and energy over the past year to developing social media and web-based information for families. The importance of the dissemination of information to new families in multiple platforms is an important element of encouraging breastfeeding. Jillian is keen to help CLCA further develop its communication plans and support Canadian lactation consultants in connecting with families.

Breastfeeding support is Jillian’s biggest passion. She has recently developed an LC program at her local hospital and has presented education rounds to the Birth Centre nurses, doctors and midwives. Jillian holds 3 bachelor's degrees in Linguistics, Education and Midwifery and has been an IBLCE-certified LC for 3 years. She has also completed a diploma program in Editing and Publishing. She has experience in teaching non-native English speakers, curriculum development and in writing patient educational materials.

Jillian hopes to expand her experience and work in lactation in the coming year and she is eager to do more volunteer work with CLCA and other local lactation support services. She has recently reduced her midwifery caseload in order to make room in her schedule in order to engage in more lactation promoting activities. Jillian would be honoured to have the opportunity to serve on the CLCA Board of Directors.

Raha Afshariani

education director
term 2019-2020

Raha is an internationally trained medical doctor who graduated from Shiraz University of Medical Sciences (Iran) with a pediatrics specialty degree. She worked at Shiraz University for a duration of 12 years as a lecturer and coordinator of breastfeeding workshops.

Raha follows integrative thinking as her methodology and pedagogy, she believes that making decisions in a difficult condition brings innovation and creativity. With the respect of connecting mother earth and meditation, Raha uses the spiritual aspects of breastfeeding when consulting.

As an IBCLC she follows her love and passion to be an advocate of community-based breastfeeding promotion for the sake of nursing mothers and their babies. Through an advanced lactation training program, Raha has been awarded the right to use the title of Advanced Lactation Consultant (ALC) by the Academy of Lactation Policy and Practice of the USA since 2011. She has also done some research activities related to breastfeeding.

Raha moved to Canada in 2012 and currently lives in Toronto, Ontario. She founded a breastfeeding corporation named R and R consulting. R and R consulting guides and educates families, with emphasis on both maternal and paternal roles, on achieving successful breastfeeding practices.

Throughout her career Raha has been well known for enthusiastically dedicating herself to her job while paying special attention to codes of ethics. Her innovative teaching has always been a merit that has benefited both students and the educational system.

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