OUr team |
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Anne merewood, phd, mph
EXECUTIVE Director, center for health equity, education, & research (CHEER) and CHEER INternational GREECE (CHEERing) Focus: Overall direction of CHEER Other Current Work: Director, CHAMPS; Associate Professor of Pediatrics at the Boston University School of Medicine; Associate Professor of Community Health Sciences at the Boston University School of Public Health. Previous Work: Director of The Breastfeeding Center, Boston Medical Center; Consultant to numerous Native American tribes via the Rocky Mountain Tribal Epidemiology Center; Editor in Chief of the Journal of Human Lactation Fun Fact: Owns a pit bull and raises chickens and ducks at home. Work Email: anne.merewood@bmc.org |
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laura burnham, mph
cheer ASSOCIATE director, iMPLEMENTATION AND EVALUATION Focus: Maternal and Child Health epidemiology and quality improvement. Previous/Other Current Work: Project Manager, Massachusetts NeoQIC Human Milk Collaborative; Quality Improvement Data Coordinator, Department of Neonatology, Boston Medical Center; Teaching assistant at both Boston University School of Public Health and Tufts University. Activities of Choice: I love to cook and garden. I also love the outdoors and spending time with friends and family. Fun Fact: My dog, Penne Pasta, is so cute she’s caused a traffic accident. She also knows how to sit, roll over, and shake. Work Phone: 617-414-6466 Work Email: laura.burnham@bmc.org |
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Jacqueline berger, A.B.D, RPA
CHEER ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR, RESEARCH PROGRAMS Focus: Community Health Assessments, research on historic health and inequities Previous Work: AI/AN Community Health Assessments, MSPI/DVPI technical assistance, Tribal Public Health Improvement Templates (T-PHIT) Other Current Work: Doctoral candidate at the University of South Florida, investigating the role of the body as related to mental health and human rights violations, using both my forensic anthropology background and public health experience. I am currently studying a population of psychiatric patients from the 19th and early 20th centuries whose bodies were used for anatomical study without their consent. Activities of Choice: Fitness, reading, and knitting Fun Fact: Raised in Colorado and currently living in Kansas, I love the mountains! Work Phone: (303) 547 -2064 Work Email: berger.jacquelinem@gmail.com |
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Airinie h. azhar, BSc
CHEER ASSOCIATE DIRECtor, INTERNATIONAL PROGRAMS; NATIONAL DIRECTOR, CHEERing, GREECE Focus: coordination of CHEER in Greece, Infant Nutrition and education. Previous/Other Current Work: Finance & IT Manager, Guardian for Unaccompanied Minors, Personal Assistant, Food & Lifestyle Blogger Activities of Choice: I love to cook. I hike sometimes and play the piano when I have free time. Amateur photographer. Fun Fact: I can play the ukulele, and love to sing and dance. Occasionally all of them at the same time. Work Email: airinie.azhar@gmail.com |
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douglas rockwell, ba
CHEER administrative director, DIRECTOR, RESEARCH AND EXTRAMURALLY SPONSORED PROGRAMS, PEDICATRICS, bmc/bumc Other Current Work: Manager, Research Administration & Finance, Boston Medical Center Work Email: Douglas.Rockwell@bmc.org |
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AISHAT GAMBARI, MPH
cheer RESEARCH and communications ASSISTANT Focus: Global maternal and child health, program planning, implementation, and evaluation Previous/Other Current Work: Global Health Policy and Programs Intern at The Association for the Rehabilitation and Re-orientation of Women for Development (TERREWODE), Uganda; Programs Assistant at Life Empowered Anchors Hope (L.E.A.H) Foundation, Nigeria; HIV/AIDS community awareness and stigma reduction advocate, Nigeria; Research Assistant at Washington University Center for Diabetes Translation Research. Activities of Choice: Reading fiction, traveling, spending time with people I adore, and binge-watching TV shows. Fun Fact: I have been to the source of the River Nile and once met the first female African president. Phone: 617-414-3807 Work Email: Aishat.Gambari@bmc.org |
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MAETAL HAAS-KOGAN, BA
cheer research assistant Focus: Maternal and child health, national and international public health and health policy, policy and program evaluation and implementation Previous/Other Current Work: Research Trainee, Division of Women's Health; Intern, San Francisco Jail Behavioral Health Sciences; HIV testing and treatment research in South Africa; Intern, Outreach and Communications, ACLU of Alabama; Peer counselor; Dialogue Facilitation Activities of Choice: Running, hiking, rock climbing, hip hop dance, reading Fun Fact: I backpacked the width of Israel in 3 days! Work Contact: Maetal.Haas-Kogan@bmc.org |
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BHAVANA ANNAPRAGADA, BTech
CHEER RESEARCH ASSISTANT Focus: Epidemiology & Biostatistics, Maternal & Child Health, Pharmaceutical Development, Delivery & Access Previous/Other Current Work: MPH candidate at Boston University School of Public Health; Research Assistant at BUSPH Epidemiology COVID corps, Boston, MA; Research Intern at Arizona State University, AZ; Research Intern at St. John’s Research Institute, India; Research Intern at PES University, India Activities of Choice: Singing, hiking, cooking and spending time with friends and family Fun Fact: I started training for Indian classical music when I was 4! Work Contact: Bhavana.Annapragada@bmc.org |
consultants
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Kimarie Bugg, DNP, MPH, IBCLC, CLC
CHAMPS Community Engagement Director Focus: Community training, education and support. Community includes: healthcare professionals, the business and academic centers and organizations, mothers, babies and families. Previous/Other Current Work: Nurse practitioner and president and CEO of Reaching Our Sisters Everywhere in Atlanta, GA. Activities of Choice: Providing resources for healthcare providers, mothers and their families so that breastfeeding can be initiated and maintained, especially in marginalized and vulnerable communities. Fun Fact: I love to dance. Work Phone: 404-719-4297 & 404-990-3497 Work Email : kbugg@breastfeedingrose.org |
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Lori Feldman-Winter, MD, MPH, FAAP, FABM
CHEER breastfeeding medical consultant Focus: Serves as content expert as a physician with breastfeeding medicine expertise as well as quality improvement and research experience. Also provides expertise as a clinical educator and program developer. Previous/Other Current Work: Lori Feldman-Winter, M.D., MPH, is a breastfeeding medicine expert known for her expertise in physician education, policy, and public health interventions. Activities of Choice: Besides working as a pediatrician, quality improvement content expert and researcher, I am a co-course director for a novel 4-year medical school curriculum, “The Scholars Workshop.” In my free time, I enjoy family vacations, skiing, hiking, and escaping to my home-away-from-home in the Berkshires. Fun Fact: As an undergraduate, I was a combined biology and fine arts major, and continue to enjoy painting and decorating. Work Phone number: 856-968-7362 Work email: winter-lori@cooperhealth.edu |
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Cathy Carothers, BLA, IBCLC, FILCA
Mississippi CHAMPS Liaison and trainer Focus: With over 20 years providing lactation-related training programs in every U.S. State, Cathy is passionate about educating health care professionals who work with new families. She is co-director of Every Mother, Inc., a nonprofit organization based in Mississippi that develops breastfeeding training curricula for Federal agencies such as the national USDA WIC program and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. She developed the CHAMPS 4-hour competency training for hospitals and provides it for CHAMPS hospitals in Mississippi. Previous/Other Current Work: She is the former State WIC Breastfeeding Coordinator for the Mississippi State Department of Health, former Training and Outreach Coordinator for Best Start Social Marketing (which developed the national WIC marketing campaign, Loving Support Makes Breastfeeding Work), and a former university public relations director. Activities of Choice: Photography, presentation design, travel, teaching, and meeting the most amazing people who work with new families! Fun Fact: Mom of 5 healthy breastfed children and Nana to 5 breastfed grandchildren. Work Phone number: 662-931-6368 Work Email: cathy@everymother.org |
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Tawanda Logan-Hurt, BSW, CLC
MISSISSIPPI champs Delta Community & Hospital Consultant Focus: Working with community breastfeeding groups and hospital maternity staff on breastfeeding education Other Current Work: Mississippi State Department of Health Region 1 Breastfeeding Coordinator. Formerly a Hospital, Nursing Home, and Head Start Social Worker Activities of Choice: Attending church and spending time with family and friends by gathering together socializing, traveling and going out to eat. Fun Fact: I am the biological mother of 6, step mother of 3, and grandmother of 2. Work Phone number: 662-455-9429 Work email: tawanda.logan-hurt@msdh.ms.gov or tawandah13@gmail.com (preferred) |
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Amy swales, bsn, rnc-ob
mississippi champs hospital consultant Focus: Maternal and child health, improving maternity practices Other Current Work: Labor and delivery RN, clinical educator, maternal and child home visiting program. Activities of Choice: Being outdoors and attending the sporting events of my 2 active boys. Fun Fact: I have goats as pets. Work Phone: 601-573-0271 Work Email: amyswales226@icloud.com |
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Nathan Nickel, PhD, MPH
CHEER Data Consultant Focus: Statistical analyses for causal inference, analysis of linked administrative data in health research, evaluation research, population maternal and child health, and maternal and child health policies. Other Current Work: Assistant Professor of Community Health Sciences; Research Scientist at Manitoba Centre for Health Policy; Instructor for graduate course in Epidemiology at University of Manitoba; Member of Executive Counsel for International Society for Research in Human Milk and Lactation; Scientific Chair of Breastfeeding for the Annual Meeting of the American Public Health Association; Member of Board of Directors for Sexuality Education Resource Centre of Manitoba. Activities of Choice: I enjoy backpacking, rock climbing, sailing, cross country skiing, and snowshoeing. Fun Fact: The first date that I had with my spouse involved a road trip across five states to go to a waterski competition in which I was competing. At the end of the weekend, we figured, if we could survive a road trip across five states as a first date, we should give dating a go. We’ve been together for 10 years! Work Email: ncnickel@gmail.com |
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Mariam tuma, msC
program manager, CHEERING Focus: Solidarity networks, refugee aid/support, sustainable practices, volunteer training and recruitment Other Current Work: Academic tutor at the Vienna University of Business and Economics Previous Work: Manager of the Orange House (community center and shelter for refugees), Case worker for ATLAS, Translator for vulnerable groups, community organizer Activities of Choice: Reading, writing, learning, and advocacy work. Fun fact: If you ask me where I am from, it will take at least 10 minutes to explain Work Email: jadetuma@gmail.com |
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lena ploumi
Program Assistant, cheering Focus: I am a breastfeeding counselor for CHEER in Greece. Previous/Other Current Work: I am currently majoring in Community Health at the Faculty of Health Sciences of the University West Attica, Greece. In addition, I am participating in EDUVAC - an intensive course on vaccinations in Metropolia University of Applied Sciences, Finland. I have experience in clinical practice on maternal and child healthcare stations in Athens, Greece, as well as experience in health promotion in the community, both in the field of vaccination and breastfeeding. I have also worked as a volunteer with refugee populations in Greece. Fun Fact: I love learning about new cultures and never miss a chance for traveling! Work Email: lenaploumi@hotmail.co.uk |
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PIERRETTE IMPOSE IYAKA
Breastfeeding Counselor and Interpreter, Cheering Focus: Breastfeeding peer counselor and French and Lingala interpreter for CHEER in Greece. Other Current Work: Works at all of CHEERing's clinic locations, provides intensive support at Elna Maternity Center in Athens. Previous Work: Studied Nursing for three years in the DRC, internships at various health institutions, including the Red Cross Hospital, Kinshasa General Hospital, and Mother & Child Center of Kinshasa Fun Fact: I go to church every Sunday and love to sing gospel songs. I love drama and historic films, and love to cook especially regional African food. Work Email: pierretteimpose@gmail.com |
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LEila mahbubi
breastfeeding counselor and interpreter, CHEERing Focus: Pharmacy, architecture, and languages. Previous/Other Current Work: I worked as a pharmacist's assistant and technician in a hospital pharmacy in Iran, where I assisted the pharmacists with medication dispensation and preparation of prescriptions. Currently, I assist with height and weight measurements in Elna's shelter and serve as a translator for Persian languages. Activities of Choice: Reading, spending quality with my kids, and following scientific posts on Instagram Fun Fact: I studied pharmacy and architecture at the university. Work Email: lilimahbubi87@gmail.com |
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Yildiz gumustekin
volunteer, cheering Focus: Protection standards-driven interventions for migrants and displacement populations, mental health and psycho-social support, social cohesion and interventions for refugees and host communities. Previous/Other Current Work: Protection Assistant, Danish Refugee Council. Fun Fact: I love the sky and follow planet movements. Work Email: yldzgmstkn@gmail.com |
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RANA SABREEN, BSC
ERASMUS STUDENT, CHEERING Focus: Onsite support sessions in refugee camps and shelter- Public health and logistics support. Previous/Other Current Work: Medical Logistics Officer with the Syrian Arab Red Crescent, served as a hygiene promoter and assisted with health assessments in camps for IDPs (Internally Displaced Persons). Studied Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Chemistry from Al-Baath University in Homs, Syria and currently completing a Masters in Public Health in Disasters through the Erasmus Program at University of Nicosia. Activities of Choice: Watching movies and documentaries, reading books and walking. Fun Fact: I love cats. Work Email: rana-sabreen89@hotmail.com |
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MARINA MENCHINI, BSC
ERASMUS STUDENT, CHEERING Focus: Nutrition Counseling and food safety. Intern for CHEER in Greece, provides on-site support in refugee camps and shelters. Previous/Other Current Work: Recent graduate of Human Nutrition at the University of Pisa, with a bachelors degree in Herbal Sciences and TEFL certificate for English teaching. Former Volunteer and Interpreter at the Protection System of Asylum Seekers and Refugees (SPRAR) of Lucca, Italy and former Intern at the University of Pisa canteen where she helped with meal planning and promoted healthy eating. Activities of Choice: Eating, reading, drama, ESL teaching, and learning new things. Fun Fact: I lived in the Kingdom of Eswatini from age 2 to 9, before moving back to Italy. Work Email: m.menchini7@hotmail.it |
