ABOUT US
Supporting Washington Care Providers & Families Since 1989.
Perinatal Support Washington (PS-WA) is a statewide non-profit committed to shining a light on perinatal mental health to support all families and communities. We support people in the emotional transition to parenthood, including those experiencing depression, anxiety, loss, infertility, trauma, and more. Find out what's new at Perinatal Support Washington.
Our toll-free telephone support line, the "Warm Line", has been operating since 1991, providing peer support to parents in need. We also offer mental health therapy, free and low-cost new parent support groups, culturally-matched peer support in King County, training and consultation for health care providers, and education and advocacy. We do all of this with the help of our dedicated staff, board members, and dozens of volunteers.
While we are based in the Seattle metro area, our support resources are found all over our beautiful state of Washington. Check out our directory to search for resources in your area, or learn more about opportunities for collaboration in your community, or become a professional member of Perinatal Support WA. Perinatal Support WA is proud to manage the WA Postpartum Support International State Chapter.
Learn more about our work by viewing our Theory of Change and 2025 Strategic Plan Dashboard.
OUR TEAM
Dr. Ayanna L. Gore, Interim Executive Director
Dr. Ayanna L. Gore- Interim Executive Director
Dr. Ayanna L. Gore, brings over 16 years of diverse leadership experience in nonprofit spaces, merging learnings from a distinguished career in education into a pivotal role as the Interim Executive Director for Perinatal Support Washington. Armed with a Ed.D. in Educational Leadership from DePaul University Chicago, Dr. Gore's journey as a systemic iniquity interrupter and dedicated advocate for diversity, equity, and inclusion has uniquely prepared her for the critical role of guiding families through the perinatal mental health journey.
Dr. Gore's transformative leadership is exemplified by her successful turnaround of a school in Chicago and her tenure as a school leader and Executive Director at Summit Sierra High School in Seattle. Notably, she played a key role in reshaping African American Studies in Washington state, showcasing her commitment to inclusivity and representation.
In addition to her educational pursuits, Dr. Gore has gained significant leadership experience from serving as the Vice President of Selection at Teach For America, where she innovated systems in pursuit of educational equity. As the CEO and Founder of Gorejus Incorporated, a consulting business dedicated to health, wellness, and anti-racist living, she has extended her mission to foster positive transformations beyond the realm of education.
As the Interim Executive Director for Perinatal Support Washington, Dr. Gore brings her passion for meaningful transformation to the forefront. Her vision is to create an inclusive space guided by anti-racist principles, ensuring that families navigating perinatal mental health challenges receive the support and resources they need. Dr. Gore's commitment to empowerment extends beyond education, making her a dedicated advocate for the well-being of families during the critical perinatal period.
ayanna.gore (at) perinatalsupport (dot) org
Mia Edidin, Clinical Director
Mia Edidin, LICSW, Clinical Director
Mia is Licensed Independent Clinical Social Worker in Seattle and has worked with families for more than 15 years. Mia works primarily with women and young children, specializing in pregnancy and postpartum emotional adjustment, attachment, and relationship difficulties.
Before getting her MSW in 2006, Mia worked as a doula and apprenticed with a midwife, where she learned about many aspects of maternal and child health. Mia’s professional and personal experiences have led to a fascination and deep commitment to exploring our experiences as mothers–both working individually with mothers processing their unique stories, and sharing the experiences that bind all mothers together. Mia has extensive experience working in community mental health and serving low income families. Mia continues a small private practice and her weekly new parents group, Adjusting to Parenthood, to keep her clinical skills sharp and stay up on current experiences of parents. Mia was a long term board member and is our current Clinical Director. She lives in Seattle, WA with her techie partner and has a (mostly) launched 20 year old.
Mia.Edidin (at) perinatalsupport (dot) org
Danielle Yamamoto, Interim Operations Director
Danielle Yamamoto, MSW, Operations Manager
Danielle joined Perinatal Support Washington in 2020 and now serves as the Operations Manager. She is passionate about serving her community and prior to joining PS-WA worked with families for over 10 years. Danielle obtained her MSW in 2011. She previously worked as a Victim/Witness Counselor for the Hawaii County Prosecutor’s Office, where she provided emotional support and assistance to individuals and families who were victims or witnesses of a crime. Prior to that she worked for a Mediation Center where she coordinated mediations and found her passion for being a part of small and growing nonprofits. Since joining PS-WA she has connected with many new parents and families a
In her free time Danielle enjoys getting outdoors with her dog, Annabelle, binging shows on Netflix and going out to eat.
Danielle.Yamamoto (at) perinatalsupport (dot) org
Victoria Cherniak, Senior Warm Line Program Manager
Victoria Cherniak (she/her), Senior Warm Line Program Manager
In addition to her work with PS-WA, Victoria is a postpartum doula supporting families as they navigate the new and ever-shifting landscape of parenthood and has been a long time board member of NAPS Doulas.
Victoria worked as a social worker before her work in the postpartum world. Her positions included the Economic Justice Project at Columbia Legal Services doing public education and policy work in Olympia focused on consumer justice issues and at the King County Bar Association, she managed two pro bono programs that served the legal needs of immigrants and people experiencing homelessness. In 2007 she received the Golden Door Award from Northwest Immigrant Rights Project (NWIRP) for her work with the Newcomers Resource Project which trained volunteer attorneys to assist undocumented workers to recover wages employers intentionally withheld. In 1999 she received her MSW from the University of Michigan specializing in practice with communities and social systems.
Victoria lives in Seattle with her two children and dreams of summer when she can camp and backpack with her children.
Victoria.Cherniak (at) perinatalsupport (dot) org
Elizabeth Moore Simpson, PERC Program Manager
Elizabeth Moore Simpson (she/her), LSWAIC, PERC Program Manager
is a mother of one and also identifies as a bereaved parent. She has worked with new families for over ten years before coming to PS-WA. She has dedicated her career to the work of ending health and economic disparities for communities furthest away from opportunity. Through an infant-early childhood mental and maternal health lens Elizabeth has practiced as a doula, restorative justice circle keeper, child and family therapist, and community organizer for racial and economic justice.
Additionally, Elizabeth is an Ethnic Minority Specialist with specific training, experience, and connection with the urban native community in the unceded tribal land known as ‘Seattle’. These are commitments that extend beyond her professional career as a social worker and are integral to how she views her responsibility to those whose land she resides on.
Elizabeth was raised in Seattle, and spends her (fleeting) spare time with her partner teaching their little one to fight the power!
Elizabeth.MooreSimpson (at) perinatalsupport (dot) org
Kimiko Goldberg, Development & Communications Manager
Kimiko Goldberg, MPA, Development & Communications Manager (she/her)
Kimiko has worked in the nonprofit sector for nearly 20 years in roles including Communications and Advocacy, with the bulk of her time spent specifically in Fundraising. As a mother who has experienced Perinatal Mood and Anxiety Disorders herself, She is incredibly excited to join PS-WA's heroic team.
Kimiko earned her Masters of Public Administration from Evergreen State College, and prior to that majored in Social Sciences at UW. Unafraid to face the toughest challenges, she wants to bring more attention to maternal mental health issues which are critically underrepresented and underfunded in the US.
Kimiko is also a Fundraising Consultant who adheres to the Community-Centric Fundraising model which treats donors as partners and acts to end exploitative practices and outdated, inequitable fundraising models.
She lives in Seattle, and on her days off, you can find her spending time with her little one and diving into making candles, jewelry, and other things to share.
Kimiko.goldberg (at) perinatalsupport (dot) org
Karina Saunders, Community Outreach & Training Manager
Karina Saunders (she/her), Community Outreach & Training Manager
Karina loves people and creating spaces for connection and community-building. In both her nonprofit and higher education background, karina has advocated and created programming for bringing BIPOC students together and expanding support for people experiencing food insecurity and homelessness. In all her roles she has worked to center marginalized voices and create spaces for connection, learning, and reflection.
Karina is excited to join the PS-WA team as she navigates her own postpartum mental health journey. She is a strong advocate for the role peer support groups play in perinatal mental health and the bonus of long-term friendships that sometimes result. She's excited to join the inspiring all-star PS-WA team and support the expansion and defining of resources for people in the perinatal period. She plans to put her master's in education to work encouraging the budding perinatal support communities across Washington state.
Meyleen Velasquez, Clinical Therapy Program Manager
Meyleen Velasquez, LCSW, LICSW, PMH-C, RPT-S, Clinical Therapy Program Manager (she/her)
Meyleen is an immigrant Latina psychotherapist specializing in perinatal and infant mental health. Meyleen has a doctorate in social work and focused her research on anti-racist and anti-oppressive mental health services. Her practice supports birthing people and clinicians working from an anti-oppressive framework. Meyleen identified as a Brown person for most of her life until several years ago when Vitiligo changed how she navigates the world.
meyleen.velasquez (at) perinatalsupport (dot) org
La Tonia Bussell-Packard, Parent Resilience Specialist
La Tonia Packard (they/she), Parent Resilience Specialist, Traditional Midwife
La Tonia is a queer Black femme who supports pregnant and parenting families as a Parent Resilience Specialist in Pierce County. They serve as an encouraging resource and witness for parents navigating the perinatal mental health landscape by using their firsthand experience as a parent who has lived with anxiety and depression. La Tonia knows firsthand the barriers that exist for Black and queer folx seeking support for their mental health. La Tonia has experienced personal and professional loss, which allows them to offer supportive tools and skills that are based on lived experience and shared community ways of ‘knowing’ and processing grief and loss.
La Tonia has spent the last 7+ years advocating for families, attending births, and providing compassionate care as a birth doula and student midwife. They graduated from midwifery school in June 2021 and now practice and attend births as a traditional midwife. In all their work,
La Tonia centers Black, Indigenous, and QTPOC families in their role as a midwife, doula, and peer. They use the framework and lens of reproductive justice, the intersections of race, class, gender/sexuality, and ability, and radical rest politics when supporting families in their community.
Stephanie Valerdi, Parent Resilience Specialist
Stephanie Valerdi, Parent Resilience Specialist (she/her/they/them)
Stephanie Valerdi (she/they) is a queer Latinx single parent of a child with special needs. Stephanie supports Latinx, BIPOC, and QPOC families in King county. Stephanie has been supporting families for the last 9 years with a foundation in community programs, and early childhood education.
Stephanie has personal experience navigating the mental health systems as an immigrant, and is passionate about using their skills to help families access support in a culturally informed way empowering parents in their own self advocacy journey. Stephanie is passionate about connecting latinx parents and building a community proud of our culture, and resilience.
Stephanie is supportive in listening and using their lived experience to help bridge the stigma of talking about mental health within the Latinx community. Stephanie’s personal experience with Perinatal Mood and Anxiety Disorders (PMADs), and trauma, has empowered them in their career to provide compassionate and informed care to the families they work with.
stephanie.valerdi (at) perinatalsupport (dot) org
LeChante' Raiwalui, Parent Resilience Specialist/Indigenous Emotional Support 'Bestie'
LeChante' Raiwalui, Parent Resilience Specialist/Indigenous Emotional Support 'Bestie'
LeChante’ is a mom of two beautiful soulmates. Her mental health journey is delicately woven into her birth and postpartum stories, and growth through parenting. The foundation of LeChante’s career as a Birth Navigator began with developing her Birth Doula skills. She quickly found herself strengthening her natural gift for introspection and heart-searching while facilitating supportive pregnancy care and parent support groups. While cultural affirmation and reclamation from a Pacific Islander and African American cultural lens is at the heart of LeChante’s work, she also leans on techniques for mindfulness and mental health advocacy, allowing for caregivers of any stage the space to explore and embrace deeper self-awareness in connection to their inner and outer worlds.
As a Parent Resilience Specialist/Indigenous Emotional Support ‘Bestie’, LeChante’s intention is to embody the way of her ancestors' ancient practice called ‘WayFinding’. To act as a ‘Hoturoa’ in Maori meaning head of the canoe, a modern mentor for families who are seeking support while navigating the waters of life. She studies her personal, cultural, spiritual, and familial experiences just as her ancestors studied the stars to guide her canoe through pivotal seasons of life. Gratitude fills her heart knowing the strength and trust it takes for families to allow her into their lives to embrace sacred and necessary connections of the Matavuvale (family).
lechante.raiwalui (at) perinatalsupport (dot) org
Aida Juarez, Warm Line Bilingual Specialist
Aida Juarez (she/her), Warm Line Bilingual Specialist
Aida coordinates our Spanish Warm Line, supporting our Spanish-speaking callers, developing culturally-relevant policies and procedures, and translating outreach materials. Aida joined PS-WA after attending a group peer support (GPS) training in Yakima.
For the past 20 years, Aida has been working with pregnant mothers, infants, and their families, providing brief counseling and referrals as a certified counselor and lactation specialist. She is the Social Services Department Manager at Tri-Cities Community Health, running the day-to-day operations of the department’s Maternity Support Services, WIC, Peer Counselor, and Outreach Programs.
Aida.Juarez (at) perinatalsupport (dot) org
Melissa Burden, Warm Line Program Specialist
Melissa Burden (she/her), Warm Line Program Specialist
Melissa supports Perinatal Support Washington as the Warm Line Program Specialist. She is a mother to one, and after experiencing a PMAD herself became a dedicated volunteer and patient advocate for those who are struggling through the perinatal experience. As the Warm Line Program specialist, she supports the volunteers who provide the warm support and helpful resources to parents who are struggling and need space to be held. She also answers on the Warm Line, aligning with her dedication to supporting parents. Additionally, she dedicates her time to volunteering as a facilitator of a peer-support group. She is trained in the GPS (Group Peer Support) model, and is going on 4 years of facilitating for the Village Circle (Bellingham, WA). Melissa resides in Bellingham, Washington and spends her spare time building Lego with her 4 year old, reading, and spending time with her family & friends.
melissa.burden (at) perinatalsupport (dot) org
Ada Figueroa, Warm Line Bilingual Specialist
Ada Figueroa (she/her) Warm Line Bilingual Specialist
Ada Figueroa is coming to us from her liaison position where she passionately advocated for language access and navigation of public education systems for Spanish speaking communities in Pierce County.
As a Latina mother of two having gone through the emotional stew of parenthood, she has supported Latinx mothers through the peer support group Caminemos Juntos. She has had the opportunity to serve disabled individuals as well as implement behavioral plans for children with Autism and related disorders.
She enjoys spending time with her family, going to festivals and traveling. She is also very passionate about herbology and reviving cultural herb practices for self healing.
Stephanie Lewis, Parent Support and Warm Line Specialist
Stephanie Lewis, (she/her) Parent Support and Warm Line Specialist
My name is Stephanie Lewis and I am a wife , and mother to 3. I have served the African American/black community as a doula for 3 years and found my passion in supporting families as they transitioned into parenthood and the postpartum period. Shortly after attending births as a doula, I began to facilitate PEPs groups for black/african american families in my community and have a passion for holding space for families during this transitional time and offering support around resources, education and ways to pour into their wellness through parenting.
After having my last child, I had a challenging time with my mental health trying to adjust to being a mother of 3 and feeling isolated with lack of community. Over the years navigating my mental health and finding the tools and support I needed made all the difference for me. I want to be able to share and support others the way I wish I had support in such a rocky time. Being able to join PS-WA and hold space for families on the warm line and support them in finding the resources they need to create wellness for themselves is an honor.
I have a passion for learning and exploring holistic health and wellness and teach yoga in my community. I homeschool my 3 children and love being outdoors in nature whenever I can.
stephanie.lewis (at) perinatalsupport (dot) org
Nathan Friend, Warm Line Dad Specialist
Nathan Friend (he/him), Warm Line Dad Specialist
In his work on the Warm Line, Nathan Friend supports Dads and non-birthing partners to navigate the struggles of new parenthood. Nathan became passionate about perinatal mental health after his own challenges with pregnancy loss, traumatic births, and difficult newborn periods. A compassionate listener who loves cloudy days and any kind of movement, Nathan comes from white Southern farmers, Jewish butchers and three-generations of Seattlites. He lives in a vibrant multi-generational, multiracial, multilingual household with his spouse, three young children and rotating housemates.
nathan.friend (at) perinatalsupport (dot) org
Kelli Mae Willis, Program Support Coordinator
Kelli Mae Willis, Program Support Coordinator
Megan Sloan, Operations Coordinator
Megan Sloan, Operations Coordinator
Megan joined Perinatal Support Washington in 2023 as the Operations Coordinator. She has been a part of the Seattle birthing community for over ten years and has regularly recommended Perinatal Support Washington to her pregnant and postpartum students. As a pre/postnatal yoga teacher she was often surprised that she was the first point of contact for students looking for support and resources they couldn’t find elsewhere and as she watched students struggle in pregnancy and as new parents, she became passionate about providing people the positive resources they needed to navigate this challenging time. Her own direct experiences with conception and pregnancy as a queer family and her own struggles postpartum have made her passionate about normalizing the struggles of parenthood and facilitating the establishment of systems of support for new families.
In her free time Megan and her wife and their two kiddos try to spend as much time outdoors as possible whether its hiking, growing veggies in their garden or travelling locally and internationally to adventure as a family.
Megan.sloan (at) perinatalsupport (dot) org
Kay Hwang, Program Support Coordinator
Kay Hwang
Kay Hwang joined PS-WA in 2021 and provides program and operational support. She has worked in higher education for 12 years and finds it fulfilling to serve individuals, families and care providers in the perinatal professions since 2011.
Eager to play a role in advocating for mental health care and wellness, she is gratified to provide assistance and learn from other people’s diverse perspectives and experiences.
Kay studied economics at the University of Washington and resides in Seattle. She loves yoga, the changing seasons, exploring different cultures & cuisines, and cats.
kay.hwang (at) perinatalsupport (dot) org
Escarleth De Leon, Therapist
Escarleth De Leon, M.S., LMFT, Therapist
I am a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT) in Washington State with experience in serving children and families. I believe that supporting families during the perinatal stage is crucial and this is what led me to join this team. I have worked in Community Mental Health, schools, home-visiting and in private practice settings.
I was born and raised in Guatemala, where I earned my Degree in Teaching with emphasis in Home-Economics. Soon, after completing my training, I came to the United States and have lived in Whatcom County since 1996. I have been married to my husband since nineteen ninety-nine and together have two daughters.
During my time in this country, I have completed my Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology with a certificate in Human Services and a Master’s Degree in Marriage and Family Therapy. I have served children and families in several settings and contexts, which has enriched my experience as a therapist.
I am a passionate learner and have pursued additional training in Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR), Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT), Sex Therapy, Exposure Response Prevention (ExRP) and Perinatal Mental Health. I provide services in Spanish and English and bring my knowledge and experience of being part of the Latin-American community.
In my free time, nothing is more important to me than spending quality time with my family.
Emily Raabe, Therapist
Emily Raabe, LSWAIC, Therapist (she/her)
My name is Emily Raabe. I am a mother to a five and seven year old, and I am working with families through the transitions of parenthood. I received my Bachelor's of Arts (BA) in Psychology from San Francisco State University and then went on to receive my Master's in Social Work (MSW) with a mental health concentration from the University of Washington. I completed a practicum at Perinatal Support Washington focusing on the Warm Line where I offer support and resources to clients. I followed up with a practicum at Perinatal Support Washington as an intern therapist where I received training specifically in perinatal therapy.
I strive to be a source of support through early parenthood, a time where I personally could have benefited from more mental health support. My interests include perinatal mood and anxiety disorders, the challenges around feeding babies, relationships, birth trauma, infertility, grief and loss and young and/or first time moms.
I believe that support is crucial, and in our society, perinatal individuals don’t often get the support they need. I am passionate towards giving clients a supportive space where they can discuss their authentic experience within pregnancy and postpartum. Our culture serves us a picture of perinatal perfection but that wasn’t my reality and I am here to guide clients through their own perinatal experience. I focus on self care, mindful self compassion and coping strategies to give clients a space to develop skills that can help support them throughout parenthood.
In my free time I like cooking and eating delicious food, socializing and meeting new people, listening to podcasts and going on coffee and muffin dates with my kids.
Haley Brandenburg, Therapist
Haley Brandenburg, LICSWA (she/her)
My name is Haley Brandenburg. I hold an undergraduate degree in Psychology from Washington State University and a Masters degree in clinical Social Work from Walla Walla University. I have experience conducting therapy groups with children and adolescents within an educational setting.
OUR BOARD + VOLUNTEERS
.Perinatal Support Washington is a small but mighty statewide nonprofit and we are growing. We do a lot with very little - thanks to the help of our volunteers! If you are interested in volunteering or joining our Board of Directors. Contact us here.
Board openings include: Fundraising, Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion (DEI), HR, & more! Read more here.
Volunteer opportunities include: Warm Line Support, helping out at events, sharing your story, and more.
Maggie Meyers, Board Chair
Maggie Meyers works as Deputy Chief Communications Officer for the Washington State Charter Schools Association, a statewide nonprofit that supports a free, public, innovative options that meet the needs of systemically underserved students. A communicator by trade and at heart, Maggie is a fierce advocate for families who have been marginalized in and beyond our education systems. Maggie’s own experience becoming a mom and navigating the preconception to postpartum period fuels her deep belief in the importance of maternal mental health care, and to PS-WA she brings a commitment to increasing access to just, equitable, and quality care for all parents.
Maggie previously worked for a local, women-owned marketing firm, and as an NYC magazine coordinator, freelance editor, and writer for various magazines and children’s book publishers. Maggie earned her B.A. from Bowdoin College and holds a Master of Education in Language, Literacy, and Culture from the University of Washington. Outside of work, Maggie is in the throes of early childhood parenting with her husband and enjoys chasing their two young sons around Seattle’s parks and playgrounds.
Amy Johnston, Board Vice Chair
Amy Johnston manages executive engagement at Pivotal Ventures, an investment and incubation company dedicated to advancing social progress for women and girls in the United States. Prior to this, she served at the U.S. Department of State, furthering the foreign policy agenda of the Obama administration in legislative and public affairs. Amy attended Whitman College and received a J.D. from University of Oregon’s Knight School of Law.
After experiencing crippling postpartum depression after the birth of her second child, Amy became painfully aware of the isolation and barriers faced by parents struggling with postpartum mental health issues. New parenthood is overwhelming, whether it’s your first child or your fifth. Amy is dedicated to ensuring equitable access to postpartum care and mental health resources for all new parents in Washington State and is grateful for the opportunity to do so with PS-WA. She is lucky to have two young children and in her free time can be found chasing them around with her husband, spending time with friends, traveling, foraging for Dungeness and mushrooms, and cooking.
Angie Myers, Board Treasurer
Angie Myers is a Certified Financial Planner® and Client Analyst at Laird Norton Wealth Management, where she supports families’ financial planning and facilitates impactful philanthropy. After losing 2 pregnancies, and experiencing postpartum mood disorders after the birth of both of her children, Angie realized the strength mothers possess, and their ability to heal when they are adequately supported during one of the most vulnerable times in their lives. Angie believes that the grief we endure in life is powerful as it can motivate us to reach out to support others facing similar challenges. She does this by advocating for financial resources, and sharing the incredible story of the life-changing, and sometimes life-saving, services that Perinatal Support of Washington can provide. She has a background in wealth management, community engagement, and fundraising for a variety of nonprofits, but feels most called to support families with young children.
Angie lives in Snohomish County with her husband, a teacher and football coach, and her two children and two rescue pups. In her free time (what’s that?!) she is an avid reader, furniture refinisher, and student of using power tools.
Dr. Chelsia Berry
Dr. Chelsia Berry, the Dean of STEM & Business at Seattle Central College, began her pursuit of higher education at Dillard University in New Orleans, Louisiana as a Biology major and later earned both her master's and doctorate degrees from Howard University in Washington, DC. Her research examines the impact of early STEM exposure on African American students’ post- secondary STEM aspirations. Prior to moving to the Pacific Northwest, she spent time in the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area as an educator. Dr. Berry has over 15 years of experience working in STEM at all levels of public education - teacher, principal, professor, department chairperson, curriculum writer, grant reviewer, and consultant. Dr. Berry has made State and national presentations to several professional groups including the Research Association of Minority Professors, Academy of Educational Studies, and National Science Teachers Association on educational leadership and STEM education. Most recently she presented on the merit, honor, and excellence of Women in Educational Leadership conference in Washington, D.C.
She currently serves on the United Negro College Fund (UNCF) Seattle Leadership Council, and Washington Math Engineering Science Achievement (MESA) Advisory Board. Additionally, Dr. Berry volunteers with the Northwest African American Museum, The Greater Seattle Chapter of the Links, Inc., the Phenomenal She organization, and Howard University Alumni Club of Greater Seattle.
Kaleena Trimpe
Kaleena Trimpe, ARNP is a Family Nurse Practitioner in Spokane, WA with 10 years of pediatric and family experience. She loves working with new families and making the healthcare experience simpler and less rushed. She has extensive newborn and infant feeding experience. After struggling with breastfeed her own children, she undertook more specialized lactation training and is happy to be able to support other parents in their feeding journeys. Kaleena understands the intersection of infant feeding and maternal mental health and has become perinatal mental health certified in the last year.
Kaleena and her husband have two children and a couple of dogs. She enjoys hiking in the PNW, going to the local lakes, and biking with her kids (usually to the ice cream shop!).
Sumi Garg
Shantell Smith
My name is Shantell Smith, and I’m a contract coordinator for Astronics AES which is an aviation empower supply vendor. I’m a transplant to the Seattle area of 5 years originating from Memphis TN. My professional background includes experience in finance and social work. Before relocating to Seattle, I worked as a family support worker and liaison for Lebonheur Children’s Hospital in conjunction with the FedExfamilyhouse. That position allowed me the opportunity to develop a full spectrum view of what happens when childbirth does not go according to plan and the aftermath for the family. I have had my own experience with postpartum depression after my first child which did not come to surface level until she was about six months old and continued until after the birth of my third child. When the opportunity was presented by my dear sister and friend Dr. Chelsia Berry, I did not hesitate to raise my hand and get involved.
Outside of work, you can find me spending time with my three girls Kennedy 19, Madison 18, and Reagan 16. They keep me very busy with all their activities and sports. I enjoy traveling, reading, and my new hobby yardwork.
THANK YOU TO OUR FUNDING PARTNERS:
