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Mid-Atlantic Mothers’ Milk Bank:
A labor of love

The nonprofit Mid-Atlantic Mother’s Milk Bank opened its doors in 2016 to be a reliable supplier of safe, ethically sourced donor milk for both inpatient and outpatient babies with medical needs in Pennsylvania, West Virginia, and surrounding areas.

Funded by the generosity of the foundation community and individual contributors, and led by physicians, lactation consultants, nurses, clinicians, educators, and parents, our goal is to ensure that every vulnerable infant in our area has access to the benefits of human milk.

Our Mission and Core Values

infant hand held by adult

The mission of the Mid-Atlantic Mothers’ Milk Bank is to improve the health and survival of medically vulnerable infants and young children through the safe collection, pasteurization, and provision of donor human milk.

MAMMB has an ongoing commitment to the evidence-based and equitable use of donor milk. MAMMB strives to ensure that donor milk is accessible to all children with a medical need. Our ongoing work to increase access includes insurance coverage advocacy, data collection, and seeking grants and individual contributions funding to support our charitable care discount programs.

Milk banking is a collaboration between donor families, recipient families, and clinicians. MAMMB strives to make the process of milk banking transparent so that recipient families can feel confident in donor milk safety, donors know exactly how their milk will be used, and clinicians can best counsel the families in their care.

Nothing compares to a parent’s own milk. It is perfection and is always the goal. Donor milk can bridge gaps, provide protection against serious complications, and even serve as medicine, but it will never be everything that maternal milk is for a child. Unless breastfeeding is not feasible or is not the choice of the parent, donor milk should always be paired with lactation support, both when a baby is being cared for as an inpatient or at home.

MAMMB strives to create a warm and respectful atmosphere that is not only welcoming, but comfortable for staff and everyone that visits the facility or interacts with the milk bank in any capacity.

“One of the greatest dignities of humankind is that each successive generation is invested in the welfare of each new generation.”

— Fred Rogers

Who we serve

Map of Milkbank States

Mid-Atlantic Mothers’ Milk Bank is deeply committed to the needs of its self described service area of Pennsylvania, West Virginia, New Jersey, Maryland and Delaware. Our organization strongly believes that a regional model of milk banking is most effective because it allows us to foster deeper community and clinical partnerships along with more easily connecting to donors. As a result, we are better able to identify and fulfill the needs of medically fragile babies.

Staff, Board of Directors, and Medical Advisory Board

Staff

Denise O’Connor, Executive Director
doconnor@midatlanticmilkbank.org

Cyndy Verardi, Operations Director
cverardi@midatlanticmilkbank.org

Sara Vins Bobish, Business Manager
svinsbobish@midatlanticmilkbank.org

Amy Weber, Screening Manager
aweber@midatlanticmilkbank.org

Beth Kaspryszyn, Lab Manager
bkaspryszyn@midatlanticmilkbank.org

Interested in joining our team? Check out our Employment and Volunteer opportunities.

Board of Directors

Olivia Benson, MS, MBA
Chief Operating Officer, The Forbes Funds

John Bielewicz, MSOL, MHA
Chief Operating Officer, 5 Generation Bakers; President

Erica Cochran
Nonprofit Development Professional

Jennifer E. Flango, CPA
Director of Financial Accounting and Reporting, Alcoa Corporation

Alison Keating, RN, IBCLC
Lactation Consultant, UPMC Altoona

Jessica Kirin
Dietitian and Lactation Consultant, UPMC Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh

Emily Lilly, JD
Member, Shuman McCuskey Slicer PLLC

Ryan Miller, CPA
Senior Director, ATI, Inc.; Treasurer

Casey Monroe, MSW
Executive Director, Breathe PA

Hannah O’Neill
Executive Administrative Manager, Planned Parenthood of Western Pennsylvania; Secretary

Mary Louise Osborne
Former President and Chief Commercial Officer

Jennifer L. Pease
Director of Development, The Saint Constantine School of Pittsburgh

Amy Singer, PhD
Associate Professor and Chair of Sociology, Franklin & Marshall College

Betsy Teti, MPA
Consultant and Community Volunteer

Brooke Waggoner
Owner, DBX Group

Ashley Zapolski
Nurse Manager Mother Baby, Saint Peter’s University Hospital

Jenna Zarit, MD, IBCLC, FAAP
Pediatrician, UPMC Children’s Community Pediatrics; Medical Director

Medical Advisory Board

Abeer Azzuqa, MD
Neonatology, Magee-Women’s Hospital

Kelley L. Baumgartel, RN, BSN, PhD
Assistant Professor, University of South Florida College of Nursing

Maria Clavel, MD
Pediatric Gastroenterologist, UPMC Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh

Kim Costello, DO
Director, Neonatology, St. Luke’s Health Network

Beverly Curtis, MSN, PNP-BC, IBCLC
Pediatric Nurse Practitioner, Keystone Health

Jessica Devido
Assistant Professor, Duquesne University

Nilima Karamchandani, MD
Retired Director, NICU, West Penn Hospital

Jen Kloesz, MD
Director, Division of Newborn Medicine, UPMC
Director, UPMC Magee-Womens Hospital NICU Program
Director, UPMC Neonatal-Perinatal Medicine Fellowship Program
Board President

Amy Maddalena, DO, IBCLC
Kids Plus Pediatrics

Judith Martin, MD
Infectious Disease Specialist, Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh

Frank Nice, RPh, DPA, CPHP
President, Nice Breastfeeding, LLC

Amaka Nnamani, MD, FAAP
Pediatrician, UPMC Pinnacle Annville Family Medicine

Anne Shaheen, MD
Clinical Assistant Professor, Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology & Reproductive Science, UPMC

Jenna Zarit, MD, IBCLC, FAAP
Pediatrician, UPMC Children’s Community Pediatrics
Volunteer Medical Director

Accrediation

Mid-Atlantic Mothers’ Milk Bank is accredited by the Human Milk Banking Association of North America (HMBANA) and is licensed in the states of Pennsylvania, Maryland, and New York.

The milk bank is a 501 (c)(3) non-profit and all financial contributions are tax deductible.

Human Milk Banking Association of North America

Equal opportunity workplace

MAMMB is an equal employment opportunity employer. MAMMB will not discriminate against employees or applicants for employment on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, age, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, disability, political affiliation, personal appearance, family responsibilities, matriculation, or any legally protected basis. This policy applies to all terms, conditions and benefits associated with employment.

MAMMB believes that there is no more perfect nutrition for infants than a parent’s own milk and recognizes the importance of babies staying in close physical contact with parents in the earlier weeks and months of life to optimize bonding and development. To support employees in meeting their infant feeding and parenting goals, MAMMB has specific policies regarding pumping and bringing infants into the work place.

You are welcome here

Mid-Atlantic Mothers’ Milk Bank honors the fundamental value and dignity of all people and is committed to fostering a supportive, and welcoming environment for recipients, donors, employees, board members, and the community at large.

Our goal is simple. We want every baby to have the best future possible.

“Knowing that we can be loved exactly as we are gives us all the best opportunity for growing into the healthiest of people.”

— Fred Rogers