Mid-Atlantic Mothers’ Milk Bank:
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
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
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
Administrative Team
Denise O’Connor, IBCLC, Executive Director and Co-Founder
Sara Vins Bobish, JD, Business Manager
Screening Team
Margaret DeLair, RN, CLC, Donor Milk Program Director
Rhiannon Passmore, Donor Screener Assistant
Jodilyn Roberts, BS, MA, Donor Screener
Ellen Rubin, BS, MA, Donor Screener
Laboratory Team
Cyndy Verardi, BS, CLC, Operations Director and Co-Founder
Beth Kaspryszyn, Laboratory Manager
Camille Boufford, BA, MM, Laboratory Specialist
Nick Lofdahl, BS, Laboratory Specialist
Jade Worrels, Laboratory Technician
Distribution Team
Kaleigh Herron, BS, Donor Milk Program Associate
Interested in joining our team? Check out our Employment and Volunteer opportunities.
Board of Directors
Jamie Bishop, VP, Deputy General Counsel, Allegheny Technologies Incorporated
Jessica Davis, PhD(c) RN, CCRN-K, IBCLC, Graduate Student Researcher, University of Pittsburgh School of Nursing
Jill Demirci, Ph.D, RN, IBCLC, Assistant Professor, University of Pittsburgh, School of Nursing
Susann Guess, MSN, RN, NE-BC, Retired (Clinical Director, NICU), Board Vice President
Jen Kloesz, MD, Medical Director, Magee NICU; Professor of Pediatrics, University of Pittsburgh Medical School Board President
Kristen Maguire, MSN, RNC-MNN, CBC, Director of Nursing, Women and Infant Services, West Penn Hospital
Rachel Margolies, MSW, LCSW, Ethics Consultant and Senior Clinical Social Worker, UPMC Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh
Jessica Miller, Senior Manager, Risk Advisory Services, Schneider Downs & Co., Inc.
Ryan Miller, CPA, Director, Tax Compliance, Allegheny Technologies Incorporated, Board Treasurer
Mary Louise Osborne, Co-President and Chief Customer Officer, Ontrak Inc.
Medical Advisory Board
Abeer Azzuqa, MD, Neonatology, Magee-Women’s Hospital
Kelley L. Baumgartel, PhD, RN, Assistant Professor, University of South Florida, College of Nursing
Maria Clavell, MD, Pediatric Gastroenterologist, 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, PhD, CPNP, Duquesne University
Susann Guess, MSN, RN, NE-BC, retired Clinical Director, NICU
Nilima Karamchandani, MD, retired Director, NICU, West Penn Hospital
Jen Kloesz, MD, Medical Director, Magee NICU; Professor of Pediatrics, University of Pittsburgh Medical School
Amy Maddalena DO, IBCLC, Pediatrician, Kids Plus Pediatrics/Medical Director, The Breastfeeding Center of Pittsburgh
Judith Martin, MD, Infectious Disease Specialist, Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh
Frank Nice, Rph, DPA, CPHP, President, Nice Breastfeeding, LLC
Anne Shaheen, MD, Obstetrics and Gynecology, UPMC OB/GYN Associates
Interested in joining our board? Check out our Employment and Volunteer opportunities.
Accreditation
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.
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.
Inclusivity, Dignity, and Equity
Mid-Atlantic Mothers’ Milk Bank honors the fundamental value and dignity of all people and is committed to fostering an inclusive, supportive, and welcoming environment for employees, board members, customers, recipients, donors, and the community at large.
We acknowledge the significant injustices and inequities that have been and are experienced by BIPOC parents and children including access to human milk.
Mid-Atlantic Mothers’ Milk Bank encourages all of its employees and board members to participate in continuing education regarding implicit biases, cultural humility, inequities, and the needs and rights of all individuals. To facilitate this work, Mid-Atlantic Mothers’ Milk Bank provides access to training opportunities on a frequent basis.
Through these ongoing efforts, Mid-Atlantic Mothers’ Milk Bank commits to working towards full inclusion, acceptance, appreciation, honoring, and welcoming of all people, along with advocating for those with experiences and identities that are often minimized or devalued.
Mid-Atlantic Mothers’ Milk Bank celebrates the beautiful diversity of families. We realize that families are represented by a diversity of parents, including those who identify as LGBTQIA+.
Mid-Atlantic Mothers’ Milk Bank reaffirms its commitment to fostering an inclusive, supportive, and welcoming environment for its transgender, non-binary, and gender non-conforming employees, board members, customers, donors, and the community at large. The Milk Bank condemns and grieves all instances of bias, discrimination, violence, hatred, and intimidation against transgender, non-binary, and gender non-conforming individuals.
Mid-Atlantic Mothers’ Milk Bank further encourages all of its employees, board members, customers, and donors to continue to educate themselves and their constituencies about the needs and rights of transgender, non-binary, and gender non-conforming people, including the right to use the identity, name, and pronoun of an individual ‘s choice and the ways in which every day language choices can be modified so that they are fully inclusive of transgender, non-binary, and gender non-conforming people. To that end, the Milk Bank will be requiring all employees and board members to participate in training on the needs and rights of the transgender, non-binary, and gender non-conforming community which will be conducted by the City of Pittsburgh Commission on Human Relations.
Through these continued efforts, Mid-Atlantic Mothers’ Milk Bank commits to working towards full inclusion, acceptance, appreciation, celebration and welcoming of people of all gender identities and to advocating for the full equality and equal protection of transgender, non-binary, and gender nonconforming people under the law.
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