GOLD Learning Tongue-tie Online Symposium 2020 - Day 2 Emerging Topics

Sarah is a Registered General Nurse, Health Visitor, International Board Certified Lactation Consultant and Tongue-tie Practitioner with a busy private practice based in Cambridgeshire, UK. Sarah worked as a volunteer breastfeeding counsellor for the Association of Breastfeeding Mothers for several years and continues to run a weekly breastfeeding support group as a volunteer. Sarah is a founder member and former Chair of The Association of Tongue-tie Practitioners in the UK and is the author of the book, ‘Why Tongue-tie Matters’. She offers an online course in tongue-tie and infant feeding in association with Babyem and provides education on infant feeding and tongue-tie for healthcare professionals and breastfeeding supporters in the public, private and volunteer sectors.

BreAnne is a Board Certified Family Nurse Practitioner and International Board Certified Lactation Consultant. She dedicates her practice to holistic and gentle care and has a special passion for lactation and nursing medicine, careful identification and treatment of infant oral restrictions (tethered oral tissue) and perinatal health. BreAnne is Co-Founder and Co-Owner of Pacific Wellness & Lactation where she focuses on complex lactation and breastfeeding problems and the release of tethered oral tissue. Her other professional passion includes Fertility care and treatment, specializing in cycle syncing and natural hormone therapies to help families achieve healthy pregnancy. In her time outside of the clinic, BreAnne enjoys the local Pacific Northwest beach in her home town with her two young children and husband of 10 years. She is active in the community as a board member of the Breastfeeding Coalition of Snohomish County. She earned her Master of Science in Nursing from Pacific Lutheran University and is board certified as a Family Nurse Practitioner by the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners (AANP).

Jennifer is a Registered Nurse and International Board Certified Lactation Consultant. She has extensive experience caring for adult populations both in the home and clinic setting. She specializes in lactation and postpartum care from birth through the nursing journey. She is trained in craniosacral therapy and incorporates this gentle touch therapy into much of her practice. She emphasizes preventive practices and is passionate about providing early support and alternative healing modalities to new families. She earned her Bachelor of Science in Nursing and Master of Science in Nursing Education from Western Governors University. When she is not working in her clinic she enjoys spending time outdoors in her garden, getting centered through yoga, and volunteering with the local Breastfeeding Coalition of Snohomish County. With a strong dedication to advancing her practice, Jennifer will be continuing her education to obtain her ARNP license in the Fall of 2020.

Dr. Jenna Davis is a Family Chiropractor and owns a highly successful family wellness multidisciplinary clinic, Acorn Family Health and Wellness Centre, in Oakville, Ontario. Dr. Davis has a focus on Preconception, Infertility, Pre- and Postnatal care, Pediatrics, Retained Primitive Reflexes, Infant TMJD and Women’s Health. Dr. Davis loves working with families in all stages and has a unique ability to educate her practice members so they feel heard, honoured and understand how chiropractic can improve their function and life. She has a passion for educating and is an avid lecturer both in and out of her office. Dr. Jenna Davis is a mother, author, entrepreneur, educator and is a sought after speaker internationally sharing information on many topics including the Power of Communication, Infertility, Pediatrics, Retained Primitive Reflexes, Infant TMJD, TOTs (Tethered Oral Tissues), Team Approach to Health and Wellness, and Women’s Health. Dr. Davis created a technique in 2016, the P.I.P.S. Technique (Pediatric Intraoral Palate Specific Technique) specifically to assist with Infant TMJD, Sphenoid Fault, Tongue-tie, Lip-tie, Dural Tension and Oral Motor and Oral Sensory Challenges. Dr. Davis has develooped a unique approach to combine sensory, motor, developmental and function into the care and approach to her practice members. Dr. Davis is also the creator of Baby Boom Creations, a company that develops and provides products to assist patients and practitioners in office and at home. Dr. Davis has been a featured speaker on many stages in Canada, the United States, Australia and the UK. She prides herself on her continual quest for the newest information and research and is a life long learner. Dr. Davis has done extensive postgraduate work and continues to expand and grow her knowledge base and resource team to give the best care possible to her practice members and the audiences she has the honour to present to.

Dr. Cara graduated from Arizona State University of with Doctor of Nursing Practice degree. She is a board certified Family Nurse Practitioner in addition to having her IBCLC certification. Dr. Cara is also a diplomate of the American Board of Laser Surgery, specializing in “Oral Surgery in Infants, Toddler, and Adults. Dr Cara describes her career as a diversifying adventure: research, teaching, nursing, and now breastfeeding medicine specialist. She strives to provide meaningful, evidence-based care to mother-baby dyads. Her mission is to support mothers where they are at and help them journey into the breastfeeding relationship they desire. She strives to make sure that each patient is able to reach their desired goal and have an amazing breastfeeding relationship.

Robyn Merkel-Walsh, M.A., CCC-SLP/COM® is a Licensed Speech Pathologist with over 25 years of experience. She is employed full time by the Ridgefield Board of Education and runs a private practice in Ridgefield, NJ. She is also an author, lecturer, and consultant for TalkTools® . Robyn specializes in Oral-Placement, feeding, and orofacial myofunctional disorders in the pediatric population. Her publications include, SMILE (Systematic Intervention for Lingual Elevation), Art Talk, Handy Handouts, OPT-S Kit, and she co-authored Sensory Stix, A Sensory-Motor Approach to Feeding, Functional Assessment and Remediation of Tethered Oral Tissues and Oral Placement Therapy Goals for Speech Clarity. She has also written several articles for the TalkTools® website, The ASHA Leader, and Advance Magazine for Speech Pathologists. She has been published five consecutive years at the annual convention of the American Speech-Language and Hearing Association. Robyn received both her undergraduate and graduate degrees from Montclair State University, where she was later invited to be an adjunct/clinical supervisor. She has also taught classes and/or as a clinical supervisor for: Bergen Community College, Seton Hall University and Malloy College. She is a member of American Speech-Language and Hearing Association, American Academy of Private Practice in Speech Pathology and Audiology, New Jersey Education Association, International Association of Orofacial Myology, Oral Motor Institute, Ankyloglossia Bodyworkers , International Consortium of Ankylofrenula Professionals and The Bergen County Apraxia Association. She served a term on the New Jersey Speech and Hearing Association Board of Directors and was the private practice co-chair. She is also the Board Chair of the Oral Motor Institute and the Associate Editor of the International Journal of Orofacial Myology.