Equity & Inclusion in IBCLC Profession Online Course(s) & Continuing Education

Janiya Mitnaul Williams, MA, IBCLC,CLC, is an accomplished lactation consultant, advocate, and trailblazer in the field of perinatal health equity. With over 15 years of experience, Janiya has dedicated her career to supporting nursing families and driving positive change in lactation practices.

Janiya's educational background includes degrees in Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology, as well as Health & Wellness with a concentration in Human Lactation. This diverse knowledge base equips her with a holistic approach to lactation support, recognizing the unique needs of each individual and their family.

In March of 2020, Janiya made history by creating and establishing the groundbreaking Pathway 2 Human Lactation Program at North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University (NC), becoming the first public Historically Black College and University (HBCU) to offer a lactation program. As the Director of this pioneering program, she has set new standards in lactation education and operates an Outpatient Community-Based Lactation Clinic, providing essential support to nursing families in the local community.

Janiya's visionary leadership extends beyond the university setting. As the Co-Chair of the Perinatal Health Equity Collective for North Carolina since 2022, she leads strategic initiatives to address disparities and promote equitable access to quality perinatal services. Her passion for social justice and commitment to advancing equity in perinatal care have made a profound impact on the field.

Additionally, Janiya serves as the Co-Coordinator for Doula Services at the Women's and Children's Center at Cone Health. In this role, she works tirelessly to ensure birthing individuals and their families receive compassionate care and invaluable resources throughout their journey.

Recognizing the need for representation and cultural inclusivity within the lactation field, Janiya founded the Mahogany Milk Support Group in 2015. This empowering initiative aims to promote, encourage, and normalize nursing for Black and Brown families. Her trailblazing efforts include being the first person of color and Non-Registered Nurse to be hired as a Lactation Consultant within Cone Health's hospital system.

Driven by a passion for diversity, equity, and inclusion in lactation, Janiya strives to promote better health outcomes for Black, Brown, marginalized, and underprivileged families, who often face significant lactation barriers. Her visionary leadership, dedication to lactation equity, and unwavering commitment to empowering nursing families have earned her recognition and respect within the industry. Through her pioneering work and advocacy, Janiya is making a lasting impact on the field of perinatal health equity, creating a more inclusive and supportive environment for all nursing families.

Tanya Singleton is a registered nurse with over 40 years of experience in Maternal-Child nursing as a Labor and Delivery nurse, certified in High-Risk Perinatal nursing, an IBCLC lactation consultant and Lamaze childbirth educator. She retired as United States Army Nurse Corp officer in 2003 and began working in private practice as a lactation consultant and childbirth educator. She has run several community non-profits in the Fredericksburg, Virginia area that dealt with issues related to women's and children's health promotion and illness prevention. She is immediate past Chair of the State of Virginia Breastfeeding Advisory Committee, and is currently Chair of Postpartum Support Virginia Board of Directors.

Tanya is committed to quality education and lifelong learning, and has taught maternal-child and pediatric nursing to students in the Rappahannock Region of Virginia, sharing her various clinical anecdotes in classroom and in labs. She is an advocate for equity in maternal healthcare for women of color and early detection of perinatal mood disorders. She is owner and proprietor of The Baby Whisperer, providing in-home support in childbirth education, breastfeeding and parenting.

She is the mother of a blended family of five adult children and Nana to four.

Nikki started as an LPN in 1971, got her RN and BSN, and a graduate degree. She is an author, a teacher, a holistic lactation consultant, a craniosacral therapy practitioner, and a baby body worker (teaching Infant Massage and TummyTime! She is mother to 2 wonderful (breastfed for a long time) daughters, wife to 3 interesting men, only one of whom was the right one for the past 37 years, Rafe!

Her publications include the books, Complementary and Alternative Medicine in Breastfeeding Therapy and A Breastfeeding Owner’s Manual; the monographs, “Benefits of Breastfeeding and Their Economic Impact” and “Sexuality and Breastfeeding” and the educational pamphlet “How to help yourself through labor”. She has been the reviews editor for the journal Clinical Lactation, and has worked as the lactation consultant for the division of Maternal, Child, and Family Health at the Philadelphia Department of Public Health since 2006.