About Us
Get to know the Lehigh Valley Breastfeeding Coalition. Learn about our mission and vision, and meet the leadership team.
Mission
The mission of the Lehigh Valley Breastfeeding Coalition is to facilitate community efforts to promote, protect, and support breastfeeding as a cultural norm across Lehigh, Northampton, and Carbon Counties.
Lehigh Valley Breastfeeding Coalition
The Lehigh Valley Breastfeeding Coalition is a network of hospitals, health care providers, businesses, and community members working together to build a breastfeeding-friendly culture in the Lehigh Valley.
Connect families with local resources
Advocate for compliance with breastfeeding laws
Promote baby-friendly practices
Educate the community on the benefits of breastfeeding
Support breastfeeding families
Meet the LVBC Board Members
Samina Anthony BSN, RN, IBCLC - Chair Person LVBC
Samina is a Registered Nurse and an International Board Certified Lactation Consultant (IBCLC). She enjoys helping parents to have strong, fulfilling breastfeeding relationships with their babies. Having breastfed all three of her children for two years each, she receives immense joy in helping other parents to achieve similar successes.
Samina's career towards IBCLC started almost two decades ago when she became a La Leche League (LLL) leader and volunteered her time helping nursing mothers. During her time with LLL she has volunteered in various countries and helped to establish the first LLL group in Syria. Samina currently works for St. Luke's Nurse-Family Partnership and was awarded the "Sam Black Excellence in Community Health & Ambulatory Preventive Medicine" network award for her work helping patients in their breastfeeding journeys.
On a more personal note, Samina lives in Lower Macungie with her husband, three children, and their bearded dragon. She likes to spend her free time travel hacking, reading historical fiction and running.
Deb Leeck, RN, BSN, IBCLC, BA – Co-Chair Person LVBC
Deb is a Registered Nurse and an International Board-Certified Lactation Consultant (IBCLC). She started her nursing career working on the Mother-Baby Unit and then quickly transitioned to the Neonatal ICU, where she spent 4 years full time at the bedside and an additional 2 years per diem, while also working in the Children’s Outpatient Surgery Unit. It was during this time, and after her second child was born, that Deb obtained her Certified Lactation Counselor (CLC) certification. From there, Deb moved on to Outpatient Pediatrics where she was able to truly facilitate her love of lactation care and obtained her IBCLC. Deb was an integral part of restarting the Pump Consignment Program at the VHP-Children’s Clinic and provided other nurses the opportunity to shadow and obtain education hours to become certified lactation providers, in order to expand community resources for underserved families.
In February 2022, Deb became an independent Lactation provider and now runs her own private practice, The Mint Flamingo Lactation Services. Deb has been a member of the Lehigh Valley Breastfeeding Coalition since 2019 and has a true passion for helping other families in the Valley with their feeding journeys. After her own supply struggles breastfeeding both her daughter and son, and breastfeeding difficulties with her son, Deb knew Lactation care was exactly where she was meant to be!
Deb is a wife and mom to her husband and two beautiful children, respectively. She focuses on holistic care in all capacities of life and lactation. She enjoys working part-time as an Events Coordinator at her children’s Christian school, working out with the Fit52 program, coaching soccer with Athletes for the Cross, and of course, spending time with her family 😊
Danielle Ochoa BSN, RN - Secretary LVBC
Danielle has been a Registered Nurse since 2016 and has worked in the NICU for the last 3 years. She is passionate about providing lactation education and assistance to parents, especially in the NICU setting. Her personal experiences breastfeeding her daughter in the NICU influenced her empathetic approach to families in the hospital setting. She is actively involved with LVBC’s community events and attends continuing education for lactation. Her desire is to work with community organizations to improve lactation care for Black and Brown families in the Lehigh Valley. She is currently breastfeeding her daughter.
Danielle lives in Allentown with her husband, daughter, and cat,. She enjoys cooking, watching documentaries, and traveling.
Christine Roca, BS, IBCLC - Treasurer LVBC
Christine Roca is an International Board Certified Lactation Consultant who runs her own private practice. She has been a leading member of the Lehigh Valley Breastfeeding Coalition since 2015, serving one year as Secretary and four years as Chair.
Propelled by her own experiences of induced lactation and extended breastfeeding, Christine became a La Leche League Leader in 2008. When she realized how many families needed more specialized care than LLL could offer, she became an IBCLC in order to better serve the community. In addition to helping families gain confidence through breastfeeding, bodyfeeding, and pumping, Christine loves mentoring those who wish to become lactation counselors and consultants themselves.
A master at tailoring her teaching style to her audience, Christine has been a guest speaker at several area conferences, colleges, and schools. She also wrote an e-book, The Breastfeeding Fix-It Guide, designed for mechanically-minded support people.
Christine lives in South Whitehall with her husband and three active teenagers. In her downtime, Christine enjoys researching and sewing 18th century clothing and volunteering as an historical interpreter.
Vision
The vision of the Lehigh Valley Breastfeeding Coalition is to create a breastfeeding friendly culture and environment among hospitals, healthcare providers, businesses, community members, and local leaders. This in turn will lead to sustainable change in policies focused on promoting breastfeeding support, education, and the de-emphasis of formula-based product promotion.
Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
The Lehigh Valley Breastfeeding Coalition has a philosophy of inclusion. We use the terms "breastfeed" and "breastfeeding" as short-hand for "human milk feeding" which includes feeding directly from the breast or chest, feeding at the breast or chest with a supplemental nursing system, and feeding of human milk via bottles, cups, and other devices. LVBC recognizes that feeding with alternatives to human milk is sometimes necessary. We do not tolerate any demeaning or denigrating language regarding its appropriate use. LVBC supports breastfeeding beyond infancy in accordance with the recommendations of the AAP, CDC, PA Dept. of Health, Office of the Surgeon General, WHO, and UNICEF.
As a predominantly white cisgender-led organization, we recognize the privilege we benefit from in the world and in our local institutions. We are committed to being an inclusive and actively anti-racist organization. We consistently seek education, coaching, resources, and guidance from diversity, equity, and inclusion professionals to create an equitable and inclusive environment for our members. We actively uplift voices of those from marginalized and vulnerable populations, and encourage their active participation in our monthly meetings, events and educational opportunities. Our goal is to explore and support the needs of our community through active communication.
We do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, ethnicity, religion, gender, gender expression, gender identity, age, size, national origin, disability, marital status, or sexual orientation. We have a zero-tolerance policy for any form of hate speech or disparaging language toward minority and/or marginalized communities.
Ethics / Code Compliance Statement
LVBC strives to ensure that all education and assistance provided is free from commercial bias and interest. LVBC works in accordance with a Code and Ethics Committee (and other entities as needed) regarding potential activities, partnerships, and policies. These include but are not limited to: International Code of Marketing of Breastmilk Substitutes, World Health Assembly (WHA) Resolution compliance and/or general LVBC Conflict Of Interest (COI). Furthermore, LVBC evaluates potential relationships with entities and individuals that could be in conflict with the Code, COI, or LVBC Ethics and subsequently makes recommendations to LVBC board members.
LVBC will not enter into partnership with any entity who knowingly or unknowingly is a Code-violating company, or is in partnership or has links to a Code-violating company. All presenters at conferences are vetted and will not be accepted if they have any conflicts of interest that could create bias in the education being presented.
Become a member
By joining Lehigh Valley Breastfeeding Coalition, you show support for the cause of breastfeeding and help us continue and expand our work. Lehigh Valley Breastfeeding Coalition is a non-profit, volunteer-only organization. All money goes to support our activities.