NCBC Fall 2025 Lactation Conference (In-Person & Virtual options!)

Advancing Clinical Lactation Support, Resources, and Education:

Exploring Bottle Refusal, Milk Supply, Herbs and a Collaborative Approach to Care

• Susan Howard, MSN, RN, IBCLC
• Melissa Cole, MS, IBCLC, RLC
• Panel Conversation hosted by Alena Clark, PhD, MPH, RDN, CLC

This course is intended for physicians, physician assistants, international board certified lactation consultants, lactation professionals, registered nurses, registered dietitians, nurse practitioners, certified midwives, doulas, students, and other professionals working with pregnant patients and/or new parents.

Continued education applied for on behalf of lactation professionals and dietetic professionals.

We are thrilled to once again have a hybrid option of attendance for this year's conference.

• For those who would like to attend in-person, we will view the live conference together at Poudre Valley Hospital in Fort Collins, CO.
• Susan Howard and Melissa Cole's presentations will take place live via Zoom, and our panel discussion hosted by Dr. Alena Clark will be live in-person.
• Light breakfast & lunch included in in-person ticket price.

• For those who would prefer to attend virtually or live at a distance, the entire conference will be available live via Zoom Webinar.

• For those who are unable to attend live, the event will be recorded and sent via email after the event.
• All ticket options will have access to the recording after the event.
• Any awarded CERPs will be available for all tickets.

8:00am- 8:30am: In-Person Networking & Coffee + Breakfast (provided in-person)

8:30am-8:45am: Welcome, Introductions

8:45am-10:45am: Susan Howard- Exploring Bottle Refusal in the Breastfeeding Dyad

10:45-11:00am: Break

11:00-12:00pm: Collaborative Care- Local Panel Discussion Hosted by Dr. Alena Clark

12:00pm-1:00pm: Lunch Break

1:00pm-2:30 pm: Melissa Cole- Critical Thinking about Herbs and Lactation

2:30pm- 2:45 pm: Break + Snack (provided in-person)

2:45pm- 4:15pm Melissa Cole: Milk Production Detective Work

4:15pm-4:30pm: Closing

*Event will be recorded and viewable until 03-01-2025 for those who register that cannot attend live.

Susan Howard is a Registered Nurse and International Board Certified Lactation Consultant with over two decades of experience supporting families with complex feeding challenges. She is the founder of Arlington Lactation & Feeding Therapy, a private practice near Washington, DC. She provides advanced lactation care with a focus on tethered oral tissues, bottle refusal, and complex feeding situations. Susan holds a Master of Science in Nursing and began her career in public health before focusing on maternal-child health. Her clinical roles include labor and delivery nurse, childbirth educator, clinical research nurse, and clinical faculty at Georgetown University. In addition to her private practice, Susan leads a weekly feeding support group, mentors lactation professionals, consults on product development, and presents nationally on strategies for bottle feeding. She is known for her practical, evidence-based approach and her commitment to improving outcomes through interdisciplinary collaboration.

Melissa Cole is a board certified lactation consultant, neonatal oral-motor assessment professional, and clinical herbalist in private practice. Melissa has been passionate about providing comprehensive, holistic lactation support and improving the level of clinical lactation skills for health professionals. She enjoys teaching, researching and writing about wellness and lactation-related topics. Melissa holds a bachelor of science degree in maternal child health and lactation consulting and her master’s work is in therapeutic, clinical herbalism. Melissa actively conducts research and collaborates with several lactation and health care professional associations.

Before pursuing a path in lactation, Melissa lived and studied in Japan. She was also a language instructor for almost a decade. From this background in culture and education sprung a deep love of supporting and educating families. Melissa also has an extensive background in herbal studies and holistic health. When not helping parents and babies, Melissa can probably be found lecturing, researching, writing, or attending a conference; she is passionate about health and lactation, to say the least!

Alena Clark, PhD, MPH, RDN, CLC

Alena Clark is an Assistant Professor at Colorado State University in Fort Collins, Colorado. Before her position at Colorado State University, she was a Professor and the Co-Director of the Lactation Support Program at the University of Northern Colorado in Greeley, Colorado. She is a registered dietitian nutritionist and certified lactation counselor and is involved in many organizations that advocate for the need to promote healthy lifestyles and support for parents, children, and infants. She has worked in various settings including hospitals, public health agencies and academia. She earned a Ph.D. in Human Nutrition at Colorado State University, an M.P.H. in Public Health Nutrition at the University of Minnesota and a B.A. in Nutrition and Dietetics at Concordia College. Her primary areas of research and practice are lactation support, global health, infant and young child nutrition, and evaluating under-sourced communities access to nutrition education and public health resources.

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Host or Publisher Northern Colorado Breastfeeding Coalition