Our Members

Name	Bio
Jodine Chase Consumer Advocate Location: Edmonton	Jodine Chase owns a public relations firm that specializes in news analysis for a select clientele. She is a longtime breastfeeding advocate with five children and three grandchildren. She has provided a variety of news briefing services for the breastfeeding community and currently curates Human Milk News, and is list mother for several information sharing lists in Alberta relating to efforts to re-establish donor human milk banks. She joined the Alberta Breastfeeding Committee in 2011 and her focus has been providing support to develop ABC's communications strategy. She is a founding member of the Breastfeeding Action Committee for Edmonton (BACE), Human Milk for Human Babies, and a supporter of the nascent Calgary Mother’s Milk Bank in Alberta. Her most recent campaign has seen her take on the frat-boy monolith of Facebook, and while she hasn’t beaten them into submission, at least she has made them blink, and actually talk to mothers who understand breastfeeding is not about sex but is the natural way for people feed their children. Find her on LinkedIn
Linda Dionne Marcoux RN, BScN, IBCLC, RLC Location: McLennan	Linda graduated from a Nursing Diploma program down east (Cégep 1977-1980), came to Alberta for work and for the past 32 years held various nursing positions. She started to work in Public Health in 1998 as she was completing her Post-RN Degree (1999) from University of Alberta/ Grande Prairie Regional College collaborative program. Particularly interested in prenatal care and passionate about breastfeeding, she obtained her IBCLC designation in 2005. She currently works full-time in Mc Lennan Public Health Services and covers the breastfeeding clinic in Peace River once a week. She volunteers on various committees in her rural community. Linda and her husband live on a farm south of Mc Lennan and have 2 daughters who presently attend university.
Maureen Fjeld IBCLC, RLC (Secretary) Location: Calgary	Maureen Fjeld, IBCLC, RLC, FILCA - Founder and Director of the Calgary Breastfeeding Center since 1988, has over thirty-five years experience supporting breastfeeding families; originally as a La Leche League Leader in Calgary 1976-1992; IBCLC from 1987 to present; international speaker on breastfeeding for health professionals; Past President CLCA 1993-1998; Co-Chair of the Breastfeeding Committee for Canada, 1998-2001; Past President, ILCA, 2001-2005; Board Member, Alberta Breastfeeding Committee; founding member of Calgary Breastfeeding Matters Group Executive; and currently the ILCA Conference Program Committee Coordinator, 2010-2012. Maureen has three adult children and two very special grand-daughters who love to work with granny in the garden.
Jacki Glover RN, MN, IBCLC, RLC Location: Lethbridge	I am a Registered Nurse, graduated with a Masters of Nursing from Athabasca University and am a long time IBCLC. I became involved in breastfeeding with the birth of our first baby. I learned about La Leche League and became a leader in 1978 until the mid 80s. I maintained my focus on pre and postnatal care by working in with labor and birth and maternal-child nursing units until 1988 when I developed the first breastfeeding support service of its kind in Canada where care was open to any mother in southern Alberta throughout pregnancy, birthing and postpartum periods. I moved to nursing education with the Nursing Education in Southwestern Alberta registered nursing programs from 2002 until 2012. I have held positions on the ILCA board twice, was president of CLCA/ACCL and now on the board of the ABC and chair of the Education Committee. I am married to Bill and we have 2 children and grandmother of 4.
Patricia Leitner RN, BN, IBCLC (Treasurer) Location: Red Deer	Patricia Leitner joined the ABC in 2005, has been a member of the Data Collection and Education Sub-Committee and currently serves as Treasurer of the board. Patricia took a special interest in breastfeeding at the beginning of her career in public health nursing in the late 70s and has been an IBCLC since 2005. Patricia worked in Public Health as a generalist public health nurse, manager and Maternal Child Coordinator until 2011 when she joined the Red Deer Primary Care Network as a Maternal Child Family Nurse. She is the mother of an adult son and daughter and the grandma of a breastfeeding grandaughter.
Denise Lewis Location: Red Deer	Denise Lewis mother of three grown children two sons and an adopted daughter. I graduated as an RN. In 1970 and worked Nursery and Premature Nursery in Ottawa. I married in 1972 and moved to Calgary, where I continued my maternal child experience in the Labor and Delivery Unit. Next I worked in Lacombe for about 30 years. I ran a small business on Birthing and Breastfeeding. I continued my maternal child passion becoming an IBCLC in 2001. In 2002 I helped implement an IBCLC position at the Red Deer Health Unit. In 2007 I started a permanent part time position mentoring staff and seeing clients at the Red Deer Health Unit where I continue today. I recertified in 2011. I have three grandchildren 2 boys and a girl all breastfed.
Dianne Nikiforuk RN, BScN, IBCLC (Co-Chair) Location: Drayton Valley	Dianne is married to Ron, a mother of three and grandmother of five. Established the first breastfeeding support group in Drayton Valley in 1978 and has been an advocate since that time. Graduated from the Winnipeg General Hospital in 1970 and the University of Alberta in 1973. Began working as a Public Health Nurse in1974. Became an International Board Certified Lactation Consultant in 1996. Has served on the Canadian Lactation Consultant Association board of directors and currently is treasurer for the Breastfeeding Committee for Canada and co-chair of the Alberta Breastfeeding Committee.
Jennifer Peddlesden BSc Pharm, IBCLC, La Leche League Canada Leader (Co-Chair) Location: Chestermere	Jen Peddlesden joined the ABC in 2008 as a member of the Education Committee. In 2011 she became Co-Chair. Jen is a retired pharmacist, has been an IBCLC since 1988 and is an active La Leche League Canada Leader. Jen graduated from the University of Alberta in 1970, worked in hospital, retail, and nutritional pharmacy until her retirement in 2010. Jen is moderator for the Breastfeeding and Infant Nutrition List Serve hosted by the Canadian Pharmacists Association www.pharmacists.ca and is a resource for the ABC on issues around adherence to The International Code of Marketing of Breast Milk Substitutes and relevant WHA Resolutions. She lives with her husband Bill on the shores of Chestermere Lake near Calgary. They have two grown children and three breastfed grand boys.
Vilia Tosio Location: Fort McMurray	Vilia Tosio has two adult children. Originally from South African where she is Registered Nurse, Midwife and Community Nurse and has worked as a registered nurse in South Africa, Europe and New Zealand before coming to Canada in 2007. While working in a Neonatal ICU at Addington Hospital in the early 80’s, witnessing how donor human milk was used. As very sick babies recovered, her passion for helping mothers with breastfeeding developed. She completed the Breastfeeding Association of South Africa course to qualify as a Counsellor. In the Netherlands she had a private practice as an IBCLC Lactation Consultant. She presently does prenatal and breastfeeding classes at Keyano College. Vilia started a weekly mother to mother support group in Fort McMurray & helps mothers on a voluntary basis in the community. She joined the ABC in 2010.
Angie Kwade LCCE, Postpartum and Labour Doula Location: Okotoks	Angie Kwade is a mompreneur and founder of Rocky Mountain Mommies to be and Beyond, and a proud mom of a boy and a girl. She is trained labor and postpartum doula and a Lamaze Certified Childbirth educator. In addition, she has been focussing more of her time and energy on studying the many different areas of breastfeeding. She truly believes with support, empathy and knowledge she can help new moms be successful with breastfeeding and make it normal in our communities.Angie has worked in many different industries, but working with moms-to-be and postpartum moms is exactly where she is meant to be. She is very passionate about working with them and sharing her knowledge to help raise happy, healthy families www.rockymtnmommies.ca www.facebook.com/RockyMtnMommies Follow me on Twitter!
Maxine Wilkes RN, BN, IBCLC Location: Calgary	Maxine graduated from the University of Calgary in 1993. She developed an interest in women’s health while working in the expanded role on a first nation’s reserve. She has been a public health nurse since 2002, and an IBCLC since 2007. Maxine and Rob have four children, who were all breastfed.
Darlene Henderson RN, BN, IBCLC Location: Calgary	I’ve been in the business of Moms, babies and breastfeeding for 35 years. 25 years as an NICU nurse, 20 years as an IBCLC, 10 years in Public Health. Sat on a Committee for BFHI in the earlier 90’s which stopped before it started. No one wanted to give up the free formula and equipment perks. I have 3 adult children who I breast fed until they were all over 2 years of age and decided they were big enough to get into the fridge. In the last year I have become an LLLC Leader and taken on the title of AHS Breastfeeding Coordinator for the Calgary zone. My other passion is West African Drum and Dance. I’ve plans for returning to West Africa for the 3rd time this Christmas. My heart and soul found their home in the Gambia. Where breastfeeding is the “norm”!!
Jennifer Splaine RN, BScN, IBCLC Location: Fort McMurray	Jennifer Splaine is a Registered Nurse and International Board Certified Lactation Consultant working with Alberta Health Services in Public Health in Fort McMurray, Alberta. She received her Bachelor’s of Science in Nursing from McMaster University in 2000 and has been part of many Public Health teams in Ontario and Alberta over the last decade. She became an IBCLC in 2010 and has practiced clinically as well as taken part in the Baby Friendly Initiative in Ontario. She is now involved in Fort McMurray Public Health’s work to become the first in Alberta to achieve Baby Friendly designation.
Susan Vukadinovic Location: Calgary	Susan Vukadinovic has two fantastic children. She has been breastfeeding since 2008 and she has been a La Leche League Leader since 2011. She has a B.A. in Political Science and an M.B.A. Susan has professional experience as a former civil servant in both the provincial and municipal governments and as a former policy and business consultant for various organizations in Calgary, Edmonton and Saskatoon in the public, private, and not-for-profit sectors. Susan joined the ABC in 2012.
Kara Westerlund Councillor for Division 4 Brazeau County
To former members of our board, your contributions have been invaluable!

Name

Bio

jodine

Jodine Chase

Consumer Advocate
Location: Edmonton

Jodine Chase owns a public relations firm that specializes in news analysis for a select clientele. She is a longtime breastfeeding advocate with five children and three grandchildren. She has provided a variety of news briefing services for the breastfeeding community and currently curates Human Milk News, and is list mother for several information sharing lists in Alberta relating to efforts to re-establish donor human milk banks. She joined the Alberta Breastfeeding Committee in 2011 and her focus has been providing support to develop ABC's communications strategy. She is a founding member of the Breastfeeding Action Committee for Edmonton (BACE), Human Milk for Human Babies, and a supporter of the nascent Calgary Mother’s Milk Bank in Alberta. Her most recent campaign has seen her take on the frat-boy monolith of Facebook, and while she hasn’t beaten them into submission, at least she has made them blink, and actually talk to mothers who understand breastfeeding is not about sex but is the natural way for people feed their children.

Find her on LinkedIn

Linda
Linda Dionne Marcoux

RN, BScN, IBCLC, RLC
Location: McLennan

Linda graduated from a Nursing Diploma program down east (Cégep 1977-1980), came to Alberta for work and for the past 32 years held various nursing positions. She started to work in Public Health in 1998 as she was completing her Post-RN Degree (1999) from University of Alberta/ Grande Prairie Regional College collaborative program. Particularly interested in prenatal care and passionate about breastfeeding, she obtained her IBCLC designation in 2005. She currently works full-time in Mc Lennan Public Health Services and covers the breastfeeding clinic in Peace River once a week. She volunteers on various committees in her rural community. Linda and her husband live on a farm south of Mc Lennan and have 2 daughters who presently attend university.

Maureen Fjeld

IBCLC, RLC
(Secretary)
Location: Calgary

Maureen Fjeld, IBCLC, RLC, FILCA - Founder and Director of the Calgary Breastfeeding Center since 1988, has over thirty-five years experience supporting breastfeeding families; originally as a La Leche League Leader in Calgary 1976-1992; IBCLC from 1987 to present; international speaker on breastfeeding for health professionals; Past President CLCA 1993-1998; Co-Chair of the Breastfeeding Committee for Canada, 1998-2001; Past President, ILCA, 2001-2005; Board Member, Alberta Breastfeeding Committee; founding member of Calgary Breastfeeding Matters Group Executive; and currently the ILCA Conference Program Committee Coordinator, 2010-2012. Maureen has three adult children and two very special grand-daughters who love to work with granny in the garden.

Jacki Glover

RN, MN, IBCLC, RLC
Location: Lethbridge

I am a Registered Nurse, graduated with a Masters of Nursing from Athabasca University and am a long time IBCLC. I became involved in breastfeeding with the birth of our first baby. I learned about La Leche League and became a leader in 1978 until the mid 80s. I maintained my focus on pre and postnatal care by working in with labor and birth and maternal-child nursing units until 1988 when I developed the first breastfeeding support service of its kind in Canada where care was open to any mother in southern Alberta throughout pregnancy, birthing and postpartum periods. I moved to nursing education with the Nursing Education in Southwestern Alberta registered nursing programs from 2002 until 2012. I have held positions on the ILCA board twice, was president of CLCA/ACCL and now on the board of the ABC and chair of the Education Committee. I am married to Bill and we have 2 children and grandmother of 4.

Patricia Leitner

RN, BN, IBCLC
(Treasurer)
Location: Red Deer

Patricia Leitner joined the ABC in 2005, has been a member of the Data Collection and Education Sub-Committee and currently serves as Treasurer of the board. Patricia took a special interest in breastfeeding at the beginning of her career in public health nursing in the late 70s and has been an IBCLC since 2005. Patricia worked in Public Health as a generalist public health nurse, manager and Maternal Child Coordinator until 2011 when she joined the Red Deer Primary Care Network as a Maternal Child Family Nurse. She is the mother of an adult son and daughter and the grandma of a breastfeeding grandaughter.

Denise Lewis

Location: Red Deer

Denise Lewis mother of three grown children two sons and an adopted daughter. I graduated as an RN. In 1970 and worked Nursery and Premature Nursery in Ottawa. I married in 1972 and moved to Calgary, where I continued my maternal child experience in the Labor and Delivery Unit. Next I worked in Lacombe for about 30 years. I ran a small business on Birthing and Breastfeeding. I continued my maternal child passion becoming an IBCLC in 2001. In 2002 I helped implement an IBCLC position at the Red Deer Health Unit. In 2007 I started a permanent part time position mentoring staff and seeing clients at the Red Deer Health Unit where I continue today. I recertified in 2011. I have three grandchildren 2 boys and a girl all breastfed.

Dianne Nikiforuk

RN, BScN, IBCLC
(Co-Chair)
Location: Drayton Valley

Dianne is married to Ron, a mother of three and grandmother of five. Established the first breastfeeding support group in Drayton Valley in 1978 and has been an advocate since that time. Graduated from the Winnipeg General Hospital in 1970 and the University of Alberta in 1973. Began working as a Public Health Nurse in1974. Became an International Board Certified Lactation Consultant in 1996. Has served on the Canadian Lactation Consultant Association board of directors and currently is treasurer for the Breastfeeding Committee for Canada and co-chair of the Alberta Breastfeeding Committee.

Jennifer Peddlesden

BSc Pharm, IBCLC, La Leche League
Canada Leader
(Co-Chair)
Location: Chestermere

Jen Peddlesden joined the ABC in 2008 as a member of the Education Committee. In 2011 she became Co-Chair. Jen is a retired pharmacist, has been an IBCLC since 1988 and is an active La Leche League Canada Leader. Jen graduated from the University of Alberta in 1970, worked in hospital, retail, and nutritional pharmacy until her retirement in 2010. Jen is moderator for the Breastfeeding and Infant Nutrition List Serve hosted by the Canadian Pharmacists Association www.pharmacists.ca and is a resource for the ABC on issues around adherence to The International Code of Marketing of Breast Milk Substitutes and relevant WHA Resolutions. She lives with her husband Bill on the shores of Chestermere Lake near Calgary. They have two grown children and three breastfed grand boys.

Vilia Tosio

Location: Fort McMurray

Vilia Tosio has two adult children. Originally from South African where she is Registered Nurse, Midwife and Community Nurse and has worked as a registered nurse in South Africa, Europe and New Zealand before coming to Canada in 2007. While working in a Neonatal ICU at Addington Hospital in the early 80’s, witnessing how donor human milk was used. As very sick babies recovered, her passion for helping mothers with breastfeeding developed. She completed the Breastfeeding Association of South Africa course to qualify as a Counsellor. In the Netherlands she had a private practice as an IBCLC Lactation Consultant. She presently does prenatal and breastfeeding classes at Keyano College. Vilia started a weekly mother to mother support group in Fort McMurray & helps mothers on a voluntary basis in the community. She joined the ABC in 2010.

Angie
Angie Kwade

LCCE, Postpartum and Labour Doula
Location: Okotoks

Angie Kwade is a mompreneur and founder of Rocky Mountain Mommies to be and Beyond, and a proud mom of a boy and a girl. She is trained labor and postpartum doula and a Lamaze Certified Childbirth educator. In addition, she has been focussing more of her time and energy on studying the many different areas of breastfeeding. She truly believes with support, empathy and knowledge she can help new moms be successful with breastfeeding and make it normal in our communities.Angie has worked in many different industries, but working with moms-to-be and postpartum moms is exactly where she is meant to be. She is very passionate about working with them and sharing her knowledge to help raise happy, healthy families

www.rockymtnmommies.ca

www.facebook.com/RockyMtnMommies

Follow me on Twitter!

Maxine

Maxine Wilkes

RN, BN, IBCLC
Location: Calgary

Maxine graduated from the University of Calgary in 1993. She developed an interest in women’s health while working in the expanded role on a first nation’s reserve. She has been a public health nurse since 2002, and an IBCLC since 2007. Maxine and Rob have four children, who were all breastfed.

Darlene

Darlene Henderson

RN, BN, IBCLC
Location: Calgary

I’ve been in the business of Moms, babies and breastfeeding for 35 years. 25 years as an NICU nurse, 20 years as an IBCLC, 10 years in Public Health. Sat on a Committee for BFHI in the earlier 90’s which stopped before it started. No one wanted to give up the free formula and equipment perks. I have 3 adult children who I breast fed until they were all over 2 years of age and decided they were big enough to get into the fridge. In the last year I have become an LLLC Leader and taken on the title of AHS Breastfeeding Coordinator for the Calgary zone.

My other passion is West African Drum and Dance. I’ve plans for returning to West Africa for the 3rd time this Christmas. My heart and soul found their home in the Gambia. Where breastfeeding is the “norm”!!

face photo3.jpg Jennifer Splaine

RN, BScN, IBCLC
Location: Fort McMurray

Jennifer Splaine is a Registered Nurse and International Board Certified Lactation Consultant working with Alberta Health Services in Public Health in Fort McMurray, Alberta. She received her Bachelor’s of Science in Nursing from McMaster University in 2000 and has been part of many Public Health teams in Ontario and Alberta over the last decade.

She became an IBCLC in 2010 and has practiced clinically as well as taken part in the Baby Friendly Initiative in Ontario. She is now involved in Fort McMurray Public Health’s work to become the first in Alberta to achieve Baby Friendly designation.

Susan

Susan Vukadinovic
Location: Calgary

Susan Vukadinovic has two fantastic children. She has been breastfeeding since 2008 and she has been a La Leche League Leader since 2011. She has a B.A. in Political Science and an M.B.A. Susan has professional experience as a former civil servant in both the provincial and municipal governments and as a former policy and business consultant for various organizations in Calgary, Edmonton and Saskatoon in the public, private, and not-for-profit sectors. Susan joined the ABC in 2012.

Kara Westerlund
Councillor for Division 4 Brazeau County

To former members of our board, your contributions have been invaluable!

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