Co-Presidents
Lorraine Mejias, MPA
Lorraine Mejias is a postpartum doula, educator, and mother of one from Central NJ. She is passionate about increasing the safety in health care and reducing health care disparities, especially within maternal health. Her advocacy for breastfeeding began after realizing how powerful breastfeeding is after having her first baby. She was able to successfully breastfeed for the first three years of her daughter’s life and hopes to reduce the stigma behind breastfeeding toddlers through education. Lorraine loves seafood, traveling, and finding new hiking trails to explore. She holds a Masters in Public Administration and a Bachelor of Science in both Psychology and Criminal Justice, all from Rutgers University.
Danielle Tropea, MPH, IBCLC
Danielle Tropea is an International Board-Certified Lactation Consultant (IBCLC) based in Maplewood, dedicated to enhancing maternal-infant health through expert lactation support. Her approach emphasizes mental health and well-being, offering families personalized guidance for their unique breastfeeding journey.
Danielle holds a Masters of Public Health in Community Health Education from Montclair State University, complementing her role as the NJ WIC State Breastfeeding Coordinator at the NJ Department of Health, where she provided leadership to ensure effective delivery of lactation services. She also has hands-on clinical experience from working in three North Jersey hospitals, offering specialized care for complex breastfeeding challenges. She is also on the Board of the National Lactation Consultant Alliance, whose mission is to advocate for patient safety in lactation care and equitable access to clinical lactation services, while supporting breastfeeding families and IBCLCs, where she serves as the Social Media Chair.
As a mother of two breastfed children – now high school and college students – Danielle’s personal experience fuels her dedication to empowering families with confidence and care.
Treasurer
Maida Valentin, MHA, IBCLC
Maida Valentin is a bilingual (English-Spanish) International Board Certified Lactation Consultant, with a masters in Health Administration and Leadership from Capella University, former WIC Nutritionist, and current Breastfeeding Coordinator at the Jersey City WIC agency in New Jersey. Maida has served the urban and most diverse City of Jersey City for over a decade.
Now, she can enjoy reading drama and suspense novels and exercising her mind body and soul in her small spare time. Besides her four growing daughters, she prides herself in completing her first 10k marathon in May 2022. Maida is also growing her faith and spiritual connection. She looks forward to contributing to bridging gaps in the maternal and child health field while advocating for breastfeeding among working families in urban communities. She prays that one day, she will become an educator at a local university.
Grants Co-Chairs
Sindy Ferreira, MPH, IBCLC
Sindy Ferreira, MPH, IBCLC, is a researcher, maternal-child health advocate, and bi-lingual Board-Certified Lactation Consultant based in Burlington County. Sindy holds a Master of Public Health in Nutrition and has additional training in nutrition and healthy living from Cornell University. She is the co-founder of New Jersey’s first Baby Café and is committed to improving breastfeeding outcomes in underserved communities. Sindy is a mother of two boys. In her free time, she enjoys sleeping, cooking, exploring new coffee shops, spending time with her family, and her two Shar-Pei dogs.
Justin Silpe, PhD
Justin Silpe is a molecular and chemical biologist passionate about leveraging science to address maternal and infant health challenges. He earned his Ph.D. in Molecular Biology from Princeton University in 2020, where his research uncovered novel ways bacteria and viruses communicate. Following a postdoctoral fellowship at Harvard focused on women’s health microbiome research, Justin co-founded PumpKin to tackle issues surrounding the nutritional quality of stored breast milk.
As Chief Scientific Officer at PumpKin Baby, Justin leads research and development of human milk research intended for scientists and parents. Inspired by his family’s experiences, he is deeply committed to supporting parents and infants through impactful scientific solutions. Justin’s entrepreneurial journey has been recognized through significant grants and fellowships, including the Activate Fellowship and the Tiger Entrepreneur Award. Through his work, Justin continually seeks to bridge cutting-edge scientific discovery with tangible, real-world bene
fits, striving to improve the health outcomes of families globally.
Noelle Tongue
Noelle Tongue is a Community Health Educator with Central Jersey Family Health Consortium, supporting perinatal families through the NJ Postpartum Resources and Support Network. She holds a B.A. in Criminal Justice and Sociology from the University of Maryland, College Park, and is Infant Mental Health Endorsed, with a strong background in early childhood development and family support.
A former Community Transformer with Reaching Our Sisters Everywhere (R.O.S.E.), Noelle’s passion for lactation support grew from her personal breastfeeding journey – nursing her eldest for two years (including during pregnancy) and her youngest until age three – and witnessing how cultural bias and lack of support impact families. She is committed to normalizing breastfeeding at all stages and connecting families to the resources they need to thrive.
Noelle is also a Mindfulness guide and Reiki Master, currently studying Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction. She enjoys hiking, nature, and creative expression, and is committed to supporting families with compassion and culturally responsive care.
Melanie Hutton, CLC
Melanie Hutton is a maternal-child health professional with over 17 years of experience specializing in lactation and infant feeding. She holds an Associate of Arts degree, is a Certified Lactation Counselor, and is currently pursuing certification as an International Board Certified Lactation Consultant (IBCLC). In her role as a Community Health Worker with the Perinatal Health Equity Initiative, Melanie provides culturally responsive support to Black birthing families, working to address systemic barriers and promote breastfeeding equity. A mother of three and a dedicated advocate, she is committed to advancing informed choice and community-centered care.
