Meet the LactaLearning Team
The passion that founders Barbara Robertson and Nancy Mohrbacher bring to LactaLearning began with their personal breastfeeding experiences and their first helping roles as peer supporters. Their grounding in peer support convinced them that to be truly effective, lactation support and education must strike the right balance between head and heart. This concept is a key component of LactaLearning’s mission and is embraced by every member of the LactaLearning team.
Our Founders
Barbara Robertson, MA, IBCLC
Barbara Robertson’s passion for lactation education was initially sparked by a personal interest that steadily evolved into a 25-year-plus vocation. Her professional journey began as a peer support group leader and progressed to her founding The Breastfeeding Center of Ann Arbor in Michigan, USA, and, subsequently, LactaLearning. Barbara has been an educator for over 35 years, and she deftly applies her master’s degree in curriculum development to lactation course creation. She believes that coursework should be engaging as well as informative, and her signature use of a variety of learning modalities makes LactaLearning courses experiential, enjoyable and effective. Barbara served as Director of Professional Development for the U.S. Lactation Consultant Association and contributing editor for its journal. She travels as a speaker and creates podcasts, videos and articles, in addition to guiding the LactaLearning community.
Nancy Mohrbacher, IBCLC, FILCA
For the past 40 years, Nancy has worked with focus and heart to make breastfeeding a fulfilling experience for families across the globe. She considers nursing a vital bonding experience and works diligently to make breastfeeding information widely available. In addition to her book, Breastfeeding Answers, the definitive reference for lactation specialists, Nancy continually creates communications -- from articles, podcasts and bilingual infographics to digital apps -- to ensure that any parent seeking guidance can access the information they need. Nancy is a sought-after international speaker and was among the first people to be honored for her lifetime contributions to the field of breastfeeding with the Fellow of the International Lactation Consultant Association (FILCA) designation. Her experience in education and the field of lactation shines brightly in the courses and resources offered through LactaLearning.
Our Teaching Staff
Jessica Beemsterboer, MEd, IBCLC
Jessica Beemsterboer, MEd, IBCLC, received her Master of Education in Adult Learning in 2014. She practices lactation support at the Breastfeeding Center of Ann Arbor. Before entering the lactation field, she worked at Google for 12 years in employee training and development. As the mother of two young children, she experienced her share of significant breastfeeding difficulties. The support she received from LactaLearning founder Barbara Robertson is a major reason she changed careers and became a lactation consultant. Now she's thrilled to combine helping breastfeeding families with her background in adult education.
Shonte' Terhune-Smith, BS, IBCLC
Shonte' Terhune-Smith, BS, IBCLC, is an International Board Certified Lactation Consultant. Over the past seven years, she has worked for Genesee County to increase breastfeeding rates. She facilitates local support groups, works with community partners, provides postpartum doula services, and recently completed training to be a childbirth educator. Normalizing breastfeeding is her passion. Her goal is to provide culturally competent care for all families. Shonte’ has breastfed her four children and understands the importance of support. She knows there can be struggles in breastfeeding and how rewarding it is to overcome them.