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About Us
WHO WE ARE
The Coalition is a non profit 501c3 corporation, comprised of health care providers, community leaders, policy makers, and parents, as well as public and private organizations with the common goal of promoting and supporting breastfeeding as the culture norm in Ventura County.
OUR MISSION AND VISION
Our mission is to promote breastfeeding in the community by providing resources and education to families, health care professionals, employers, and policy makers.
Our vision is to see EVERY FAMILY IS SUPPORTED TO BREASTFEED
WHAT WE DO
Through Outreach, Education and Advocacy we seek to improve breastfeeding rates in our community, contributing to a healthier Ventura County.
Outreach: Resource Guide & Website, advertising rack cards, Thank you for Nursing your baby cards and Nursing Nook provided at Community Events
Education: Annual Education Conference
Advocacy: Annual World Breastfeeding Week Proclamation at the Ventura County Board of Supervisors
Nahal Papehn, M.S., CCC-SLP, CBS
Nahal Papehn, M.S., CCC-SLP, CBS
Nahal Papehn, M.S., CCC-SLP, CBS
BOARD CHAIR:
Nahal is a licensed speech-language pathologist, certified breastfeeding specialist and founder at Coo, Babble, and Talk pediatric services. She is dedicated to serving families in Ventura County, specializing in early intervention and supporting early feeding. In 2021, she expanded her practice to include lactation and postpartum support, recognizing the vital connection between early feeding, bonding, and communication development. As a breastfeeding advocate, Nahal believes that the foundation of communication begins with skin-to-skin contact and nurturing early interactions. Her own experience breastfeeding her two boys reinforced her commitment to supporting parents on their feeding journeys.
Andrea Rodriguez, CPA
Nahal Papehn, M.S., CCC-SLP, CBS
Nahal Papehn, M.S., CCC-SLP, CBS
BOARD TREASURER:
CPA and partner at Vance, Thrift and Biller, LLP . Mother of two breastfed boys (tandem at one point) now 11 and 9. Passionate about women's reproductive rights and supporting families to breastfeed. Love spending my time outside of work outdoors: beach, hiking, biking, camping.
Andrea was instrumental in helping the BCVC obtain and maintain their 501c3 NonProfit Status.
Alice Pope, RN, MSN, IBCLC
Nahal Papehn, M.S., CCC-SLP, CBS
Alice Pope, RN, MSN, IBCLC
EDUCATION CHAIR:
Alice has been a board member of BCVC since 2017 focusing her volunteer efforts in the areas of community outreach and professional education. She works for Community Memorial Healthcare New Parent Resource Center as an International Board Certified Lactation Consultant where she helps families meet their breastfeeding goals in the postpartum period. Prior to joining CMH in 2022, she worked at several hospitals in the Ventura and Los Angeles area providing inpatient lactation care. A Ventura county native, Alice lives in Camarillo with her husband and two children.
Sharlena Pina
Chantel Rodriguez
Alice Pope, RN, MSN, IBCLC
Member at Large/ East County Rep: Sharlena has been working with new mothers and their families in the East County for over 15 years with Ventura County Healthcare Agency at Sierra Vista Family Medical Clinic, leading the program Comprehensive Perinatal Service Program. She is a Certified Lactation Counselor and Child Passenger Safety Seat Technician. She has a passion for the Fourth Trimester, and always looking for ways to enrich her knowledge to offer that support. Sharlena lives with her 4 children, and husband, Hector. In her free time you will find her at a high school baseball game or at a soccer game.
Cristal Quezada
Chantel Rodriguez
Chantel Rodriguez
Board Member at Large:
Cristal assists with BCVC social media outreach and just graduated from CSUCI’s nursing program. Cristal is passionate about Maternal Child Health and is currently employed as a Mother Baby RN, where she’s received extensive Baby Friendly training. She has also taken a lactation education counselor course. She’s proud to be able to provide English-Spanish breastfeeding education to her patients. Cristal is eager to expand and share her knowledge with the community.
Chantel Rodriguez
Chantel Rodriguez
Chantel Rodriguez
Board Member at Large:
Chantel assists with the social media for BCVC and is part of the outreach committee. She has her bachelors of science in public health and is an IBCLC. I am passionate about helping breastfeeding families receive the resources and education they need to meet their goals.
Margaret Leroy
Patricia Nanda, DMD, MPH
Patricia Nanda, DMD, MPH
Board Member at Large:
"I have worked as a Registered Dietitian in Ventura County for the past 15 years and I am a certified lactation counselor. I currently work in public health with several programs geared toward providing services to children in our county. I am also the mother of two boys and have loved my breastfeeding experience. I am excited to use my nutrition expertise as well as passion for breastfeeding to support the breastfeeding goals of all women in Ventura County."
Patricia Nanda, DMD, MPH
Patricia Nanda, DMD, MPH
Patricia Nanda, DMD, MPH
Board Member at Large:
Dr. Patricia is a Harvard, UCLA Board-Certified Pediatric Dental Specialist. She is a Certified Lactation Education Counselor and a CO2 Laser frenectomy provider for infant and children tongue and lip ties. She serves on the Board of the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry, The Santa Barbara Ventura County Dental Society, and the Ventura County Breastfeeding Coalition. She lives in Oxnard with her husband and two young boys and has been serving patients in Ventura County the past 10 years.
Cari Vargas, MPH, CLE
Patricia Nanda, DMD, MPH
Cari Vargas, MPH, CLE
Board Member at large:
Cari is a committed Public Health Professional with a strong background in outreach and program planning. A proud graduate of California State University, Northridge (CSUN), she most recently played a key role in coordinating the successful Annual Birth and Baby Resource Fair in 2024. Cari is a passionate advocate for breastfeeding, drawing from her personal experience of breastfeeding her two children. She is deeply dedicated to ensuring that every mother who chooses to breastfeed has the necessary resources and support to do so.
Tara Stivers, IBCLC
Lydia Ramirez, MPH, CLE
Cari Vargas, MPH, CLE
Board Member at Large:
Tara Stivers, IBCLC has several years of prior experience as a board-certified lactation consultant, birth doula, childbirth educator, prenatal yoga teacher, and infant massage instructor. She has experience providing breastfeeding education and skilled lactation support to families in Ventura County, both in private practice and with the WIC Peer Counseling Program. She is passionate about supporting families on their journey into parenthood and continues to advocate for breastfeeding and related support resources in the community on a volunteer basis. Tara and her husband Leigh live in Camarillo, and are enjoying witnessing their young adult son and daughter launch their careers. She enjoys yoga, hiking and time spent with friends.
Patricia Ferrer
Lydia Ramirez, MPH, CLE
Lydia Ramirez, MPH, CLE
Board Member at Large:
Trish is a registered nurse and certified breastfeeding specialist who is grateful to call Ventura county her new home. She is passionate about providing holistic postpartum care, including quality lactation support. She believes breastfeeding is the ultimate public health measure and “every drop is a gift”. Trish has provided care in a variety of perinatal settings including hospitals, birth centers, clinics, and in-home visits.
She has a spunky and free daughter, an awesome husband, and a crazy dog named Scout. She enjoys gardening, crocheting, yoga, and time in nature.
Lydia Ramirez, MPH, CLE
Lydia Ramirez, MPH, CLE
Lydia Ramirez, MPH, CLE
Board Member at Large:
Lydia is a devoted Health Educator in Ventura County, where she has dedicated the past four years to empowering new mothers and their families through comprehensive prenatal education and support. With a strong commitment to advocating for breastfeeding, Lydia actively collaborates with organizations that uplift underserved communities, ensuring they have access to vital health resources in both English and Spanish. Beyond her professional life, Lydia embraces adventure and connection; she enjoys hiking in Yosemite to recharge in nature and hosting dinner parties for her friends and family.
Layne Casillas, BSN, RN, PHN, CLE, CPN
Layne Casillas, BSN, RN, PHN, CLE, CPN
Layne Casillas, BSN, RN, PHN, CLE, CPN
Board Member at Large:
Layne is a registered nurse and currently works for the Ventura County Public Health Department as a clinical supervisor for Nurse-Family Partnership, a nurse home visiting program serving first time mothers. She is also the Perinatal Services Coordinator, working with providers to improve maternal and perinatal systems of care.
When she started working as a home-visiting nurse in Public Health, she quickly became a certified lactation educator to support her clients in reaching their breastfeeding goals, and to provide each child with the healthiest start possible. After the birth of her first son, she struggled to breastfeed and could not have achieved it without the support and encouragement from her husband, family, and a compassionate IBCLC. She is passionate about providing lactation resources to every family in our community and continuously advocates to support new mothers in achieving their breastfeeding and health goals.
Heather Camarena, BSN, RN, PHN, IBCLC
Layne Casillas, BSN, RN, PHN, CLE, CPN
Layne Casillas, BSN, RN, PHN, CLE, CPN
Member at Large /
Advisory Board Member
Heather has served as the Outreach Director for BCVC and has served as a Board Member and/or Board Chair over the past 10 years. Professionally, she has worked with new mothers and babies for over 20 years in both hospital and outpatient settings. She is passionate about helping new families navigate the early postpartum period and achieve their breastfeeding or breast pumping goals. She currently works for the Ventura County WIC program as the Breastfeeding Coordinator and Regional Breastfeeding Liaison. Heather lives with her three children and husband, John. In her free time, Heather thinks about what resources she can add to the Breastfeeding Coalition Website and drinks coffee
In Memory of Amy
Layne Casillas, BSN, RN, PHN, CLE, CPN
In Memory of Amy