For nearly two decades, Angela Ferguson-Parker has been a trusted source of guidance, compassion, and expertise for new families at Southwest Mississippi Regional Medical Center (SMRMC) in McComb, Mississippi. As a Lactation Counselor in the Labor, Delivery, Recovery, and Postpartum (LDRP) Departmen

Kara D. Napier, RD, LD, is a passionate advocate for maternal and child health and a dedicated leader in breastfeeding support. As the West Virginia WIC State Breastfeeding Coordinator, Kara oversees the state’s breastfeeding program and partners with seven WV CHAMPS National hospitals to advance

Georganna Cogburn, MS, RD, LDN, IBCLC, RLC, is a registered dietitian and lactation consultant with over four decades of service in public health and maternal-child health in North Carolina. A native of Western North Carolina, she completed her undergraduate and graduate degrees in Nutrition from UN

CHEER is proud to recognize Southwest Mississippi Regional Medical Center (SMRMC) in McComb, Mississippi, as our CHAMPion of the Week! SMRMC recently achieved Baby-Friendly Hospital Re-designation in September 2025, a significant milestone reflecting its continue

Adarin Rezaei has always been curious about how things work—a trait that led him to study Construction Engineering and IT, and later spend four years as a programmer. Fluent in English, Turkish, and Farsi, Adarin has used his multilingual skills to connect across cultures and provide meaningful su

Since 2017, Lynn Tanner, RN, IBCLC has been making a difference for mothers, babies, and families at Baptist Medical Center South in Montgomery, Alabama. She began her career as a Mother/Baby nurse before transitioning

Congratulations to North Mississippi Medical Center–Tupelo, CHEER’s CHAMPion of the Week! After years of dedication and continuous quality improvement, the team has been officially redesignated as Baby-Friendly. Located in Tupelo, Mississippi, the hospital has been a commi

For 15 years, Laurie McHenry, RN, BSN, IBCLC, has been supporting families at the University of Mississippi Medical Center (UMMC) – spending 13 of those years in the lactation office. As a nurse educator, she works alongside four fellow lactation nurses and a dietitian, providing education and com

West Virginia hospital teams are leading the way in advancing breastfeeding education and support! West Virginia’s seven CHAMPS National hospitals - Cabell Huntington Hospital, Charleston Area Medical Center Women and Children’s Hospital, WVU Camden Clark Medical Center, WVU Medicine Children’

Sheila Kredit, MD, IBCLC, NABBLM-C, FAAFP, is a family physician and clinical faculty member at Central Washington Family Medicine in Yakima, WA, with a passion for maternal and child health. She is board-certified in Family Medicine and Breastfeeding and Lactation Medicine—a field where she is bo