Meet Your Breast Friends

 Brandi Gates Burgess, IBCLC

Founder and Executive Director

Hi, I'm Brandi Gates-Burgess, a Bay Area Native (Richmond Baby!), mother of four exclusively breastfed children, and a passionate breastfeeding advocate. In 2005, the breastfeeding world called me to birth work when I began breastfeeding my daughter. The feelings I felt were indescribable, and I wanted everyone to feel this way when feeding their child, so I began to work as a Breastfeeding Peer Counselor for the WIC program. I began my breastfeeding story as a young mother and college student. During this time, I understood firsthand how important support and anticipatory guidance is throughout the breastfeeding journey. I successfully breastfed my daughter for 19 months while working and finishing college. I became an International Board-Certified Lactation Consultant (IBCLC) in 2011 and I have been empowering Bay Area families ever since. I have worked in the lactation field as a Breastfeeding Peer Counselor, Breastfeeding Specialist, and Breastfeeding Coordinator. I am a skilled group facilitator and trainer in breastfeeding education classes, workshops, and support groups.

In 2016 and 2017, The California Breastfeeding Coalition and Black Girls Rock awarded me the Rising Star Award and Black Girls Rock award for Outstanding Community Leadership. I have been called to share my knowledge, research and lived experiences with audiences all the world as a presenter and motivational speaker.

I have a fun, warm, and simple approach when supporting families. I will make space for you to share your questions and concerns, and we will co-create a plan to meet your breastfeeding goals. I love painting, dancing, and studying history in my spare time. I have the heart to serve my community and believe every family should have the proper resources, information, and support to make an informed decision in meeting their infant feeding goals.

Our Breast Friend Group Facilitator

Our Breast Friend group has a wonderful facilitating team that reflects our Bay Area community and advocates for exclusive breastfeeding. All of the Breast Friends team have exclusively breastfed for over 1 year and bring their unique experience to their work. Our facilitator has been trained in group facilitation and has completed the 20 hours of Loving Support Peer Counselor Training. They strive to maintain a safe, supportive, and fun learning space.

  • Hi, I'm Renee. I'm from Sacramento but currently live in Oakland. I am a mother of 6 boys! My love for breastfeeding started with my 3rd son; with the support of Black lactation consultants, I could surpass my 3-month breastfeeding goal and breastfeed for 2 years. I am a Certified Lactation Educator (CLE) and trained as a breastfeeding peer counselor. I have been one of the lead Facilitators for the Breast Friends team since 2013. Most recently, I have expanded my birth work skill set and became a doula. I can now use my lactation skill set to support families during pregnancy, birth, and postpartum. In my spare time, I love to nurture my plants and paint.

    I look forward to supporting all of my new Breast Friends!

Lactation Workshop Trainer

Allana Samuel, BA, IBCLC

Allana Samuel, infamously known as the late-night lactation consultant, brings a lighthearted and simple approach to the complexity of lactation issues. She is an International Board-Certified Lactation Consultant who began her journey seventeen years ago as a breastfeeding peer counselor. She cherishes the experience and skills she has acquired over time. She offers a listening ear, a warm heart, and lactation expertise that has improved many lives. Allana attended the UCSD Lactation Program and received her certification in 2010.

She has a sheer passion for teaching and training both families and providers. She understands that pregnancy and infant care is an exciting yet vulnerable time and that skilled support is invaluable/priceless/ vital. Allana takes pride in her belief that lactation promotion and support is not merely a job but a lifestyle that has the power to transform individual lives and communities. She has breastfed all four of her amazing children and is delighted to be one of your Breast Friends during your lactation journey!

Board Members

  • Julie Harris

    President

  • Brandi Gates Burgess

    Secretary

  • Shatae Deckard

    Treasurer

  • Josephine Raine

    Board Member

  • Vanessa Trotter

    Board Member

  • Julie Harris is a native of San Francisco. Julie is working as a consultant for reproductive justice, maternal, paternal & children’s health, health & wellness, childhood development, and parent resource community development. She has dedicated her work to improving the disparities impacting melanated and marginalized communities. Julie is a mother of three breastfed children. Julie loves her community, and her community loves her back.

  • Brandi is a dedicated wife, mother, and lactation consultant. Her passion for Black women and breastfeeding is incomparable. In 2005, Brandi was called to birth work while she was breastfeeding her daughter. She began to work for the WIC program as a Breastfeeding Peer Counselor, supporting teens and young parents through their lactation journeys. In 2011, Brandi became an International Board Certified Lactation Consultant (IBCLC) and passionately empowered her community.

    Over the years, Brandi’s family has grown, and her career has flourished. She is the founder and executive director of Breast Friends Lactation Support Services, which offers lactation consultation, breastfeeding support groups, and education classes to Black parents.

    Currently, she breastfeeds her son SJ, Co-Chairs the Breastfeeding Cultural Outreach Taskforce (BCOT), whose mission is to review the art of breastfeeding in the African American community. Sits on several community advisory boards, including the Preterm Birth Initiative, Perinatal Equity Initiative, and the MILK Research Lab Community Advisory Board, and works as a lactation consultant at Highland hospital. Brandi brings her innovative perspective, lived experience, and the Black woman’s voice to all of her work.

  • Shatae is a proud mother, breastfeeding and financial literacy advocate. After dealing with identity theft and credit fraud. Shatae has made it her mission to support families to live on a budget, repair and build credit to meet their life goals. She is the founder of Your Life is Everlasting (YLIE) an up and coming nonprofit organization focused on financial literacy. Shatae has a passion to help her community, she brings her experience of connecting families to community referrals and resources.

  • Josephine is influenced by ancestral wisdom from West Africa. She believes in using a holistic approach in all areas of life, especially when raising and feeding our children. Josephine is a Registered Dietitian and Nutritionist. She received her master's degree in Medical Nutrition Therapy at the University of Kansas Medical Center. She is the Director of the Women Infants and Children (WIC) Nutrition Program at the City of Berkeley. She is the Creator of the KANEA and the founder of SisterMind Village. She is a mama with two young ones who are both still breastfeeding.

  • My name is Vanessa Trotter; I was raised in Oakland, California. I have nine children, which I breastfed for one year each. I started working for WIC in 2016 as a breastfeeding peer counselor. As a peer counselor, I was able to give anticipatory guidance and help moms work through common breastfeeding challenges. While working as a peer counselor, I was able to join the Alameda County Breastfeeding coalition. This is where I was able to give feedback on what challenges and barriers the community faces with successfully breastfeeding. I currently work for a Native American health center as an eligibility specialist, ensuring I continually serve the community at large. Advocating for breastfeeding and giving back to the community has been my passion. Promoting and educating about breastfeeding to all parents is my goal daily.