Bridging the Gap through Babies and Beyond – Infant Feeding, Early Intervention, and Health Disparities
Presented by:
Emma Justice, MS CCC-SLP, CLC, NTMTC,
Amanda Pericles, MS, CCC-SLP, CBS,
Chanelle Tignor M.S. CCC-SLP,
Dr. Megan Richmond, CCC-SLP, CLC
Join Chicago Feeding Group for a candid discussion on building stronger support systems for lactation, NICU families, and underserved communities, with a focus on improving outcomes for minority women and infants.
The panelists will explore critical topics surrounding underserved families and provide valuable insights on how professionals can address the unique needs of these families while promoting equitable access to care.
(*ASHA CCC holders: This course fulfills ASHA’s Cultural Competence, Cultural Humility, Culturally Responsive Practice, and/or Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (CC/DEI) requirement.)
Key topics to be discussed include:
- Collaboration with Other Providers: Panelists will discuss the essential role of interdisciplinary collaboration in supporting underserved families. By working alongside pediatricians, lactation consultants, and other healthcare providers, we can offer comprehensive care that addresses all aspects of infant feeding and development.
- Strategies for Promoting Successful Lactation and Infant Feeding: Panelists will share evidence-based strategies to promote lactation success and infant feeding, emphasizing the importance of early interventions and tailored approaches to meet the needs of each family.
- Supporting Families in the NICU: The panel will focus on how professionals can provide crucial support for families navigating the NICU experience, highlighting communication strategies, emotional support, and guidance on infant feeding and development.
- Challenges Facing Families in Accessing Early Intervention Services: Addressing the disparities in early intervention access for Black and other minority families, panelists will discuss the barriers these families face and how professionals can advocate for better support and equitable service delivery.
- Impact of Systemic Health Disparities and Structural Racism: The discussion will explore how systemic health disparities and structural racism impact feeding development in infants. Panelists will examine the intersection of these social determinants with feeding issues and the role of professionals in addressing these inequities.
- Advocacy for Policy Improvements: Panelists will provide insight into how professionals can advocate for policies that increase access to early intervention services, ensuring that all families receive the care they need for optimal infant development.
- Culturally Responsive Care: The panel will cover tools and approaches for delivering culturally responsive care to diverse families. Strategies for building trust and understanding cultural differences will be key themes of this conversation.
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Identifying Early Signs of Feeding or Swallowing Issues: Panelists will discuss the importance of early detection of feeding or swallowing problems, offering practical advice on how professionals can educate families and healthcare professionals about recognizing these issues early and seeking timely intervention.
This event promises to provide professionals with actionable insights and strategies to better serve families, especially those from underserved communities, and to promote equitable care in the critical areas of infant feeding, lactation, and early intervention.
Important Registration Information
Tickets are available for Parent/Caregivers, Students, or Professionals. Please use the appropriate ticket for your role. Professional are asked to register individually (not as as group).
Where Can I Find The Event Link?
The event link will be included in the confirmation email you receive upon registration. A second email with the link will be sent out when registration closes 24 hours before the live event time.
Time & Date
Please note this event is taking place at 6:30 pm Central Time, and will be held virtually via Zoom. To find out what time this is where you live, look here. Registration will close at 5:00 pm Central Time 4/8/2025. **Please check your spam folder as our emails occasionally end up there.**
CEU Credits
This course is being submitted for credit with the Illinois Early Intervention Program. Please check with your local professional organization to determine additional professional education credit. Those who have paid for a professional ticket and are in attendance for the duration of the full event will receive a certificate of attendance for credit. Those who registered for a student ticket will also receive a certificate, however these will not be eligible for CEUs.
*ASHA CCC holders: This course fulfills ASHA’s Cultural Competence, Cultural Humility, Culturally Responsive Practice, and/or Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (CC/DEI) requirement.
Financial Assistance
Should cost be a concern that would hinder your participation, we may be able to offer financial assistance. This will be determined on a case-by-case basis. Please contact Lindsay Hoffer at lindsay@chicagofeedinggroup.org
Cancellation Policy
Requests to cancel registration for a live course must be made in writing via email to hello@chicagofeedinggroup.org at least 2 days prior to the course date/time. Timely cancellation requests will be honored by a refund of the registration fee minus a $5 administrative fee. Questions regarding cancellations may be directed to hello@chicagofeedinggroup.org.
About our Speakers:
Emma Justice, MS CCC-SLP, CLC, NTMTC, is the founder and lead clinician at Justice For Infant Feeding Therapy and Lactation where she specializes in infant and pediatric feeding and swallowing with a particular emphasis on NICU graduates, non traditional families and culturally diverse populations. Emma is certified in lactation counseling and neonatal touch and massage. Through JFI she provides in-home and telehealth services, parent and clinician coaching as well as online resources and guides such as How to wean from a Pacifier and more.
Emma is a Boston native whose experience spans various settings, including Pediatric acute care including the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, Pediatric Intensive Care Unit, Pediatric Oncology, and more. Emma has experience working on interdisciplinary teams including Cleft and Craniofacial, Aerodigestive, Complex Care and Pediatric Feeding Teams in both the inpatient and outpatient settings.
In addition to her clinical work, Emma is a guest lecturer and has presented nationally on pediatric dysphagia. She serves as the primary pediatric consultant for the Swallowing Wellness Center where she teaches about infant and pediatric swallow studies. Emma co-created BABY S.T.E.P, with Dr. Ianessa Humbert, an infant and pediatric adaptation of Humbert’s S.T.E.P. (Swallowing Training Educational Portal), designed to provide accessible, affordable, and evidence-based swallowing education. She is an active member of ASHA’s Pediatric Feeding Disorders topic committee and volunteers for Boston’s March of Dimes Organization. As an adoptee and former NICU baby, Emma is deeply committed to addressing social determinants of health and promoting trauma-informed care.
Emma has been the recipient of several grants and awards recognizing her service work, advocacy, and commitment to continuing professional development. Alongside her private practice, she holds positions with Boston Public Schools, where she has been instrumental in co-creating guidelines and policies pertaining to feeding and swallowing within the public school environment, and with Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital, where she delivers part-time outpatient rehabilitation and inpatient care within the Level II NICU special care nursery.
Megan Richmond, DHA, CCC-SLP, has over twenty years of research, clinical, and leadership experience. She provides services in the NICU and pediatric outpatient settings specializing in feeding disorders. Dr. Richmond’s research interests focus on neonatal outcomes and service delivery models. She has also authored several therapy materials that support communication development.
Amanda Pericles, MS, CCC-SLP, CBS (she/her/ella) is a bilingual licensed speech-language pathologist and certified breastfeeding specialist based in Charlotte, NC. She currently serves as Department Lead and Lead Diagnostician at a pediatric private practice, serving a large bilingual Spanish speaking population. She is also a voice artist at The Informed SLP and volunteers as a peer facilitator for Chocolate Milk Cafe, a lactation support group for families of the African diaspora.
Chanelle Tignor, a Charlotte, NC native, is a dedicated Speech-Language Pathologist specializing in infant and pediatric feeding. She earned her Bachelor of Science from Winston-Salem State University and her Master of Science in Speech-Language Pathology from The University of the District of Columbia.
With a diverse background spanning telehealth, private practice, home health, skilled nursing facilities, inpatient pediatric acute care, the NICU, and outpatient hospital settings, Chanelle has developed extensive expertise in feeding and swallowing disorders. She is currently leading the development of an infant and pediatric feeding program in the outpatient hospital setting while establishing consistent NICU-based therapy services in the NICU. While being Passionate about expanding her knowledge and impact, Chanelle just started her journey toward becoming an International Board Certified Lactation Consultant (IBCLC). She is a strong advocate for equitable access to feeding support, actively networking and pushing boundaries to create opportunities in her field. Beyond clinical care, she enjoys mentoring, public speaking, guest lecturing, providing free or affordable resources to those aspiring to enter pediatric feeding therapy, and aspires to be apart of research.