National Breastfeeding Committee

Committee Members

Committee members were selected for their complementary expertise and their ability to advance the vision, mission and key tasks of the committee, rather than to represent a specific organisation. Representation from Māori and Pacific peoples, consumer groups and geographical spread was also considered.

Norma Campbell, midwifery advisor to the New Zealand College of Midwives, chairs the committee.

The committee members are:

Norma Campbell (Chair)
Midwifery Advisor, New Zealand College of Midwives

Norma was the Chair of the National Breastfeeding Advisory Committee from 2006 to 2008.

The New Zealand College of Midwives is the professional organisation for midwives representing over 2500 members. Norma’s primary role as Midwifery Advisor is to provide advice and support for the NZCOM and its members of various aspects of midwifery practice. Norma also oversees the quality assurance and professional development process for the midwifery profession, and holds the Complaints Resolution portfolio for NZCOM.

Norma has been involved with the New Zealand Breastfeeding Authority since its inception. She spent two years on the Committee and was one of the first Baby Friendly Hospital Initiative assessors. More recently she has been involved with a number of maternity and infant health initiatives, including the Maternity Action Plan for the Ministry of Health.

Norma completed her midwifery training in 1981 in Scotland, and has worked in a variety of roles before joining the NZCOM. Norma holds a Graduate Diploma of Arts (applied) in Midwifery and a Master of Midwifery, awarded in 2004.

Carol Bartle
Coordinator, Canterbury Breastfeeding Advocacy Service, Te Puawaitanga Ki Otautahi Trust

Carol has worked since 1980 to support and advocate for the protection, promotion and support of breastfeeding in roles ranging from maternity facility and community midwife, well child health nurse, neonatal outreach nurse and family support worker.

Carol is a registered nurse and midwife, an International Board Certified Lactation Consultant, and a BFHI assessor. She is an experienced educator, teaching seminars in New Zealand and Australia on all aspects of breastfeeding, marketing, social marketing, ethics and the International Code of Marketing of Breast-milk Substitutes and subsequent, relevant WHA resolutions. Carol has also provided breastfeeding education to a wide range of audiences, from parents to midwives, doctors and other professional groups.

Carol has extensive experience in breastfeeding in neonatal intensive care units, and has been the breastfeeding coordinator and educator for the unit at Christchurch Women’s Hospital. She holds a Master of Health Sciences (Distinction), the research for which focused on mothers’ experiences of initiating lactation and establishing breastfeeding in the neonatal intensive care environment.

Carol’s other research and professional interests include child advocacy, infant and maternal mental health, working with infants and children with feeding problems, human milk banking, and longitudinal research into the development of children born pre-term. She is an experienced public speaker and educator. Carol is a member of the La Leche League NZ Board of Consultants, the Canterbury Breastfeeding Network, and the Infant Mental Health Association of New Zealand. She is also on the management board of the West Christchurch Women’s Refuge.

Dr Tangimoana Habib
General Practitioner, Te Kohao Health

Tangimoana was awarded fellowship of the Royal New Zealand College of General Practitioners in 2003, and currently works as a general practitioner for Te Kohao Health in Hamilton. A Māori health provider, Te Kohao is based in an urban marae and serves a mainly urban Māori population with strong links into the community through a variety of programmes. Tangimoana also runs a satellite clinic in another high need area of Hamilton. Tangimoana is of Ngati Tu Wharetoa descent.

Tangimoana has been involved in Te ORA, the Māori doctors’ association, since 2000, and has been a member of Te Akoranga a Maui, the Māori General Practitioner faculty since its inception in 2002. She served on the RNZCGP council in 2005 and 2006, and is the continuing medical education provider for Te ORA. In addition, Tangimoana has been a GP registrar trainer, and is on the RNZCGP Board of Assessment, a new board established by the College to provide governance in the education and examination of GPs.

Tangimoana has an interest in increasing the breastfeeding knowledge and skill base in general practice, given the ongoing relationship the general practices have with families in their care. She is also supportive of work to improve data collection and accuracy, particularly around breastfeeding rates for Māori, and is committed to improving Māori health status, noting that effective work in this area means improved health status for all New Zealanders.

Ligi Igasia-Holford
Independent Midwife

Ligi brings to the Committee 20 years of experience in the health sector, as a nurse, midwife, educator and community representative. Currently working in the Pacific Health Unit of Capital and Coast District Health Board as a Pacific Lactation Consultant trainee, Ligi sees and understands the challenges facing Pacific families with regard to breastfeeding, and what works to improve breastfeeding rates. She was also involved with the Pasifika Breastfeeding Programme Project stakeholders group, from its inception at Capital and Coast. Ligi is a qualified nurse and midwife, and currently works as a post-natal midwife and with a team of independent midwives in the community. Ligi has also provided midwifery clinics in her home country of Niue.

As an educator, Ligi has presented to Pacific Island ante natal classes, and has discussed and advised a range of Pacific groups on maternity-related issues. Ligi is a La Leche League Breastfeeding Peer Counsellor Programme Administrator, providing training to breastfeeding peer counsellors in the community.

Ligi has strong links with the Niuean and wider Pacific community in the greater Wellington region. She has worked with the Niuean, Tuvaluan and Cook Island communities to strengthen early childhood education for Pacific families in the Wellington area. She is a representative on the Ministry of Pacific Island Affairs’ Community Reference Group, specifically advising on health-related policy.

Ligi reports that she gets great satisfaction from her work in the community, in particular working with families and their third or fourth born - but first breastfed - baby.

Melanie McKenzie
Senior Regional Healthy Eating, Healthy Action Manager (on leave), Southland District Health Board

Melanie’s background is in public health, as a planning and funding analyst, a nutrition health promoter and in her current role as HEHA manager for the Southland District Health Board. Currently on maternity leave, Melanie is bringing her considerable professional experience and networks to the Committee

Melanie’s current role involves leadership for the development and ongoing implementation of the HEHA Strategy in Southland, with a strong focus on strategic and interagency planning and coordination.

Melanie is a member of La Leche League. As a new mother living in a rural area, she brings a very practical perspective to the Committee, along with her professional expertise.

Melanie holds a Diploma and Master of Public Health, both awarded with Distinction.

Beverly Pownall
Baby Friendly Hospital Initiative Project Manager, Middlemore Hospital

Bev is a nurse and midwife by training, and is an international Board Certified Lactation Consultant. Her current role with Counties Manukau District Health Board is focused on leading Middlemore Hospital’s project to become a Baby Friendly Hospital. Previously Bev led North Shore Hospital through the BFHI process, and assisted Waitakere Hospital’s achievement of BFHI accreditation. Bev is of Ngati Apakura, Ngati Kahungunu and New Zealand European descent.

Bev has held a wide range of senior and leadership positions in nursing and midwifery, and is an experienced professional mentor and educator. She has arranged and provided education covering normal and complex breastfeeding issues for nurses, midwives, doctors and others throughout New Zealand and internationally. Bev has also been involved in executive level roles for the New Zealand College of Midwives (Auckland) and New Zealand Lactation Consultants Association.

Having worked with a wide variety of organisations in New Zealand and overseas, and in a number of different roles, Bev has a firm belief in the importance of partnerships between health professionals and consumers, and says that she learned about breastfeeding from her family and from listening to and working with women throughout her career. Bev actively participates in La Leche League workshops, Auckland Breastfeeding Network meetings, and World Breastfeeding Week activities, and has a particular passion for peer support for breastfeeding women and families. She is a member of WABA and IFANZ.

In 2000 Bev was awarded a Master of Philosophy in Midwifery with Distinction. She holds a Postgraduate Diploma in Health Service Management, and is a BFHI Assessor.

Julie Stufkens
Executive Officer, New Zealand Breastfeeding Authority

Julie’s role as Executive Officer of the NZBA includes management and development of the work of the NZBA, which administers the Baby Friendly Initiative (BFI) in New Zealand. The BFI is a WHO/UNICEF initiative in operation in more than 170 countries.

The NZBA has worked to develop two aspects of BFI in New Zealand: the Baby Friendly Hospital Initiative (BFHI), and the Baby Friendly Community Initiative (BFCI). Ninety percent of New Zealand’s maternity units are now BFHI accredited. BFCI is currently being piloted in four centres around New Zealand.

Julie is a dietitian by training, and has worked as a paediatric dietician and a health promoter. She has overseen the development of resources and training guides for BFI projects. On the international stage, Julie has worked as a technical advisor for the WHO at the WHO/UNICEF consultation on Breastfeeding Protection, Promotion and Support (Manila, June 2007).

Julie’s active participation in the protection, promotion and support of breastfeeding began in 1991, and as a result she has a wealth of knowledge and experience, and networks throughout the breastfeeding sector in New Zealand and internationally. Julie is committed to breastfeeding becoming the cultural norm in New Zealand, including the recognition and protection of the right to breastfeed. In recognition of her work, Julie was made a member of the New Zealand Order of Merit in January 2009.

Barbara Sturmfels
Director, La Leche League New Zealand

Barbara has been a member of the La Leche League board since 1996, and is currently the Director. She was a member of the National Breastfeeding Advisory Committee from 2006 to 2008.

Barbara has represented La Leche League in a wide number of fora in New Zealand and internationally, and has extensive links with national and international agencies and groups, including the World Alliance for Breastfeeding Action (WABA) and groups, through to new mothers through her work as a La Leche League leader.

Barbara’s background is in economics, and with this experience she brings an analytical and detailed approach to her work on breastfeeding, including a strong interest in the economic impacts that low breastfeeding rates have on families, communities, and society as a whole. Barbara is committed to the development of a breastfeeding culture in Aotearoa New Zealand.

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Page last updated: 2 April 2009