Consultants

Amy Fletcher, BSN, RN, IBCLC, is a Lactation Consultant with Atlanta Lactation, bringing 19 years of NICU and pediatric nursing experience and 7 years in lactation. She specializes in supporting NICU and premature babies, flange and pump fitting, oral restrictions, and milk supply concerns. As a mom of four with unique breastfeeding journeys, and a surrogate who pumped and donated milk, Amy blends professional expertise with personal experience to guide families with compassion.

Anne received both her Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Education from the University of Mainz, Germany. She is now an International Board Certified Lactation Consultant (IBCLC) at Atlanta Lactation, supporting families with compassionate and individualized care. Anne is committed to creating evidence-based feeding plans that honor each family’s unique goals. Outside of work, she cherishes time with her family, trains for triathlons, and explores her interest in nutrition and exercise science.

Carrie Dendtler, PT DPT IBCLC has been working with families and babies for 27 years. She specializes in finding solutions in collaboration with families and brings skills including multiple feeding certifications and NICU experience. Outside of work, Carrie enjoys being with her family, being outside at the family farm, working out, and always learning and creating.

Heather Markovitch, IBCLC, is a lactation consultant with Atlanta Lactation. She is well-versed in feeding support, family-centered care, and helping parents find healthy feeding rhythms that fit their real lives. Outside of work, Heather loves backpacking and community theater

Jean Howington, IBCLC, PMH-C is a lactation consultant with broad experience supporting families in hospital, clinic, and community settings. She blends clinical lactation care with a holistic, emotionally aware approach that recognizes the full experience of new parenthood. Her practice style is calm, collaborative, and family-centered.

Jennifer Shank Jones, BSN, RN, IBCLC, LCCE I have been a Registered Nurse specializing in Women’s Health, Prenatal, Postpartum, Newborn Care for 33 years. I have been an IBCLC for 21 years. The best part of my job is the families that I meet and the personal attention I can give during our time together.

Jessica Alimena, BS, IBCLC, is a lactation consultant at Atlanta Lactation who blends her background as a microbiologist with her experience as a mom of four boys and her own unique breastfeeding journeys with each. She provides evidence-based support for breastfeeding, pumping, bottle feeding, and return-to-work transitions, always with a focus on mental health and the bigger family dynamic. Known for her compassionate and encouraging style, Jessica helps families create feeding plans that are sustainable, realistic, and confidence-building.

Jessica Orlick, MS, CCC-SLP, IBCLC is a lactation consultant at Atlanta Lactation. She has been a pediatric Speech Language Pathologist since 2011 and an International Board Certified Lactation Consultant since 2020. She specializes in oral motor strengthening, breast and bottle feeding, and providing judgement-free guidance for the balance of ideal vs realistic when feeding a newborn. Her “free time” is spent navigating her own chaos with her husband and two boys.

Jessica Sherer, DM, CLSP, IBCLC, is passionate about helping families make infant feeding enjoyable and sustainable. She offers nonjudgmental, evidence-based support for all feeding goals, with a particular interest in inclusive care and supporting diverse family structures. Also a professional flutist and former music professor, Jessica brings the skill, precision, and keen observation of a professional performing artist to her work.

Leia became a lactation consultant after two breastfeeding train wrecks – the second got back on track after finding IBCLC support and nursed 3.5 years. She is passionate about rural access to appropriate healthcare and is a survivor of PMADs and PMDD. Fun fact: after decades as a dance educator and choreographer, she has a unique eye for body dynamics of the breastfeeding dyad.

​​Melissa Donovan, RN, BSN, IBCLC is a lactation consultant at Atlanta Lactation with over 17 years of nursing experience and more than a decade focused on lactation. She specializes in helping families navigate feeding challenges with realistic, compassionate, and clinically informed support. Melissa loves connecting with families in their unique journeys and, outside of work, enjoys laughter-filled moments with her two teenage boys.

Molly has been supporting breastfeeding families in the Atlanta area since 2007. She became an International Board Certified Lactation Consultant (IBCLC) in 2011 and holds a bachelor’s degree in Biology from Centre College.

Nakaiya Birthfield, IBCLC CPST, is the Lead Lactation Consultant and Executive Director of Community Partnerships at Atlanta Lactation, bringing 13+ years of lactation experience. She specializes in complex latch/oral-function care, low supply and pumping/return-to-work plans, and gentle bottle-to-breast transitions, and is recognized for passionate, family-centered care that goes the extra mile for every family. Living in Stone Mountain and a mom of four, she loves cooking from scratch, exploring Atlanta’s many coffee shops, traveling, and making memories with her kids.

Shannon is an IBCLC with Atlanta Lactation, seeing patients in northwest Georgia and managing product purchasing for our clinics. She loves supporting first-time parents by teaching normal baby behavior, matching families with wearable pumps, and creating individualized plans to help babies thrive. At home, she’s a mom of four, with one child preparing to welcome her first baby this spring.

Sydney York, RN, BSN, IBCLC is a nurse and lactation consultant with Atlanta Lactation. She has a background in mother–baby nursing and loves helping families feel comfortable and supported—whether it’s feeding a newborn, navigating twins, pumping, or just figuring out what works best for their family. Sydney lives in Auburn, GA, and when she’s not with families you’ll find her outdoors in the garden, traveling with her husband in their camper or hunting for unique vintage finds with a coffee in hand.