June 2026 - Cultivating Connections: Partnerships to Support Breastfeeding

CultivatingConnections: Partnershipsto Support Breastfeeding

Join us on Wednesday, June17, at 3:30 p.m.ET for the Hunger Nutrition and Health Action Collaborative Monthly Webinar Series. Connect with partners across the U.S. dedicated to ending hunger and building healthy communities. This webinar will highlight successful strategies, food and nutrition system changes, multisector partnerships, and community-building efforts.

During this month's partner call, you will learn about disparities in breastfeeding initiation, the barriers families face in meeting their breastfeeding goals and innovative state and federal partnerships and programs to ensure breastfeeding support is available to all families. Our panelists include Sanaa Akbarali, MPH, PMP, Senior Director, Maternal and Child Health, Association of State and Territorial Health Officials (ASTHO) and Erin Van Denburgh, MS, Program Administrator, New York State Department of Health.

Sanaa Akbarali, MPH, currently serves as the Senior Director of Maternal and Child Health at the Association of State and Territorial Health Officials (ASTHO) where she leads a diverse portfolio of initiatives focused on advancing maternal and child health policy nationwide. She partners closely with state and territorial health agencies(S/THAs) to provide strategic guidance and technical assistance that supports the development and implementation of evidence-based policies and programs. Her work spans multi-state initiatives and learning communities, with a focus on translating research into actionable policy solutions across areas including perinatal behavioral health, early life nutrition, contraception access, adolescent health, and risk-appropriate care. Sanaa holds a Master of Public Health from George Washington University.

Erin Van Denburgh, MS, is a Program Administrator at the New York State Department of Health within the Bureau of Community Chronic Disease Prevention. She holds a Master of Science in Organization Management from Sage College in Albany, NY. In her role, Erin works to support public health initiatives across the state, with a focus on promoting equitable access to maternal and child health resources.

Don't miss this opportunity to learn and connect. Please mark your calendar and join us for an engaging and informative session. Email your questions for the panelists to hnh@cdcfoundation.org.

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