MIAMI, FL (April 22, 2008) – Mercy Hospital’s Faith Ploude, Lactation Services manager for inpatient and outpatient services, has recently been appointed National Chairwoman for the Advocacy Committee for the United States Lactation Consultants Association (USLCA).
In Ploude’s new designation on the Board of Directors of the United States Lactation Consultant Association (USLCA), she will be assisting in implementing public policy pertaining to U.S. lactation concerns. She will also be working on several committees where she will utilize and implement her 25-years of experience and knowledge to address important issues in the lactation field.
For nearly a decade, Ploude has held the position of Lactation Service Manager at Mercy Hospital. Ploude is a veteran to the lactation field; she graduated from Trinity International University and has been a Board Certified Lactation Consultant since 1986. As a pioneer in the field, she was also the first Lactation Consultant in Miami-Dade County in private practice from 1981-2000.
As a founding and dedicated member of the Florida Lactation Consultant Association (FLCA), she has been working since 1988 to promote breast feeding as the optimum method of infant feeding. During her service as President of the FLCA, she was a key constituent in the development of the first Miami-Dade County Breastfeeding Task Force. At the same time, she was also Breastfeeding Coordinator for Miami-Dade’s Women, Infants and Children (WIC) Program during the time of rapid change in public health issues. In addition, Ploude has been an active member of ILCA (International Lactation Consultant Association) since 1986 and has taught numerous Breastfeeding Educator Courses at several colleges, hospitals and universities.
“I am overjoyed to take on this new role,” says Ploude. “I have dedicated my entire professional life to this cause and as the National Chairwoman for the Advocacy Committee for the Lactation Association I am excited to see what new heights we can reach.”
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Mercy Hospital, a recipient of the prestigious Magnet™ award for nursing excellence, is Miami-Dade’s only Catholic Hospital. Established in 1950, it is sponsored by the Sisters of St. Joseph and a member of Catholic Health East. A 483-bed acute care hospital, staffed by over 900 physicians representing 28 medical specialties, its Centers of Excellence include: The Heart Center at Mercy Hospital, the Miami Cancer Center at Mercy Hospital, the Orthopaedic Institute at Mercy Hospital, and the Minimally Invasive Surgical Institute at Mercy Hospital. Mercy Hospital is located at 3663 S. Miami Avenue, Miami, FL.
For more information contact:
Arianne Rey
(305) 860-4634
Yvette Rodriguez
(305) 663-3543
