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Michigan Breastfeeding Network Announces Shannon Polk as its inaugural Executive Director

October 29, 2013

“Michigan Breastfeeding Network is poised to shape the conversation on breastfeeding in our state.  The appointment of Shannon Polk as our executive director allows us to take a giant step forward.  With Shannon’s expertise and creativity, I am confident MIBFN will emerge as the leader in the promotion of breast milk as the first food for all Michigan babies,” said Paula K. Schreck, MD, IBCL, Michigan Breastfeeding Network Vice -Chair.
Shannon Polk is a graduate of James Madison College at Michigan State University and Thomas M. Cooley Law School. She received a Bachelor of Arts in International Relations and a Juris Doctorate. In 2008, she was named as one of Genesee County’s “top 40 under 40” in Your Magazine. Prior to joining MIBFN, she started a nonprofit consulting firm, Leadership Solutions, LLC.

Presently, Polk serves on the Council of Foundations Next Gen Task Force and the National Philanthropy Committee of The Links, Inc. She created the Passing the Leadership Baton workshop that is now embedded at the Council of Michigan Foundations. As the founding co-chair of Emerging Practitioners in Philanthropy-Michigan Chapter and a 2009-2010 Connecting Leaders Fellow with the Association of Black Foundation Executives, she has served Michigan’s philanthropic community in various leadership positions. Polk most recently served as an associate program officer at the Charles Stewart Mott Foundation.

 

“As the working mother of a 9-month-old daughter, I am personally invested in improving the health of Michigan’s youngest citizens and helping employers, policymakers, and families understand the importance of breast milk as a first food.  At the Michigan Breastfeeding Network, we believe that breastfeeding is a public health issue and I am excited to lead the Network as we promote the importance of breastfeeding and build partnerships around the state,” said Shannon Polk.

The Michigan Breastfeeding Network has been in existence since 1998, it had operated on a limited volunteer basis. Grant funds from the W.K. Kellogg Foundation of Battle Creek, Michigan will help create an infrastructure to enhance coordination and collaboration of information, support, advocacy and research-based initiatives designed to improve community support for breastfeeding.

“Breastfeeding rates in Michigan mirror, but remain slightly below national rates,” said Alice Christensen, BSN, IBCLC, Michigan Breastfeeding Network Chair.  “We are pleased to work with W.K. Kellogg Foundation and the grant funds we received have allowed us to hire Shannon, build infrastructure and build programs to support breastfeeding here in Michigan.”

The Michigan Breastfeeding Network activities align with 2011 United States Surgeon General’s Call to Action of supporting mothers and babies who are breastfeeding. The goal of the Call to Action is to increase the pubic health impact of everyone’s efforts, reduce inequalities in the quality of health care that mothers and babies receive, and improve the support that families receive in employment and community settings.

For more information about the Michigan Breastfeeding Network, visit online at www.mibfnetwork.org or on Twitter @mibfnetwork or on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/mibfnetwork .

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