CHRISHAY “SHAY” MASTERS
Shay is a mother, doula, and lover of all things birth work. She has been bessed to have birthed four babies, raising three wonderful children and honoring another. She sites her angel baby as her inspiration for her work in maternal health.
"I fell in love with lactation through my own challenges of nursing my premature baby. The stress of knowing how crucial nourishment was for him, while struggling with low milk supply due to medical reasons, left me feeling inadequate. Then I met a dedicated lactation consultant who truly believed in my body’s ability to produce milk. Her passion and genuine desire to help gave me the encouragement I needed to keep going. She inspired me to believe in myself as a mother who wanted to nurse and that experience sparked my own passion for lactation."
Shay's firsthand experience helped her learn the importance of accessible and compassionate lactation support. She looks forward to empowering other families with their lactation journey.
NKECHI MICHEL
Nkechi (pronounced in-kay-she) Michel is a passionate Public Health Professional and entrepreneur with over a decade of professional public health experience.. She graduated from California State University Northridge with her Master of Public Health (MPH) degree. She now works as a Program Planner in the Sacramento County Maternal, Child, and Adolescent Health Program. Nkechi has always been an advocate for women’s health. After the birth of her first son Miles in 2022, dealing with postpartum depression, anxiety, and struggling to breastfeed, she realized just how essential community educators in the maternal child health space are. When breastfeeding, she never encountered a lactation professional of color during her appointments, so she became more aware of the need for more diversity in the field. These experiences inspired Nkechi to become a Certified Postpartum Doula and Certified Lactation Educator. She is committed to helping mothers and birthing individuals reach their breastfeeding goals with confidence and joy while bringing an equity-focused approach and a fresh, inclusive perspective to the field.