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Board of Directors
Heather Batman, MS, OTR, BCP, CNT, NTMTC
Heather Batman, MS, OTR, BCP, CNT, NTMTC is an advanced board certified pediatric occupational therapist and certified neonatal therapist with 22 years of expertise in feeding, swallowing and tiny baby development. She is dedicated to promoting positive feeding and developmental outcomes and supporting families in regaining their occupational role as their baby's parent.
Earl Bender, Jr. MBID
A fellow preemie born at 26 gestational weeks. Shortly after birth, I was diagnosed with a Grade IV IVH . Today, I am an alumni of Georgia Institute of Technology and The Tuskegee University .
Latoya Blueford
Latoya Blueford is the Founder and Director of The Skylar Project, a 501(c)3 NICU and bereavement nonprofit. She is a child-loss-survivor, former NICU-mother, Certified Pregnancy and Infant Loss Advocate, Postpartum-Doula, NICU advocate, legislative partner for the Shine-for-Autumn Act (state level), former Rape-crisis Advocate through Lifelines Counseling Services, and Board member for the Alliance for Black NICU families. Her mission is to develop and implement new and creative ways to improve conditions for NICU families while helping them therapeutically and gently process trauma.
Corneliu Bolbocean, PhD
Dr. Bolbocean, PhD is an academic economist with international training, having pursued my academic journey across the USA, Canada, and the UK. My current research focuses on examining the long-term economic implications of preterm birth and its impact on caregivers. Recently, I have authored publications that appeared in top-quality journals, including PharmacoEconomics, Quality of Life Research, Food Policy, and Autism Research.
Katie Reginato Cascamo Ph.D. Candidate
Katie Reginato Cascamo is a Ph.D. Candidate whose scholarship sits at the intersection of interior leadership development and organizational transformation, with a primary focus on NICU Parent Leadership and the emergence of patient and parent advocacy within healthcare systems.
Her research traces its origin to her own NICU experience in 2009–2010, which became the crucible from which her deepest scholarly and organizational commitments grew. She brings more than two decades of cross-disciplinary work — spanning pre-med studies, communications, philosophy, and organizational development — to bear on the conditions that allow human beings and institutions to function at their best. She is a scholar, speaker, and servant-leader who understands transformation not as something that can be imposed, but as something that must be accompanied with patience, presence, and care.
Jane Cranston, OTR-MOT, BCP, CNT, NTMTC
Jane Cranston, OTR-MOT, BCP, CNT, NTMTC, is a board-certified pediatric and nationally certified neonatal occupational therapist with over 25 years of experience supporting high-risk infants and their families across the NICU, early intervention, and home-based care.
She is the founder and owner of Tiny Transitions Therapy Consulting PLLC, where she provides developmental therapy, caregiver coaching, and transition-to-home support for medically complex infants.
Jane also serves as the University and Student Liaison for the National Association of Neonatal Therapists (NANT), where she focuses on mentorship, education, and expanding representation in neonatal therapy. Her work centers on neuroprotective, trauma-informed, family-centered care that strengthens parent confidence and supports positive developmental outcomes. In addition to her professional expertise, Jane is also a parent of an individual with special needs, bringing lived experience, advocacy, and deep empathy to her work with families and the broader NICU community.
Wakako M Eklund , NNP
Wakako is a Neonatal Nurse Practitioner with 22 years of experience. She is a passionate educator, clinician and also a partner to patients and families who experience NICU. Her enthusiasm for education has impacted internationally and she is highly committed to making the educational material visually effective while delivering the targeted content. Education through stories is also her strength when she delivers complex content. She finds it an honor to serve on the board of this exceptional organization.
Gerri Baer
I am a neonatologist and pediatrician with a passion for improving the lives of children. After 8 years caring for neonates and families in a level 3 NICU, I joined the FDA, where I advocated for improved medical product development for neonates. Currently I am continuing these efforts as a pediatric and regulatory strategy lead at Thermo Fisher Scientific / PPD.
Carole Kenner | Global Nursing Leader
Dr. Carole Kenner is the Carol Kuser Loser Dean & Professor at The College of New Jersey School of Nursing & Health Sciences. She is the Founder and CEO of the Council of International Neonatal Nurses, Inc. (COINN). She holds a Bachelor of Science in Nursing, a Master of Science in neonatal/perinatal nursing, and a doctorate with a minor in higher education. She has authored almost 200 journal articles and 40 textbooks.
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Jeffrey J. Lefko
Jeff is the founder of Jeff Lefko Books, which combines a career in healthcare management and a passion for writing engaging and thoughtful children’s stories. The publishing imprint focuses on the development of children’s stories that serve as vehicles for jumpstarting healthcare initiatives and delivering valuable public health information for children and/or their parents and providers. As such, Jeff is a Founding Member and Vice President of the Books for Healing Partnership, Inc. a nonprofit devoted to creating patient education materials in the form of a children's story.
Dr. Susan McCune
Dr. Susan McCune, VP, Pediatrics & Clinical Pharmacology at PPD, a Thermo Fisher Scientific group was formerly the Director of the Office of Pediatric Therapeutics at FDA.
She completed her undergraduate degree at Harvard, her MD at GWU, and training at Children's National Medical Center (CNMC). She is Board Certified in Pediatrics and Neonatal/Perinatal Medicine, and practiced academic medicine at Johns Hopkins and CNMC with research at NICHD prior to joining the FDA.
Ashley O'Neil, CRNP
Ashley O’Neil, MSN, CRNP, FNP-C, is a Family Nurse Practitioner, NICU mom, author, widow, and bereaved mother dedicated to supporting families through the challenges of NICU life and beyond. She is the Founder of It’s a NICU World and The O’Neil Foundation for Healing, and the host of the Ask a NICU Mama podcast, where she creates space for honest conversations about maternal mental health, grief, resilience, and healing.
Drawing from both her clinical expertise and personal experiences, Ashley brings a compassionate, family-centered perspective to her work. Through advocacy, education, and storytelling, she is committed to advancing trauma-informed, equitable support for NICU families, bereaved parents, widows, and caregivers of children with complex medical needs. Her mission is to ensure that no family feels alone in their journey and to remind others that even in the darkest moments, there is always hope.