October 23, 2012 -- The Oregon Public Health Institute (OPHI) and the Breastfeeding Coalition of Oregon (BCO) is pleased to announce that Dr. Marion Rice has been appointed Director of the Breastfeeding Coalition of Oregon and Program Manager of Maternal/Child Health at Oregon Public Health Institute.
Both organizations have played leading roles in promoting breastfeeding as a crucial health practice for infants and mothers, including supporting and helping implement Oregon’s groundbreaking Workplace Lactation Law. The Oregon legislation served as the model for the current national workplace lactation law championed by Oregon Senator Jeff Merkley.
Dr. Rice’s predecessor and first Director of the BCO, Amelia Psmythe, recently accepted a national position as Deputy Director of the United States Breastfeeding Committee. Dr. Rice will build on the excellent work initiated and led by Amelia.
Dr. Rice will work on behalf of both organizations to support, protect and promote breastfeeding in Oregon and as part of broader systemic public health initiatives and policy undertaken by Oregon Public Health Institute to improve the health of children and their families.
Mary Lou Hennrich, Executive Director of Oregon Public Health Institute, said “OPHI is fortunate to have Marion join our team with her significant background in breastfeeding policy, advocacy and grassroots education and organizing. She, along with the statewide volunteer leaders of the BCO, will continue moving all regions of Oregon forward as a national leader supporting the Surgeon General’s National Breastfeeding Call to Action. ”
Dr. Rice is a nationally known educator who has created a workplace lactation support service for the Nursing Mothers Counsel of Oregon (NMC). Under her leadership, NMC was awarded a contract from the US Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Women's Health to provide technical assistance to employers with workers in non-office settings to improve workplace lactation support. Through this contract Dr. Rice, worked with TriMet, OHSU and the Portland Police Bureau to significantly improve institutional understanding and practice for supporting women coming back to work.
Oregon Public Health Institute is an independent, nonprofit organization committed to improving the health of Oregonians through advocacy and support of effective public health policy and activities. The Breast Feeding Coalition of Oregon's mission is to build and link community partners to support, promote and protect breastfeeding throughout the state of Oregon. OPHI is the organizational home of the Breastfeeding Coalition of Oregon.
