Chair
Contact: chair@lcgb.org or lbrownlie@lcgb.org for non Chair matters
Linda Brownlie FCCA, IBCLC is a mum of three daughters and grandmother of two grandsons. She qualified as an IBCLC in 2016 and has a private clinic in Hull. She has volunteered for an award-winning breastfeeding peer support and volunteer doula project for the last 10 years and has volunteered extensively in the local maternity hospital and community also working with many families with challenging backgrounds throughout the perinatal period of their live. Linda had a pivotal role in saving the project from decommissioning when it was threatened in 2017. She has supervised a group of local peer supporters in Hull and runs a successful online breastfeeding group that has been supporting mums virtually for 7 years. Linda also set up an online global study support group for aspiring IBCLCs in 2013 and a group for new IBCLCs to support each other and regularly supports candidates one to one in the lead up to the exam. Linda is also a qualified accountant of 25 years and has extensive experience with financial management of both corporates and charities.
Treasurer
Contact: treasurer@lcgb.org
Heidi Nowalany IBCLC qualified as an IBCLC in 2015 and attended her first LCGB Committee meeting in September 2016 when she was immediately interested in getting more involved. Heidi planned the Mothers and Depression Study Day in November 2016. She has taken a leading role on the Advancing the IBCLC subcommittee and has now taken on the role of Treasurer. Coming from a corporate background, her interest in helping breastfeeding mothers came about after she had her first son in 2008. She began volunteering at a breastfeeding drop-in in Chicago, USA and started her own drop-in when she moved to Fulham. In addition to the weekly drop-in, she has a small private practice.
Membership Secretary
Contact: membership@lcgb.org
Vikki Kidd IBCLC has a passion to normalising breastfeeding and support breastfeeding women. Coming from a nursing/midwifery background she has worked as a senior midwife in both in England and overseas. After becoming a mother she trained as an NCT Breastfeeding Counsellor, qualifying in 2008.
When living in Canada, she qualified as an IBCLC in 2011 and worked as a hospital lactation consultant and became involved in Baby Friendly (BFI) organisations to promote and support breastfeeding. Having returned to England in 2015, she now lives and practices as an independent IBCLC and NCT BFC in South Warwickshire. Becoming involved in LCGB as the Minutes Secretary, she is now the Membership Secretary and also a member of the Events Team.
Trustee
Contact: INFO@ lcgb.org
Equality, Diversity & Inclusion
Contact: edi@lcgb.org
Zurina Ali IBCLC -Â Zurina Ali has a background in teaching and academia. She obtained her IBCLC certification after nearly a decade of facilitating breastfeeding support groups for families from diverse communities as a trained La Leche League Peer Counsellor within the Public Health Initiative in 2011.
Zurina joined Lactation Consultants of Great Britain as a committee member in 2012 and went on to coordinate the organisation’s 2013 Conference in Manchester. In 2015, she was elected as LCGB’s first Equity and Diversity Lead, serving in a voluntary capacity. She also represented LCGB internationally in a voluntary capacity as part of the Lactation Equity Action Committee (LEAC) from 2015 to 2018.
Her work in advocating for, promoting, supporting, and sustaining breastfeeding has spanned international, national, and local settings, primarily within the voluntary sector, while also including experience in local government and public health initiatives.
Zurina remains deeply committed to advancing equity, diversity, and inclusion in maternal and infant health and wellbeing. She has a particular interest in milk kinship and donor human milk banking from an Islamic perspective.
Trustee
Contact: INFO@lcgb.org
Robyn Leah Nalty, IBCLC - Robyn became a young parent in 2013, inspiring her journey into the breastfeeding field and her commitment to equity in lactation care. Over the past decade, she has volunteered as a peer supporter and coordinated peer support services in hospitals, communities, and homes. Robyn also became and IBCLC in 2024, driven by a passion for improving culturally competent care for underserved communities. As a board member, Robyn aims to encourage and support aspiring IBCLCs from diverse backgrounds and champion inclusion.
Trustee
Contact: info@lcgb.org
Dr. Philip Smith, MBBS, MRCP (UK), MRCPCH - Phil has been a consultant children’s doctor since 2006, developing a deep commitment to breastfeeding advocacy after recognising gaps in medical training. He works closely with midwives to develop guidelines and ensure breastfeeding is prioritised in medical discussions. Phil is passionate about creating safe, inclusive spaces where all voices are respected. As a board member, Phil is eager to bring an innovative medical perspective to the board and continue supporting parents’ breastfeeding journeys.
Trustee
Contact: info@lcgb.org
Kaya Thorpe qualified as an IBCLC in July 2021 after completing her studies and clinical hours while working as an Association of Breastfeeding Mothers Breastfeeding Counsellor. In 2020 she founded Lowestoft and Waveney Breastfeeding Support, now a thriving charity providing free home visits and breastfeeding cafés across an area of high deprivation in the East of England. She is the Chief Executive Officer as well as an IBCLC. Kaya also works in private practice supporting families with allergy babies and has co-authored the book Feeding Your Allergy Baby. As a neurodivergent IBCLC working with families with complex needs, she brings a valuable perspective to the LCGB board
Trustee
Contact: info@lcgb.org
Helen Smith is a registered nurse, Specialist Community Public Health Nurse (SCPHN, health visitor) and IBCLC. Her interest in breastfeeding began when she became a mother in 2004 and experienced early feeding challenges. Since 2009, she has led breastfeeding and infant feeding work within public health in Swindon, including implementing and maintaining the UNICEF UK Baby Friendly Initiative programme, coordinating peer support services and supporting families with feeding. She became an IBCLC in 2023 and also runs a private lactation support practice. Helen brings experience in public health and health services and is committed to raising the profile of breastfeeding and improving access to skilled feeding support.
Trustee
Contact: info@lcgb.org
Karen Williams is based in North Wales and is bilingual and a mother of four. Her early experiences with limited breastfeeding support inspired her to train as a peer supporter in 2011, and she has supported families with breastfeeding and infant feeding for over a decade.She became an International Board Certified Lactation Consultant (IBCLC) in 2020 and recertified in 2025.  She also runs a private practice providing evidence-based, family-centred care.She is committed to safe, ethical and inclusive lactation care and supporting equity in access to breastfeeding support.