About Us
Our Physician
Miena M. Hall, MD, IBCLC
Dr. Miena Hall is a breastfeeding and lactation medicine physician and researcher who has been supporting breastfeeding families since 2005. She graduated summa cum laude from Dartmouth College with her bachelor's degree in mathematics and chemistry and earned her medical degree from the University of Illinois College of Medicine at Chicago. She completed her family medicine residency at the University of Chicago Medicine AdventHealth Hinsdale Hospital, her fellowship in breastfeeding and lactation medicine at the University of Rochester Medical Center, and her T-32 postdoctoral research fellowship at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
As the inaugural Director of Scientific Affairs at the Mothers’ Milk Bank of the Western Great Lakes, Dr. Hall will manage the milk bank’s research and grant projects, physician engagement and educational outreach, and outpatient milk programs. Her research focuses on skimmed milk for pediatric patients with fatty acid oxidation disorders, low milk production and the use of breast imaging to identify insufficient glandular development during pregnancy, and the development and implementation of breastfeeding knowledgeable health systems.
Dr. Hall is passionate about breastfeeding education, teaching medical students at the Loyola University Chicago Stritch School of Medicine and the University of Illinois at Chicago College of Medicine and mentoring undergraduate and graduate students through the Mothers' Milk Bank's internship programs. She is also a member of the Academy of Breastfeeding Medicine (ABM) protocol committee on low milk production, a medical advisor to La Leche League International (LLLI), and the immediate past president of the Northern Illinois Lactation Consultant Organization (NILCA).
In her free time, Dr. Hall enjoys reading, hiking, volunteering, and spending time with family and friends. She credits her multiple breastfeeding journeys with her four children and the aid which she received as her continuing inspiration to help lactating dyads in need.
Our Lactation Consultants
Taylor Aguirre, MA, IBCLC
Taylor Aguirre is an International Board-Certified Lactation Consultant (IBCLC) who brings together a background in counseling psychology, research, and community-based lactation support. Taylor completed her undergraduate degree in Psychology at the University of Wisconsin–Madison, where she also worked for two years in a research lab, further developing her skills in observation, data collection, and evidence-based practice. She went on to earn her Master’s degree in Counseling Psychology with a specialization in forensic psychology at The Adler School in Chicago, building a foundation in mental health care that continues to inform her work with families today.
Taylor’s path to lactation care began in 2015 with the birth of her twins and the personal challenges she faced while establishing breastfeeding. Through months persistent problem-solving, she eventually breastfed her twins for two years—an experience that inspired her to support other families through similar struggles. Taylor became a La Leche League Leader in 2017 and later a Certified Lactation Counselor (CLC) in 2018, before earning her IBCLC credential in 2021 after several years of study and clinical preparation, all while breastfeeding her third child.
Today, Taylor offers inclusive, evidence-based lactation care with a strong emphasis on mental health, compassionate listening, and client-centered support. Her approach reflects her belief that lactation care should be accessible and welcoming to all, regardless of race, ethnicity, gender identity, sexual orientation, ability, or family structure.
Taylor is a member of the Northern Illinois Lactation Consultant Association (NILCA) and the United States Lactation Consultant Association (USLCA). Her continuing education includes advanced clinical trainings in lactation, rhythmic movement for feeding support, bottle refusal skills, and reflex-based oral function. She is passionate about supporting exclusively pumping moms and moms of multiples.
Outside of her work with families, Taylor enjoys traveling and spending time with her family.
Elise Fulara, RN, MA, IBCLC
Elise Fulara is a registered nurse (RN) and International Board-Certified Lactation Consultant (IBCLC) who brings a unique interdisciplinary academic perspective and over a decade of clinical lactation practice to her work with new families. Previous to starting her family, Elise was an adjunct instructor teaching anthropology at several community colleges and served as an ethnographer and researcher in the museum field. However, after the birth of her first child, early struggles to breastfeed began to catalyze a change of career.
Over the years, Elise's attendance at breastfeeding support group meetings with both her first and second child led to several breastfeeding counselor trainings – La Leche League Peer Counselor (LLL-PC) and Certified Lactation Counselor (CLC) – which led to hospital employment as a CLC, and eventual board certification as an IBCLC in 2016. After several years working primarily in a hospital-based outpatient breastfeeding clinic, she returned to college, this time as a student, and completed a nursing degree. She has also been a Breastfeeding Counselor (BC) with Breastfeeding USA since 2013.
Elise strives to integrate skills acquired from her diverse experiences into her lactation care: a firm root in evidence-based practice and professional collaboration, compassionate listening, careful assessment, and care planning that celebrates the uniqueness of each breastfeeding and lactation journey.
When not working directly with breastfeeding families, Elise enjoys spending time with her family and friends, and gardening. She continues to teach, both prenatal breastfeeding classes for parents, and as an adjunct faculty member in the Maternal Child Health program at National Louis University.
Dana Ryszetnyk, BS, IBCLC
Dana Ryszetnyk is thrilled to be part of the LactationMD team. Her professional journey began in the fashion industry, where she worked in merchandising and product development after graduating from the Fashion Institute of Technology in New York. She believed she had found her calling—until the birth of her first child 18 years ago changed everything.
In 2007, Dana stepped into her first mom and baby fitness class with a three month old and walked out enrolled in a training program to become a certified postnatal fitness instructor. That moment ignited a new passion: supporting postpartum parents. She quickly recognized that her role extended far beyond fitness, it was about creating connection, fostering community, and empowering new parents.
For the next 13 years, Dana dedicated herself to postpartum support, including running her own business, Strong as a Mother Fitness, in New Jersey. Her mission was to bring together women to support one another through the challenges and joys of early parenthood. The business thrived until her family relocated to the Chicagoland area, giving Dana space to reflect on her next chapter.
It was during this time of transition that Dana decided to deepen her work with postpartum families and pursue a career in lactation support. Her own breastfeeding experiences with her three sons gave her firsthand insight into both the beauty and complexity of lactation.
Dana began working as a Breastfeeding Peer Counselor in the NICU at Rush University Medical Center. There, she grew professionally, first as a Certified Lactation Counselor (CLC) and eventually earning her credential as an International Board Certified Lactation Consultant (IBCLC). Her NICU experience reinforced her commitment to providing compassionate, comprehensive care for families on their unique lactation journeys.
In addition to her work as an IBCLC, Dana is a certified postpartum doula. She strives to bring warmth, empathy, and encouragement to every family she serves. Outside of her professional life, Dana enjoys spending time with her family and friends, cooking and entertaining, and exploring new creative outlets. She never misses an opportunity for fun and adventure.