Student Success Stories
Byanka V Melgar (MPH, CHES, IBCLC)
Byanka took HSCI 434: Lactation Education while enrolled at CSUN as an undergraduate in Public Health. After completing the course, Byanka was selected to serve as a Lactation Educator for a research study that examined the impact of phone-based breastfeeding education on Latina mothers’ breastfeeding rates. Learn more about this breasfeeding study.
After graduating from CSUN with a B.S. in Public Health, Byanka was hired as a health education Specialist at Northeast Valley Health Corporation where, among other things, she implements breastfeeding education. Byanka became an International Board-Certified Lactation Consultant in 2013 and received her Master of Public Health degree from CSUN in 2016.
Byanka has over 15 years of experience in lactation education and support. Since becoming an IBCLC in 2013, she has worked extensively with families throughout the San Fernando and Santa Clarita Valleys, providing both education and direct lactation services. Byanka currently serves as faculty at Los Angeles Valley College and Los Angeles Pierce College and works as a Breastfeeding Peer Counselor Coordinator–IBCLC within the WIC program. Her dedication to education, community-based support, and professional mentorship has had a lasting impact on the families and students she serves.
Rebecca Pancake (BS, IBCLC)
Rebecca took HSCI 434 –Lactation Education while enrolled at CSUN as an undergraduate in public health. After completing HSCI 434: Lactation Education, Rebecca chose to do an internship at Horizon Hills Preschool/Adult Education helping with prenatal education, breastfeeding support groups, and teen pregnancy education.
After graduating from CSUN with a B.S. degree in Public Health, Rebecca was hired at Henry Mayo Newhall Hospital in the Lactation Center.
There she works in the outpatient center, in the women’s unit, and helps run their breastfeeding support groups. In 2014 Rebecca became an International Board Certified Lactation Consultant and is currently taking prerequisites for a BSN program and her RN license.
Jocceline Hernandez (MS, RD, IBCLC)
Jocceline took HSCI 434: Lactation Education while enrolled at CSUN as an undergraduate in nutrition and dietetics. After completing the course, Jocceline participated in a community engagement experience at Providence Holy Cross Medical Center where she facilitated breastfeeding education to new mothers during their hospital stay. Learn more about this community engagement experience.
After earning a Bachelor of Science in Nutrition and Dietetics from CSUN, Jocceline was accepted into CSUN’s Dietetic Internship Program. During her community nutrition dietetic rotation at a local WIC clinic, and a special-interest rotation in Guatemala, she taught breastfeeding classes and integrated lactation education into nutrition counseling services. In 2014, she earned her Master of Science degree in Nutrition and Dietetics and passed all the requirements to become a Registered Dietitian.
As a bilingual public health Registered Dietitian and International Board Certified Lactation Consultant (IBCLC), Jocceline is dedicated to helping families thrive through accessible, culturally responsive care. A native Spanish speaker and San Fernando Valley native, she launched her professional career in the community where she was raised, an experience that continues to shape her commitment to supporting families from diverse backgrounds.
Jocceline currently serves as the Nutrition and Physical Activity Coordinator for the State health department, where she leads statewide initiatives to improve breastfeeding rates, maternal nutrition, and early childhood health. She provides technical expertise on breastfeeding policy, supports statewide breastfeeding promotion performance measures, and collaborates with community partners across agencies to strengthen systems of care for families. Prior to joining the state health department, she worked with the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health, where she trained more than 300 perinatal healthcare providers on breastfeeding and perinatal nutrition, co-authored a perinatal breastfeeding toolkit, and supported clinics in implementing California's breastfeeding-friendly policies. Throughout her career, she has advanced maternal and child health both locally and internationally, including providing breastfeeding and nutrition education in the Dominican Republic and Guatemala.
Rebecca Agi (MS, IBCLC)
Rebecca Agi received her masters of science degree in nutrition and dietetics from CSUN in 2015. As a graduate student, Rebecca took HSCI 434: Lactation Education and quickly realized she wanted to focus her career on prenatal and postpartum care. After completing HSCI 434, Rebecca became a Lactation Educator and was selected to participate in a research study which implemented prenatal lactation education to low-income Hispanic women.
In 2016 Rebecca became an International Board Certified Lactation Consultant and is currently running a private, in-home lactation consulting practice called Best Milk LA. Rebecca is also a guest writer for different parenting websites about all things related to lactation.