Behind every great nonprofit is an exceptional Board of Directors. Our newest members, Meaghan Switzer and Maude Lemaire bring both impressive professional resumes and deeply personal experiences with milk banking – a powerful combination that helps guide the milk bank forward.
We asked them to share a bit about themselves, their families, and their connection to the milk bank. Here’s what they had to say . . .
What interested you in becoming a milk donor?
Maude: I first heard about the milk bank from our lactation consultant. Our freezer was overflowing, and my husband wasn’t on board with buying a second one! I then remembered our postpartum doula sharing how donor milk had helped her through a tough breastfeeding period.
From there, I started learning more about Mother’s’ Milk Bank Northeast and quickly came to understand how important milk donation is for the most vulnerable babies. Once I completed the screening, it felt magical knowing that my extra milk would help at-risk babies across the Northeast.
Meaghan: Like Maude, I initially just wanted to reclaim my freezer! Since then, I’ve been a milk donor three times. Our first daughter, Abby, was born very prematurely at 24 weeks and needed donor milk during her time in the NICU. She fought incredibly hard for four months, but sadly, she never came home with us. Throughout those months, we were often reminded how critical donor milk is in protecting against necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC). I pumped for Abby with the hope of eventually nursing her myself.
After filling two freezers—and one at my in-laws’—a lactation consultant referred me to the milk bank. At first, I hadn’t connected that the donor milk Abby received came from moms just like me. When I realized I could give back this way, it felt like a powerful, full circle moment. I went on to donate again with my second daughter and my son.
If you could tell a family who received your milk why you donated, what would you tell them?
Meaghan: Every drop is donated with love. There’s a lot of coordination involved in collecting and safely storing milk before it can be donated. Even so, it’s worth it every time knowing my milk will help babies in need.
Maude: As parents, especially first-time parents, every single decision can feel incredibly high stakes. I remember feeling a visceral fear at certain junctures, asking myself, “Am I a good mother? Am I doing enough? Will he continue to thrive?” I can only imagine how much more relentless these thoughts and questions are for parents with babies in the NICU. If my extra milk – something I was so fortunate to have – can ease even some of that fear, then every additional moment spent pumping is worth it.
What’s one thing you wish people knew about the milk bank and donor milk?
Maude: I don’t think most people realize just how enormous the footprint of a single donation can be. The milk bank primarily supports NICUs, where premature babies need only tiny amounts of milk. One donation can feed dozens of babies.
You never know who your milk could be supporting. A friend recently told me that her son received donor milk at a local hospital. Given the timeline, there’s a small (but definite) chance her son received milk that I donated! Since Mothers’ Milk Bank Northeast supports over one hundred hospitals, your donation could help a family next door or hundreds of miles away.
Meaghan: In my short time on the Board of Directors, I’ve been fascinated to learn about everything that goes on behind the scenes once the milk is received. As a donor, I never thought much about the process beyond my part. But milk donation is just the beginning. The milk then needs to be pasteurized, screened, and distributed to the babies who need it most.
I’ve also been amazed by the level of involvement from those in the medical field. They’re passionate about the mission because they see, day in and day out, the vital importance of donor milk for the babies they serve.
How do you hope to influence the milk bank’s work from your position on the Board of Directors?
Meaghan: I hope to combine my financial background as a CPA with my passion for the mission to help guide the organization as it continues its tremendous work. Whether it’s securing the right equipment or allocating funds for awareness-raising, I understand how important these decisions are to an organization’s success. None of this comes without a cost that needs careful consideration. Hopefully, I can alleviate some of the stress these financial decisions can cause, allowing the team to focus on reaching as many babies as possible.
Maude: I love thinking big and then figuring out the path to get there. At work, I’m always encouraging folks to think about moonshots. What’s your ideal? Now, how do we build up to that, given our current situation and the resources at hand? Serving on the Board of Directors, I’m eager to help the milk bank figure out the steps it needs to take to reach that big, bold future. On a more practical note, I know my way around computers (and a handful of things about the internet), and I hope I can help the team automate and streamline as much as possible—so they can focus more energy on the future.
Last (but definitely not least) tell us a bit more about you and your family . . .
Maude: My husband and I were born in Quebec to multilingual families (German, English, and French). We both moved around big cities in our twenties before settling in New Hampshire in 2020 to start our family closer to my parents.
Meaghan: My husband and I lived and worked in Boston for many years before moving to his hometown to be closer to family as we started our own. We have two little ones at home—my daughter is 3, and my son is 15 months. My kids love spending time outdoors, so we always make the most of the warm weather! We’re having a blast watching them try new things—we’re just along for the ride at this point!
