Staff Spotlight: Gina Rose RN, BSN, IBCLC

Gina Rose

 "Gina is an exceptional lactation consultant in every sense of the word. I was genuinely pleased when she expressed interest in joining our team at Teaching Babies to Nurse, having appreciated and respected her work in the community for years. With over a decade of experience supporting breastfeeding families, she has consistently combined clinical excellence with community leadership. Her commitment to advocating for equitable postpartum care is matched by the thoughtfulness and skilled engagement she brings to her work with families. She’s not only a skilled clinician but also a trusted and collaborative colleague. I am delighted to share a practice with her." -- Ellen

At TBTN, we’re lucky to have a team of passionate, experienced, and grounded providers—and Gina is no exception. As a lactation consultant with local roots and a wealth of professional experience, Gina brings both heart and skill to every family she supports. 

Rooted in Community

Gina was born and raised in Chapel Hill, NC, and her deep connection to the Triangle runs through every aspect of her work. After time spent in Toronto and Houston, she returned to the area in 2016. “Family, nature, and community drew me back,” she shares. Her return wasn’t just about geography—it was about recommitting to the place where she feels she can make the most impact.

A Life Full of Growth 

When she’s not working, Gina’s happiest tending to her garden or sewing—two practices she finds both grounding and creative. She picked up sewing during the pandemic and still makes time for it when she can. She also prioritizes movement, time with friends, and being present with her family. Gina has two kids (ages 10 and 12), a dog, and a cat—all of whom keep life joyful and full.

Guided by Experience and a Sense of Justice

Gina’s path to lactation support began during nursing school, where she first witnessed what skilled, compassionate postpartum care could look like. But it was her own journey as a parent that deepened her understanding. Like so many, she found infant feeding to be far more complex and emotionally charged than expected—especially without the intergenerational and institutional supports that families deserve.

This lived experience now shapes how she practices: with empathy, respect, and an unwavering focus on systemic barriers. Gina sees firsthand how public health messages—like exclusive breastfeeding for six months—ring hollow without structural support. She believes it's unjust to place these expectations on families while denying them essentials like paid family leave, affordable lactation care, and community infrastructure.

For Gina, lactation work is advocacy. She helps families make informed choices while naming the inequities that constrain those choices.

She holds space for grief, celebrates resilience, and works toward a future where all families have the support they need to meet their feeding goals, whatever they may be.

Centering Autonomy and Equity in Care

At the heart of Gina’s approach is a commitment to honoring each family's autonomy. She supports families in identifying what success looks like for them—not according to rigid public health ideals, but based on their values, realities, and resources. She sees feeding plans as living documents that can shift over time, and she encourages families to define success in ways that reflect their unique context.

This equity-driven lens also means rejecting shame and blame. As Gina says,

"There are so many shades of grey. A successful feeding plan is one that works for you and your family."

Gina understands that feeding challenges are not personal failures—they are often the predictable outcomes of a society that underinvests in families. Her care is about restoring dignity, not pushing perfection.

Supporting the Postpartum Transition

Gina is particularly passionate about the early postpartum period, which she describes as a “raw, formative window” that is chronically overlooked by our systems. The lack of investment in postpartum care reflects broader inequities in how we value caregivers, especially Black, Brown, queer, and low-income parents. Gina sees her role as part of the larger work of shifting that narrative—offering grounded, respectful, and personalized care during a time when so many families feel isolated and overwhelmed.

Gina with her spouse, Elliot

Bringing Depth to TBTN

With a BA in Anthropology from UNC, a BSN from Duke, and lactation training through MRTTI, Gina brings academic rigor to match her lived experience. She’s currently pursuing graduate studies at Duke and has served in a range of roles, including visiting nurse with Family Connects, school nurse in Houston, co-founder of Breastfeed Durham, and clinical instructor for nursing students.

At TBTN, Gina is excited to collaborate with colleagues who are also committed to lifelong learning and social change. “Being part of a team that leads with equity and humility is incredibly energizing,” she says.

We’re honored to have Gina on the TBTN team. Her work exemplifies what equitable, family-centered care can look like when providers meet families with both expertise and humility—and when they’re willing to name and challenge the systems that fall short.

Gina reminds us that improving perinatal health isn’t just about helping individuals—it’s about demanding better for all of us.

Schedule an Appointment with Gina