Ann Kellams, MD
The Committee on Women in Medicine and Science (COWIMS) celebrates National Breastfeeding Month this August and is honored to spotlight the work of Ann Kellams, MD, Vice Chair of Clinical Affairs, Professor of Pediatrics.
Dr. Kellams is a national leader in Breastfeeding and Lactation Medicine. She serves as Medical Director for the UVA Breastfeeding Medicine program, which she helped found in 2011. This program brings together pediatricians and board-certified lactation consultants to evaluate and manage both lactating individuals and breastfeeding infants to help them achieve their feeding goals. The program spans both inpatient and outpatient care and works closely alongside pediatricians, nutritionists, and obstetricians, and family medicine clinicians, among others in providing comprehensive care to families.
Dr. Kellams, is part of the first class of 103 physician specialists in Breastfeeding and Lactation Medicine in North America to be board certified by the North American Board of Breastfeeding and Lactation Medicine exam.
Dr. Kellams serves on the American Academy of Pediatrics Executive Committee Section on Breastfeeding and as the Immediate Past President of the Academy of Breastfeeding Medicine, and international physician organization with over 1,000 members. Dr. Kellams recently became Co-Director of the UVA Health Wisdom and Wellbeing program, which focuses on workplace and system changes to support the wellbeing of all healthcare team members utilizing the 3 pillars of identifying and reducing unnecessary stressors, recognizing peer and team stress and knowing how to respond with Stress First Aid, and enhancing individual and team interpersonal communication skills. She is a part of the HRSA training grant for Wisdom and Wellbeing and receives funding from National Institute of Child Health and Human Development to study interventions to educate and support new parents to care for infants.
Dr. Kellams’ passion for helping mothers and families during such an important life event is inspiring. At a time when healthcare burnout rates are at an all-time high, her focus on healthcare worker wellbeing impacts us all. The Committee on Women in Medicine and Science thanks her for her leadership and passion as she advocates for family-friendly and science-based approaches to support new mothers and families during childbirth and to improve the wellbeing of our workforce.
If you would like to nominate a future COWIMS Woman of the Month, click here.
Filed Under: Faculty