Meet The Team
Breastival is run by a voluntary Board of Directors working together to deliver our mission: to celebrate, normalise and support breastfeeding in Northern Ireland. We are also supported by a committed team of volunteers whose time and energy help make the event possible each year.
Our Board
Jennifer Hanratty (Board Chair and Breastival Founder)
Day Job: Research Fellow, QUB and Campbell UK & Ireland. I work on bringing together evidence to answer questions about what works for improving children's health and education. I've got a PhD in psychology.
Key Skills You Bring to Breastival: Big Ideas, passion and I love bringing people together to create good things. I'm also really good at understanding and talking about evidence.
Family: New baby Ben, big 4 girl Eimear and super supportive husband and proud Dad, Julian.
Fav Breastfeeding Quote: "it's not best, it's just normal"
Claire Flynn (Board member)
Day Job: Communications specialist with 18 years’ experience in public affairs, policy, campaigning, public relations, stakeholder management and the broader spectrum of communications.
Board member of Du Dance and Trustee of Birthwise.
Key Skills You Bring to Breastival: I’m creative and energetic and love to make connections with people, and for people to make exciting things happen. I am passionate about making breastfeeding culturally normal (again) and want to use my skills, experience, and connections to help make that happen.
I breastfed my son Fionn until he was 3 ½.
Family: Three beautiful boys and a supportive husband.
Fav Breastfeeding Quote: “Whoever said ‘there’s no use crying over spilt milk’ obviously never pumped six ounces and accidentally spilt it.”
Laura Orr (Vice Chair)
Day Job: I work in a customer facing role within the public sector. My skills include community engagement, developing working relationships and managing staff, problem solving and attention to detail. I also take part in policy work and enjoy scrutinising policies and procedures in order to continuously improve services.
Key Skills You Bring to Breastival: I trained as a peer supporter with the South Eastern Trust shortly after having my little girl so I could pass on to other Mums some of the wonderful support I received on my journey. I have also received OCN accreditation in Breastfeeding at Level 3 and am a member of the Association of Breastfeeding Mothers and La Leche League NI.
Family:My two year old daughter is still happily breastfeeding and I also have a wonderful husband who I will always be grateful to for his interest in learning about breastfeeding and unwavering support 💗
Fav Breastfeeding Quote: “If a new vaccine became available that could prevent one million or more child deaths a year, and that was moreover cheap, safe, administered orally, and required no cold chain, it would become an immediate public health imperative. Breastfeeding can do all of this and more, but it requires its own ‘warm chain’ of support – that is, skilled care for mothers to build their confidence and show them what to do, and protection from harmful practices. If this warm chain has been lost from the culture or is faulty, then it must be made good by health services.” (Lancet, “A warm chain for breastfeeding”)
