Meet Your Instructors

Courtney Polk

RN, IBCLC

Courtney began her career in 2006 as a labor and delivery nurse and earned her master’s degree in nursing education in 2012. After having her first baby in 2014, she experienced some of the same breastfeeding challenges that many new parents face. A lactation consultant helped Courtney learn to enjoy breastfeeding her new baby and inspired her to earn the highest available certification in lactation and breastfeeding care. Courtney now devotes her time to teaching, guiding, and supporting new parents.

Louise Comer

RN, MSN, CNE, DNP Candidate

Louise has over 20 years’ experience as a registered nurse, with a clinical focus that incudes maternal child and public health. She has spent 15 years teaching childbirth and parenting classes, helping expecting parents prepare for labor, birth, and parenthood. Since 2010, Louise has worked as a nurse educator, teaching undergraduate nursing classes, traditional pre-licensure classes, and an online RN-BSN program. She is passionate about using her experience to help both new parents and nursing students.

Jen Wade

Certified Childbirth Educator, Doula

Jen’s passion for helping new parents become educated and empowered about pregnancy and childbirth was sparked when she and her husband prepared for the water birth of their first son in 2012. She became certified as a childbirth educator and doula in 2013 and graduated in 2017 from the Institute for Integrative Nutrition as a holistic health coach, focusing on reproductive health and fertility. In addition to teaching, Jen works directly with families to provide pregnancy, birth, and postpartum support.

Jesus Alderete

Injury Prevention Specialist

For over 18 years, Jesus has served as the Senior Injury Prevention Program coordinator at a Texas-area children’s hospital. He is a certified child passenger safety instructor and an expert in child CPR and choking protocols. Jesus teaches community courses designed to help parents learn how to buy, install, and safely use vehicle safety seats. He also leads seminars focused on helping parents learn how to prevent unintentional traumatic injuries in children and how to respond if a serious injury happens.

Ann Dunnewold

PhD, Licensed Psychologist

For over 25 years, Ann’s mission has been to arm women with tools to withstand the pressures of modern parenthood. Her expertise includes helping new parents deal with mental health concerns that can arise during pregnancy — and for up to a year after the baby’s birth — when physical and other changes may trigger mood or anxiety disorders. Ann has served as president of Postpartum Support International (PSI) and is the author/co-author of five books about parenting, perinatal mood disorders, and postpartum depression.