Jill Demirci

Jill Demirci, PhD, RN, IBCLC, FAAN is an Associate Professor and Vice Chair for Administration in the Health Promotion & Development department at the University of Pittsburgh School of Nursing. She serves as Director of the Maternal/Perinatal and Reproductive Health Research Hub and previously chaired the BSN Honors Program. Dr. Demirci holds a secondary appointment in the Department of Pediatrics at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine and participates in the Clinical and Translational Science Institute Community PARTners Core.

Dr. Demirci's research focuses on human lactation, with emphasis on clinical and behavioral interventions to address breastfeeding uptake, duration, and intensity. Her work particularly examines mHealth breastfeeding support interventions, policy and infrastructure barriers to breastfeeding, and the etiology, prevention, and treatment of perceived insufficient milk. She has methodological expertise in qualitative methods and behavioral intervention research/RCTs in perinatal populations. Recent publications demonstrate her active research program addressing telelactation, racial disparities in lactation outcomes, antenatal milk expression, and lactation support in diverse settings.

Dr. Demirci has received NIH, foundation, and institutional funding for her research on lactation trajectories, complementary therapies for perceived insufficient milk, SMS- and telelactation-based support, lactation policies in child care centers, and antenatal milk expression. She has served on national committees including the Association of Women's Health, Obstetric, and Neonatal Nurses (AWHONN) Public Policy Committee, Editorial Advisory Board, and Research Advisory Panel. As Deputy Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of Human Lactation, she plays a leadership role in the field. Her clinical background includes work as a postpartum staff nurse at UPMC Magee-Womens Hospital and as an International Board-Certified Lactation Consultant at UPMC Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh Primary Care Oakland.