Kelsie Barta

Kelsie Barta is a doctoral student at Texas Woman’s University College of Nursing, holding advanced nursing certifications as an Advanced Practice Registered Nurse (APRN) and International Board Certified Lactation Consultant (IBCLC). Her academic training includes a PhD (2024), MSN (2018) from UT Health Science Center, and BSN (2013) from University of Missouri.

• Research Focus: Breastfeeding instrumentation, ethical lactation support, community health access, and self-determination theory applications.
• Publications: Five peer-reviewed articles (2022-2024) addressing ethical frameworks, lactation support tools, and maternal-infant health disparities.

Notable accolades include the 2024 Virginia Chandler Dykes Scholar award and the 2023-2024 Albert Schweitzer Graduate Fellowship. Her work emphasizes equitable, autonomy-supportive lactation care and systemic improvements in postpartum units.