What is Lactivents?
Education. Connection. Community.
Lactivents is an IBCLC-led company committed to creating high-quality, unique education experiences that amplify diverse voices and perspectives, aiming to empower lactation and perinatal care providers to better support families.
We strive to blend professional education, networking, and relaxation in stunning destinations.
Community
Who You'll Meet
At Lactivents conferences, you'll have the opportunity to connect with a diverse range of professionals dedicated to lactation and perinatal care. While each year will bring a unique mix of attendees, in the past we've hosted:
IBCLCs
International Board Certified Lactation Consultants
CLCs
Certified Lactation Consultants
CLEs
Certified Lactation Educators
Midwives
Postpartum & Labor Nurses
Doulas
Physicians
Chiropractors
Physical Therapists
MPH Professionals
Masters in Public Health
And many more
All who support new families
This diverse community offers a fantastic opportunity to network, form new partnerships, and engage with professionals who are passionate about lactation and family care.
What People Say
Average attendee rating
What a beautiful, diverse and unique gathering. I appreciated out of the box thinking!
Excellent speakers, EXCELLENT LOCATION. This was by far one of the best conferences I have attended.
Loved being able to connect with others and the topics were great!
The setting was amazing! It was so lovely to be in person again.
I loved the variety of topics, the location, the organization!
Our Team
The Faces Behind Lactivents
Dana Hilsenrath
MBA, IBCLC · she/her
Founder
Lactivents is the brainchild of Dana Hilsenrath, MBA, IBCLC. Dana was drawn to lactation work after the birth of her twin boys in 2015, making her official transition from the corporate world to the world of all things lactation in 2019. It wasn't until she attended her first lactation conference that she realized not only had she found her calling — she had found her people too.
Unfortunately, it wasn't long after that, during The Year Which Shall Not Be Named, that all in-person gatherings were put on hold and educational opportunities moved online. While Dana continued attending virtual lactation conferences and webinars, she couldn't help but feel that something was missing. In-person conferences left her feeling recharged; many online lectures left her feeling drained.
Eventually, people began gathering again — and Dana realized she was not alone. People were tired, burnt out, and experiencing compassion fatigue. Friends and colleagues shared the same yearning: not only for in-person learning, but for social events, networking, and a chance to collectively process and move forward from the difficulty of the past several years.
As the idea for this conference took shape, Dana's events planning reflexes kicked in. She draws upon a 10+ year career in events, from coordinating development events at New York City Ballet, to international sales incentive trips, to employee training and education events. Lactivents was born.
Our History
See Where It All Began
Lactivents has brought together lactation and perinatal professionals across two transformative events. Each gathering has deepened the community, expanded the conversation, and left practitioners renewed.
View Past Events