The BCIA has four open board positions for 2022-2025. Elections are being held late this year as we needed to find a treasure prior to holding the election.
Each member of the board of directors agrees to serve for a three year term. BCIA bylaws require participation by 50% of active members in order to certify a vote. After viewing the electoral slate below, if you are an active BCIA member, please take a moment to cast your vote.
The BCIA board of directors shapes the work and vision of the BCIA and oversees the Executive Director and other contractors for the organization. We strive to have represent the breadth of our membership by ensuring our Directors are from different parts of the world as well as different segments of the industry.
This year, we have two members standing for re-election and two new board members standing for election.
You can vote to approve all four nominations, decline each individually, or abstain from voting for any candidate.
If you are interested in working with the board, serving on the board in the future, or chairing a committee, please reach out and let us know!
Arie Brentnall, Baby Carrier Education and Sales
Alberta, Canada
Arie Brentnall is a synergistic speaker & consultant focused on improving public health through babywearing. She has taught at workshops & conferences across North America, as well as in the United Kingdom, Sweden, Italy, Belgium & Australia.
She is Chair of the Baby Carrier Industry Alliance, serving on the board since its inception in 2010. Her babywearing industry experience spans 16 years; she has previously owned Canadian Babywearing School & a babywearing retail store, sat on multiple boards, & continues to accept consulting contracts within the industry. Her work with companies of all sizes maintains a focus on achieving regulatory compliance, increased sales & consumer satisfaction. In addition to teaching more than 50 Babywearing Educator’s workshops, Arie has presented to hundreds of health & community workers. She is currently completing a Bachelor of Social Work, with a goal of integrating babywearing into social services in support of family unification.
Diana Mateescu, Baby Carrier Manufacturer, European Compliance Liason, and Baby Carrier Education
Romania
Diana Mateescu is the owner of Poarta-Ma and sits on the European committee developing a new carrier standard. She is an activist and a babywearing educator. She has been a member of the BCIA board since 2016.
During 2022, Diana organized baby carrier relief for refugees and others leaving Ukraine. She also offers educational babywearing consults, serves on the BCIA resource committee, and is deeply involved within the industry in a variety of ways.
Melissa Macleod, WildBird Operations Manager and Babywearing Educator
United States
Melissa is a mother of four children, including a set of twins, and has been the Operations Manager for WIldBird since 2016. Melissa has been a babywearing educator for almost a decade, and was President of the Salt Lake chapter of Babywearing International for three years. Prior to becoming a mother, she was an expatriate tax advisor with a Big Four firm in the United Kingdom. Melissa’s three great loves are babies, spreadsheets, and horses.
If she is elected, Melissa has graciously agreed to serve as the BCIA treasurer as Susan Gmeiner steps down after 13 years of service on the BCIA board.
Rebecca Grove, Babywearing Educator, Doula, Postpartum Care
Ontario, Canada
Rebecca founded Grove Family Care in 2018. She offers postpartum home visits, virtual visits and online and in person workshops and programs in postpartum, perinatal, and babywearing education.
In late 2014 she started her journey with taking a babywearing educator workshop and volunteering with a local babywearing help group. In 2016 Rebecca started her postpartum doula education and became certified in 2018.Since then, Rebecca has been working with clients in their homes, as well as teaching other doulas how to use babycarriers.
Currently Rebeca is continuing training as a perinatal educator to expand her knowledge in pregnancy and childbirth and working on a comprehensive postpartum education program for parents to help families prepare for the arrival of their baby with education, tools and planning.