BFUSA Initiates Search for New CEO

An Important Announcement from Baby-Friendly USA

Dear Colleagues,

Trish MacEnroe has informed the Baby-Friendly USA (BFUSA) Board of Directors that, after more than ten years as the Executive Director/CEO of BFUSA, she will be retiring at the end of this calendar year. She will leave behind a record of exemplary service. While we will miss her and her inspiring leadership, we wish Trish the best of luck as she enters the next chapter of her life. We are profoundly appreciative of her commitment and dedication to BFUSA and the positive impact she has had on millions of mothers, families and babies over the past decade. It has been my great honor and privilege to have worked with Trish. Her integrity and dedication have been unparalleled.

Trish’s retirement was in the early planning stages many months before the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, but she has agreed to extend her retirement date as necessary to provide leadership and continuity during this stressful and challenging time. The BFUSA Board recognizes that during such a difficult time in healthcare, the timing of this announcement creates its own challenges. Nevertheless, we are committed to working with Trish to ensure a smooth and timely transition.

Trish is an amazing leader who has transformed Baby-Friendly USA from a successful but small national program to one which has earned international acclaim. Trish and her outstanding team built the 4-D Pathway and a nationwide infrastructure that upholds the highest standards for infant feeding care in maternity units across the country. Now, over 1 million babies are born each year in environments in which evidenced-based care is provided, education is free from commercial interests, and mothers are supported in reaching their infant feeding goals.

Trish’s vast legacy will certainly include her successful stewardship of the new Guidelines and Evaluation Criteria (GEC) as the Chairperson of the Baby-Friendly Hospital Initiative (BFHI) Network of Industrialized Countries, Eastern Europe and the Commonwealth of Independent States. She worked collegially with the World Health Organization (WHO) and colleagues at other international organizations to ensure the new GEC achieves the shared goals that were intended for all countries. She then led the development of US-specific implementation guidance by convening two Expert Panels and working collaboratively with seven professional organizations. Trish is a team-builder, collaborator and visionary. Her shoes will be difficult to fill.

This posting announces the opening of a national search to find her successor by this fall, with the goal of having the new CEO overlap with Trish for several months so that her knowledge, experience and expertise can be passed on. The BFUSA Board of Directors will oversee the hiring process and leadership transition.

Information about the application process and the qualifications we seek are posted here. We encourage inquiries and applications from all interested parties, and we will be conducting interviews throughout the next few months.

Once again, we extend our deepest and heartfelt thanks to Trish for everything she has accomplished on behalf of BFUSA. She has been an ardent champion for excellence in breastfeeding care. We wish her all the best in her retirement, and we look forward to welcoming her successor with open arms.

Sincerely,

Theresa Landau, MS, RDN, CDN
BFUSA Board Chair

Update 9/28: Please note that BFUSA is no longer accepting applications for this position.