GOLD Speakers

Mariana Colmenares Castaño, MD, IBCLC

• Speaker Type: 2025 Main Presentations
• Country: Mexico

Biography:

Mariana was born in Mexico City, and from an early age she was fascinated by animals and nature. She studied medicine at the National University of Mexico (UNAM), and found her passion as a pediatrician doing my residency at the National Pediatric Institute. Mariana recently migrated with her family to the UK where she is working in Neurodevelopmental Paediatrics. When her first child was born she witnessed the lack of knowledge and commitment with breastfeeding within the medical profession so she decided to specialize in breastfeeding medicine. Certified as a Lactation Consultant (IBCLC) in 2011.

Mariana is a member of the International Lactation Consultant Association, the Academy of Breastfeeding Medicine and a proud founding member of the National Lactation Consultant Association of Mexico (ACCLAM), where she served on the Board of Directors as Education Coordinator (2014-2019). She is part of the board director for the Academy of Breastfeeding Medicine for 3 year period (2019-2022) and actual secretary for the ABM (2022-2025). She has been practicing in London United Kingdom since June 2022. She has been part of expert committees for the World Health Organization, and consultant for the National Health Institute in Mexico and has collaborated with UNICEF in breastfeeding projects.

Mariana has spoken at national and international conferences, co-published numerous articles, and co-authored a chapter for the National Academy of Medicine. Her commitment is to contribute to a medical profession better prepared to support breastfeeding and support students to become IBCLC.