Abby Lange, Chair
Abby Lange spends her days working in public health. Her flnights are spent juggling a herd of spoiled dogs, and attending as many football and hockey games as possible. Mental health support has been a passion of Abby’s since becoming a paramedic in 2014. Her ambition to support parents and families ignited when her youngest had an extended stay in the NICU. She lives with her husband and 3 children in Fargo.
Kristin Knorr, Secretary
Kristin is a strategic, adaptable collaborator with a passion for the wellbeing of children, mothers, and families. She works across the state of ND supporting and advocating for high-quality youth development programs and provides women’s health education through community prenatal classes. Kristin discovered Postpartum Support International after finding herself juggling working and being home with a newborn during the pandemic. She lives with her husband and two toddlers in blessed chaos.
Kate Tulibaski, Treasurer 
Kate is a faculty member at NDSU in Fargo, ND by day and pursues her passion of helping educate and empower mothers and families through community prenatal and breastfeeding education by night. Her passion for maternal and child health blossomed during her own journey through pregnancy, birth, and postpartum after years of infertility. It has inspired her to work so that our communities can become a village of support for mothers and families through all stages of the parenthood journey. Kate lives in West Fargo with her husband and four sons.
Angela Blackford, At-Large
Angela is a Licensed Masters Level Social Worker (LMSW) who has been working with children and families since graduating with her Bachelor’s in Social Work in 2010. Angela currently practices as a therapist in an OBGYN clinic. She is excited and passionate about helping others feel their best self and getting the care they need. She’s had an interest in mental health and advocacy since she was a teenager due to personal experiences and the experiences of others around her. Everyone deserves to feel heard, safe, and seen. She’s thrilled to be a part of a board full of amazing women to further help amazing women and parents in the community. Some of Angela’s personal interests are volunteering at a local cat shelter, spending time with her pets, and getting involved in community events.
Candi Smith, Liaison
Candi is a registered nurse and lactation consultant. She earned her bachelor’s degree in food and nutrition from North Dakota State University and her Bachelor of Nursing from the University of North Dakota. Candi earned her master’s degree in maternal and child nutrition from the University of California, Davis.
Candi continues to work at Sanford Health as an RN lactation consultant in the neonatal intensive care unit, family birth center and children’s clinic. She began teaching at North Dakota State College of Science in 2022 where she teaches nutrition and lactation courses. She is developing an International Board Certified Lactation Consultant program at NDSCS. Candi also works at the Indigenous Association where she helps support local Indigenous families meet their lactation goals.
Candi has been married to her husband Brian for the past 27 years and together they have 5 sons and 2 grandchildren. She enjoys spending time with her family. Her hobbies include snowboarding, crafting and sewing.
Aimee Duncan, At-Large
Aimee is an International Board Certified Lactation Consultant living in Grand Forks, North Dakota with a strong passion for supporting families. Dedicated to furthering her expertise, she is currently pursuing her PMH-C certification. Her professional interests extend to perinatal mental health, recognizing the crucial connection between maternal well-being and successful breastfeeding journeys. Aimee is married to her husband Lance and together they have three sweet boys. She comes from a multicultural background and enjoys traveling and connecting with her family in Okinawa. Outside of her professional endeavors and family life, Aimee is a big foodie and is always eager to explore and have new culinary experiences.
Natalie Reiter, At-Large
Natalie is a mother of two and professional counselor. Natalie’s passion for maternal mental health began with her own perinatal mental health journey and has continued to grow and led to the founding of her private practice which specializes in reproductive mental health.
Juliana Antwi, At-Large Member 
Juliana Antwi’s journey into maternal and child health is rooted in a deep commitment to ensuring every mother and baby receives compassionate, equitable care. A trained physician with a Master of Public Health in Epidemiology from North Dakota State University, she brings both clinical insight and public health expertise to improving perinatal outcomes.
As Clinic Coordinator for the North Dakota Perinatal Quality Collaborative (NDPQC), Juliana leads statewide efforts to strengthen systems of care for mothers and infants. She also serves as Chair of the Public Health Systems and Practices Section of the North Dakota Public Health Association (NDPHA), advancing strategies that support an effective and equitable public health workforce.
Beyond her professional roles, Juliana is the Board Chair of GCA Thrive, where she champions financial freedom for women in Africa. Her work reflects a lifelong passion for community-driven solutions, maternal mental health, and holistic well-being for families everywhere.
Alicia Belay – At-Large member 
Alicia Belay currently serves as the Assistant Director of the Community Engagement Unit at the North Dakota Department of Health and Human Services. She has a doctorate from University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee in Social and Health Psychology and a master’s degree in public health from Gondar, Ethiopia. Her focus in the last 10 years has been on health equity and maternal outcomes, with a special focus on the postpartum period. Outside of playing with her two rascally boys (2 and 6 years), Alicia dedicates her free time to a small nonprofit that she helped to found in 2018, which provides job training and microloans for women in Africa.
Christyn Burns – At-Large member 
Christyn Burns is a DONA-trained postpartum doula whose journey began with her own transformative experience of new motherhood. Navigating the challenges and joys of early parenthood sparked her passion for supporting other families in the delicate postpartum season.
She is currently pursuing certification as an International Board Certified Lactation Consultant (IBCLC) to further expand her ability to guide families through feeding challenges and infant care. Her goal is to create a supportive environment where parents feel seen, heard, and empowered.
Sarah Lavelle – At-Large member 
Sarah Lavelle is a Behavioral Health Administrator with the North Dakota Department of Health and Human Services, Behavioral Health Division. I have experience in program development, system coordination, and improving access to high-quality behavioral health services across North Dakota. My background includes collaborative leadership, data-driven improvement and community partnership development.
Throughout my career with the Behavioral Health Division, I’ve worked closely with providers, courts, and community stakeholders to improve outcomes for individuals and families. I am passionate about strengthening and advancing resources for mothers and families across the state while promoting person-centered, trauma-informed and recovery oriented services.
In my free time, I enjoy staying active outdoors, baking and cooking for those I love, and spending quality time with my family. I value balance, connection and community both in my personal life and professional work.
Sara Benson – At-Large member 
Sara is licensed occupational therapist, certified breastfeeding specialist, and owner of Empowered Pediatric Therapy. She graduated from the University of North Dakota with her Master’s in Occupational Therapy degree in 2021. With experience in pediatrics throughout the school system, outpatient setting, and early intervention she has worked with a variety of children and diagnosis. Over the years, she has gained a love for working with littles and their families to help them grow in their gross motor, fine motor, play skills, feeding, and daily activities. She has enjoyed building a connection with families and helping them advocate for their child to be successful throughout their homes, schools, and communities. Additionally, she has gained certifications in maternal mental health and lactation to be able to further support families in their feeding journeys.
Jonie Wynveen – At-Large member 
Jonie is a Certified Pre- and Postnatal Coach, a mother of three, and the author of Waves of Grace, a postpartum motherhood memoir. She is passionate about supporting children, mothers, and babies and is joining the PSI North Dakota Chapter board to help expand awareness, education, and access to perinatal mental health resources for families across the state.
