Ayanna Smith

An Atlanta native, Ayanna Smith attended KIPP WAYS Academy and KIPP Atlanta Collegiate High School. After KIPP, she studied Public Health Sciences at Xavier University of Louisiana. As an undergraduate, she was propelled into the field of Maternal and Child Health, with a focus on breastfeeding. She developed and implemented BreastFedEd, an award-winning program which serves as the breastfeeding education curriculum for Xavier University’s Nutrition and Health courses. Currently, Ayanna is pursuing a Master’s of Public Health degree at UNC Gillings School of Global Public Health and training to become a lactation consultant through the Mary Rose Tully Training Initiative. Her career goals include increasing African American representation and prioritizing BIPOC communities’ wellness in the broader discussion of breastfeeding.