Meet the team of multi-faceted women who are proud to bring you feeding advice to help make your life easier. Learn more about us and our work with BLW Meals and Kids Meals app.

 

Leah Hackney

Pediatric Dietitian

I’m a board-certified registered dietitian in both the US and Canada. I graduated from California Polytechnic State University in 2014 and completed my dietetic internship at Texas A&M in 2015. I have worked in the pediatric nutrition field for over 10 years working on clinical trials, acute care for NICU/pediatric patients as well as private practice and consulting.

I am passionate about helping families with starting solids, navigating picky eating and generally making meals and feeding kids less stressful.

I am currently the chief of operations for BLW and Kids Meals App where I help run our interdisciplinary feeding team to create research-based and educational content for families to make feeding their babies and kids easier. This includes everything from recipes, feeding guides, meal plans, content on social media platforms, implementing new app features, connecting with other healthcare practitioners and more!

I am the proud mother of two little boys!

My favorite recipes from BLW Meals and Kids Meals app would probably be the One-Pot Hamburger Helper, Blueberry Lemon Yogurt Muffins and Easy Peasy Pasta.

Christina Garbado

Nutritionist and Recipe Developer

I am the proud mom to Tommy and Nico and bring my passion for cooking, good food, and family mealtime to life through my work with our apps. I love helping families make nutritious eating simple and enjoyable.

Since earning my Nutrition degree from Universidade Positivo in Curitiba, Brazil, in 2008, I’ve explored specialties like Children’s Nutrition, Sports Nutrition, and Food Photography. Now, I create and upload recipes for the app, refresh content, and craft posts for Instagram and our website—all to support parents in feeding their kids with confidence. I’m so grateful to share my knowledge and experience with families worldwide. 

My favorite part of my role is testing (and enjoying) the recipes I develop! My all-time favorite is the One-Pot Hamburger Helper—quick, easy, and delicious, just the way family meals should be.

Emma Ramker

Speech Language Pathologist

I am a Speech-Language Pathologist with a Master of Arts in Communication Sciences and Disorders from the University of Central Florida. With experience spanning from babies to geriatrics in various settings, I have spent the last few years of my career focusing on helping families start solids and manage the difficulties of eating during the toddler years.

As the Content Coordinator for both of our apps and their Instagram accounts, I draw on my expertise as an SLP to ensure all content is accurate, engaging, and impactful.

Outside of work, I’m a proud mom to two—Waverly and Wes. I love making family-friendly favorites from our apps and my go-to recipes are Banana Pancakes, Yogurt Waffles, and Easy Peasy Pasta.

Vanessa Croft

Writer, Educator, and Content Creator

With over a decade of experience in education and content creation, I am passionate about helping families thrive through engaging, educational, and practical resources. I hold a Master’s degree in English Language from the University of the West Indies (2021) and a Bachelor’s of Education in English Literature (2012), which have equipped me with the skills to create content that empowers parents and caregivers.  

In my current role, I specialize in developing easy-to-follow content that supports families in building healthy eating habits and navigating mealtime battles. Seeing how our work positively impacts both seasoned and first-time parents is incredibly rewarding. I enjoy being able to use artistic expression to tackle topics that parents may previously only have had access to in parenting books. 

As a mother of three children—Savannah, Harrison, and Scarlett—my personal experiences shape my approach to creating relatable and actionable content. I strive to provide resources that parents can easily integrate into their lives.  My favorite recipe from the apps is the Loaded Veggie Enchilada Casserole which I would gladly eat almost every night of the week. 

Contributors 

Meet the Global Team