Meet Our IBCLC Lactation Consultants

Our team of IBCLC-certified consultants and nurses combines professional expertise with compassion to support families across Florida & Georgia.

 

Call/text now: 1(813)291-4695

Dedicated to Helping Families Thrive

At Thrive Lactation Center, our consultants are more than healthcare professionals — they are mothers, nurses, educators, and advocates who understand the unique joys and challenges of feeding your baby. With backgrounds in postpartum care, NICUs, hospitals, and outpatient lactation clinics, our IBCLC-certified team is committed to helping families feel supported, empowered, and confident.

The Thrive Difference

  • Board-certified IBCLC consultants with extensive clinical backgrounds

  • Decades of combined experience in maternal-child health

  • Personalized care tailored to each family’s goals

  • Insurance-friendly visits, verified before your appointment

  • Flexible care: in-home, in-office, and virtual options

Our Lactation Consultants

  • A woman with four young boys sitting and standing on her lap and around her, all smiling against a plain white background.

    Sarah Schooler, RN, MSN, IBCLC

    Founder/Owner

    Florida: Lee and Collier County

    Sarah has two Bachelor’s Degrees from the University of Florida, one in Health Education and the other in Nursing. She also has a Master’s Degree in Nursing Administration from Jacksonville University. She is an International Board Certified Lactation Consultant and has additional certifications in infant oral function. She has 5 years of experience as a Neonatal ICU nurse and has been a full-time lactation consultant since 2016.

  • A woman and three children smiling and sitting in a lush, green forest with tall trees and abundant foliage.

    Avery Desalvo, Practice Manager

    All Locations

    Avery is the smiling voice you hear on the phone. She helps get patients matched with consultants, verifies insurance coverage and assists with the billing process.

  • A woman in black scrubs standing in front of a white van outdoors with trees in the background.

    Dr. Walkey NABBLM-C, IBCLC

    Dr. Emily Walkey is a board-certified expert in both Pediatrics and Breastfeeding Medicine. With a passion for supporting families in their feeding journeys, she provides comprehensive care through in-office and virtual consultations.

    Dr. Walkey specializes in diagnosing and treating a wide range of breastfeeding and feeding challenges. She offers frenectomy (tongue-tie surgery) and provides expert guidance for improving painful latch, addressing low or oversupply issues, and managing recurrent mastitis or clogged ducts in breastfeeding mothers. Her personalized approach ensures that every family receives the support and solutions they need to thrive.

    Whether you're navigating early feeding challenges or seeking ongoing lactation care, Dr. Walkey is here to help with compassion and expertise.

  • A woman and a young girl at the beach, with rocks and a fence in the background. The woman has light brown hair and is smiling; the girl has blue eyes, a red headband, and an expressionless face. Both are wearing warm clothing.

    Jayme Bolander, RN, BSN, IBCLC

    Florida: St. Lucie, Martin and Palm Beach County

    Jayme is a bachelor-prepared registered nurse with 6 years of experience in the pediatric ICU as well as experience with pediatric home health and pediatric urgent care. After breastfeeding her own two daughters she became a licensed lactation consultant. Jayme is looking forward to helping other moms on their lactation journey!

  • A woman smiling and leaning on a wooden fence at a tropical beach with palm trees and lush green vegetation in the background.

    Lisa Conroy, RN, BSN, IBCLC

    Florida: Duval and St. Johns County

    Lisa is a bachelors prepared registered nurse with extensive experience in postpartum and Neonatal Intensive Care Unit lactation education in the hospital setting.

  • Smiling woman with short gray hair, wearing sunglasses and a sleeveless striped top, sitting outdoors at a waterfront restaurant with boats in the background, under a red umbrella.

    Rhonda Harper, RN, BSN, IBCLC

    Florida: Lee and Collier County

    Rhonda is a bachelor’s prepared registered nurse with 42 years of experience in Maternal Child Health and Lactation Support/Education. She has breastfed all 6 of her children which has led her to be passionate about helping Moms reach their goals and supporting them and their families through their individual lactation journeys.

  • A family of five posing outdoors near the Gateway Arch in St. Louis, Missouri. The family includes two women and three children, with the children wearing matching soccer-themed shirts. The background features trees and a clear blue sky.

    Roslyn Morrow, RN, BSN, IBCLC

    Florida: Duval and St. Johns County

    Roslyn is a bachelor’s prepared nurse who spent the first 5 years of her nursing career as a bedside nurse on a Women’s services unit. After having her daughter in 2012 and twin boys in 2014 she was greatly impacted by both the challenges and rewards that motherhood created and decided to pursue a career in lactation. Roslyn knows first hand the challenges that can arise along the breastfeeding journey and is excited to have the opportunity to support breastfeeding.

  • A family of four sitting outdoors in a wooded area, surrounded by trees and fallen leaves, with a stack of cut logs in the background. The father is holding a young girl wearing a beanie, and the mother is sitting next to a young boy.

    Evelyn Vo, RN, BSN, IBCLC

    Florida: Palm Beach County

    Evelyn is a bachelor’s prepared nurse with over 7 years of experience helping families and their babies in the pediatric ICU. She attributes the support she received from Thrive Lactation Center with helping her successfully

    breastfeed her 2 boys subsequently leading her to join our team in order to help more moms on their journey.

  • A woman and two children at the beach; the woman is being kissed on the cheek by a boy while the girl smiles at the camera.

    Donatella Nesti, IBCLC

    Florida: Palm Beach County

    I was born and raised in Italy… and after college, I moved to NYC to grow and develop my career.

    After a few years, I decided to take Salsa dance classes… where I met my husband, Anthony. 😍

    Becoming a mother allowed me to discover my real passion for the prenatal and neonatal period and I switched my career.

    Currently, I am an International Board Certified Lactation Consultant, CLC, Baby Care Specialist, Childbirth Educator and Birth Doula. I am constantly learning and love connecting with new families!

    I love sports, outdoor activities and spending time with my family.

  • Close-up of a woman smiling outdoors near a lake with trees and a partly cloudy sky in the background.

    Crystal Farnsworth, RN, IBCLC

    Florida: Duval County

    Crystal is a BSN/RN/BCLC with over 15 years of experience in maternal newborn nursing in the hospital setting. She has been an International Board Certified Lactation Consultant since 2012. She serves the greater Jacksonville area with home and virtual visits.

    I have two kids who were a challenge to feed. It became a passion and a mission to help other mothers succeed.

  • A young woman with long light brown hair and a light green blouse smiling outdoors during sunset, with a blurred background of green grass, trees, and a blue sky with some clouds.

    Ruxandra Johnson RN, BSN, IBCLC

    Florida: Sarasota County

    Ruxangra was born and raised in Romania and moved to the US when she was 16 years old. She has spent most of her time time in Colorado where she met her husband. She received her Bachelor of Science in Nursing from the University of Colorado Denver and started her nursing journey as a postpartum nurse. Right away, she fell in love with helping new families breastfeed their babies and after having her own struggles with breastfeeding, She decided to become an IBCLC and practice lactation full time. It has been an incredibly rewarding step in her career. She loves connecting with new families and supporting their feeding goals no matter where they are on the journey.

  • Stephanie O'Brien CLC

    Stephanie O'Brien CLC

    Florida: St. Lucie, Martin, and Palm Beach County

    Stephanie O’Brien, CLC, is a dedicated Certified Lactation Counselor who leads the Medicaid virtual program at Thrive Lactation Center. After spending six wonderful years as a stay-at-home mom with her two children, Stephanie discovered her passion for breastfeeding and supporting families in achieving their breastfeeding goals. With a background in healthcare since the age of 18, she brings a wealth of experience and compassion to her work. Stephanie is excited to combine her love for helping others with her commitment to guiding mothers and infants through their breastfeeding journeys.

  • A woman with long dark hair smiling outdoors during sunset, wearing a white top with thin straps.

    Alexis Smith, RN, BSN

    Florida: Lee and Collier County

    Alexis went to a votech high school and became a nurse when she was 17 years old. She has worked the last 8+ years as a NICU nurse and helped many moms with the breastfeeding basics to support them. It wasn’t until she became a mother myself that she realized how difficult and complex breastfeeding can truly be and how having the right support and resources can truly make or break your breastfeeding journey. After facing her own breastfeeding struggles, she felt so passionate about helping as many moms as she could with their breastfeeding journey and supporting them as much as possible during what could feel like some of the toughest days.

  • Close-up of a smiling woman with long blonde hair and blue eyes, standing in front of a stone wall.

    Debbie Cornett, RN, IBCLC

    Georgia: Cherokee, Cobb and Fulton County

    Debbie is a bachelor prepared registered nurse. She has been a lactation consultant for 9 years and has worked in the hospital with mothers and infants postpartum, in the NICU and outpatient. Debbie also led a community support group for new mothers. Her passion is providing the support needed to help new mothers reach their goals.