SCHOLAR DIRECTORY

Gladys Vallespir Ellett is a third year doctoral student at the NYU Rory Meyers College of Nursing. Prior to establishing a second career in nursing, she had a successful career in Student Affairs. Over the course of a 16 year career in maternal-child nursing she has worked at the bedside, in management, as a clinical preceptor, and now coordinator of outpatient lactation services at NYU Langone Medical Center. She is an active member of Lamaze International serving as Chair for Continuing Education and an International Board Certified Lactation Consultant. Her passion for the expectant family and new parents has driven her to create educational programs to meet the needs of expectant and new parents and to support nurses in their work with families. She has given podium and poster presentations internationally and nationally on topics related to labor support, safe birth initiatives, shared decision making, paternal postnatal depression, and transition to first-time fatherhood. Recognizing the need for initiatives involving men in prenatal and postnatal health promotion programs, her research interests focus on factors that facilitate a positive transition to first-time fatherhood during pregnancy.