Kerri Bertrand, MPH
Research Manager

Kerri Bertrand oversees the day-to-day operations of the Mommy’s Milk Human Milk Research Biorepository . She is responsible for the recruitment and enrollment of people who are breastfeeding, collection of biospecimens, preparation of human milk samples for freezing, data entry, review of medical records, and the supervision of staff who conduct these activities. She also works with Dr. Chambers and Mommy’s Milk investigators on the preparation of grant proposals, provision of data sets, statistical analyses and interpretation, and the dissemination of study results. Kerri graduated from Florida Gulf Coast University in 2010 and received a Master’s in Public Health with a concentration in Epidemiology from San Diego State University in 2013.

Alex Tallakson, MPH
Clinical Research Coordinator

Alex is the assistant clinical research coordinator for Mommy’s Milk Human Research Biorepository. Previously, she worked at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) where she first became interested in public health research. Alex joined Mommy’s Milk as a student research assistant in 2022. She is thrilled to be able to continue working in the field of maternal and child health. Alex completed her undergraduate degree in Biology from Lewis & Clark College in 2018 and received a Master’s in Public Health with a concentration in Epidemiology from UCSD in 2023.

Kelli Faiai, BS
Lab Assistant

Kelli serves as the Lab Assistant at Mommy’s Milk Human Milk Research Biorepository, where she oversees lab operations. Her responsibilities include collecting and processing biospecimens, storing valuable samples, and ensuring the accurate tracking of corresponding data. Kelli graduated with a Bachelor’s degree in Biology from Concordia University Irvine in 2018. She enjoys being a part of making human milk samples more accessible for future research and having the opportunity to deepen her understanding of the amazing ways human milk supports the health and development of children.

Marla Stockley, MA 
Research Assistant

Marla Stockley is a research assistant for the Mommy’s Milk Human Milk Research Biorepository. In this role, she is responsible for data collection, data entry, information verification and study follow-up including requests for medical records. She graduated from UC San Diego in 2002 with a Bachelor’s degree in Human Development, and in 2009 she received a Master’s degree in Counseling from the University of San Diego. Marla has been working for the Center for Better Beginnings for 10+ years. A native of Chula Vista, CA, she is married and a mother to identical twin girls who keep her very busy. As a mother, she appreciates the importance of our research and is dedicated to contributing to improving the health and lives of all families in the future.