James Akre

Book: The Problem with Breastfeeding: A personal reflection

James Akre was born in the USA where he lived until the age of 21, including four years on a Pennsylvania dairy farm which was part of the secondary school complex he attended. His international career began as an adviser to rural populations in Turkey (1966) and Cameroon (1968) in small animal husbandry and farmer cooperatives. After obtaining his master’s degree in economic and social development (University of Pittsburgh, 1972), he worked for more than 30 years with various international organizations focusing on labor and social affairs; technical and material support to the agriculture, education and public health sectors in low-income countries; and public health nutrition, with particular emphasis on feeding infants and young children. He currently serves as a member of the International Board of Lactation Consultant Examiners. Jim and his Swiss wife Pia, who is a primary-school health educator, live in Geneva, Switzerland; they have two daughters and a son, and three grandchildren. Besides writing, Jim enjoys running, sailing, photography, and singing classical and contemporary choral works as a member of the Geneva Amateur Operatic Society.

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