• Christine Dodson, co-founder of Mamava, will be taking over as CEO in February.
• Christine Dodson co-founded Mamava in 2013 with Sascha Mayer after they saw a need for private spaces for mothers to breastfeed or pump.
• Mamava has installed over 5,000 pods nationwide and offers a free mobile app to help mothers find lactation spaces.

One of the co-founders of Mamava, Christine Dodson, is taking over in February as chief executive officer of the Burlington-based company that pioneered a business providing private "pods" for mothers to breastfeed or pump in workplaces and public spaces.

The first Mamava pod was installed in the Patrick Leahy Burlington International Airport in 2013. Since then, the company has delivered more than 5,000 pods throughout the country, where they've been set up in office buildings, stadiums, medical facilities, convention centers, aquariums and other locations.

Mamava also provides breastfeeding resources for employers, organizations and mothers. Its free mobile app helps breastfeeding parents identify, access and review more than 10,000 lactation spaces nationwide.

Current Mamava CEO to step down in February after 35 years in business roles

Dodson will replace Tom Witschi, who is retiring from his role as CEO and his professional career. Witschi joined Mamava as CEO in July 2022 after more than 35 years in various business roles. Prior to Mamava, Witschi held executive-level jobs at Meredith Corporation, Filipacchi Media, Golf Digest Companies and Reader's Digest Association. Witschi also served as the CEO of the Vermont-based EatingWell Media Group, before it was acquired by Meredith Corporation.

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Dodson launched Mamava alongside Chief Experience Officer Sascha Mayer in 2013, after the pair recognized there weren't spaces at work or in public venues where mothers could go to breastfeed and/or pump. Dodson and Mayer created a stand-alone pod to provide a clean, private space for those mothers − and Mamava was born.

"Now is the perfect time for Christine to take the helm as CEO, and apply her many years leading operations and production, and of course, as my cofounder, driven by Mamava's mission to make breastfeeding an authentic choice for more mothers," Mayer said in a statement.

Dodson currently serves as Mamava's chief operating officer, overseeing manufacturing, including customer service, supply chain and fulfillment. Before launching Mamava, she was the managing director of Solidarity of Unbridled Labour, a Burlington brand design studio. Dodson also previously held management positions at Grey Advertising in New York City and State Street Corporation in Boston.

Contact Dan D’Ambrosio at 660-1841 or [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter @DanDambrosioVT.