Our Team
Emma Rukhotskiy, PhD
Founder and CEO
Emma Rukhotskiy founded Bili Blanket Baby in 2014. Each one of her four children had been born with jaundice and needed phototherapy, so she knew it could be hard for parents to find the tools needed to care for newborns with jaundice at home.
"I know how important that initial bonding period is," she says. "The business is built on my desire to help families stay together and out of the hospital."
More than just a durable medical equipment company, Bili Blanket Baby provides personalized care for families. Emma works directly with new families and medical professionals to provide support during a stressful time and to promote bonding. Recognizing the importance of protecting breastfeeding relationships, Emma also recently expanded Bili Blanket Baby's services to offer breast pump rentals and lactation support to expecting mothers on Medicaid.
Based in Boulder, Colorado, Bili Blanket Baby has kept more than 17,000 babies out of NICU and home with their families since its founding.
"As a result of my firsthand experience, I am passionate about making sure that biliblankets are available and affordable," Emma says. "If your baby has newborn jaundice and needs phototherapy, I hope I can help you keep your baby at home under your pediatrician's care and out of the hospital."
Emma has undergraduate degrees in psychology and French and Russian languages, and master's and doctoral degrees in community and prevention research.
Outside of work, Emma can be found working out with friends, enjoying time with her extended family, watching her kids play sports, and attending live music performances.
Evelyn Costigan
Senior Sales and Operations Specialist
Evelyn graduated from the University of Colorado-Boulder in with a major in psychology, a minor in business, and a certificate in care, health and resilience. At Bili Blanket Baby, her role has grown from office management tasks — such as processing orders, managing inventory, insurance billing, and training new staff — to talking to pediatricians in Colorado and beyond to educate them about Bili Blanket Baby's offerings and increase access to home jaundice treatments.
"My favorite part is getting to speak with all of our doctors and parents so families get to take their newborn home!" she says. "I am so happy to work at a place that is devoted to the wellbeing of parents and their newborns to make sure they can stay together at home during crucial bonding times."
When Evelyn is not at the office, she enjoys traveling and exploring Colorado with her friends.
Katie Halverstadt, BSN, RN, IBCLC
Senior Manager of Maternity and Lactation Services
An Internationally Board-Certified Lactation Consultant and Registered Nurse, Katie joined Bili Blanket Baby in 2024 to help expecting moms on Medicaid get lactation services and supplies early in their pregnancies. Through prenatal classes, video calls and postpartum home visits with women as well as building connections with medical professionals, Katie hopes to offer women in Colorado the support they need to give their babies a healthy start.
"I'm extremely passionate about women who are in an underserved community getting high- level lactation support," she says. "How do we support exclusivity — which is a mom who gives more of her milk than having to use formula? They often don't get enough education or support in pregnancy to make this decision. If we can get them the pump and the prenatal consult, that's a big piece of the solution."
Katie earned a BFA from the University of Northern Colorado and a BS in nursing from Regis University. She began volunteering with the Colorado Breastfeeding Coalition in 2012, helping organize community events. In 2016, Katie helped plan the first Colorado Breastival, and she has been serving as the president of the Colorado Breastfeeding Coalition for the past 8 years. She was a 2014 nominee for the Florence Nightingale Nursing award, and won the Luminary Nightingale award in 2021. Katie is also proud to be a faculty member of CAPPA, and has taught her lactation class to over 200 professionals, and has focused her efforts in helping women of color become Certified Lactation Educators.
Katie is the proud mom of two amazing kids and loves rafting and camping with her husband every summer.
Hannah Marden
Operations Manager
Hannah joined Bili Blanket Baby as an intern and is now the company's operations manager. She processes orders for Bili Blankets, breast pumps and other medical equipment, and works with physicians and clients to meet their needs. If you call Bili Blanket Baby with a question or need tech support, you'll probably talk to Hannah!
Hannah says she has been inspired not just by how caring and knowledgeable Bili Blanket Baby's staff is, but also by the continuous growth within the company and the collaboration of the team members.
"Each action I do is not just assigned to me," she says. "It's the whole team all working together to get the best outcome for our clients."
Hannah graduated from the University of Colorado-Colorado Springs with a degree in health and wellness promotion. She also has an associate's degree in nursing.
When she is not at work, Hannah enjoys yoga, skiing and hiking with friends.
