Surrogacy & Donor Seminar- Auckland

Alice is a 30 year old twin born via gestational surrogacy in the UK. She came to Auckland in 2009 after high school on a gap year and ended up studying at university and staying. New Zealand was so good, her family migrated also. Alice is a personal trainer and is happily settled in life with her partner and his children. She will talk about growing up and disclosure  -how her parents told her about how she came into the world and what effect it has on her own sense of self.

Cindy Wasser practiced as a Canadian Criminal Defence lawyer from 1987 until 2008. In that year, she  became a mum to the first of two daughters through an egg donor and gestational surrogacy. This journey led her to her legal specialisation in Fertility Law. Cindy provides legal advice and services to intended parents, Canadian carriers and donors. Cindy has also provided legal advice to fertility medical practitioners and fertility consultant agencies. She has lectured in the area of fertility law at medico-legal conferences and hospitals.

Olivia is of Ngapuhi, Ngati Kahungunu descent and is the only Maori female fertility Subspecialist in New Zealand. Olivia is one of the few in NZ to have completed CREI Subspecialist training, and Australiasian group of fertility Subspecialists who are leaders in fertility and develop guidelines for the care of fertility patients. Olivia specialises in fertility preservation, fertility and gynaecological ultrasound and surgery and male infertility. Olivia is also very passionate about the provision of healthcare to those with reduced access, both at home, doing clinics in Northland, as well as overseas in developing countries and has volunteered in Ethiopia and Vietnam. As well as her fertility and gynaecology private practice at FA, Olivia practices Private obstetrics through Birthright. Her spare time is spent with her tamariki, her whanau and huskies.

Thea Charkviani M.D. is a leading obstetrician gynecologist, reproductive endocrinologist at ReproART Georgian-American Center for Reproductive Medicine with over 25 years of experience, a highly acclaimed and demanded doctor both in Georgia and now abroad. She studied at the Tbilisi State Medical University, did an internship at the State Clinical Institute, and graduated from the Tbilisi State Medical Academy with qualifications in reproductive healthcare. Dr. Charkviani has helped thousands of infertile couples in making their dream come true and becoming parents.  Her extensive knowledge and practical experience ensures that couples receive up-to-date treatment using the latest assisted reproductive technologies.  She is also engaged in scientific publications, and her works in cooperation with the ReproART team were presented at the ESHRE (European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology) and ASRM (American Society for Reproductive Medicine). Free consultations are available with advance booking at: [email protected];

Leia is a mother to five, a two-time gestational surrogate, and a six-time egg donor. She began Canadian Fertility Consulting and Egg Helpers in 2007 after her second surrogacy, with the intention of creating a more rewarding experience for surrogates, egg donors and intended parents. With a background in business development and management, Leia turned her professional passion for alternative family building into a full-time business. Leia believes that surrogacy and egg donation is more than a medical transaction – bringing someone’s child into the world through surrogacy and egg donation is a milestone that deserves to be honoured and celebrated.

Admitted in 1983 Margaret has been a barrister sole since 1993. She has an undergraduate degree from Auckland University and a Masters from Kings College London. Margaret was the Inaugural Chair of the NZ Family Law Section and member of the Section Executive for a number of years. She has 2 significant areas of international speciality. The Hague Convention on Child Abduction and international surrogacy.  Margaret has acted for clients who have undertaken surrogacy in the United States, India , Thailand , Australia and the UK .
Her cases are the most widely reported in NZ on this issue and she is acknowledged by her peers and the judiciary as an authority on this developing and complex subject. Margaret is a trained and experienced mediator and collaborative lawyer and member of the Collaborative Law Association.

Megan founded Surro Connections after seeing first-hand the need for this unique company both Domestic and Internationally. Megan is directly involved with every Intended Parent and Surrogate Mother who becomes a part of Surro Connections. Megan is the mother of 3 beautiful children, 1 born through IVF and has been a Gestational Surrogate for three other families as well. Her experience in deeply rooted careers after graduating with her MBA in both Business Administration and Accounting were not nearly as fulfilling as the work she does today with each individual involved in Surro Connections.  She has also met all qualifications to be a Mediator within the State of Oregon.

Sam is the dad to two girls Zoe & Ruby via surrogacy and as the global Director of Growing Families has become one of the globe’s foremost commentators and researchers on surrogacy trends, capacity and bst practice. Through conferences, seminars and consulting he has assisted over a thousand singles and couples to plan safe and reliable routes to building families through surrogacy & donor IVF. With a background in public health and research he is also the author of three books.

Samantha is a mum to 4 children aged 19, 14, 12 & 9 and has been married for 21 years. After seeing her Intended Fathers story on Facebook and consequently spending time with them she became their gestational surrogate, carrying their son in 2019. Navigating COVID and lockdowns put pressure on their journey but resulted in not only a wonderful child but an incredible relationship between their two families. The team are looking to attempt a sibling journey at the end of 2021.

Cameron and his husband  started their surrogacy journey in November 2018, and their daughter Holly was born in November 2020 in Boston, USA. Their fertility clinic was ORM in Portland, Oregon. Their surrogate undertook two successful embryo transfers, but sadly she suffered a miscarriage at 7 weeks. Their second transfer was in March 2020 when Covid was escalating, and they flew to the US from NZ in October 2020 in the peak of the pandemic, so there was much to navigate  – all worth it in the end and they now have a beautiful 1 year old daughter Holly. They are about to do it all over again for a sibling journey.

James & his partner JP, who live in Auckland NZ, had been together 17 years when they decided that life was not complete without children.  James went to university in the US so they decided on a US surrogacy journey with the help of Rich Vaughn at LA based IFLG – International Fertility Law Group & the advice of NZ lawyer Margaret Casey QC on all New Zealand matters relating to adoption, immigration & compliance matters. They made embryos with Dr Said Daneshmand (now at San Diego Fertility) and were matched with surrogate Valerie Kimball (who now works with Pitter Patter surrogacy) by Donor Concierge in CA.  After a first failed transfer after 5 weeks, Valerie brought their son Anton (now 4 1/2) and 18 months later, a second child Elio (now nearly 3) into the world, both born in California.  James will discuss the ups and downs of their journey.

Stacie is a mum of 4 children aged 12, 10, 7 and one in heaven. Having once felt the pain of seeing others with their babies while her arms were left empty from the lost of a first born, and also seeing a friend struggle through IVF to extend her family, Stacie knew that if she could she wanted to be able to help others achieve their dreams of having a family. Stacie has been a gestational surrogate and birthed a beautiful baby girl in 2018, and then went on to complete two traditional surrogacies for two separate families, with beautiful little boys born in 2019 and 2021. There are plans in the pipeline for one last journey.