It Takes A Village!

Alex specializes in reproductive law and is well-known for helping families with third party assisted reproductive techniques including donor egg, donor sperm, traditional and gestational surrogacy, as well as adoption. Alex’s legal career began in 2004 in Newfoundland and Labrador where he practiced with the Legal Aid Commission in Labrador. Alex gained experience in the areas of criminal defense and family law, appearing regularly in both the Provincial and Supreme Courts. Alex worked with Alberta Justice Civil Litigation – Family Law representing the Director of Child and Youth Services. Alex’s educational background includes a Law Degree from Dalhousie University Law School, and a BA from Memorial University of Newfoundland and Labrador. Alex volunteered as a board member with the Children’s Legal and Education Resource Centre from 2004 until 2013. He currently volunteer’s with Generations of Hope Fertility Assistance Fund and is a member of the executive of Canadian Bar Association, Family Section

Anna is a part-time high school senior Math teacher, is married with two children in Adelaide, and birthed as a surrogate in September 2020 for two Dads. She has been closely involved in the Australian surrogacy community for some years now, has conducted research with surrogates, has been involved in government enquiries on surrogacy reform and provided talks at annual surrogacy conferences. Anna is responsible for the day-to-day administration of the Surrogacy Australia Support Service (SASS) and now runs regular webinars for the community.

Charmaine is a surrogate.  She has carried successfully for two Australian couples.  Charmaine has wanted to be a surrogate from the age of 15 and when she lost her son it made the urge to help others even stronger.  She has been on this adventure for nine years now and in that time experienced ten transfers and four miscarriages.

Charmaine is 38, she lives in Brisbane and has four children of her own, one of which is no longer with us.

During the Cobid-19 travel lockdown, Craig helped dozens of Australian couples to travel for egg donation or surrogacy to Ukraine, Georgia, US, Canada and Greece, ensuring that if and when flights are cancelled, there were always back-ups plans. He prides himself on his extra-ordinary work behind the scenes to get parents overseas in time for the births of their much anticipated children.

Dean E. Masserman is a highly experienced and respected trial and family law attorney. He has handled in excess of 40 jury trials, 100 court trials and an estimated 5000 court hearings over the course of his 28 year career in both federal and state court.

Mr. Masserman serves as chairperson of the firm’s family law and complex litigation practices, and also acts as a mediator in dissolution matters. Mr. Masserman also counsels physicians and IVF clinics regarding their guidelines and protocols to avoid litigation.

Mr. Vorzimer and Mr. Masserman were also part of a small group of attorneys who assisted Assemblyman Felipe Fuentes in drafting AB1217 which codified the current best legal practices regarding surrogacy agreements in California, and was added to the California Family Code as Section 7962.

Dr. Kumar is board certified in reproductive endocrinology and obstetrics and gynecology and practices near Los Angeles, California. In recent years Dr. Kumar has focused his efforts for those that have had difficulty conceiving and require an egg donor and/or gestational surrogacy. Over half of his current patients are from overseas which include Australia, Austria, China, France, Germany, India, Italy, & the UK. He has been asked to present his work across the world including Australia, India, China, and Italy and has contacts in numerous clinics that collaborate closely to provide seamless care.
He has worked with world-renowned leaders at both UCLA and Cedars-Sinai Medical Center. Dr. Kumar has published numerous articles in peer-reviewed journals on endocrine and surgical aspects of infertility. Dr. Kumar has written several textbook chapters on management of tubal factor infertility and ovarian function including premature ovarian failure, and has a special interest in hormonal and functional causes of infertility such as polycystic ovary syndrome, tubal disorders, male factor infertility, and donor/surrogate reproduction. He is also a member of the Pacific Coast Reproductive Society and American Society for Reproductive Medicine.

Complimentary One on One Consultations are Available with our expert speakers. To book your expert speaker contact them via drkumar@westernfertility.com

Dr Shadi graduated from the University of Alexandria, and gained invaluable experience working in hospitals internationally, including the United States, Gulf countries and Australia. At the University of Illinois, Chicago, Shadi undertook an advanced training in male fertility where he trained in advanced microscopic surgical techniques and developed a patent for a specialised device to assist in male fertility preservation.

Since his arrival to Australia he obtained a fellowship from the Royal Australian & New Zealand College of Obstetrics & Gynaecology after further training at St George and Sutherland Hospitals. He also went on to complete three full years of training in advanced and difficult fertility cases, as a part of his subspecialty in Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility. He is also a conjoint lecturer at UNSW, where he is writing a Master’s program to teach specialists more about fertility issues using the latest research and evidence in clinical practice.

Shadi currently consults out of Alexandria, Sydney CBD and Kogarah clinic. He also operates from Prince of Wales Hospital, Hurstville Private Hospital and Sussex day surgery.

Dr Uliana started her professional career as coordinating first international cooperation in Ukraine based on import of sperm and export embryos which developed into numerous international partnerships and has become recognized worldwide. She studied medicine in Lviv National Medical University and practiced in such countries as Ireland, Israel and Great Britain. Dr Uliana has over 12 years of experience in the IVF field, performed over 3000 treatment cycles for patients from 32 countries.

Dr. Vuk Jovanovic is an internationally respected fertility specialist who focuses on providing exceptional care to the LGBTQ community in Southern California, with the desire to have a child or children of his own.  Dr Jovanovic completed his postgraduate medical training at Duke University and Columbia University in New York City. He is double board-certified in Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility and OB/Gyn in both, in the United States and Europe.

Dr. Jovanovic ranks among the top fertility doctors in Los Angeles. Beyond providing services in Southern California, many patients travel from all over the world to seek his expertise as a reproductive care provider.  He is constantly working to find new ways to maximize patient success rates and use the latest technology and optimized treatment protocols

Dr. Jovanovic is a member of the American Society of Reproductive Medicine (ASRM) and the European Society for Human Reproduction and Embryology (ESHRE) and actively attends meetings on both continents.  Apart from his expertise and excellent success rates, he will provide compassionate and personal care to every single client. He has helped numerous couples in the United States and across the world achieve the dream of parenthood and is happy to serve his patients in Southern California and beyond.

Emma Solly is a graduate of the University of Queensland, where she studied Biomedical Science. Following graduation, she worked in private pathology for seven years in London, UK, until her return to Australia in 2011. Since that time, Emma has been prominently involved in all aspects of service provision of the DNALabs laboratory, including administrative, operational and scientific components. Emma is the Administration Manager of DNALabs, a NATA-accredited DNA parentage testing reporter, and has an extensive and detailed knowledge base in the fields of relationship and parentage testing. Emma’s long-standing experience has seen her facilitate DNA testing for surrogacy cases internationally, including in Thailand, India, Nepal, Cambodia, Canada, USA, Ukraine and Georgia.

Hanneke has more than 20 years of experience in the healthcare industry. She worked as Director of Marketing for Philips Healthcare and was based out of Europe, Asia, and the US. She joined the SurroPlans team after building her own family with her husband in Seattle. Originally from the Netherlands, Hanneke brings her fun-loving attitude and friendly approach to the SurroPlans team.

Heather has an extensive background in customer service with a passion for developing partnerships and solutions. Supporting Australian intended parents and co-ordinating sperm, egg and embryo shipping globally are Heather’s areas of expertise with our network of couriers.

For the past 25 years, Jan Silverman has worked in the field of reproductive health; supporting, educating and advocating for those requiring assistance to make their families. Starting off as a grass roots advocate, Jan co-founded the first Canadian infertility support network. After earning a second master’s degree, Jan established and ran the infertility support and education program at women’s college hospital in Toronto for 21 years. Jan was one of 11 experts selected to participate in the provincial expert panel on infertility and adoption. She is now in private practice providing counselling services to the Create Fertility Centre. Over the years she has provided services to the Gay Parenting Network, Daddies and Papas To Be and Dykes Having Tykes. Jan created her own family by adopting two (former) children.

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.

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.

Monica has dedicated her life to guiding and supporting Intended Parents and surrogates through their surrogacy journeys. Monica is the Agency Director of Accel Conceptions, she is open-minded and leads with her heart – the epitome of compassion and fierce advocacy. She has two decades of industry experience and nursing background, there is no such thing as a silly question — seriously, just ask her!

Renee Adair is the founder and director of the Australian Doula College, the Groundwork Program and the ADC’s charity-arm Doula Heart Network. She first began working with women and babies in 1994 as a massage and Aromatherapist and Reiki Practitioner and in 1998 after the birth of her two children began studying and working as a Doula and Childbirth and Early Parenting Educator. Working In collaboration, Renee helped produce the first research on Doulas in Australia which was published in the Journal of Perinatal Education in 2013. She has spoken on a variety of radio programmes, at conferences and seminars and is a regular contributor for a range of publications, websites and podcasts. Renee has moved to change the way we think about Doula support, helping launch Preparing the Way with its founder Helen Callanan some years ago, with a view to create the space for the wider community to see Doula support though a broader lens, supporting all major life transitions, not just in the birthing space.

In 2019 Renee proudly partnered with Charles Darwin University to co facilitate Accredited Doula training for Indigenous women in the remote First Nations community of Galiwin’ku. She has sat on the Consumer Advisory Board of the Australian College of Midwives, trained thousands of Doulas and supported hundreds of women, their partners and families through pregnancy, birth, early parenting and end of life over the course of her career.  A fierce advocate for human rights and the rights of all sentient beings, Renee blends her life’s work, spending downtime with her family, friends and fur babies.

With 16 years looking after sensitive freight, as PAKAIR’s Australia’s General Manager, Rodney’s team provides a strong and proven International Network specialising in Time Critical & Temperature Sensitive cryo-shipping. PAKAIR has major Operations in Auckland, Brisbane, Melbourne, Perth, Singapore, Sydney and the USA. Rodney and his team have been vital in the safe shipment of sperm and embryos from Australia to clinics in the USA, Ukraine, Greece and Georgia.

Sam Everingham is the Global Director of Growing Families.  He has become one of the globe’s foremost commentators and researchers on donor & surrogacy trends and capacity. 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.

Sam has two daughters, Zoe & Ruby, via surrogacy and therefore is very aware of the issues, struggles and frustrations along the surrogacy path.  With a background in public health and research he is also the author of several books.

Sarah has practised solely in family law since the commencement of her career nearly 20 years ago, and has been an Accredited Specialist in Family Law through the Law Society of NSW since 2005.  She also is an accredited arbitrator, regular presenter of ongoing legal education papers on family law to the legal profession and is on the panel of lawyers appointed to act as the Independent Child’s Lawyer in proceedings under the Family Law Act.  Sarah Bevan Family Lawyers are experts in surrogacy, having assisted many Australian and international intended parents and surrogates. Sarah led the team responsible for the landmark NSW decision for the first same-sex couple to be registered as parents on their child’s birth certificate, after that child was born through a surrogacy arrangement.

Complimentary One on One Consultations are available during the event. To book please email Sarah: sarah.bevan@sbfamilylawyers.com.au

Stephen Page is a dad through surrogacy. He has also had infertility. Admitted as a solicitor in 1987, Stephen is a  principal of Page Provan, family and fertility lawyers, Brisbane and has been an accredited family law specialist since 1996. Since 1988 Stephen has advised in over 1750 surrogacy journeys for clients throughout Australia and at last count 32 countries overseas. He is a Fellow of the International Academy of Family Lawyers (including of its LGBT, Forced Marriage and Parentage Committees), a Fellow of the Academy of Adoption and Assisted Reproduction Attorneys, and is an international representative on the Assisted Reproductive Treatment Committee of the American Bar Association. Stephen is a board member of Access Australia’s Infertility Network Ltd and of the Fertility Society of Australia and New Zealand Ltd. Stephen lectures in Ethics and the Law in Reproductive Medicine at the University of New South Wales. In his spare time, he loves reading his husband Mitchell’s book about their family: Lizzie’s Day at the Zoo.

Steven is the Territory Manager for Tammuz Family Australia and also an intended parent currently on his own surrogacy journey through Colombia with his fiancé. He has a wide range of career experience in business, international airlines and hospitably before finding his passion for all things family and surrogacy. He is very excited to share his own unique story from the view of an intended parent while also being able to educate other parents on the many affordable destinations and guaranteed plans that Tammuz can offer.

Tamari is an experienced international fertility manager,  with a long history working in local and international health care industry, a Medical degree and a Master’s degree in Public Health and Health Policy. She initially ran programs solely in Georgia and has recently opened a groundbreaking surrogacy and donor program in Argentina. Her specific interest is in the inter-dependencies of global and national practices, in how policies are written  based on different regional contexts and translated into real medical solution to ensure better health outcomes.

Complimentary One on One Consultations are available. To book please email tamarikachlishvili@yahoo.com

Wendie Wilson-Miller is president and founder of Gifted Journeys Egg Donation and Surrogacy Agency, whose mission is to deliver the most trustworthy egg donation and surrogacy services and best possible chance for success in the field of assisted reproduction. Wendie is the current president of the Society for Ethics in Egg Donation and Surrogacy (SEEDS). Wendie serves on the board of Parents Via Egg Donation and is the co-author of the book, “The Insiders Guide to Egg Donation: A Compassionate and Comprehensive Guide for All Parents-To-Be,”  published by Demos Health 

After five years of infertility and what felt like endless heartache, Charlotte and her partner  were referred to the Mediterranean Fertility Institute in Chania, Greece in order to undergo treatment using donor eggs. The process was made easier with the coordination support of Growing Families, and the incredible care and treatment by the Institute, who went above and beyond to make Charlotte’s dreams come true. After five months in Crete and their  seventh IVF cycle in total over our journey, Charlotte now has a beloved and precious daughter.

Charmaine is a surrogate.  She has carried successfully for two Australian couples.  Charmaine has wanted to be a surrogate from the age of 15 and when she lost her son it made the urge to help others even stronger.  She has been on this adventure for nine years now and in that time experienced ten transfers and four miscarriages.

Charmaine is 38, she lives in Brisbane and has four children of her own, one of which is no longer with us.

Ethan was born in January 2007 in a small town in Ohio, USA to his parents Rodney and Jeff Chiang-Cruise.  His surrogate who he refers to as Aunty Kelly gave birth to Ethan with both his dads and her husband present.  Ethan returned to Australia 2 weeks later with his dads.  He is a Eurasian child with family in Taiwan, Australia and now Ohio.  He has grown up with an ongoing and close relationship with his surrogate (Kelly) and her family.  He is currently in year 11 and has another boy with male same-sex parents (via surrogacy) in his class.  He finds talking about his origin story boring to him – because it is just his life and has always been.  His parents are happy that he is at that place.

A mum via international surrogacy, Naomi Seddon is also an international lawyer, thought-leader, author and presenter on workplace equality and issues impacting women at work. In 2016 Naomi was named by Legal 500 as a top attorney in the United States for legal advice and counselling. Naomi is also a Non-Executive Director of  Endometriosis Australia and Surrogacy Australia. As a partner in the global law firm, Littler, Naomi is truly an international citizen who understands what it is like to navigate the challenges of a fast-paced career while managing family, a range of health issues and a lot of heartache. Naomi now draws on her own experiences to educate and assist others.