NATIONAL CONFERENCE, MELBOURNE
It Takes A Village!
Date: 17 – 18 June 2023
Join us for our National Conference in Melbourne, hear from Local, National and Global IVF experts.
Learn how to grow or start your family as a single person, same sex couple or heterosexual couple.
As an intended parent, parent, egg donor, surrogate or expert, take the opportunity to network, share stores and learn from each other.
Join us for an interactive ‘Ask Me Anything’ conference!
It Takes A Village!
Saturday 17 & Sunday 18 June
9.00am to 5.30pm
Amora Hotel Riverwalk Richmond, Melbourne
who should attend:
- Intended Parents – Singles, Same-Sex Couples & Heterosexual Couples
- Parents
- Surrogates
- Egg Donors
- Industry Experts
- Industry Service Providers
KEY TAKEAWAYS:
- Network with IVF Experts, Surrogates, Egg Donors, Parents and Children via Surrogacy
- Network with Best in their Field Lawyers
- Understand the best countries for your needs to engage
- Know how surrogacy & egg donor options work in Australia and abroad.
The Conference
It Takes A Village Conference runs over two days with a different focus each day:
- Saturday focuses on Egg Donor options and Domestic Surrogacy.
- Sunday focuses on International Surrogacy – altruistic and compensated.
Each day will feature panels of experts, parents, surrogates and older children via surrogacy.
It Takes A Village Conference is curated to provide the most up-to date information for those starting or on a family building surrogacy / donor journey.
Our interactive format provides advice, introductions and answers to questions, no matter where you are in your journey. We cover steps on how to first engagement with professional service providers to taking your baby home.
If you are an intended parent via egg donation and/or surrogacy, we recommend booking the two-day pass to maximise your understanding of options and take advantage of all social activities.
If you are a surrogate, egg donor or looking at becoming one, then book only for the Saturday. Tickets for surrogates and donors are free, but you MUST register.
Industry professionals (IVF doctors, counsellors, nurses, lawyers, cryoshippers, psychologists) can only purchase the industry professional ticket (2 days).
Ticket Includes:
Fully catered: morning tea, lunch and afternoon tea. Along with a networking drinks & nibbles function Saturday evening.
One-on-One consultations with as many experts from the conference as you like. View the profiles of each speaker and email us to arrange your consultation meetings.
SPEAKERS

Dr. Uliana Dorofeyeva
Medical Director, Ovogene, Slovakia
Dr Uliana coordinated the ground-breaking first international IVF procedure in Ukraine. Dr. Uliana has over 12 years’ IVF experience, performed over 5000 cycles, treated patients from 36 countries and has clinics all over the world.

Sarah Bevan
Attorney, Sarah Bevan Family Law, Sydney
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.

Monica Buehler
Agency Director, Accel Conceptions USA
Monica 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

Steven Swanepoel
Territory Manager, Tammuz Family, Australia
Steven is a parent currently via Colombia with his fiancé. He has a wide range of career experience in business, international airlines and hospitality before finding his passion for all things family and surrogacy.

Wendie Wilson-Miller
Founder, Gifted Journeys , USA
Wendie is outgoing president of Society for Ethics in Egg Donation and Surrogacy and serves on the board of Parents Via Egg Donation. She is also the co-author of “The Insiders Guide to Egg Donation: A Compassionate and Comprehensive Guide for All Parents-To-Be,” She runs two leading US surrogacy agencies

Jan Silverman
Surrogacy Psychologist, Canada
For the past 25 years, Jan has worked in reproductive health; supporting, educating and advocating. Jan co-founded the first Canadian infertility support network. Jan established and ran the infertility support and education program at Women’s College Hospital in Toronto for 21 years. She is now in private practice providing counselling to Create Fertility Centre. Jan created her own family by adopting two (former) children.
National Conference
Date: Saturday 17 & Sunday 18 June 2023
Time: 9.00am to 5.30pm
Location: Amora Hotel Riverwalk Richmond, Melbourne
Ticket price includes; one-on-one consultation with expert providers post event, lunch, afternoon tea, and complimentary networking drinks and nibbles.
The networking drinks provide an opportunity to freely talk with all expert speakers, donor, surrogates, recent parents and children.
Tickets
EARLY BIRD – Full Conference Ticket – Saturday & Sunday
Per Person – $150 + booking fee
* Ends Sunday 30 April
EARLY BIRD – Full Conference Ticket – Saturday & Sunday
Couple $250
* Ends Sunday 30 April
Full Conference Ticket – Saturday & Sunday
Per Person – $190 + booking fee
Donor & Domestic Day Only Ticket – Saturday 17 June
Per Person – $100 + booking fee
International Day Only Ticket – Sunday 18 June
Couple $100 + booking fee
Egg Donor & Surrogate Ticket – Saturday 17 June
FREE – Must book your place.
Counsellor / Academic / Nurse / Doctor – Two Day Ticket
Per Person – $350.00
Growing Families have 11 years of experience supporting over 3000 singles and couples engaging in international donor and surrogacy arrangements.

Agenda & Speakers 2023
Donor & Domestic Day – Saturday 17 June
9.15 – 9.30am Introduction Sam Everingham, Growing Families
9.30 – 10.55am
The Altruistic Headspace
Local Egg Donor Options
Good Ingredients – Making Strong Embryos
International Donor Options
Donor – ‘Ask Me Anything’ Panel
SPEAKERS:
10.55 – 11.25am
MORNING TEA
11.25 – 1.00pm
IVF Experts – ‘Ask Me Anything’ Panel
Australian Surrogacy Agreements
Surrogate – ‘Ask Me Anything’ Panel
Doula Support
SPEAKERS:
1.00 – 2.00pm
LUNCH
2.00 – 3.30pm
Domestic Parent – ‘Ask Me Anything’ Panel
Legal Parentage after Domestic Arrangements
Looking After Your Surrogate, Donor & Yourself
SPEAKERS:
3.30 – 4.00pm
AFTERNOON TEA
4.00 – 5.10pm
The Impact on Surrogates Own Families
The Reality – Outcomes for Kids ‘Ask Me Anything’ Panel
SPEAKERS:
5.10 – 6.00pm
NETWORKING DRINKS
Enjoy drinks and nibbles while mingling with service providers, speakers and other intended parents on a similar journey to you.
Agenda & Speakers 2023
International Day – Sunday 18 June
9.10 – 10.30am
Considerations in Selecting a Country
Considerations in Selecting a Surrogacy Agency & IVF Clinic
Ethical Considerations in Cross-Border Surrogacy
SPEAKERS:
10.30 – 11.00am
MORNING TEA
11.00 – 1.10pm
IVF Experts – ‘Ask Me Anything’ Panel
Surrogacy Experts – ‘Ask Me Anything’ Panel
International Parents Journey – ‘Ask Me Anything’ Panel
Legal Experts – ‘Ask Me Anything’ Panel
SPEAKERS:
Dean Masserman, Vorzimer/Masserman , USA; Alex McNab, Moe Hannah, Canada; Sarah Bevan, Sarah Bevan Family Lawyers, Sydney; Ester Nunez, SudAmerica Surrogacy, Argentina; Monica Buehler Accel Conceptions, USA; Wendie Wilson-Miller, Gifted Journeys, USA; Megan Hall-Greenberg, Surro Connections, USA; Steven Swanepoel, Tammuz Family, Australia; Leia Swanberg, Canadian Fertility Consulting & Egg Helpers, Canada; Dr. Uliana Dorofeyeva, Ovogene, Slovakia; Dr. Vuk Jovanovic, Tree of Life, USA; Dr. Ashim Kumar, Western Fertility, USA.
1.10 – 1.50pm
LUNCH
1.50 – 2.20pm
Breakout 1
Surrogacy in USA
1.50 – 2.20pm
Breakout 2
Surrogacy in Canada
1.50 – 2.20pm
Breakout 3
Surrogacy in Georgia
1.50 – 2.20pm
Breakout 4
2.20 – 2.50pm
Breakout 5
Surrogacy in USA
2.20 – 2.50pm
Breakout 6
Surrogacy in Argentina
2.20 – 2.50pm
Breakout 7
Surrogacy in Mexico / Colombia
2.20 – 2.50pm
Breakout 8
Surrogacy in Kazakhstan /Greece /Albania
2.50 – 4.20pm
Gamete Shipping Complexities for Australians (export & import)
Insurance for your Surrogate & Newborn
Citizenship & Passport Processes for Returning Infants
The Reality – Outcomes for Kids – ‘Ask Me Anything’ Panel
SPEAKERS:
4.20 – 5.00pm
AFTERNOON TEA
Mingling with service providers, speakers and other intended parents on a similar journey to you.
Meet Our Expert Speakers

Alex McNab
Surrogacy Lawyer, Canada
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Anna McKie
Surrogate & Support Manager, Surrogacy Australia
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Charmaine Staal
Brisbane surrogate
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Craig Fyfe
Travel Agent, Your Travel Expert
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Dean Masserman
Vorzimer Masserman - Fertility & Family Law Centre
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Dr Ashim Kumar
Medical Director, Western Fertility, USA
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Dr Shadi Khashaba
Reproductive Endocrinologist, IVF Australia
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Dr. Uliana Dorofeyeva
Founder, Director, Clinical Operations, Ovogene
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Dr. Vuk Jovanovic
Medical Director, Tree of Life Center, California
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Emma Solly
Administration Manager | DNALabs
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Hanneke Naus
SurroPlans, USA
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Heather Anderson
Australian Parent Support, Growing Families
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Jan Silverman PhD
Psychologist, Create IVF, Canada
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Jayne Mullen
Scientific Director & Embryologist, City Fertility
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Leia Swanberg
Founder, Canadian Fertility Consulting & Egg Helpers
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Megan Hall-Greenberg
Founder, Surro Connections, Oregon USA
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Monica Buehler
Agency Director, Accel Conceptions
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Renee Adair
- Founder and Director, The Australian Doula College
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Rodney Oldham
General Manager, PakAir
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Sam Everingham
Global Expert & Growing Families Director
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Sarah Bevan
Sarah Bevan Family Lawyers
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Stephen Page
Family & fertility lawyer, Page Provan
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Steven Swanepoel
Territory Manager, Tammuz Family Australia
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Tamari Kachlishvili
Global Surrogacy Consulting, Argentina
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Wendie Wilson-Miller
Founder, Gifted Journeys, USA
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Family Members Sharing Their Stories

Andrew Boyd..
Gay Dad via USA
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Charlotte Coombes
Mum via Donor IVF
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Charmaine Staal
Brisbane surrogate
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Ethan Chiang-Cruise
Teen via US Surrogacy
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Naomi Seddon
Mum via US Surrogacy
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If you have any questions, feel free to get in touch with us via email: Info@growingfamilies.org.