BRISBANE SEMINAR
Fulfilling Your Family Building Dream
Date: 19 February 2023
For an individual or couple considering parenthood, navigating the family-building process with donors and/or surrogates can be an overwhelming experience.
Add recent global changes, COVID and the Ukraine war, along with an increase in demand for fertility assisted babies. All has led to changes in family-building programs availability, costs, and risks.
Growing Families Brisbane seminar navigates the post-landscape, discussing newer countries such as Argentina and Georgia, and addressing the stressors on regulated destinations of the USA and Canada.
Now, it is more important than ever to be aware of potential risks and challenges, as well as how service providers are addressing these!
Join us for an interactive ‘Ask Me Anything’ seminar
Fulfill Your Family Building Dream!!
Sunday 19 February
11.00am to 6.00pm
Rydges Hotel, Fortitude Valley
What You Will Learn!
A global program of experts, doctors, surrogates, donors, and parents will openly discuss Donor IVF, Surrogacy and Egg Donor Options in Australia and abroad.
Our events are curated to provide the most up-to date information for those starting or on a family building surrogacy / donor journey.
The interactive seminar 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.
This event will guide you on:
- Surrogacy & Egg Donor Options by Country
- Medical & Donor Considerations
- Legal Issues
- Parent & Surrogate Panels
One-on-One Consultations:
Included with your ticket is the opportunity to arrange meetings with as many experts from the seminar as you like. Read the profiles on each of our speakers and email us to arrange your consultation meetings.
SPEAKERS
Leaders in their Fields Providing Information on Assisted Reproduction, Surrogacy,
Egg Donation and Legal Process
Dr. D. collaborated to develop IVF protocols that improve pregnancy rates and post-thaw extended culture. These ground-breaking findings have been published in internationally respected medical journals. Intended parents have travelled from 40+ countries in 1 year alone to seek his help!!
Dr. Said Daneshmand, San Diego Fertility Center. USA
Rich was part of the team in America that developed the model for surrogacy legislation and guidance ‘Assisted Reproductive Technology’. He has been published in the American Journal of Family Law and the Australian Family Law Journal.
Rich Vaughn, Attorney, International Fertility Law Group
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.
Dr. Uliana Dorofeyeva, Medical Director, International Fertility Group, Georgia
Tamari initially ran programs solely in Georgia, recently opening a groundbreaking surrogacy and donor program in Argentina. Her specific interest is in inter-dependencies of global and national practices – how policies are written based on different regional contexts and translated into real medical solution to better health outcomes.
Tamari Kachlishvili, Global Surrogacy Consulting, Argentina
Dr. Devine is a leading voice in improving access to ART services for members of the LGBTIQ community. She is a gynecologist, fertility expert and specialist obstetrician.
Dr. Bronwyn Devine, Reproductive Endocrinologist, IVF Australia
Click for our full list of expert speakers
Fullfiling Your Family Building Dream
‘Ask Me Anything’ Brisbane Seminar
Date: Sunday 19 February 2023
Time: 11.00am to 6.00pm
Location: Rydges Hotel, Fortitude Valley
Tickets: $55 + GST – Discount Offer Price $45 + GST
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.
Growing Families have 11 years of experience supporting over 3000 singles and couples engaging in international donor and surrogacy arrangements.
Who should attend this Seminar
- Understand how age affects IVF success rates, when you should be considering a donor & what options are available at home and abroad
- Understand why the Ukraine is now a dangerous option for surrogacy
- Learn about embryo shipping options, costs and risks
- Understand the destinations that allow gay couples and singles to engage in surrogacy
- Learn about egg donor selection and what you should consider before making your decision
- Understand the legal & practical issues around travel, birth certificates and parentage
- Understand the process of using donor eggs or sperm
- Understand which jurisdictions allow a single person to engage in surrogacy
- Connect with single parents who have been on this journey
Healthcare Professionals:
- With an interest in infertility or family building options
- Understand how you can support your patients
Agenda & Speakers 2023
11.20 – 11.40am
Introduction
Welcome from Heather Anderson, Growing Families Founder, and an introduction to the days sessions.
Heather Anderson, Growing Families
11.40 – 12.10pm
Donor & Embryo Creation Options Locally And Abroad
We will discuss regulated process in Australia on how to make embryos and where. And if you are unable to engage locally how embryos can be exported for surrogacy.
Your donor options and processes, including family and friends as donors, IVF clinic donors, donor databases abroad, donor suitability, screening and more.
Dr. Said Daneshmand, San Diego Fertility Clinic, USA; Dr. Uliana Dorofeyeva, International Fertility Group, Georgia: Dr. Hayden Homer, Queensland Fertility Group, Australia; Dr Clifford Librach, Create IVF Canada
12.10 – 12.40pm
Latest Trends In US & Canadian Surrogacy
An overview from US and Canada service providers on the latest processes relevant to their country.
This will include information on intended parent(s) (IP) suitability to their country, program costs, multiple embryo transfer and potential issues that affect surrogate match times.
Monica Buehler, Accel Conceptions; Lauri De Brito, The Fertility Agency, USA; Cindy Wasser, Canada; Richard Westoby; SDFC, USA
12.40 – 1.10pm
Changes In The Landscape – Europe & South America
An overview from Georgia and Argentina service providers on the latest processes relevant to their country.
This will include information on intended parent(s) (IP) suitability to their country, program costs, multiple embryo transfer and potential issues that affect surrogate match times.
Includes an update on the Ukraine situation.
Dr Tamari Kachlishvili, Surrogacy Consulting, Georgia; Argentina; Dr Uliana Dorofeyeva, International Fertility Group, Georgia
1.50 – 2.20pm
Surrogacy Experts – Ask me Anything – Q&A Panel
Surrogate experts from around the globe field questions from the audience and moderator.
Moderator: Heather Anderson, Growing Families
Lauri De Brito, The Fertility Agency, USA; Monica Buehler, Accel Conceptions ; Tamari Kachlishvili, Surrogacy Consulting; Georgia,
2.20 – 2.50pm
IVF Experts – Ask me Anything – Q&A Panel
IVF experts from around the globe field questions from the audience and moderators.
Moderator: Heather Anderson, Growing Families
Dr. Hayden Homer, Queensland Fertility Group, Australia; Dr. Clifford Librach, Create IVF , Canada; Dr. Said Daneshmand, San Diego Fertility Clinic, USA
2.50 – 3.20pm
Legal Expert Panel
Surrogacy lawyers discussing the legal issues associated with surrogacy and egg donation in Australia and abroad.
Sarah Bevan, Sarah Bevan Lawyers, Australia; Rich Vaughn, International Fertility Law Group, USA; Cindy Wasser, Hope Springs Fertility Law, Canada
3.20 – 3.50pm
AFTERNOON TEA
3.50- 5.20pm
The Reality ‘Ask Me Anything’ Panels
Hear from donors and surrogates about their motivations, experience and preferences.
Hear from recent parents who engaged locally or abroad discuss their decision-making process, surrogate relationships, disclosure to family, cultural barriers, hurdles, costs and audience question time.
Hear from teenagers born via egg donor or surrogacy open up about their lives, understanding where they came from and their sense of self.
Andrew Boyd (dad via USA); Terry Crouch (dad via Australia) Nicole MacRae (mum via Greece) Lee & Michael Carretta (mum via Canada)
Elijah & Huxley Merrell Knowles (pre-teens via Tradit Surrogacy)
5.20 – 6.00pm
NETWORKING DRINKS
Enjoy drinks and nibbles while mingling with service providers, speakers and other intended parents on a similar journey to you.
Why You Should Attend Even If You Have Been Before:
Surrogacy & Donor options, wait times and agency capacity change regularly given the high demand. Our events focus on providing the latest information and updates. We constantly review feedback on agencies, risks and other hurdles to allow you to better plan.
So, no matter where you are in your family building journey, these events provide essential updated information + an opportunity to talk with recent parents and older children via surrogacy.
Date: Sunday 19 February 2023
Time: 11.00am to 6.00pm
Location: Rydges Hotel, Fortitude Valley
Tickets: $55 + GST – Discount Offer Price $45 + GST
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.
Reviews
Thank you for a great event in Dublin, I enjoyed the day. The feedback is very positive from everyone I have spoken to
Anne
Dublin Conference 2022
I was very pleased with the extent of the advice, guidance and information I received
Fiona
Dublin Conference 2022
I enjoyed meeting with experts and parents
Marg
Dublin Conference 2022
Thank you for the avalanche of information and support
Josh
Dublin Conference 2022
Cindy Wasser
Hope Springs Fertility Law, Canada
View Profile
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.
Dr Shane Higgins
IVF Specialist, QFG, Brisbane
View Profile
An experienced fertility specialist, Shane joined Queensland Fertility Group over twenty years ago, integrating fertility treatment into his practice after specialising in reproductive endocrinology. Having become a fellow in the Royal Australian College of Obstetrician Gynaecologists since 2000, he brings a thorough and thoughtful approach to patients seeking support on their fertility journey.
He is a fertility specialist with a family-orientated practice, and is popular with patients looking for continuity of care from a calm, positive doctor. Shane recognises that infertility is not unique, with one in six couples experiencing trouble falling pregnant naturally, but his approach to each patient is. By tailoring a treatment plan with advanced technology such as IVF, or a more holistic and simple approach such as ovulation induction, Shane is committed to helping you have the best possible chance of parenthood.
Shane can offer the complete services of caring for you from initial fertility investigations right through to pregnancy and delivery at the Mater Mothers’ Hospital.
Dr. Clifford Librach
Create Fertility Centre, Canada
View Profile
Dr. Librach is the Director of the CReATe Fertility Centre. A graduate of University of Toronto, he completed undergrad, graduate and a specialty degree in Obstetrics and Gynaecology. Dr. Librach went on to spend 3 years at the University of California in San Francisco becoming a board certified Reproductive Endocrinologist and Infertility Specialist. Since 1991 Dr. Librach has been an Associate Professor in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology at the University of Toronto. He is a Co-Director of the University of Toronto Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome Clinic. He is the principal investigator in various clinical and embryology studies and researcher at Women’s College Hospital and University of Toronto. Dr. Librach has played an active role in presenting abstracts at various conferences and meetings. He is frequently interviewed for television, radio and print media.
Dr. Said Daneshmand
San Diego Fertility Center. USA
View Profile
Dr. Said Daneshmand is an internationally recognized Fertility specialist with extensive experience in complex IVF cases, as well as Egg Donor/Surrogacy Third party care.
Dr. Daneshmand serves on the board of several Surrogacy Advocacy groups. He has collaborated to develop in vitro fertilization (IVF) protocols to improve pregnancy rates, including PTEC (post-thaw extended culture), which was one of the most successful IVF regimens that led to a surge in Frozen embryo transfers, as a means to maximize endometrial receptivity. These groundbreaking findings have been published in the internationally respected medical journal, Fertility and Sterility, where Dr. Daneshmand also served as a reviewer.
Dr. Daneshmand completed his fellowship and residency at UCLA. He is specialty board certified in Obstetrics and Gynecology and sub-specialty board certified in Reproductive Endocrinology.
He is the recipient of numerous awards including the Eileen Pike Medical School Valedictorian Award, the PCRS Fellowship and Practicing Physician Research Award, and the ASRM STAR AWARD, awarded to a select group of research scientists who have presented their original research at the American Society of Reproductive Medicine Conference for 10+ consecutive years. He has served as the President of the Alpha Omega Alpha Honor Society (Iota Chapter) and is a member of the DeCherney Society, the American Society for Reproductive Medicine (ASRM) and the European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology (ESHRE). Dr. Daneshmand speaks French, Spanish and Farsi.
Intended parents have travelled from more than 40 countries in 2019 alone to seek his help in their journey to parenthood. He was the Principal Investigator in the Multi-Center Global research trial of non-invasive PGT-A, the latest technique for assessing embryonic genetic health without the need for embryo biopsy.
Dr. Uliana Dorofeyeva
Founder, Director, Clinical Operations, Ovogene
View Profile
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.
Heather Anderson
Australian Parent Support, Growing Families
View Profile
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.
Kathryn Kaycoff
The Fertility Agency, USA
View Profile
Kathryn is the co-owner and founder of The Fertility Agency. A parent through surrogacy herself, Kathryn understands just how much goes into the journey. heart-wrenching, & expensive Kathyrn wished she had met others who could have advised her. What was missing was an agency that would look out equally for the best interests of the Intended Parents and the Gestational Surrogates. Agency for Surrogacy Solutions, Inc. was her response. Surrogacy and pregnancy are emotionally turbulent, and Kathryn hopes to make the experience as simple and as free of anxiety as possible for everyone involved.
Complimentary One on One Consultations are available.
Lauri De Brito
The Fertility Agency, USA
View Profile
Lauri’s daughter was born via surrogacy in May 2005. Eighteen months later, the same surrogate gave birth to Lauri’s son. Lauri has experienced the depression and heartache of infertility herself. Like Kathryn, she too, had a career in television before infertility consumed her life. She was a producer/director/writer. But to Lauri, there is nothing more rewarding and ultimately as important as bringing a child who is so very wanted into the world.
Monica Buehler
Agency Director, Accel Conceptions
View Profile
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!
Narelle Dickinson
Clinical Psychologist (QLD)
View Profile
Narelle is an ANZICA accredited clinical health psychologist based in Brisbane with many years of experience of surrogacy cases. She has completed a Churchill fellowship which took her around the world to study surrogacy practice in the USA, Canada, Russia and South-east Asia.
Rich Vaughn
Attorney, International Fertility Law Group,
View Profile
Rich combines his passion for family formation with 20 years of experience in business and technology law. He has been published in the American Journal of Family Law and the Australian Family Law Journal; he has lectured at numerous legal and family-building conferences around the U.S.; and he has been featured as a fertility law expert on National Public Radio, Parenting Magazine Live, and other radio shows. He is also an experienced fitness instructor, triathlete, a former paramedic, and board member of a medical device company. Rich and his husband are the proud parents of twin boys, through egg donation and surrogacy.
In addition to his busy legal practice, Rich devotes numerous volunteer hours to advancing the field of ART law and is a dedicated advocate for LGBT intended parents and families. His community service includes chairing the American Bar Association (ABA) Family Law Section Committee on Assisted Reproductive Technology from 2013-2018, which played a leading role in developing model legislation to assist states in regulating assisted reproductive technology medical providers and donor and surrogacy agencies and providing guidance on resolutions approved by the American Bar on cross-border parentage and surrogacy issues as well as citizenship for children born abroad via ART to U.S. citizen intended parents.
Complimentary One on One Consultations are available during the event. To book please email Rich: rich@iflg.net
Richard Westoby
IP support manager, SDFC, USA
View Profile
Richard and his partner Steven are fathers to twins born via US surrogacy in September 2012. Richard has become an advocate helping prospective parents learn more about surrogacy. In doing so he aims to help parents make informed decisions from the outset. Richard also helps US fertility clinics reach out to prospective parents in the UK. He has written a step-by-step guide to US surrogacy and has written on surrogacy for We Are Family Magazine. He is also the author of www.guidetosurrogacy.com and is actively involved within the gay dad’s community. Richard lives between London and Norfolk.Complimentary One on One Consultations are Available with our expert speakers. To book your expert speaker contact them via rwestoby@sdfertility.com
Sarah Bevan
Sarah Bevan Family Lawyers
View Profile
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
Tamari Kachlishvili
Global Surrogacy Consulting, Argentina
View Profile
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
Family Members Sharing Their Stories
Dax Manning
Dad via altruistic surrogacy
View Profile
Dax is a graphic designer, web developer and photographer. He and husband Todd live in country Queensland. After four failed IVF attempts, Dax’s sister told he and Todd that she wanted to help them become dads – she became their egg donor. They were featured on Sunrise, and were soon-after contacted by Todd’s sister, Danielle, who offered to be their surrogate. As Danielle and her family live in New Zealand (and the process was repeatedly being stalled by Covid), they sent the embryos to NZ in September 2021 for the transfer. Dax & his partner became parents to a daughter, Bailey, on 7 November, 2022. As their daughter is technically a Kiwi by birth, they needed to become parents via adoption (due to NZ law). Dax will discuss what they learned along the way.
Elijah Merrell-Knowles
Pre-teen via surrogacy
View Profile
Elijah is nearly 11 years old. He and his twin brother Huxley were born via traditional surrogacy in Brisbane to an experienced surrogate and egg donor. Elijah and Huxley live with their two dads, Jared and Michael, and enjoy regular catch ups with their surrogate Rachael and her family.
Huxley Merrell-Knowles
Pre-teen via surrogacy
View Profile
Huxley is nearly 12 years old. He and his twin brother Huxley were born via traditional surrogacy in Brisbane to an experienced surrogate and egg donor. Elijah and Huxley live with their two dads, Jared and Michael, and enjoy regular catch ups with their surrogate Rachael and her family.
Lee Carretta
Mum via Canada
View Profile
Lee & Michael are an Australian couple who worked with Canadian Fertility Consulting as their agency to build family in Canada beginning in 2018. They required surrogacy due to Lee’s to unsuccessful IVF treatment, fertility issues etc, being diagnosed with unexplained infertility. Lee and Michael felt comfortable travelling to Canada given the network of professionals available to assist. They are now the happy parents to little Eva born in January this year! Despite the cold weather and the covid pandemic, they had a great time, many special memories, and especially forming an even better relationship with their Surrogate in person, whom they keep in touch with. Travelling during covid added an extra layer of complexity and paperwork, but it was achievable with some extra work, organisation and determination.
Lee will share their experience of the Canadian process.
Nicole MacRae
Mum via Greece Surrogate
View Profile
Nicole MacRae
Mum via Greece
Nicole and her partner Jake signed up for surrogacy with MFI in 2021 after a long unsuccessful journey through IVF in Australia. They shipped sperm to Greece and matched with a local egg donor. After PGT and two embryo transfers, their beautiful daughter was born in Chania, Crete in September 2022. Nicole will share their journey to further assist others people make their dream family a reality.
Phil Macri
Dads via USA
View Profile
Todd and Phil commenced their surrogacy journey back in 2016 when Todd’s mum attended a conference and met Lauri and Kathryn. From the moment they started working with Agency for Surrogacy solutions Inc. (now The Fertility Agency) the process was fantastic! Having the support of an agency whose team had also either used a surrogate or was a surrogate themselves made everything so much easier to understand. Their first son was born in July 2018 and their second child in 2022. Phil will discuss what they learned
Terry Crouch
Dad via Australian Domestic Surrogate
View Profile
Terry and his partner Ben had both of their daughters in Australia through altruistic surrogacy. A friend of Terry and Ben offered to be their egg donor and both girls were carried by their surrogate Kath who the boys met online. Ben and Terry’s journey was an interstate one, with the boys living in Brisbane and Kath living in Melbourne. Their second daughter Maeve was born in Victoria during Covid which meant the journey was very different to their first one, but even with these challenges, Ben, Terry, Kath and her partner Luke forged and even stronger relationship and have not only had two healthy happy daughters but also made life long friends.