Fulfilling Your Family Building Dream

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.

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. 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 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 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 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 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’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 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 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 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 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 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 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

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 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 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.

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.

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 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.