The 12th Annual NY Men Having Babies -2016
Surrogacy Seminar & Gay Parenting Expo

PLATINUM SPONSORS

GOLD SPONSORS

SILVER SPONSORS

BRONZE SPONSORS

Expanded "how-to" parenting program

Parent, surrogate and egg donor testimonies

Panel of teen surrogacy children!

Surrogacy options in the USA and Canada

25+ Gay Parenting Services Exhibitors

Twenty-four "meet the sponsor" breakout sessions

On-site consultations available with clinics and agencies

Medical, psychological, and legal experts

NEW: panel on insurance and budgeting

Unbiased information & resources focused on surrogacy solutions

The November 13th Men Having Babies Surrogacy Conference in NY will feature parenting options in the USA and Canada, several in-depth panels — including on insurance and budgeting, and the return of the popular panel of teen surrogacy children!

For gay men who want to become parents through surrogacy, the Men Having Babies educational conferences are a rare opportunity to get under one roof a wealth of information, advice and access a wide range of relevant service providers — and from an unbiased non-profit organization.

The conference is based on a format MHB developed over the last 11 years in NY, San Francisco, Dallas, Brussels, Chicago and Tel Aviv. This year our Gay Parenting Expo will be held in a larger dedicated space, in-depth workshops and panels have been updated, and arranged in program tracks that will appeal to prospective parents on different stages of the process.

The conference is co-sponsored and hosted by the LGBTQ Department at the JCC Manhattan. This centrally located, modern and larger JCC facility allows us to accommodate a growing number of exhibitors and prospective parents. As always, proceeds from sponsorship and exhibiting fees will benefit the Gay Parenting Assistance Program.

When...

November 13th, 2016, 9:00 AM - 7:30 PM.

Where...

The conference will take place at the JCC Manhattan, 334 Amsterdam Avenue at West 76th Street, New York, NY 10023.

Registration...

Admission is $15 per person in advance ($20 at the door - space permitting) and will include lunch and a coffee break.

We strongly encourage advance registration - our events often sell out. Registration and payment in advance will also speed up your sign-in on the day of the event and allow us to send you updates on logistics and the event's agenda.

Online registration will end when we reach capacity, and no later than Friday, November 11, at noon EST.

Agenda in brief

(See detailed program below)

Part I - Surrogacy Seminar and expo

8:30-9:00am: Registration
9:00-10:30am: Planning your parenting journey - major legal, medical and financial considerations
10:30-10:45am: Coffee Break
10:45-12:00pm: Picking providers, budgeting and financial assistance (GPAP)
12:00-1:30pm: Lunch (courtesy of San Diego Fertility Center) and gay parenting expo (tables of surrogacy agencies, clinics, lawyers and community organizations).
1:30-2:30pm: Personal stories panel - hear from several surrogates and parents
2:30-4:30pm: Breakout sessions - learn more about participating surrogacy providers
3:00-8:00pm: Optional private consultations

Part II - Specialty Panels & Reception / free admission

4:30-5:30pm: Expo & networking reception (courtesy of Worldwide Surrogacy Specialists)
5:30-6:30pm: Specialty sessions - Insurance and budgeting, Medical aspects of surrogacy, Psychological aspects of surrogacy
6:30-7:30pm: Teen Panel: Surrogacy children of gay dads share their stories - in cooperation with Family Equality Council's Outspoken Generation program

Note: while the event is organized by a gay parenting organization, non-gay prospective parents are welcome and will no doubt highly benefit from it as well.

Supportive community organizations

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Detailed program

Part I - Surrogacy Seminar and expo (9am-4:30pm)

Registration: 8:30-9:00 AM

Planning your journey: 9:00-10:30 AM (Auditorium, floor L2)

We will open our session with introductions and a comparison of surrogacy with other parenting options. We will then provide the first part of our comprehensive surrogacy workshop that was developed based on the accumulated knowledge of hundreds of gay men who have already gone through the process.
Topics covered will include:

Basic terminology, types and components of typical surrogacy arrangements.
Typical sequence and timeline for gestational surrogacy journeys.
Legal considerations in the USA and Canada.
Major decisions regarding IVF, egg donation and surrogacy options.
Considering your family vision, financial constraints, risk tolerance and ethical preferences.

Coffee Break: 10:30 AM -10:45 AM

Picking providers, budgeting and financial assistance: 10:45 AM -12:00 PM (Auditorium, floor L2)

On the second part of our workshop we will provide peer advice on selecting service providers, cost saving tips, and resources for financial support. Topics covered will include:

Where to start (agency, clinic, surrogate or donor)
Selecting an agency and clinic
Estimated costs, and factors that affect costs
Cost saving best practices.
Financial help through the Gay Parenting Assistance Program (GPAP).

Lunch / Gay Parenting Expo / Book Fair: 12:00 - 1:30 PM (Floors L1 and Lobby)

Enjoy a buffet lunch and our Book Fair on L1, and explore the Gay Parenting Services Exhibit at the main lobby: more than twenty five tables where you can meet and receive information from leading clinics, surrogacy agencies, lawyers and supporting community organizations. The expo will remain open until 5:30pm. Lunch is sponsored by San Diego Fertility Center.

Personal stories panel: 1:30 PM - 2:30 PM (Auditorium, floor L2)

Hear the diverse personal experiences of several gay surrogacy dads and the surrogates / egg donors who helped them. We will also hear from State Senator Brad Hoylman, a gay surrogacy father, who will provide an update on efforts to legalize surrogacy in NY.

Moderator: Anthony Brown, MHB board chairman

Panelist:

Tomer Tal
Enamored single father of Bruno, born this past January via gestational surrogacy.

Kristle Menozi
Wife and mother of three from North Carolina who lovingly carried Bruno for Tomer.

Chris Shelton
Chris is the pastor of Broadway Presbyterian Church, and along with his husband Kevin, joyfully welcomed their son, Ciaran, in September via gestational surrogacy.

Michelle Pine
Michelle Pine and her husband have three children, and live in Oregon. In 2015 she carried twins as a gestational surrogate for a gay couple from Israel, and has recently begun a second journey with a serodiscordant couple from San Francisco. Michelle is an MHB board member and the chair of the Surrogates Advisory Committee.

Speaker:

State Senator Brad Hoylman
Brad and his husband, David, are the parents of a young daughter who was born through gestational surrogacy. Senator Hoylman is the prime sponsor of legislation that would legalize commercial gestational surrogacy contracts in New York.

Tomer and Kristle with his son Bruno

Chris (left) and Kevin with their son Ciaran

Senator Hoylman with his family

Breakout sessions - come meet the sponsors: 2:30 - 4:30 PM (Various rooms on L1 and L2)

Attendees will have the opportunity to take part in up to 6 introductory 20-minute group consultations with the various providers. Take advantage of this opportunity to get to know these agencies and clinics more closely. See the "Breakout Sessions" table for a list and schedule. The Gay Parenting Expo will also continue to be available during this period.

Private consultations with service providers: 3:00 -8:00 PM (Nursery School, Floor 2, 7th floor reception center and library)

Several clinics and agencies will be available in offices for private consultations with prospective parents that wish to explore the options they offer in more depth. Prospective parents may request to coordinate consultations in advance using this form. Consultation slots may also be available last minute for those who want to first hear the providers during the breakout sessions. See room assignment below:
L3 / Classroom 1 – CT Fertility
2nd Floor / Classroom 1 – San Diego Fertility Center
2nd Floor / Classroom 2 – Worldwide Surrogacy Specialists
2nd Floor / Classroom 3 – RMACT
2nd Floor / Classroom 4 – Simple Surrogacy
2nd Floor / Classroom 5 – Family Source Consultants
2nd Floor / Classroom 6 – Creative Family Connections
2nd Floor / Classroom 7 – ORM
2nd Floor / Classroom 8 – New England Fertility
7th Floor / Library – Colorado Surrogacy

Part II - Specialty panels and reception (4:30pm-7:30pm) - free admission

4:30-5:30 pm

Networking Reception / Gay Parenting Expo (Main Lobby)

Prospective parents, parents (&children!), psychologists, social workers, students, researchers and other professionals are invited to network and exchange perspectives over refreshments, courtesy of Worldwide Surrogacy Specialists. The Our Gay Parenting Expo will run in parallel until 5:30pm in the same space.

5:30-6:30 pm

Auditorium
(L2)

Classrooms
(L1)

Teen Center
(L2)

Budgeting: A closer look at medical insurance and surrogate compensation packages
Moderator: Ron Poole-Dayan / MHB board
Panelists:
- Victoria Ferrara, Esq.
/ Worldwide Surrogacy Specialists
- Diane Hinson, Esq.
/ Creative Family Connections
- Dean Hutchison, Esq.
/ Circle Surrogacy
- Michelle Pine
/ MHB board member

Medical workshop: The medical screening of future fathers, egg donors and surrogates, the creation of optimal embryos, and the IVF process
Moderator: Dr. Georges Sylvestre / MHB board
Panelists:
- Mark Leondires, M.D.
/ RMA of Connecticut
- Sigal Klipstein, M.D.
/ Invia Fertility Specialists
- Melvin Thornton, M.D.
/ CT Fertility
- Susanna Park, M.D.
/ San Diego Fertility Center
- John Hesla, M.D.
/ Oregon Reproductive Medicine

Psychological and social issues during the surrogacy process
Moderator: Gregory Payton, Ph.D. / MHB board
Panelists:
- Katelyn Jakobsen, LICSW
/ Men Having Babies
- Jan Silverman, Ph.D.
/ CReATe Fertility Centre

6:30-7:30 pm

Teen Panel: Surrogacy children of gay dads share their stories (Auditorium, L2)
Moderator: Stan J. Sloan / Executive director, Family Equality Council

The panel is offered in cooperation with the Outspoken Generation program of Family Equality Council. The program strives to empower those with LGBTQ parents to speak out about our community’s families. This panel will be the first featuring exclusively children in gay headed families formed through surrogacy. Parents, children, prospective parents, psychologists, social workers, students, researchers and other professionals are all welcome!

Speakers

Panelists

Victoria T. Ferrara, Esq.

Victoria Ferrara is the Founder and Legal Director of Worldwide Surrogacy Specialists, LLC, a successful surrogacy matching agency, through which she has helped many couples and individuals have children. One of her achievements is the landmark decision of Raftopol v. Ramey, 12 A.3d 783 299 Conn. 681 (2011), a Connecticut Supreme Court case that essentially created a new way to establish legal parentage in Connecticut, i.e., by being a party (Intended Parent) to a valid gestational agreement regardless of genetic connection to the child to be born to the gestational surrogate. Attorney Ferrara appears frequently in courts throughout the State of Connecticut for all matters in involving assisted reproduction law, pre-birth orders, and adoptions, including co-parent and step-parent adoption matters. She is a member of the Academy of Assisted Reproductive Law Attorneys, the Family Law Institute, the National Gay and Lesbian Bar Association, the Connecticut Bar Association, and the Greater Bridgeport Bar Association.

John Hesla, M.D.

Dr. Hesla is one of the most-respected and experienced physicians helping LGBTQ intended parents build their families through egg donor surrogacy. He is a board-certiﬁed reproductive endocrinologist with extensive experience in IVF, egg donation, surrogacy and reproductive genomics. He joined Oregon Reproductive Medicine (ORM) in 1999 as the co-founder of its groundbreaking IVF program — helping to build one of the first embryology laboratory clean rooms in the world. Prior to joining ORM, Dr. Hesla was director of IVF and Head of Reproductive Surgery at Johns Hopkins Hospital. Dr. Hesla has been instrumental in setting the high medical standards for ORM’s fully-screened egg donor program, ORM Donors, and ORM Surrogacy, ORM’s program for surrogacy. He is a firm believer in making the best reproductive genomics technology available to patients through ORM Genomics. He is globally recognized for his innovation, tenacity, passion, commitment to the LGBTQ community, and dedication to helping patients achieve their dream of a healthy baby on their first attempt.

Diane Hinson, Esq.

Diane Hinson, a cum laude graduate of Harvard Law School, founded Creative Family Connections LLC on the principle that “everyone can build a family.” After starting her own family as a single mother, Diane built a full-service surrogacy agency and reproductive rights law firm that is consistently one of the highest-ranked agencies in the world. Clients from across the country and around the world choose CFC for the compassionate care and legal expertise that Diane and her team provide. Because of her passion for family equality, Diane has fought to obtain landmark court rulings for same-sex parents. She has opened doors to IVF clinics for gay fathers, drafted and advocated for gay-friendly surrogacy legislation, served as HRC’s pro-bono counsel for surrogacy issues, spoken frequently about surrogacy, and provided surrogacy advice on the well-known Surromoms.com website. She has also collaborated with fellow surrogacy attorneys to develop an in-depth 50-state surrogacy law analysis, which is widely relied upon in the surrogacy world and cited in the media.

State Senator Brad Hoylman

State Senator Brad Hoylman represents New York's 27th State Senate District, which covers much of the heart of Manhattan, including the neighborhoods of Clinton/Hell’s Kitchen, Chelsea, Greenwich Village, the Upper West Side, Midtown/East Midtown, Columbus Circle, Times Square, Stuyvesant Town-Peter Cooper Village, the East Village and Lower East Side. He was first elected to the State Senate in November 2012 and he served as the Ranking Member of the Senate Standing Committee on Environmental Conservation. He and his husband, David, are the parents of a young daughter who was born through gestational surrogacy. Senator Hoylman is the prime sponsor of legislation that would legalize commercial gestational surrogacy contracts in New York.

Dean Hutchison, Esq.

Dean Hutchison is Director of Legal Services for Circle Surrogacy and Vice Chairman of the American Bar Association’s Committee on Assisted Reproductive Technology. He received his Bachelor’s Degree from the University of Richmond and his law degree from Suffolk University. Prior to working with Circle Surrogacy, he was an attorney at Lawson & Weitzen in Boston, Massachusetts for six years. Dean has managed hundreds of ART matters over the course of his career and has organized and presented on many panels on the legal aspects of surrogacy and egg donation. He has been named a Rising Star in Massachusetts Super Lawyer and Boston Magazine every year since 2009.

Dr. Sigal Klipstein

Dr. Klipstein is a graduate of the University of Chicago Pritzker School of Medicine. She completed both her residency in Obstetrics and Gynecology and fellowship in Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility at Harvard Medical School. In addition, she completed a fellowship in Medical Ethics at Harvard University. Dr. Klipstein has been the Chair of the national Ethics Committee of the American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology. Dr. Klipstein is Board Certified in the specialty of Obstetrics and Gynecology and Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility. She is a fellow of the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists and a member of the American Society for Reproductive Medicine. Dr. Klipstein has extensive experience working with same sex couples, egg donation and gestational surrogacy. She is the medical director of the Egg Donor Program at Invia Fertility Specialists. Dr. Klipstein is widely published, having written numerous articles in both medical and ethics journals. She has also authored several book chapters and presented at numerous medical conferences. She is fluent in Spanish and Hebrew.

Mark P. Leondires, M.D

Dr. Leondires, founder and Medical Director at Reproductive Medicine Associates of Connecticut and Gay Parents To Be, is board-certified in both Obstetrics and Gynecology (OBGYN) and Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility (REI). Dr. Leondires received his medical degree from the University Of Vermont, and completed his residency in OBGYN at Maine Medical Center, followed by a fellowship in REI at the National Institutes of Health in Bethesda, Maryland. He fulfilled his military obligation by serving as the ART Director at Walter Reed Army Medical Center. His professional society memberships include the Society of Reproductive Endocrinologists, the American College of OBGYN, and the American Society for Reproductive Medicine. Dr. Leondires has been selected a Best Doctor in America, a Top Doc by Castle Connolly, and was the 2015 Path to Parenthood Visionary Award Recipient for his outstanding commitment to patient care and building families. He is a speaker at many medical & advocacy conferences. Dr. Leondires and his husband have two children through egg donation and surrogacy. He is proud to help others achieve their family building dreams, and feels strongly that if one desires to have a family, all hurdles are surmountable and the joys boundless.

Susanna Park, M.D.

World renowned for her fertility expertise, IVF success and excellence in medical care, Dr. Susanna Park has practiced as an infertility physician for the past 15 years. Dr. Park joined the San Diego Fertility Center in 2013 following her tenure at Columbia University in New York City. Her passion is to combine her extensive experience as an infertility physician with individualized care and compassion. Dr. Park is double board-certified in Obstetrics and Gynecology, Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility. She graduated summa cum laude from Siena College and obtained her medical degree at Albany Medical College. Dr. Park completed her residency and her fellowship in Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility, at University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey. Dr. Park has developed a large international referral practice due to her excellent patient rapport and high success rates with a variety of treatments including IVF, donor eggs, egg freezing and gestational surrogacy. Dr. Park works closely with the leading surrogacy agencies to assist the LGBT community build families.

Stan J. Sloan

A leader in the homeless, LGBTQ and AIDS service communities for over two decades, Stan J. Sloan was named Executive Director of Family Equality Council in June 2016. Previously, he served as the CEO of Chicago House, a social service agency with a $7.2 million annual budget that provides housing, employment services, medical linkage, HIV prevention services, legal services and other programs to individuals and families disenfranchised by HIV/AIDS, LGBTQ poverty and/or gender nonconformity. Stan more than quintupled revenue at the agency between 2000 and 2016, all the while spearheading ground-breaking initiatives. In 2013, Chicago House opened the TransLife Center, which provides the nation’s most comprehensive services for the transgender community, and in 2015, Stan led a program that helps transgender women become more aware of and gain access to Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP). Over his career, Stan has cultivated heads of foundations and government officials to build diverse and sustainable funding streams. He is also experienced in speaking with donors about the need to take care of others in the LGBTQ parenting community, citing a personal philosophy that “families take care of each other.”

Melvin Thornton II, MD

Dr. Melvin Thornton II is the Acting Medical Director & Director, Donor Egg Program at CT Fertility. Dr. Thornton has deep expertise in the areas of IVF, surrogacy and donor egg, fertility preservation and male infertility. He recognizes the stressful nature of infertility treatment and brings a compassionate touch to every interaction. Known for his calm demeanor, his patients frequently describe him as a reassuring and personable physician who truly cares. Prior to joining CT Fertility, he spent 15 years with the Columbia University IVF program where he held many leadership posts, including Medical Director of its Westchester campus and Director of the donor egg program. In addition to his practical medical experience, he has devoted countless hours to sharing his passion for RE by teaching and mentoring medical students, fellows, and residents as an Associate Clinical Professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology at Columbia. Dr. Thornton has published more than 30 papers, written several book chapters and presented nearly 40 abstracts at professional conferences.

MHB’s team

Anthony M. Brown, Esq., Board Chairman

Anthony currently is a senior associate at the law firm of Chianese and Reilly Law,P.C., heading their family and estates law division serving married and unmarried individuals, couples and families. Anthony is the Executive Director of The Wedding Party and has been a Board member since its inception in 1999. Anthony is the founder of TimeForFamilies.com, a web environment dedicated to assisting gay and lesbian couples create their own families. Anthony has worked as a law guardian at The Children’s Law Center, representing the legal needs of children in Brooklyn Family Court. Anthony also worked as a legal intern for Lambda Legal in the summer of 2002. Anthony was appointed as a board member and Secretary of the board of Men Having Babies upon its incorporation in July 2012 and has served as Board Chairman since 2013.

Katelyn Jakobsen, LICSW, Social Worker

Katelyn joined the Men Having Babies team in October 2013 as part of the launch of the Gay Parenting Assistance Program. Her primary focus is conducting psycho-social assessments and helping IP’s and gestational surrogates to properly structure their surrogacy experience from the beginning. A Licensed Clinical Social Worker specializing in providing clinical support during the gestational surrogacy experience, Katelyn holds a Master’s of Social Work degree from the University of Michigan. Upon completion of her degree, she worked for social services in multiple states, specializing in foster care and adoption until she made the transition to surrogacy in 2008. Katelyn also works as a consultant at The Center for Surrogacy and Egg Donation in Southborough, MA, managing the surrogate screening process. She is a member of the National Association of Social Workers and presents at their annual conference on clinical aspects of surrogacy. Katelyn resides in a suburb of Boston, MA, wife to husband, Bjorn, and mother to three young children.

Gregory J. Payton, Ph.D, Board Member

Greg is a Lecturer in the Department of Counseling and Clinical Psychology at Teachers College, Columbia University and a licensed clinical psychologist in private practice in New York City. Greg received his Masters degree in Human Development and Psychology from Harvard University and his Doctorate from Columbia University. In his teaching, research and practice, Greg emphasizes the resiliency of the LGBTQ population and works to support their efforts at creating families. Additionally, Greg is an alumnus of the Point Foundation and currently serves as a Mentor and member of the Alumni Committee. Greg and his husband Robert Lafferty welcomed their daughter, Grace, into their family in 2013 and their son, James, in 2015.

Michelle Pine, Board Member, Chair of the Surrogates Advisory Committee

Michelle Pine is a special education teacher for students with mild disabilities at an alternative high school in Klamath Falls, Oregon, having previously taught special education and Language Arts in Portland. Michelle holds two Masters in Education from Concordia University and a Bachelor of Arts in English from Eastern Oregon University. When not working, Michelle enjoys reading and writing and spending time with her family exploring Oregon. Michelle was a gestational surrogate for a same-sex couple from Israel in 2015, and has recently begun a second journey with a serodiscordant couple from San Francisco. She and her husband have three amazing children, all who played an important role in her first surrogacy journey and are equally excited about the next one.

Ron Poole-Dayan, Board Member / Executive Director

Ron is the executive director and founding board member of Men Having Babies. He has over 20 years of experience in marketing and business strategy development both in the USA and internationally. Ron earned his Masters degree in political economy and comparative politics from Columbia University, and his bachelor’s degree in business administration from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. Ron is married to Greg Poole-Dayan, the Administrator of the Jewish Home Lifecare Nursing Home in the Bronx. The couple met in 1994, and are among of the first same-sex couples in the nation to father children through gestational surrogacy. The twins, born in 2001, were conceived with the use of eggs donated by Greg's sister, and carried by a gestational carrier. Ron has been the MHB program coordinator since 2005, and was appointed as the Executive Director of Men Having Babies upon its incorporation in July 2012.

Georges Sylvestre, M.D., Board Member

Georges Sylvestre is an Obstetrician/Gynecologist specialized in High-Risk Pregnancies, currently Chairman of OBGYN at Flushing Hospital Medical Center in Queens. Georges and his husband David Margolis live in Manhattan, and are the proud fathers of Tristan and Noah, born in 2010 and 2013 via gestational surrogacy. Having grown up in France, Canada and Switzerland, the Sylvestre-Margolis boys speak French and English at home, and has traveled extensively across the world, making a point of meeting other LGBT gay couples raising children. Georges' profession and personal experience give him a unique advantage in understanding the medical, psychological, ethical and financial challenges of the IP/couple –egg donor – Gestational surrogate triad.

Sherman L. Taylor II, Board Member

Sherman is a technology manager in the Research & Development organization of Procter & Gamble, based in Cincinnati, OH. Sherman received his Bachelor’s and Master’s Degree in Chemical Engineering and Colloids, Polymers and Surfaces from Carnegie Mellon University. Sherman leads of group of scientists and engineers to create new and improved consumer products; he has worked across a variety of brands in his career including Pampers, Vicks, PuR, Swiffer, Magic Erasers, Bounce and Downy. Sherman also leads the design of corporate training programs to accelerate the growth and development of New Hires upon entering the company. Sherman and his husband Andrew have a son via surrogacy, born in 2013.

Breakout sessions

Stephanie Scott

Stephanie Scott is the Co-Owner/Executive Program Director for Simple Surrogacy and Simple Donations in Dallas, TX. Her passion in life is helping childless couples and individuals realize their dreams of becoming parents. With over 14 years of experience in the surrogacy and egg donation community, having been a surrogate twice before and managing one of the most supportive, well-respected and cost-consciousness agencies in the United States, Stephanie has well rounded knowledge of every aspect of the surrogacy and egg donation process. She holds her team and the colleagues she works with to a higher standard, she expects everyone to go the extra mile so that clients who come through the program are not only successful, but have had a good experience. As the Program Director, Stephanie manages the day to day operations at Simple Surrogacy and Simple Donations. Her duties include, but are not limited to, new client consultations, profile review and editing, educating her clients about the process, creating a realistic budget for her clients and ensuring her team is properly supportive all parties throughout their journey.

Aaron Kreais

Director of Client Development, Aaron Kreais, helps connect potential Intended Parents with Family Source Consultants and works to educate the LGBT community about third-party reproduction options. Aaron is a former Intended Parent with Family Source Consultants. Aaron and his husband Joshua have beautiful boy/girl twins, Hudson and Irene, via surrogacy. After experiencing the surrogacy process firsthand with Family Source Consultants, Aaron is excited to assist other Intended Parents with the rewarding work of starting or growing a family. Aaron received his Bachelors of Science in Business Administration from Ohio State University. Prior to joining Family Source Consultants, he was a partner in several agricultural-related companies. Aaron is based in Columbus, Ohio.

Clifford Librach, M.D.

Dr. Librach is the founder and Director of the CReATe Fertility Centre and CReATe Cord Blood Bank (Toronto, Canada). He is an Associate Professor in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at the University of Toronto. He served as Division Head of Reproductive Endocrinology & Infertility at Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre and Women’s College Hospital for 23 years. Dr. Librach has been the Chair of Ontario Medical Association Reproductive Biology since 2004. He co-founded the Canadian Fertility and Andrology (CFAS) IVF Improvement Committee. He has been interviewed extensively on ART-related topics in the national and international media. Dr. Librach is the pioneer and leader in the field of the third party reproduction and runs the largest egg donation and gestational surrogacy program in Canada. He has published over 60 peer-reviewed original publications including an analysis of the medical, psychosocial and legal issues involved in surrogacy program; as well as the largest published series on assisted reproduction for the same-sex male couples and single men.

Steven H. Snyder, Esq.

Steven Snyder is the founding and principal partner of Steven H. Snyder & Associates, Attorneys At Law and the International Assisted Reproduction Center (IARC) in Minnesota. Mr. Snyder attended law school at the University of Minnesota, graduating cum laude in 1982. Mr. Snyder successfully litigated the first and only contested Minnesota surrogacy case to date in 2006 in which he won sole custody of the child for a single gay father. He is a member of the American Bar Association (ABA), Immediate Past Chair of the Reproductive & Genetic Technology Committee of the Family Law Section of the ABA, Past Chair of the Minnesota State Bar Association Family Law Section, and a Fellow of the American Bar Foundation. Mr. Snyder also serves on the national legal advisory committee of RESOLVE: The National Fertility Association, is past chair of the legal advisory group for the American Fertility Association (for education, support, and advocacy on behalf of infertile persons), and is a member of the American Society of Reproductive Medicine (national organization of fertility physicians) and its legal professionals group.

Gad Lavy, M.D., F.A.C.O.G.

Dr. Lavy established New England Fertility in 1990, as the first non –hospital based assisted reproductive program in the state of Connecticut. Dr. Lavy is board certified in Reproductive Endocrinology and Obstetrics and Gynecology. Dr. Lavy received his medical degree from Hadassah Medical School followed by a research fellowship in biochemistry. Dr. Lavy completed his residency at Yale University School of Medicine and completed an advanced fellowship in the Division of Reproductive Medicine. Dr. Lavy is a member of the Gay and Lesbian Medical Association, American Society of Reproductive Medicine, Society of Reproductive Endocrinologists, Society of Reproductive Surgeons, and American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology. Dr. Lavy also works extensively with gay couples and is one of only a very few reproductive physicians who has experience with international surrogacy. Dr. Lavy was featured in the award-winning documentary “ Google Baby”. He is also on the speaker’s board for Ferring Pharmaceuticals, Serono and Merck. Dr. Lavy leads a team of highly trained clinicians and scientists to provide comprehensive, compassionate and personal service.

Ellen Trachman, Esq.

Ellen is an attorney who left corporate law years ago to make a difference in people’s lives. She founded Trachman Law Center, LLC, specializing in family formation law, and loves representing men and women who are building their families through assisted reproductive technology. The creation of Colorado Surrogacy was the natural next step in the evolution of Ellen’s commitment to growing families through surrogacy. She can’t imagine more rewarding, meaningful and enjoyable work. Ellen is affiliated with several professional associations devoted to family formation and was named Entrepreneurial Woman of the Year in 2015 by the Denver Gay & Lesbian Chamber of Commerce. Originally from northern New Mexico, Ellen did her undergraduate studies at the University of California, Berkeley, and earned her law degree from Emory University in Atlanta, Georgia. Ellen has four children and loves living in colorful Colorado.

John Chally, J.D.

John Chally, J.D. is one of the Directors and Founders of Northwest Surrogacy Center, LLC. He has 20 years of experience as a surrogacy attorney, with a focus on securing the legal relationships between intended parents and their children. He also has nearly 40 years of experience practicing in the areas of adoption and adoption litigation. He has a Martindale-Hubbell rating of AV Preeminent, indicating the highest level of professional excellence and ethical standards, and is ranked as a Super Lawyer. He is a member of the American Academy of Adoption Attorneys and the American Academy of Assisted Reproductive Technology Attorneys.
One of the early promoters of open adoption, John is a former member of the State of Oregon Task Force on Adoption Services and the Oregon Law Foundation Adoption Committee. In 1985 he co-founded Open Adoption & Family Services, Inc., one of the largest adoption agencies in the Pacific Northwest. He has published numerous articles and book chapters on adoption and frequently speaks at adoption seminars.

Jerald S. Goldstein, M.D.

Founder and medical director of Fertility Specialists of Texas, Dr. Jerald S. Goldstein is a native Texan who received his medical degree from the University of Texas Southwestern Medical School, Dallas. He is board certified in both obstetrics and gynecology and reproductive endocrinology and infertility. Dr. Goldstein was an assistant professor in the division of reproductive endocrinology at Washington University Medical Center, St. Louis. He has presented before numerous medical conferences and published in such peer-reviewed journals as Fertility and Sterility and Obstetrics and Gynecology. Dr. Goldstein is a member of the American Society of Reproductive Medicine, the American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology and the Society of Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility. Dr. Goldstein has repeatedly been recognized by peers and patients alike as a leader in his field. He has been voted a Best Doctor in D Magazine, most recently in 2016, as well as listed as a top doctor in several publications including Texas Monthly’s annual list of Super Doctors.

Robert Kaufmann, M.D., HCLD

Dr. Kaufmann is one of the top board-certified reproductive endocrinologists in Texas specializing in fertility care ranging from intrauterine insemination to in-vitro fertilization (IVF) and pre-implantation genetic diagnosis (PGD). Nationally recognized as a leader in IVF for highly successful donor and third-party gestational surrogacy programs, Dr. Kaufmann continually invests considerable resources and his passion for this specialty into establishing the most comprehensive infertility program in the nation. Dr. Kaufmann changed the landscape of reproductive medicine with his research contributions and academic leadership. With over 20 years of experience, Dr. Kaufmann leads a recognized team of physicians, nurses, embryologists and support staff providing personalized patient care across the globe. Fort Worth Fertility demonstrates an extensive and proven track record with over 1,800 gestational carrier cycles and 3,000 PGD cases. Dr. Kaufmann has been recognized annually by both peers and patients. Peers appointed him Top Doctor in Fort Worth, Texas magazine from 2005-2016, and patients bestowed him with the Most Compassionate Doctor Award, Patients’ Choice Award and Top 10 Doctors on Vitals.com.

Breakout sessions

Seminar attendees are invited to choose up to six "speed group consults" with the sponsoring agencies and clinics. The sessions will be 17-18 minutes long (plus 2-3 minutes switch time) and take place simultaneously in 4 meeting rooms on L1 and L2.