Zach French is an attorney with experience in technology startups and business development, and most recently served as an executive at SeedTrust. Zach’s connection to the ART world began when he and his wife, Alexandra, embarked on their own surrogacy journey after Alexandra’s battle with breast cancer. The tremendous mental and financial toll from their journey led them to establish The Surrogacy Foundation (formerly Gift of Surrogacy). Zach left SeedTrust in February to become full-time Executive Director of the nonprofit. Zach and TSF are on a mission to expand access to surrogacy by propelling it into the mainstream using a collaborative approach to build a sustainable grant program and technology-enabled education and support.

Listen as Zach shares with Ellen and Jenn:

• Coming on the podcast for a second time! Check out Episode 177 to hear the first.
• Zach and his wife’s experience with cancer, and then surrogacy to have their child.
• Starting The Gift of Surrogacy to help others. Navigating it on the side but then Zach being encouraged to dedicate himself full-time to leading the cause.
• Raising enough money from the first fundraiser in 2023 to be able to award a $100,000 grant!
• Focusing on their why and their values.
• Creating a non-profit for tomorrow’s donors. Not your grandparents’ non-profit.
• Making their events truly memorable. Including their upcoming event on February 8, 2025. Masquerade theme, with some surprises up their sleeves!

Want to share your story or ask a question? Call and leave us a message on our hotline: 303-997-1903.

Learn more about The Surrogacy Foundation: https://www.giftofsurrogacyfoundation.org/

Learn more about our podcast: https://iwanttoputababyinyou.com/

Learn more about our surrogacy agency: https://www.brightfuturesfamilies.com/

Get your IWTPABIY merch here! https://iwanttoputababyinyou.com/merch

Learn more about Ellen’s law firm: http://trachmanlawcenter.com/

Elizabeth Carr is the first baby born via in vitro fertilization in the United States.

In the media since 3 cells old, Elizabeth is a passionate advocate for those fighting for fertility rights. From battles over insurance coverage, to educating doctors on how to interact with patients going through infertility treatments, to advice for parents on how to talk to children about assisted reproductive technologies, Elizabeth is proud to share her voice and story in order to fight for those who may not be able to fight for themselves.

Elizabeth is a fearless Patient Advocate, striving to educate and empower people based on her life experiences and expertise within the fertility world. She has presented to audiences around the globe including at the United Nations, ASRM, ESHRE, and the national infertility association, RESOLVE.

A dynamic speaker, Elizabeth’s passion lies in education from helping companies craft fertility benefit packages & parental leave policies, to keynote speeches, to sitting one-on-one with people facing fertility questions head on.

Elizabeth has worked as a journalist, marketing and events, and fundraising making her an expert at distilling complex issues into easy-to-digest stories.

Elizabeth is also a marathoner, triathlete, coffee connoisseur, wife, mother, and writer.

Listen as Elizabeth shares with Ellen and Jenn:

• Living in the media spotlight since she was three cells old.
• Not understanding the big deal when she was little but growing to understand how historic and important the technology became for so many.
• Feeling that she was always under a microscope to see if she was “normal”.
• At 10, to the horror of the school nurse, explaining during a lesson on human reproduction that there is another way!
• Making herself available publicly to give others hope, but also dealing with hurtful mail that she “shouldn’t exist.”
• Taking a break from the media in her 20s to focus on her journalism career. A career chosen after dealing with so many journalists from a young age!
• Being Senator Tim Kaine’s guest at the State of the Union.
• Jumping into action after the Alabama Supreme Court embryo ruling.
• Working with so many great organizations to fight for families.

Want to share your story or ask a question? Call and leave us a message on our hotline: 303-997-1903.

Learn more about Elizabeth Carr from her website: www.ejordancarr.com

Read Elizabeth’s book, Under the Microscope: https://ejordancarr.com/under-the-microscope

Learn more about our podcast: https://iwanttoputababyinyou.com/

Learn more about our surrogacy agency: https://www.brightfuturesfamilies.com/

Get your IWTPABIY merch here! https://iwanttoputababyinyou.com/merch

Learn more about Ellen’s law firm: http://trachmanlawcenter.com/

This is the story of a beautiful family assembled out of order: dog, daughter, dad. It's the story of planning years ahead to become a mom, and wishing she’d started years earlier. It's the story of the unexpected that arrives in every form from love (like a husband) to terror (like medical issues), and the life-changing decisions that accompany any rocky road through fertility.

It was after their second date that Shira told her now husband she was probably pregnant. She conceived her daughter as a single mom by choice using donor sperm, most of her savings, and so much time, energy and effort. Just as she finally succeeded in getting pregnant, she met him. It turns out families don't have to be assembled in order.

Shira is a product, commercial and operations leader with deep experience launching and scaling tech-enabled healthcare. She has worked across various clinical specialties, partnering closely with health plans, employers, health systems and government.

Shira is currently at Lin Health, which specializes in treating chronic pain. Shira loves leading people, helping patients, and designing technology to solve problems. Shira was previously the General Manager of Behavioral Health and Musculoskeletal care at Eden Health. Before that at Omada Health, she led creation of product lines for diabetes, hypertension and behavioral health, as well as spearheading Omada’s work with national insurance carriers, the American Medical Association, and the federal government’s healthcare innovation team.

Shira is passionate about writing and speaking on the future of integrating technology into healthcare, as well as insights about culture and life choices from her time working and living around the world. Her greatest passion at work is supporting her team members in growth and development, and fostering the culture and organizational structures that lead to high productivity and work-life balance. Shira’s greatest joy is this family she built out of order: her young daughter, her loving husband, and her ever-hopeful dog. She is a community builder, outdoor enthusiast and world traveler. Shira has lived across the US, Europe and Africa and now loves hiking, biking and paddling near her home near Boulder, Colorado.

Listen as Shira shares with Ellen and Jenn:

• Calling her second date romantic interest to tell him she’s pregnant.
• Rewinding, getting good advice at 35 to get her fertility checked.
• Finding out she had a very low egg count, choosing to go through the expensive process of egg freezing.
• Talking to a financial planner about her hopes to be a parent, and ultimately making some major shifts in her life (including a major move).
• Still wanting a partner, but meeting people became hard with the onset of the COVID pandemic.
• Grieving the loss of an idea she had for her life, but then being ready to move forward.
• Researching who decides to become a single mother by choice; finding that these women are bad asses.
• After telling her second date the news, him still being in. And then being all in.
• Finding out about a serious medical complication, moving to Florida together for specialized care.
• Experiencing her happy ending/beginning.

Want to share your story or ask a question? Call and leave us a message on our hotline: 303-997-1903.

Learn more about our podcast: https://iwanttoputababyinyou.com/

Learn more about our surrogacy agency: https://www.brightfuturesfamilies.com/

Get your IWTPABIY merch here!