News & Updates from I Want To Put A Baby In You!

Stephanie Witte was born and raised in South Dakota. She has always had a passion for helping others and giving of herself has given her a wealth of experiences that have shaped her into the person she is today. 

From a young age, Stephanie harbored ambitions of becoming a forensic scientist, driven by a desire to contribute to justice and help society by apprehending wrongdoers. This aspiration led her to pursue a bachelor’s degree in Criminal Justice with a specialization in Forensic Science from Colorado Technical University in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. Life took an unexpected turn when Stephanie embarked on the journey of motherhood.

Balancing her career aspirations with the responsibilities of raising a family became a challenge, especially when faced with the daunting task of finding suitable daycare for her children. This challenge inspired her to open her own state-certified, in-home daycare in July 2010. Over the course of 12 years, she nurtured and cared for numerous children. Through this experience, Stephanie gained a profound understanding of the importance of providing children with a safe, supportive environment where they could thrive and grow.

In 2018, Stephanie’s passion for helping others was reignited when she felt compelled to become a gestational surrogate. Driven by a desire to assist individuals or couples struggling with infertility, she embarked on a remarkable journey, delivering babies for intended parents across the globe. Despite facing challenges along the way, Stephanie’s commitment to helping others build their families remained unshaken.

Throughout her surrogacy journeys, Stephanie’s own family stood by her side, experiencing a range of emotions and challenges unique to their situation. Recognizing the importance of open communication and inclusion, Stephanie aims to spread awareness about alternative paths to parenthood and foster understanding among families.

Stephanie is the author of Surrogacy: A Journey of Love.

Book Description: All families are different. There are different numbers of sisters and brothers, or sometimes just one child, but all families are beautiful and precious. Sometimes, people need to ask for help to grow their family. One way is through adoption and another way is through surrogacy.

Brian Junior shares about his family and his mommy’s decision to help other families grow by being a gestational surrogate. He helps us understand these big words and shares what it's like when mommy has a baby that isn't your sister or brother.

Stepmom, mom, surrogacy case manager and gestational surrogate, Stephanie shares the story of surrogacy using her son, Brian Junior, as the narrator. Brian helps kids of all ages understand this very special gift.

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Shannon is a certified genetic counselor with nearly 25 years of experience, mostly in the reproductive space. Previous roles have included Network Lead at Genome Medical, Team Lead at Mayo Clinic, and Prenatal and Preconception Genetic Counselor at CooperGenomics. She is currently the Director of Genetic Counseling at Fairfax Cryobank along with the Founder and Owner of Stork Genetics. She contributes additional work in medical affairs, scientific communication, and patient education and advocacy.

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Slaughter Law Group’s founding partner, Lesa Slaughter, has an international reputation for her strategic, supportive, and forward-thinking legal advice when counseling clients creating their family through gestational surrogacy, egg, sperm, and embryo donation. Lesa’s own personal journey of having children through gestational surrogacy, combined with her 15 years of practice in the field of third-party reproduction and prior experience in the transactional and litigation arenas ensures her clients are educated on the legal, practical, and emotional issues raised when forging a pathway to parentage involving surrogacy, egg donation, embryo donation and sperm donation

Since 2009, Lesa and her team at Slaughter Law Group have helped tens of thousands of intended parents from all over the globe become mothers and fathers through third party reproduction. Lesa provides legal expertise, compassion and a unique insight and understanding of the clients she serves that few other attorneys in the field of third-party reproduction offer. 

Receiving her undergraduate degree from New York University, Lesa received her juris doctorate degree from Loyola Law School in Los Angeles, California in 1999, where she received a number of academic awards. Lesa’s practice began with the international firm of Skadden, Arps, and Slate & Meagher LLP where her litigation and transactional skills were honed in representing large private and Fortune 500 companies on a number of international and domestic matters. In 2009, Lesa left large firm life and opened her own law firm, known today as Slaughter Law Group, a boutique firm advising clients on gestational surrogacy, egg, embryo, and sperm donation matters.

Lesa has also been an Adjunct Professor at Loyola Law School, and has served three former Los Angeles Mayors. She was Chief of Staff to former Los Angeles Mayor Richard Riordan, served as a City of Los Angeles Commissioner for multiple terms under Los Angeles Mayors Hahn and Villagarosa. Lesa has worked on a number of state-wide campaigns and received several civic awards.

The go to expert in the rapidly changing landscape of assisted reproductive technology, Lesa has been quoted in the New York Times, the Los Angeles Times, and been a featured speaker on the issue of gestational surrogacy in the United States and abroad, including Australia, Canada, Italy, and Sweden. Licensed in California, she is a member of the California State Bar, the American Bar Association’s Assisted Reproductive Technologies sub-section, and the Legal Professional Group of the American Society of Reproductive Medicine.

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Ashley was born and raised in Pennsylvania. She is the mother to two beautiful children and a decade deep into marriage with her high school sweetheart. They live on a small “farmette” with all kinds of furry creatures! She loves to garden, sew clothing, cook, and bake! Surrogacy is something that was on her heart for years after a close family member battled infertility. In 2021, she completed a successful journey and delivered a healthy baby to a set of Intended Parents that became an extended part of her family. Ashley says that standing witness to a set of parents seeing their child’s face for the first time was an experience she will never forget. Now being a case manager, she has the opportunity to help so many more couples become parents!

In 2023, feeling the pull to give back in another big way – Ashley applied for a Uterus Transplant clinical trial at Penn Medicine. In December of 2023, she became the 3rd living donor at Penn to donate her uterus to another woman in hopes that she would be able to carry her own baby!

Justyna, after a long journey, time, and determination, Justyna was the successful recipient of a donated uterus. Specifically, she received Ashley’s donated uterus! Justyna carried a pregnancy and gave birth to a daughter with the help of Ashley’s “beast” of a uterus.

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Alyssa Schnell has been an International Board Certified Lactation Consultant (IBCLC) since 2009. She works in private practice serving clients both locally and worldwide. She is the author of Breastfeeding Without Birthing: A Breastfeeding Guide for Mothers Through Adoption, Surrogacy, and Other Special Circumstances and a professional supplement to the book, The Breastfeeding Without Birthing Professional Pack online training. She is also the creator of DomHub, an extensive online resource for domperidone. Alyssa has authored articles for The Journal of Human Lactation, La Leche League’s Leader Today and Breastfeeding Today magazines, and Adoptive Families magazine and developer of The Three Step Framework for Inducing Lactation. She is an international speaker on the topics of inducing lactation, relactation, co-lactation, and other related topics. Alyssa is the proud mother of three breastfed children, two by birth and one by adoption. She lives in St. Louis, Missouri, USA.

Alyssa offers a wide variety of free and paid resources for parents, including a free online support group, free mini consultations, and consultation packages to support parents every step of the way. Her evidence-based online resource for domperidone, DomHub, is a much need guide to the safe and effective use of domperidone for lactation and is appropriate for parents or professionals. She works with parents from all over the world who are interested in inducing lactation, relactating, and co-lactating. Her practice is inclusive and accepts some insurance.

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JOANNA PARGA-BELINKIE, MD, FAAP, IBCLC, is an associate professor of pediatrics and clinical neonatologist at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) and the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania (HUP). She is a spokesperson for the American Academy of Pediatrics and co-host of their flagship podcast Pediatrics On Call. She lives in Philadelphia with her husband and three children.

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Stephanie Jones is the Founder of the Michigan Fertility Alliance and Co-Founder of State Strong. After experiencing secondary infertility due to life-threatening pregnancy complications, Stephanie Jones and her husband were stunned to learn that Michigan banned surrogacy contracts—their only option to grow their family. Stephanie channeled her business expertise and personal perseverance into founding the Michigan Fertility Alliance and changing Michigan’s surrogacy and parentage laws. Under her leadership, MFA is driving pro-family advocacy and policy reform to support Michiganders who need assisted reproduction or surrogacy to build their families. In 2024, Stephanie received the RESOLVE Hope Award for Advocacy in recognition of her impactful work. She also shared her personal story of reproductive health and abortion to support the successful election of Senator Slotkin to the U.S. Senate.

Ginanne Brownell is an award-winning writer and journalist. Raised in Michigan and based in London, she has covered stories on six continents and in over forty-five countries. Her work has been published in outlets including New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Financial Times, Washington Post, Foreign Policy, and Scientific American. She has worked on staff for CNN, Newsweek, and UNICEF. Ginanne is the author of two books: "Elusive Mommyhood: An investigative reporter’s personal journey into IVF and surrogacy" and "Ghetto Classics: How a Youth Orchestra Changed a Nairobi Slum." She has a BA in history from Albion College and a MA in history from the London School of Economics.

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Ashley Christman is a born and raised Pennsylvania girl. She is the mother to two beautiful children and a decade deep into marriage with her high school sweetheart. They live on a small “farmette” with all kinds of furry creatures! She loves to garden, sew clothing, cook and bake!
Surrogacy is something that was on her heart for years after a close family member battled infertility. In 2021, she completed a successful journey and delivered a healthy baby to a set of Intended Parents that became an extended part of her family. Ashley says that standing witness to a set of parents seeing their child’s face for the first time was an experience she will never forget. Now being a case manager, she has the opportunity to help so many more couples become parents!
In 2023, feeling the pull to give back in another big way - Ashley applied for a Uterus Transplant clinical trial at Penn Medicine. In December of 2023, she became the 3rd living donor at Penn to donate her uterus to another woman in hopes that she would be able to carry her own baby!

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Brooke Kimbrough is the founder of Roots Surrogacy, a boutique, relationship-driven surrogacy agency grounded in empathy, transparency, and ethical care. A former surrogate herself and a long-time industry professional, Brooke brings over a decade of firsthand experience to the work of guiding intended parents and surrogates through one of the most meaningful journeys of their lives. At the heart of everything she does is a deep belief in connection, women’s empowerment, and the power of doing things the right way—even when it’s hard. Brooke leads her all-female team with compassion, integrity, and a commitment to the values behind the Roots name.

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Carly Joseph is a surrogacy concierge helping Intended Parents match with the right surrogates quickly. Having navigated her own two surrogacy journeys, Carly knows firsthand how overwhelming the process can be. Her mission is to combine personal experience with established relationships to help make the path to parenthood smoother. Carly works with intended parents who are ready to explore surrogacy.

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Julie Eshelman is the Founder, CEO, and President of Building Military Families Network where she took her struggles and lack of support and access to information in family building and created an organization to fill that gap for military and veteran families. Her own family’s experiences with infertility and the frustrations resulting from a lack of insurance coverage and a support network led her to advocate and launch a nonprofit for the change she desperately wants to see for the next generation of military and veteran families. Julie was named the 2022 Armed Forces Insurance Fort Leavenworth Spouse of the Year for her awareness, advocacy, and leadership in infertility and military family building.

Building Military Families Network is a 501c3 organization with a mission to provide an empowering and supportive network to military and veteran families navigating the challenges in the family-building process through support groups, education, and resources. Their Education Center and Resource Library empower military and veteran families with all the information and tools they need on their journey to parenthood. The Support Group Program provides families with peer support and builds community. Their advocacy efforts are focused on increasing insurance coverage and improving access to all family-building options for military and veteran families. Building Military Families Network is a beacon of hope for building military families.

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As members of the LGBTQ+ community, Kristina and Sol always knew they would need fertility treatments to build their family. However, dual infertility diagnoses made their journey even more complex. This experience fueled their passion for advocacy, inspiring them to champion for expanded access to reproductive technology, fair donor-conceived laws, and protections for LGBTQ+ families. Kristina furthers this mission in her role as Chair of Colorado Fertility Advocates.

After more than a decade of fertility treatments—including IVF, RIVF, and Donor Embryo—their family is now complete. They are proud parents of three wonderful children: two boys and a girl, ages 11, 8, and 3.

Beyond their advocacy, Kristina and Sol are deeply committed to advancing health equity for marginalized communities, increasing the visibility of diverse leaders—including Latino, LGBTQ+, and underserved communities—and championing reproductive rights and LGBTQ+ equality. Kristina serves on the boards of the LGBTQ+ Heritage Project for the United Methodist Church and the Colorado Women’s Chamber of Commerce. Sol, who is Latino and bilingual, is a Board Member for Project Worthmore and a former member of Commerce City’s DEI Commission and Cultural Council.

Professionally, Kristina has built a successful 20-year career in Marketing and Strategic Communications, specializing in the healthcare and fintech industries. Sol is also an accomplished leader, with expertise in operations and project management across community health centers, government and educational organizations, and, most recently, a nationwide private equity-backed dental company.

In their free time, Kristina and Sol love attending and coaching their kids’ countless sports and activities, exploring Colorado through hikes and scenic Sunday drives, enjoying live music, cheering on Sol’s hometown teams (the Padres and Chargers), road-tripping, listening to audiobooks, playing board games, and spending quality time with family and friends.

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Shea Bart Andreone is a writer, speaker, and author. She is also a mother who knows the agony that can come with trying to have a baby. Shea’s journey to becoming a mother to two healthy children was punctuated by pain, hospitalizations, and death. Carry On offers a candid, intrepid look into the real stories of the many people for whom this universal drive to start a family doesn’t come easily. These stories are an exploration of these people’s love, hope, and desperation to keep trying.

Shea’s writing, from her own blog (Twig-Hugger) to numerous articles in mom and parent-oriented platforms (The Next Family, Motherfigure, LA Parent, Your Teen Magazine, and Chicken Soup For The Soul) has given her views and opinions platform to reach interested and like-minded eyes and ears. 

Shea has been a featured speaker at Expressing Motherhood, a live storytelling event held in major cities across the United States. She has shared her story about living with Hyperemesis Gravidarum (HG). Shea dealt with HG for all three of my pregnancies, and participated in research studies through HER, the world’s largest network of HG survivors and experts.

She’s been featured on podcasts, including “Single Vs. Married”, where she spoke about natural childbirth, medical interventions traditionally utilized during childbirth, and why she opted to have as few interventions as possible during her own labors and deliveries. Shea discussed the months of trying to conceive, illness, and suffering that finally resulted in giving birth to a healthy baby girl.

Before having children, Shea was a competitive and then professional figure skater. Hailing from New York, Shea acted off-Broadway for nearly a decade. She then moved to the West Coast and continued to act, in TV, films, and theater. While Shea loves NY and travels back often, LA is where her husband, children, dog and her call home.

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Dr. Julie Bindeman graduated from George Washington University and is the co-owner of Integrative Therapy of Greater Washington in Rockville, Maryland. Her specialty is in the field of Reproductive Psychology, where she actively writes, lectures, and presents. She is an approved consultant in EMDR through EMDRIA as well as a facilitator for basic training with The Touchstone Institute. She has served on several committees within the Mental Health Professional Group of the American Society for Reproductive Medicine and was elected in 2021 to its Executive Committee. She previously served as a Board Member of the Maryland Psychological Association for over 10 years. Dr. Bindeman is a member of multiple organizations focused on Maternal and Reproductive Mental Health and was appointed by the Governor of Maryland to serve on its Maternal Mental Health Task Force. She was awarded the Karl Heiser Award through the American Psychological Association for her legislative efforts on behalf of psychology. Dr. Bindeman has published several chapters and articles pertaining to Reproductive Psychology and is the editor of the book “The Mental Health Clinician’s Handbook for Abortion Care” that was released September, 2024.

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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.

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