I Want to Put a Baby in You!

Justine Witzke is the founder and CEO of Aligneage Fertility. Justine is an experienced strategist and operator having served in a variety of roles, including as head of clinical operations, at Weill Cornell Medicine’s Center for Reproductive Medicine. She is particularly proud of her work developing their fertility preservation program, expanding services to LGBTQ communities, and managing the department’s COVID-19 response, all of which required creative pragmatism. An expert generalist, Justine is passionate about sharing knowledge and information; she cares deeply about educating patients, colleagues, and the public. With interests in medical ethics, patient satisfaction, program development, and risk management, Justine is well-equipped to contribute as an advocate and thought leader in fertility. Additionally, she is a co-founder and the President of CP Extension, a non-profit organization aimed at supporting families of individuals with cerebral palsy. A graduate of the University of Florida, Justine received a Master’s in Public Health from Hunter College with a focus on Community Health Education and a PhD in Clinical and Translational Research from the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai. Her dissertation was titled “Impact of Commercial Donor Sperm Preparation on Intrauterine Insemination Outcome.” Listen as Justine discusses with Ellen and Jenn: • How Justine found herself in the world of sperm and family building. • The interesting answer to the question, “When does washing sperm make sense?” • Is “facilitated known donation” the future of sperm donation? • Can previously ineligible potential donors (such as someone who lived in England for more than three months) become eligible? • What are donors paid? Want to share your story or ask a question? Call and leave us a message on our hotline: 303-997-1903. Learn more about Aligneage Fertility: https://www.aligneagefertility.com/ Learn more about our podcast: https://iwanttoputababyinyou.com/ Learn more about our surrogacy agencies: https://www.brightfuturesfamilies.com/ Get your IWTPABIY merch here! https://iwanttoputababyinyou.com/merch Learn more about Ellen’s law firm: http://trachmanlawcenter.com/

Kristin was born in Marlton, New Jersey and moved 9 times, including a stop in Denver where she discovered her love for performing at 11 years old. Creating shows in her driveway at a young age, she always knew she wanted to bring her creations to audiences everywhere. She was full of dreams and life and did everything in her power to make them come true. Kristin and her husband started a non-profit organization in honor of their daughter, London Quinn, who was stillborn at 39 weeks in July 2021 through surrogacy. Listen as Kristin discuss with Ellen and Jenn: • Being from Los Angeles, dancing for famous stars, and living a fast-paced life. • Moving to Oklahoma for her now-husband and experiencing a drastically different lifestyle. • Having the conversation of starting their family and taking over 7 years to get pregnant. • The heartbreak of their first ultrasound and the harshness of the medical staff. • Experiencing extreme pain and receiving a diagnosis of endometriosis. • Undergoing a hysterectomy, but still wanting a family. • Finding surrogacy and being matched. • Her surrogate’s flawless pregnancy, • Feeling something wrong on delivery day. • The worst imaginable moment. • Through heartbreak, shock, and overwhelming pain, finding clarity and willingness to go on. • Starting “London is the Reason” to support those going through loss through surrogacy -- both the Intended Parents and Surrogates Want to share your story or ask a question? Call and leave us a message on our hotline: 303-997-1903. Learn more about London is the Reason: https://www.londonisthereason.org Learn more about our podcast: https://iwanttoputababyinyou.com/ Learn more about our surrogacy agencies: https://www.brightfuturesfamilies.com/ Get your IWTPABIY merch here! https://iwanttoputababyinyou.com/merch Learn more about Ellen’s law firm: http://trachmanlawcenter.com/

Sunshine Hanson is a driven and pragmatic mama, 3x gestational surrogate, and co-founder of Surrogacy Is alongside her amazing husband, Kyle. (And, as you may have guessed, her story is just as unique as her ever-changing hair!) She was a high school English teacher when she embarked on her first surrogacy journey, and she soon discovered that what the experience was lacking was both advocacy and direction. After working for two very different agencies, she realized that every agency (like every surrogate!) is unique, but some agencies are decidedly better than others! That’s where Surrogacy Is first began. Built on the foundations of intention and community, Sunshine and Kyle brought Surrogacy Is to life and soon partnered with Casey Bojorquez to create the team and mission that’s thriving today. Sunshine currently lives in Georgia with her family. When she’s not guiding surrogates and sharing pieces of her story online, she can be found floating in the pool with her daughter or trying a new spot for brunch in Savannah! Casey Bojorquez is a big-hearted wife, mama, two-time surrogate, and both Co-Owner and Vice President of Surrogacy Is... Which really means she’s the go-to lady for anything and everything related to surrogate connection and community. Casey joined forces with Sunshine and Kyle at the end of 2020 with the goal of providing a more comprehensive surrogate outreach and community focus to the company. Since the start of the partnership, she’s shifted the entire direction of Surrogacy Is and created a space where surrogates are truly advocated for and supported—every step of the way. When Casey’s not making waves for surrogates, she can be found spending time with her family, at the beach, or trying a new hiking trail! Listen as Casey and Sunshine discuss with Ellen and Jenn: • Sunshine’s lifechanging experience with surrogacy. • Casey starting her surrogacy journey searching for agencies and seeing some red flags, but ultimately finding the perfect agency and couple. • Sunshine and Casey finding that surrogates need more support than is often provided. • Supporting both surrogates and individuals that were not able to become surrogates. • Finding a mismatch at times with medical record and what a surrogate has knowledge of in her own medical history. • The expansion of Surrogacy Is from a matching service into an agency. • Recommendations for finding the right team along your surrogacy journey to have all of your needs met. Want to share your story or ask a question? Call and leave us a message on our hotline: 303-997-1903. Get in touch with Surrogacy Is: https://surrogacy.is/ Learn more about our podcast: https://iwanttoputababyinyou.com/ Learn more about our surrogacy agencies: https://www.brightfuturesfamilies.com/ Get your IWTPABIY merch here! https://iwanttoputababyinyou.com/merch Learn more about Ellen’s law firm: http://trachmanlawcenter.com/

Episode 170: Surrogate Breastfeeding – Ashley Mareko by I Want to Put a Baby in You!

Episode 180: Carrying Dreams – Emily Westerfield by I Want to Put a Baby in You!