Sanford M. Benardo, Esq.,
Founder and President
Sanford M. Benardo has achieved global recognition within the legal and medical communities as an innovator in the fields of surrogate parenting and third party family building. For years, he has been a featured commentator when major television outlets cover stories related to assisted reproduction and adoption, and he is quoted often in domestic and international print media. He has represented intended parents, gestational carriers, traditional carriers, egg donors, donor egg recipients, donor egg facilities, hospitals, adoption agencies, adoptive parents, and birth parents as part of his broad-based fertility law practice.
Mr. Benardo sits on the American Bar Association's Subcommittees on Reproductive and Genetic Technologies, Adoption, and Ethics, Professionalism and Grievance. He is a founding member of the American College of Assisted Reproduction and Adoption Lawyers (ACARAL) and a past member of the Bioethical Issues Committee and the Children and the Law Committee of the New York City Bar Association. Additionally, he is a member of the American Society for Reproductive Medicine (ASRM), the New England Fertility Society, and the Hastings Center for Bioethical Research. Mr. Benardo is also a board member and advisor to several philanthropic and research organizations dedicated to expanding reproductive rights and reproductive choice. He is a graduate of New York University and the Fordham University School of Law, where he was a member of the Fordham International Law Journal. He is admitted to the Bars of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, the State of New York, and the United States District Court for the Southern and Eastern Districts of New York.
Katherine Benardo,
Egg Donor Coordinator
Kathy founded NAFG with her husband Sanford and directs all donor recruiting, screening, matching, and cycle coordination. She regularly offers her insights on egg donation for national news programs and has been interviewed extensively by print, electronic and media representatives from around the world. Kathy also maintains the NAFG blog, where she shares her thoughts and invites discussion. Kathy received her BA from Smith College and an MA from New York University.
Michelle Puder,
Surrogacy/Egg Donor Program Assistant
Michelle participates in all aspects of NAFG’s work, most particularly in surrogacy coordination. She has significant business experience in office management, sales and marketing. Michelle earned her BA in Psychology/Special Education, with Honors from the University of Connecticut and her MA from New York University School of Education, Health, Nursing, and Arts Professions.
Lisa Dempsey,
Egg Donor Program Assistant
Lisa Dempsey is a freelance photographer who meets with and photographs many of our New England-area Donors. She received her BA from Northeastern University.
Ellen Argall,
RN, Nurse Consultant
Ellen is a registered nurse and has been practicing exclusively in Women’s Health since graduating from Mercy Hospital School of Nursing. She has extensive experience in the infertility field and has been helping people with their journey for the past twenty years. She has been associated with renowned fertility centers on the East and West Coasts, both in clinical and managerial roles. As an active member of ASRM, she has been involved with the Nurses’ Professional Group and has received accolades for her writing. She was instrumental in founding infertility support groups for infertility nurses and has participated in steering committees and advisory boards for patients and for nurses. Ellen has a special interest in and is dedicated to health and patient education.
Ellen S. Glazer,
LICSW, Surrogacy Consultant
Ellen S. Glazer is a clinical social worker with more than twenty-five years experience helping people build and expand their families. She is the author or co-author of six books on reproductive medicine as well as articles that have appeared in The New York Times, The Boston Globe, Conceive Magazine, Family Building, and other publications. Her books are: Without Child: Experiencing and Resolving Infertility (1988, co-authored with Dr. Susan Cooper), The Long Awaited Stork: A Guide to Parenting After Infertility (1990, revised 1998), Beyond Infertility: New Paths to Parenthood (1994, co-authored with Dr. Susan Cooper), Experiencing Infertility: Stories to Inform and Inspire (1998), Choosing Assisted Reproduction: Social, Emotional, and Ethical Considerations (1998), and most recently Having Your Baby Through Egg Donation (2005, co-authored with Evelina Sterling). This last publication was included among Library Journal's outstanding consumer health books of 2005. Ellen maintains a private practice in Newton, Massachusetts. She is a graduate of Simmons College, B.A., Northeastern University, M Ed. and Boston University School of Social Work, MSW.
Allison Rosen,
PhD, Psychological Consultant
Dr. Rosen is a clinical psychologist in private practice for more than thirty years, specializing in general infertility counseling, third-party reproduction, pregnancy loss, and adoption. She sees individuals, couples and groups to help with reproductive issues, depression, anxiety and other psychological problems. She received her B.A. from the University of California, her Ph.D. from Michigan State University and her Certificate in Psychoanalysis from the William Alanson White Institute.
Dr. Rosen has been at the forefront of research and development related to fertility preservation for cancer patients. She co-founded the Fertility Preservation Special Interest Group in the American Society of Reproductive Medicine and is on the Advisory Boards of Fertile Hope and Sharsheret - organizations that are dedicated to helping cancer survivors. She is former executive director of RESOLVE of New York City where she created educational programs and support systems for infertile patients. Dr. Rosen is the Past President of the William Alanson White Psychoanalytic Society and a faculty member and supervisor at the William Alanson White Institute. She has served as a psychological consultant to many reproductive programs in the tri-state area.
Dr. Rosen edited "Frozen Dreams," a book written to help therapists better understand their emotional reactions to patients suffering infertility. Dr. Rosen has spoken on television and radio and is a frequent lecturer on reproductive issues.
Heather Benham,
RN, BS, Surrogacy Consultant
Heather is a registered nurse and graduate of Bridgewater State University in Massachusetts. She has been involved with NAFG since 2007, serving as a gestational carrier twice. She now consults with other potential carriers, answering questions and sharing her experiences.
© 2011 Northeast Assisted Fertility Group, Inc.
Boston
352 Newbury Street, 2nd Floor
Boston MA 02115
Tel: 800-710-1677; 617-557-4300 Fax: 617-557-4301 E-mail: boston@assistedfertility.com
New York City
148 East 74th Street
New York NY 10021
Tel: 212-207-1900
Fax: 212-207-3099 E-mail: newyork@assistedfertility.com
Washington DC
717 D Street, NW
Suite 300
Washington DC 20004
Tel: 202-388-7575 Fax: 202-388-1772 E-mail: washington@assistedfertility.com
Atlanta
3399 Peachtree Street, N.E.
Suite 400
Atlanta GA 30326
Tel: 404-467-4445
Fax: 404-467-4485 E-mail: atlanta@assistedfertility.com
Miami
1688 Meridian Avenue
Suite 900
Miami Beach FL 33139
Tel: 305 674-8989 Fax: 305-674-8979 E-mail: miami@assistedfertility.com
Dallas
9319 LBJ Freeway
Suite 100
Dallas TX 75243
Tel: 214-350-5200
Fax: 214-350-5202 E-mail: dallas@assistedfertility.com