New England Fertility Society

Ballot for 2021 PRESIDENT-ELECT

New England Fertility Society
c/o Michelle Picher, Executive Administrator
110 Patricia Drive, Tewksbury, MA 01876
Phone/Fax (978)- 640-9176

EMAIL: michellepicher@nefs.org

MEMBERS ONLY! You must be a paid active member at the time of the election period.

The VOTING Period Begins:  Monday, November 18, 2020
The VOTING Period Ends:  Wednesday, December 2, 2020 by 11:59pm

PLEASE SCROLL THROUGH BIOS OF CANDIDATES AND THEN VOTE ON THE BALLOT.

The 2021 Election Process  is different this year. The pandemic has not allowed our Executive Committee to fully serve their term(s). The Committee was polled and voted that the current Committee will stay in place for continuity and will serve for 2021 with the exception of the President position. Please vote for President-Elect 2021 below. The 2021 election process ends on December 3rd with the announcement of the newly elected President-Elect 2021 at the last quarterly meeting.  The results will also be posted on www.nefs.org under Members: Election Results 2021 Executive Board Members. 

 You must fill in your Member Name and Email in the boxes below or this ballot will not be valid...thank you

Biographies of Candidates on the Ballot

PRESIDENT-ELECT CANDIDATES

DAVINA FANKHAUSER, MA
Co-Founder & President, Fertility Within Reach  

Davina Fankhauser has worked in the fertility health community since 2004.  She co-founded the national non-profit Fertility Within Reach in 2010.  She has organized multiple IRB research projects to create evidence-based communication material to support advocacy and her organization has authored and shares the Policy Maker’s Guide to Fertility Health Benefits, one of the most trusted resources in the community. Davina has participated in and led strategic efforts to enable access to fertility benefits from 2005 – Present, lobbied at the state level, in Washington D.C., as well as with the insurance industry, and co-authored bills that have now become laws.  Her advocacy efforts also include legislation that is in the best interest of infertility professionals.  Davina is considered an expert within the community, has contributed to national media, speaks at professional and patient conferences, and works collaboratively for the ultimate goal of timely and appropriate fertility care being offered to those in need.  She organizes events to train and empower people, such as patients, medical students/residents, as well as healthcare professionals.  
 
Accomplishments:
NEFS - Legal Member-at-Large for the Executive Committee 2019, meeting attendee (2006 - Present) 
ASRM- Poster Presentation on Access to Care (2016) 
ABA - Presenter at Family Law Conferences (2014 & 2020)
Employer Initiatives - Presenting benefit design to brokerage firms, companies and employers for fertility health coverage including Willis Towers Watson, TJX Corporation, Raytheon, Home Depot, and Progyny (2013 - Present)
Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence Grant - To be used toward LGBTQA+ efforts
Publications - Davina published an abstract in Fertility & Sterility, has been featured in the New York Time, Washington Post, Money Magazine, as well as interviewed for news broadcasts and podcasts around the country
National – Lobbied with coalition for fertility benefits for Veterans and funding for research  (2016)
Massachusetts – Updated Definition of Infertility (2010) & convinced insurers to voluntarily offer fertility preservation benefits (2013) & Co-authored legislation for Fertility Preservation (2020)
Connecticut – Coached advocates for Fertility Preservation (Melissa’s Law, 2017) & Co-lead Affordable Families coalition for Gestational Carriers/Surrogacy legislation (2020) 
Maine - Lobbied for legislation (2011) and co-authored legislation (2020)
New Hampshire – Co-authored and lobbied for Access to Fertility Care Law (2019)
Tennessee - Member of Tennessee Fertility Advocates & Co-authored legislation (2020)
Advocacy Awards - RESOLVE, Tinina Q. Cade Foundation, Resolve New England
Congressional Award - Congressional Medal Award recipient
Davina believes research is critical to further scientific techniques, healthcare treatments and advocacy.  She enjoys learning about recent studies.  For NEFS, she would focus on content that would benefit its collective membership.  Davina would be an active member of the Executive Committee to increase our fundraising, use her event planning experience to organize a strong Annual Meeting, share progressive ideas to grow our membership, and actively support all Executive Committee initiatives.

EMILY A. SEIDLER, MD
Reproductive Endocrinologist | Boston IVF, Lexington, MA
Clinical Instructor & Assistant Clerkship Director | BIDMC, Harvard Medical School

As a recent fellowship graduate and new HMFP faculty physician, my goal is to integrate medical education and advocacy into my subspecialty career. I have a unique position at HMFP; I am 60% clinical and 40% academic. Clinically, I practice at Boston IVF in the Lexington, Massachusetts office. While wearing my academic hat, I principally serve as Assistant Clerkship Director of the Harvard Medical School students rotating through BIDMC on their Ob/Gyn clerkship. In addition to this role, I precept resident continuity clinic, providing supervision and teaching to Ob/Gyn residents starting to see patients independently. Lastly, a portion of my position is dedicated to my role as Director of International Reproductive Medicine. This involves travel to China multiple times per year as a Reproductive Endocrinology consultant and educator.

In addition to my clinical and teaching roles, women’s health advocacy is an important part of my life and career. In 2018 I participated in Advocacy Day in Washington D.C., meeting with legislative staff to discuss reproductive health issues. More recently, I attended the New Hampshire State House hearing to testify on behalf of mandated fertility care coverage, a bill that since has passed and become law. Outside of work, I have social media page created to educate and empower women. I aim to serve as an advocate to make reproductive health accessible to all women.

It is my goal to democratize reproductive health. As a NEFS Executive Committee member, I hope to bring awareness to issues directly affecting women living in the New England region who we see and treat daily. Massachusetts has long been a leader in the field, paving the way in terms of mandated fertility coverage and equality of care. But there is always more work to be done. As the NEFS Massachusetts Member-at-Large, I would strive to continue this forward trajectory by increasing both provider and patient awareness, as well as advocacy of pressing issues directly affecting women’s reproductive healthcare. I have special interest in using social media for medical education and would likely use that as a focus.

Thank you for your consideration.

 

NEFS BALLOT FOR 2024 ELECTED OFFICERS
 
 
PLEASE CHOOSE ONE CANDIDATE FROM EACH CATEGORY. IF YOU WISH TO "WRITE-IN" A CANDIDATE (MUST BE AN ACTIVE MEMBER), PLEASE CHOOSE THE "OTHER" BUTTON AND TYPE IN THE CANDIDATE'S NAME. THANK YOU.

PRESIDENT-ELECT:

The President-Elect will serve a one-year term as President-Elect and ultimately will succeed to President the following term and then sit for one year as the outgoing President. This is a three-year responsibility (2024-26). The Responsibilities of President-Elect are to learn about all the responsibilities of the President and society. Other responsbilities include serving as the Academic Chair for the Annual Meeting that falls in the year that the President is active (2024).

CYNTHIA HUDSON
MAY-TAL SAUERBRAUN-CUTLER, MD
Other
The MASSACHUSETTS Member-at-Large will serve a 2-year term (2024-25) beginning on JANUARY 17, 2024 with the announcement of the newly elected committee. 
ROBERT OATES, MD
CHRISTINE SULLIVAN
Other
The MAINE Member-at-Large will serve a 2-year term (2024-25) beginning on JANUARY 17, 2024 with the announcement of the newly elected committee. 
JANENE OLEAGA, JD
Other
The VERMONT Member-at-Large will serve a 2-year term (2024-25) beginning on JANUARY 17, 2024 with the announcement of the newly elected committee. 
JENNIFER BROWN, MD
Other

The EMBRYOLOGY Member-at-Large will serve a 1-year term (2024) beginning on JANUARY 17, 2024 with the announcement of the newly elected committee. 

JAY PATEL
PAM YEADON
Other
The LEGAL Member-at-Large will serve a 1-year term (2024) beginning on JANUARY 17, 2024 with the announcement of the newly elected committee. 
CATHERINE TUCKER, JD
Other
The Behavioral/Mental Health Member-at-Large will serve a 1-year term (2024) beginning on JANUARY 17, 2024 with the announcement of the newly elected committee. 
ELENA CLAMEN
Other
The NURSING Member-at-Large will serve a 1-year term (2024) beginning on JANUARY 12, 2024 with the announcement of the newly elected committee. 
KATY SULLIVAN, RN
Other
The INDUSTRY Member-at-Large will serve a 1-year term (2024) beginning on JANUARY 17, 2024 with the announcement of the newly elected committee. 
KIM MAHONEY
Other
The ADVOCACY Member-at-Large will serve a 1-year term (2024) beginning on JANUARY 17, 2024 with the announcement of the newly elected committee. 
LISA ROSENTHAL
Other
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