21st Annual Meeting of the
~NEFS ROUNDTABLE LUNCH TOPICS~ 

Please complete the Roundtable Selection Form below these topics by choosing your 1st, 2nd and 3rd choices. There may be additional options at the meeting onsite. You will get your selection at registration when you receive your name badge. Thank you.

ROUNDTABLE 1:“Taking your career to the next level- being seen.”
—Darlene Davies, Director of Network Laboratory Services, First Fertility Rocky Hill CT

Growing your career in embryology is about being seen and heard whether that's at scientific meetings or on social media. Find your strengths and capitalize. Learn how to be seen by the veterans of IVF, CEOs and entrepreneurs.

1. Students will learn how to advocate for themselves to further their career

2. Students will learn the power of networking & social media

 FULLROUNDTABLE 2: “AI in Clinical Workflow”

—Eileen Huang, CEO, Elsa Fertility

 A deep dive into how cutting-edge AI technologies are transforming and optimizing IVF clinical workflows and entrepreneurs.

1. Understand how AI tools can effectively augment and support clinical staff

2. Explore strategies for integrating AI into clinical workflows to enhance the patient experience

 FULLROUNDTABLE 3:  The Domestic Policy Council's Considerations for President Trump's Executive Order

—Davina Fankhauser, Executive Director, Fertility Within Reach, MA- based National Nonprofit

Learn what information the Domestic Policy Council desired to know and is considering for their report concerning the Executive Order to Expand Access and Protect IVF.

1. Identify what issues related to IVF are most important to influence policy towards insurance coverage.

2. Legislators are concerned about the cost of IVF. Learn how to break down the cost for legislators to help them understand the minimal impact on insurance premiums.

ROUNDTABLE 4: “Breaking the cycle: innovative strategies to combat nursing turnover.”

—Fallon Cragin, RN & Nicole Ouellette, RN - Boston IVF

Addresses the ongoing challenge of nursing & staff shortages within fertility care settings, focusing on the implications for patient care, employee well-being, and operational efficiency.  Nicole & Fallon will present innovative, practical strategies for healthcare leaders to enhance staff retention, manage turnover, and improve engagement through workforce planning, creative staffing models, wellness initiatives, & leadership development. Participants will explore actionable tools such as technology integration, flexible scheduling, cross-training, & well-being resources to support both clinical and administrative teams. Emphasis is placed on proactive leadership, data-driven planning, & cultivating a workplace culture that prioritizes staff satisfaction & sustainability.

1.Develop innovative leadership and mgmt strategies to help combat nursing and staff turnover.

2. Apply retention practices

ROUNDTABLE 5: "Aligning Staff Retention & Utilization with Patient-Centered Fertility Care"

—Katy Sullivan, RN, Clinical Manager, CCRM Boston

 Providing compassionate, patient-centered fertility care isn't just about protocols - it's about people. Specifically, the TEAM. We'll explore how staffing models, retention, and equitable role utilization directly shape patient outcomes and team well-being. As demand continues to grow, how can we re-evaluate established workflows, so we are supporting staff and providing the level of care our patients deserve? This conversation is for anyone looking to balance high-quality care with a strong, sustainable, and confident team.

1.Explore how different staffing models impact team satisfaction, retention, & patient experience.

2. Review approaches for aligning staff utilization with workflow design while prioritizing patient- centered care and maintaining equal distribution of work, clear communication, and purpose within the care team

ROUNDTABLE 6: “Breaking down silos between fertility and reproductive rights”

—Jessie M. Losch,MPH – ASRM

1. To understand fertility access in the reproductive justice spectrum

2. Empower participants with the tools to advocate as partners in the reproductive rights movement.

ROUNDTABLE 7: “Put the oxygen mask on yourself first”

—Serena H. Chen, MD

1. How provider burnout impacts patient centered care. 

2. How advocacy can address provider burnout.

 FULLROUNDTABLE 8: “Freezing the Future: Eggs v. Embryos?”  A discussion of legal issues surrounding egg and embryo cryopreservation today.

—Susan L. Crockin, JD

Given the constantly changing legal landscape surrounding the ARTs and IVF embryos and significant improvements in egg freezing and thawing, there are important medical, legal and ethical considerations for those advising patients about fertility preservation. This can arise in the context of oncofertility treatment, single women, or married/partnered couples

1. Identify the variable and fast changing legal issues surrounding IVF embryos today  and the relative risks and benefits of cryopreserving embryos or gametes.

2. Share strategies for improving protocols and responses, to better counsel and minimize risks to patients and providers.

ROUNDTABLE 9: "Addressing Aneuploidy in Eggs"

—Alexandre Webster, PhD

1. Demonstration of processes that cause age-related female infertility.

2. Discussion about bioengineering for better fertility care.

 FULLROUNDTABLE 10: “Discuss advantages of Ovulatory cycle FET.”

—Daniel R. Grow, MD

1.The approach to the anovulatory cycle

2.The approach to the patient over age 40

3.Other challenges... Group discussion clinical sense of female fertility patients?

ROUNDTABLE 11: “Endometrioma Surgery and Infertility: IF, WHEN and HOW?”

—Antonio Gargiulo, MD

1.Define endometrioma, its impact on fertility and ovarian reserve and its best surgical management.
2. Discuss different scenarios where the same endometriomas must be deal with completely different approaches.