Don Hribek

Chair

Donald Hribek has over 25 years of experience in the pharmaceutical industry.  Currently he is the Director of Patient Support Services of Endocrinology at EMD Serono, Rockland, MA and is responsible for covering and managing three disease therapeutic areas.  These include, Reproductive Health and Metabolic Endocrinology.  During his 17 years at EMD Serono, he has held the positions of Vice President of Strategic Accounts, Endocrinology; Vice President of Sales, Metabolic Endocrinology: Area Business Director for Reproductive Health in New England, Executive Director of Sales, Regional Sales Director and Customer Service Manager.

Prior to joining to the pharmaceutical industry he worked for 10 years for Vistakon, a Johnson & Johnson Company.  He holds degrees from Central Michigan University, The University of Michigan and an MBA from the University of Michigan.

Alan Penzias, MD

Vice Chair

Dr. Alan S. Penzias, the Surgical Director of the Surgery Center of Waltham, a division of Boston IVF, has been in practice for over 15 years. He’s Board Certified in Reproductive Endocrinology. He received his undergraduate degree from the University of Pennsylvania and his medical degree from SUNY – Downstate Medical Center, Brooklyn, NY. He completed his residency in Obstetrics and Gynecology at Beth Israel Deaconess Hospital/Harvard Medical School and his fellowship in Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility at Yale University School of Medicine.

Dr. Penzias is on the Board of Directors of the American Fertility Association and is a member of the Executive Counsel of the Society for Assisted Reproductive Technologies.

Meredith Carr

Secretary

Meredith Carr is a marketing and advertising professional who has worked on both the corporate and agency sides of the industry. She co-founded and directed a boutique ad agency in Nashville, Tennessee, with clients spanning health care, hospitality, transportation, the arts, education and real estate. Her current firm, Different Stripe, provides copy, content,  editing and proofreading services for advertising agencies, web development firms, corporate marketing departments and small businesses. Meredith holds an MBA from Belmont University. She and her husband, musician/songwriter Vince Melamed, live in Los Angeles.

Teo Martinez

Treasurer

Teo Martinez graduated Magna Cum Laude with a B.A. from the University of California, Los Angeles. Later he earned an executive MBA from Pepperdine University's Graziadio School of Business and Management, where he was inducted as a Beta Gamma Sigma honoree.

President of surrogacy and egg donation agency, Growing Generations, Martinez has been involved with assisted reproduction and alternative parenting since 1999, and is an authority in the field of surrogacy and egg donation cost analysis. Martinez currently oversees the Marketing and Strategic Development for Growing Generations. In addition, he is the executive officer in charge of customer care and satisfaction. With his educational background and over 14 years of experience in the industry, Martinez is one of the most experienced and accomplished professionals in his field.

Carolyn Berger, L.C.S.W.

Founding Board Chair and Adoption Coordinator

The American Fertility Association was founded in 1999 by the Board and staff.  Carolyn Berger, L.C.S.W, was the founding Board Chair and Pamela Madsen was the founding Executive Director.  Following two terms as Chair, she has continued on as an active Board Member, Adoption Coordinator, and AFA Therapist. She was a key planner for many of The AFA’s early fundraisers including the Kokopelli Ball.  Carolyn Berger has written and spoken widely on adoption and on moving from infertility treatment to adoption. (Many of her articles are among AFA’s Adoption Fact Sheets, which can be found in the Library of this website.)  Carolyn has created and led numerous adoption workshops including those at AFA Symposia and The AFA’s Spring and Fall Adoption Series.  More recently, she held an AFA sponsored event on “Everything You Wanted to Know About Adoption But Were Afraid to Ask.”  The “Today Show” interviewed her for an online piece on raising families created through birth and adoption.

Carolyn Berger has a private practice in Manhattan and Larchmont, NY where she helps couples, singles and members of the LGBT community create families both through fertility treatment and adoption.  She has worked closely with many infertility doctors, complementary and alternative medicine specialists, adoption agencies and attorneys, and can help her clients find the professionals who are right for them.  Her desire to help people struggling to build families comes from her own experience with infertility.  She is the parent of two sons, the first through reproductive technology, and the second through adoption.  Carolyn received her MSW from New York University in 1983.  She is a member of The American Society for Reproductive Medicine (ASRM), ASRM’s Mental Health Professional Group (MHPG), The Adoptive Parents Committee (APC) and the National Association of Social Workers (NASW).

Natan Bar-Chama, M.D.

Board Member

Dr. Natan Bar-Chama is the Director of the Center of Male Reproductive Health at RMA of New York. He is also the Director of Male Reproductive Medicine and Surgery at Mount Sinai Hospital and is an associated professor of urology at the Mount Sinai School of Medicine. His subspecialty clinical practice is exclusively dedicated to male reproductive medicine and microsurgical reconstruction for the treatment of male-factor infertility (vasovasostomy, varicocelectomy, testicular and epididymal sperm retrieval, and vasectomy). Dr. Bar-Chama is a board certified urologist who received his medical degree with special distinction for research in male infertility and completed his urology residency at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine. Dr. Bar-Chama was awarded the prestigious New York Academy of Medicine F.C. Valentine Fellowship and received subspecialty training in male reproductive medicine and surgery at the Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, Texas.

In 1998, Dr. Bar-Chama received the Pfizer Scholars in Urology Award for leadership, innovation, and outstanding achievement in urological science. He was recently awarded the 2008 Humanitarian Award by Bonei Olam. Dr. Bar-Chama serves on the Board of Directors of the American Fertility Association and was awarded the American Fertility Association Family Building Award in 2000. He currently serves on the Board of Directors of the Society for Male Reproduction and Urology (SMRU) of the American Society of Reproductive Medicine (ASRM) as well as on the Board of Directors of the Society for the Study of Male Reproduction (SSMR). Since 2005, Dr. Bar-Chama has been listed every year in New York Magazine’s “Best Doctors” issue as a top urologist, including the recently released 2009 list.

Marla Bell

Board Member

Marla Bell has over 13 years in Management Consulting with experiences in Application Development and Maintenance, Business Process Management, and Project Management.  Specifically, she has extensive experience in Government Acquisition and Procurement.  She received a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Virginia in Sociology and earned a Master’s Degree in Public Administration from James Madison University.  

Marla’s personal experience with infertility inspires her to help others who struggle to have a family. She and her husband have one son born in 2009 through reproductive technology.

Stuart Bell

Co-Chair, Honorary Board

Stuart Bell joined Growing Generations as an owner and CEO in September of 2001. Under his leadership, the agency has more than tripled in size, serving clients from 28 countries, and is now the largest surrogacy firm in the United States. He also expanded the company’s services into egg donation and sperm donation. Prior to joining the agency, Stuart spent over a decade in executive level positions in both profit and not-for-profit companies. As a writer with a strong emphasis on gay rights issues, his work has appeared in numerous publications over the past 20 years. Stuart is the author of “Prayer Warriors,” a memoir published in 1999 by Alyson publications. In February, 2008, Stuart and his husband welcomed their son into the world who was conceived through surrogacy and egg donation.  He is active as a donor and volunteer with local and national organizations including currently serving as Co-Chair of the American Fertility Association. A native of Tennessee, Bell holds a degree in Communications from Middle Tennessee State University, and has lived in Los Angeles since 1992.

David Binkley

Board Member

Dave is the current Executive Vice President for DAZ responsible for developing and executing the global sales and operations strategy for the company.  Dave’s relationships and experience in the Oracle Applications allowed DAZ to expand into a North American and Global practice.  Prior to DAZ, Dave was in various roles at Oracle and spent 10 years as a sales executive in the applications segment of Oracle.    During this period Dave was one of the top Sales producers for Oracle year over year.  Dave lead the Nation in sales for three of these years while at Oracle and was instrumental in putting together the partner strategy for Oracle’s Mid-Market application business.  Prior to Oracle, Dave worked at ADP as a Major Account District Manager.  During this period at ADP, Dave was also a leader nationally in sales output. 

Mr. Binkley has a B.A. degree in Business Management from the University of Southern California.  Dave currently serves as a Board of Directors member at the American Fertility Association and strategic advisor to many other Companies across North America in his role as an executive sponsor. 

The Binkley’s family personal journey with surrogacy has led to a strong passion for helping others.  

Judy Kolb

Board Member

Judy Kolb received her Bachelor of Science degree from UC Irvine in Biological Science and then continued to earn her Master of Physical Therapy degree from USC.  During her studies, she was active in Student Government and is proud of the research she performed in fields of Neurology and Biomechanics.  Her work experience included being a staff P.T. at Centinela Hospital in Inglewood in both the in-patient and out patient departments. She then moved with her husband to Chicago and worked for Baxter P. T. traveling to multiple clinics throughout the Chicago area and started up a new office in Joliet, IL.  She then accepted an team manager position at Northwestern Caremark P.T.  

Judy Kolb’s top priority is family building and chose to give up her career and become a stay at home mom shortly after the birth of their first child.  She is the proud mother to 3 beautiful and energetic daughters Brittany, Kelsey, & Caylee.  She is married to Dr. Bradford Kolb, a board certified Reproductive Endocrinologist at Huntington Reproductive Center in Pasadena.  They reside in La Canada, CA.

Judy is a board member of the American Fertility Association.  It is through her husband’s extensive work with couples having difficulty conceiving that she developed a concern for trying to help other’s build their families.  Judy has been an active supporter in a number of fertility support groups.

Judy has served on the PTA Executive Board of her children’s school and continues to actively work in the PTA by serving as Chairperson of the school’s annual Multicultural Fair.  She was an active member of the La Canada Junior Women’s Club focusing on philanthropy in neighboring communities.  She also served as the Troop Leader for her oldest daughter’s Girl Scout Troop and is currently on her second term for her youngest daughter’s troop.  She enjoys being a big part of her kids’ lives.

Patricia Mendell, L.C.S.W.

Board Member

Patricia Mendell is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker and Board Certified Diplomat. She is the facilitator of the AFA Ovum Donor Seminar Series. Patricia has served as Co-Chair of the AFA since 2006. She is a member of the AFA Mental Health Advisory Board. Patricia is co-author of the fact sheet for AFA on “Talking to Children about Ovum Donation” reissued in 2009. In 2003 Patricia was a recipient of the AFA Family Building Award and is a founding board member of the organization. 

Patricia has written and spoken extensively on numerous topics regarding fertility, third party reproduction and disclosure, parenting after fertility, multi-fetal reduction, and pregnancy loss and adoption. As an infertility and pregnancy loss survivor, she is well aware of the impact decision making choices on people’s lives. In her role as therapist and consumer advocate, she gives those seeking her help both practical and therapeutic advice on how to cope better with stress, resolve marital tensions and explore and select solutions to their family building dilemmas.

Patricia holds a BA from Trinity College in Hartford, Connecticut, and an M.S. from Columbia University School of Social Work. She is a member of the American Society for Reproductive Medicine’s Mental Health Professional Group and a MHPG mentor.  Patricia is married and is the proud mother of two sons David and Michael Singer. She and her husband have practices in New York City and reside in Park Slope, Brooklyn.

William Petok, Ph.D.

Board Member

Bill Petok’s professional activities include the co-production of two films for training therapists, multiple journal articles, chapters in professional texts and regular presentations at state, national and international conferences. In addition to teaching in the resident training program at Sinai Hospital of Baltimore’s Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology since 1985 he has presented Grand Rounds to the medical staffs of hospitals around the country.

A fellow of the Maryland Psychological Association, member of the American Psychological Association, and the American Association of Sexuality Educators, Counselors and Therapists, the American Society for Reproductive Medicine and the Society for the Scientific Study of Sexuality, Dr. Petok is a Licensed Psychologist in the State of Maryland and listed in the National Register of Health Service Providers in Psychology. He also is a Diplomate and Founding Fellow of the American Board of Sexology. A past Chair of the Mental Health Professional Group of the American Society for Reproductive Medicine, he currently serves on the Executive Council of the Society for Assisted Reproductive Technology and on the editorial board of ASRM’s journal, Sexuality, Menopause and Reproductive Medicine and is an associate editor of Post Graduate Obstetrics and Gynecology.

Bill Petok earned his Bachelor’s degree in Psychology at Wayne State University in Detroit, Michigan. His Doctorate is from the University of Maryland, College Park, in 1978. His post doctoral training includes a year at the Family Therapy Institute of Washington, D.C. and at Sheppard & Enoch Pratt Hospital in the Sexual Dysfunctions Clinic.

Bill is married to Barbara Schlaff, a partner at the law firm Venable in Baltimore. Together they have 2 children, Ben, born in 1981, and Alison, born in 1985. His personal interests include cooking, photography, sailing and down hill skiing.

Guy Ringler, M.D.

Board Member

Guy Ringler, M.D. is a board certified Reproductive Endocrinologist with California Fertility Partners in Los Angeles. He graduated with honors from the University of Michigan and from the Wayne State University School of Medicine. Dr. Ringler completed residency training in Obstetrics and Gynecology at the University of Chicago, and fellowship training in Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility at the University of Pennsylvania.

Following his post-doctoral fellowship training, Dr. Ringler moved to Los Angeles to join the private practice of Drs. Richard Marrs and Joyce Vargyas and the clinical faculty of the UCLA School of Medicine. Dr. Ringler has been in clinical practice for over twenty years. He has developed a large referral practice due to his excellent patient rapport and high success rates utilizing a prolific armamentarium of treatments from surgical correction of disease to IVF stimulation protocols. Patients from around the world have sought out his expertise in third party reproduction and gay and lesbian family building using donor eggs and gestational surrogacy.

Dr. Ringler is deeply committed to patient education and is a board member of the American Fertility Association.

Dr. Ringler has been selected as one of Southern California’s Super Doctors by Los Angeles magazine and has been voted by his peers as one of the Best Doctors in America for the past several years.

Brenda Strong

National Spokesperson, Co-Chair, Honorary Board

Brenda is a certified 500hr E-RYT who created the Strong Yoga4Fertility program to help women worldwide. She teaches at the Mind Body Institute at UCLA and Two Hearts Yoga and has licensed her Strong Yoga4FertilityTM to Yoga Works (http://www.yoga4fertility.com). In 2005, Brenda became the first National Spokesperson of The American Fertility Association and serves on their board. (http://www.theafa.org) She has been featured in ALTERNATIVE MEDICINE MAGAZINE, SHAPE MAGAZINE FOR PREGNANCY, PLUM, CONCEIVE, YOGA JOURNAL and YOGA MAGAZINE. Brenda is a certified Pre-Natal Teacher and has lead teacher training’s for Strong Yoga4FertilityTM to teachers who want to specialize in Fertility Yoga. She lives with her husband and son in Los Angeles. Her day job is playing “Mary Alice Young” on DESPERATE HOUSEWIVES and has been an award-winning actress for 20 years.  She holds a BM from Arizona State University (Magna Cum Laude) and was Miss Arizona 1980 in the Miss America Pageant. .  Brenda’s personal mission is helping women toward wellness and also serves on the board of Events of the Heart, a 501c(3) assisting in women’s heart disease education.

In March 2010, Brenda was the honorary recipient of a doctorate of science from Yo San University, specializing in Traditional Chinese Medicine, for her pioneering work in yoga for fertility.

Richard Vaughn, Esq.

Board Member

Combining his legal background with his passion for forming his own family through surrogacy and egg donation, it is with great enthusiasm and pride that through his law firm, International Fertility Law Group (IFLG), he provides legal services nationwide to clients hoping to build their families through assisted reproduction as well.

Rich first studied reproductive and fertility law at Loyola University Chicago - School of Law and has been interested in these issues ever since.  Since 1993, from both Chicago and Los Angeles, Rich has assisted a variety of individual, corporate and municipal clients with contract, business, marketing, litigation, and corporate legal needs and brings this multi-disciplinary experience to his work assisting hundreds of clients with family formation through assisted reproduction.

Rich is on the Board of Directors of the American Fertility Association, is an active member of the American Bar Association (ABA) and the ABA’s Family Law Section Committee on Reproductive and Genetic Technology, the California Bar Association (CBA) and its Family Law Section, the Los Angeles County Bar Association, and the American Society for Reproductive Medicine (ASRM) and its Legal Professionals Group.  Rich is actively involved in a variety of sub-committees of these organizations, has lectured at numerous legal and family building conferences around the U.S. and has been featured as a fertility law expert on National Public Radio (The Diane Rehm Show).

Rich's extracurricular pursuits are tied to advocacy for the LGBT community and to the medical, health and wellness industries. He is also an experienced fitness instructor, triathlete, a former paramedic, and board member of a medical device company. Rich and his partner Thomas Woelfel were married under California law in 2008 and are the proud parents, through egg donation and surrogacy, of twin boys Aiden & Austin.