Marisa Bernardo

BSW, MSW(c) RSW, SOCIAL WORKER, PSYCHOTHERAPIST, SURROGACY SPECIALIST

Marisa Bernardo, BSW, RSW (MSWc) is the founder of Defining Journeys, a counselling, psychotherapy, and reproductive support practice serving individuals and families navigating infertility, surrogacy, reproductive loss, oncofertility, postpartum and parenthood transitions, grief and loss, trauma, PTSD, chronic pain, cancer, palliative journeys, and other life-altering health experiences. As a Registered Social Worker, psychotherapist, and surrogacy specialist, Marisa provides both clinical care and practical guidance for complex emotional and medical decisions related to family building and health.

Marisa’s work is shaped by both professional training and lived experience. After a cancer diagnosis resulted in the loss of her ability to carry a pregnancy, she became a mother through three surrogacy journeys. Experiencing firsthand how isolating and overwhelming fertility and surrogacy can be without informed support led her to create Defining Journeys – a space grounded in ethical education, emotional care, and steady guidance from early questions through treatment, decision-making, and life beyond.

In addition to her clinical practice, Marisa is a board member with Oasis Fertility Support Network and a Fertility Friends Foundation partner and ambassador. Her approach is client-centred and trauma-informed, rooted in the belief that no one should have to navigate infertility, surrogacy, health challenges, or major life transitions alone.

Baden Colt

Baden Colt (@notmytummy) is a passionate storyteller, award-winning fertility change-maker, mom-by-surrogacy, and the founder of Not My Tummy – a business that helps intended parents pursuing surrogacy to use their story to find a perfect surrogate match.

In 2017, Baden began her journey into the surrogacy world when doctors confirmed she would be unable to safely carry a pregnancy. Using skills honed from the corporate marketing and digital media world, she began sharing her surrogacy journey online. Her story quickly went viral, reaching millions of people – most importantly, her first surrogate Ashley. After years of heartbreak and hope, Baden and her husband welcomed their daughter Scottie in the summer of 2023. She is currently on her second surrogacy journey.

Baden now supports families through surrogacy through her business, advocacy, and fundraising efforts. She is known for changing both federal and provincial laws affecting families built by surrogacy, as well as working with Fertility Friends Foundation to launch Canada’s first and only surrogacy-specific grant.

Reema Kiran

In an age where women no longer have to settle, Reema Kiran (@choicemomcoach) is an embodied voice in support of the growing number of career women choosing single motherhood. With her own experience through unexplained fertility and conceiving her daughter as a single mother by choice, the ‘Choice Mom Coach’ founder merged her established career as an executive coach with a management consulting company and coaching as a Professional Certified Coach with the International Coaching Federation, to intentionally empower those no longer compromising on their motherhood dreams.

Knowing that many women forgo this path due to societal and familial expectations, especially as an Indian-Canadian woman, Reema harnesses her deep empathy and familiarity with diverse cultural sensitivities when working with women on this journey. It is her belief that with aligned support and an unwavering commitment to one’s own personal growth, women can find the strength, resilience and courage they need to pursue their innate purpose of becoming the mothers they’ve always wanted to be. Because, no woman needs to go through this process alone.

Sabrina De Lellis

Sabrina De Lellis (@ivf_baby_d) is a passionate advocate for fertility awareness and equitable access to care in Canada. After navigating her own challenging path through infertility, including multiple failed transfers, a miscarriage, and diagnoses of stage 4 endometriosis, adenomyosis, and diminished ovarian reserve, Sabrina and her partner Curtis are now the proud parents of two beautiful IVF babies. Her journey has shaped her into a strong voice for hope, resilience, and systemic change.

Through her podcast Infertility and Beyond, which she co-hosts with Curtis, Sabrina shares honest and heartfelt conversations about the emotional and relational impact of fertility treatments, helping others feel less alone in their journeys. She is deeply committed to improving patient access to fertility and endometriosis care, advocating for faster diagnostic pathways and stronger support systems for those navigating the complexities of reproductive medicine.

As an ambassador for Fertility Friends Foundation, Sabrina uses her story to foster connection, empathy, and empowerment, reminding others that every story matters and that no one should face infertility alone.

Alexandra Slate

Alexandra (@rockabyemaybe)  is a Toronto Realtor, Métis citizen and proud Ambassador for the Fertility Friends Foundation. After a seven-year infertility battle that led to the birth of her two sons—born seven weeks apart through pregnancy and surrogacy—she became a passionate advocate for fertility awareness, access, and support. Through her advocacy work, Alex is committed to helping normalize conversations around infertility, pregnancy loss and surrogacy, and to ensuring those going through fertility struggles feel seen and supported, no matter how their families are built.

Her fertility advocacy work has shaped the way she approaches real estate, leading with empathy, patience, and a genuine respect for each person’s story. And as a Realtor who has also climbed the mountain of infertility, you can be assured she will never overstep or winkingly suggest that your second bedroom is a great room “for a nursery”.

Michelle Strong

Michelle Strong (@mymindbodybaby), RHN, is a registered nutritionist specializing in fertility and preconception health, with a practice dedicated to identifying and addressing the root causes of reproductive challenges for individuals and couples. Her work is grounded in evidence-based nutrition, targeted testing, and personalized strategies designed to restore balance, reduce inflammation, and optimize hormonal and metabolic health.

Michelle takes a whole-body, systems-based approach to fertility care, helping clients create the internal conditions needed to conceive — whether naturally or alongside assisted reproductive treatments. Through thoughtful assessment and tailored support, she empowers clients with clarity and confidence while building a resilient foundation for long-term reproductive and overall health.

Kristina Virro

Kristina Virro (@kristinavirro) is the CEO & Founder of Fresh Insight, a mental health and wellness clinic based in Markham, Ontario. She spends her days offering psychotherapy and nutritional counselling at her clinic, speaking at events, and creating online content for more than 140k collective followers. Her expert insights have been featured in CP24, Buzzfeed, Canadian Living, ELLE Canada, and more.

With a father who owned a successful fertility clinic, Kristina has been immersed in the fertility space from a young age. She is passionate about reducing stigma around this topic and facilitating open, honest conversations that create a sense of community and enhance resilience.

She holds a Master of Science degree in Couples & Family therapy from the University of Guelph and a Master of Journalism degree from the University of Western Ontario. Her mission as a therapist is to inspire hope, catalyze change, and foster a sense of personal empowerment. Additionally, she is highly committed to supporting other female-identifying entrepreneurs so that they can navigate the business world with clarity and confidence.

When she’s not at work, Kristina can be found knitting her thousandth pair of socks, weight training, and forcing affection on her two cats.