Junior Velazquez is the founder of A to Z Family, a fertility and family-building consulting company that supports intended parents through journeys in the U.S. and Mexico. He works closely with families, clinics, legal teams, and gestational carriers to help make complicated processes feel more human, clear, and supported.

Together with his husband, Romain Taillandier, Junior focuses on ethical, transparent, and well-coordinated family-building journeys, especially for LGBTQ+ parents and international families. He’s passionate about education, real conversations, and making sure people don’t feel alone while navigating such a life-changing experience.

In this episode, Junior Velazquez from A to Z Family joins the conversation to talk about family building journeys in Mexico and what families really need to know before getting started.

Junior shares practical insight from working directly with intended parents every day, from how cross-border journeys are structured to the emotional side of the process that often doesn’t get talked about enough. The conversation touches on ethics, coordination, common misconceptions, and why the right support makes all the difference.

Listen as Junior shares with Ellen and Jenn:

• His own path from healthcare to surrogacy advocacy.
• Why some intended parents turn abroad.
• The stark difference between reputable programs and the dangerous “all-in-house” models.
• Real-world red flags.
• How Mexico City’s legal framework and the Amparo process work.
• What ethical programs must include (independent counsel, verified compensation, open communication), and why parents should never shortcut birth certificates or legal steps—even if it means staying abroad longer.

Want to share your story or ask a question? Call and leave us a message on our hotline: 303-997-1903.

Learn more about A to Z Family: azfamily.us 

Follow A to Z Family on Instagram: @azfamily.us

Learn more about our podcast: https://iwanttoputababyinyou.com/ 

Learn more about our surrogacy agency: https://www.brightfuturesfamilies.com/ 

Get your IWTPABIY merch here! https://iwanttoputababyinyou.com/merch 

Learn more about Ellen’s law firm: http://trachmanlawcenter.com/ 

Danielle Winston is the co-founder of Seed Scout, a donor matchmaking agency reimagining how families connect with known sperm donors. A former lawyer who left the legal field after seeing firsthand the ethical challenges in the sperm bank industry, Danielle and her wife built Seed Scout to offer a more transparent, personal, and human-centered approach to donor conception. Since launching, they’ve helped hundreds of LGBTQ+ families, single parents by choice, and couples with male-factor infertility find donors who align with their values.

Listen as Danielle shares with Ellen and Jenn:

• Why Seed Scout: Danielle’s own experience of a dehumanizing, “Tinder-style” bank experience lead her to build Seed Scout -- to provide a curated, relationship-based alternative.
• What’s different: Seed Scout has a majority LGBTQ+ donors; age 24+; background checks for donors and intended parents; require yearly child updates; medical-history refreshes.
• Ethics over scale: Hard cap of three families per donor; no re-donation of sperm/embryos; families introduced to each other to avoid hidden half-siblings.
• Transparency beats anonymity: Real names, meetings before matching, and mutual approval replace one-way, anonymous selection.
• System frictions: Legacy FDA rules, quarantine nuances, and clinic pushback—especially where clinic owners are tied to banks.
• Future outlook: More open-ID laws (e.g., Colorado), rising donor-conceived voices, and pressure for sensible U.S. oversight.

Want to share your story or ask a question? Call and leave us a message on our hotline: 303-997-1903.

Learn more about Seed Scout: www.theseedscout.com 

Follow Seed Scout on Instagram: @theseedscout.com

Learn more about our podcast: https://iwanttoputababyinyou.com/ 

Learn more about our surrogacy agency: https://www.brightfuturesfamilies.com/ 

Get your IWTPABIY merch here! https://iwanttoputababyinyou.com/merch 

Learn more about Ellen’s law firm: http://trachmanlawcenter.com/ 

Sarah Jefford OAM is a family creation lawyer in Melbourne, practicing across Australia. Sarah was a parent via IVF, and later become an egg donor, and delivered a baby as a surrogate for two dads in 2018. Sarah practices surrogacy and donor conception law, advising surrogates and intended parents about domestic and international surrogacy. In 2025, Sarah completed a Churchill Fellowship, researching best practice surrogacy to inform law reform in Australia, and her final report is published on her website,

Listen as Sarah shares with Ellen and Jenn:

• Her path to surrogacy and advocacy.
• Writing More Than Just a Baby and launching the Australian Surrogacy Podcast (100+ episodes).
• Australia vs. U.S. frameworks: Australia’s patchwork laws, altruistic-only system, low overall volume (about 150 domestic births/yr), and limited infrastructure push many intended parents overseas.
• Compensation does not equal commodification: Sarah argues compensation can honor time, risk, and labor while still centering altruistic motives—pointing out that everyone else in the fertility ecosystem is paid. The real risk isn’t money; it’s lack of robust safeguards.
• Safeguards that matter: Independent legal counsel for all parties, informed consent in a language the surrogate understands, counseling, medical best practices, and regulation that protects surrogates, children, and intended parents.
• Medical-need requirements: Sarah’s evolved view—dropping mandatory “medical or social need” recognizes lived realities (recurrent loss, tokophobia, gender dysphoria, etc.) and avoids intrusive, inequitable gatekeeping.
• Media narratives and “human trafficking” claims: Sensational coverage often ignores nuance, ethical programs, and children’s future privacy. Red flags abroad include language barriers, agency-appointed lawyers, and opaque promises.
• Churchill Fellowship learnings: After meeting stakeholders in South Africa, Ireland, England, Canada, and the U.S., Sarah sees momentum for reform—if lawmakers treat surrogacy as reproductive health and women’s rights.

Want to share your story or ask a question? Call and leave us a message on our hotline: 303-997-1903.

Learn more about Sarah Jefford: www.sarahjefford.com 

Follow Sarah on Instagram: www.instagram.com/sarah_surrogacylawyer/ 

Buy Sarah’s book: More Than Just a Baby - Sarah Jefford Surrogacy Lawyer Australia

Learn more about our podcast: https://iwanttoputababyinyou.com/ 

Learn more about our surrogacy agency: https://www.brightfuturesfamilies.com/ 

Get your IWTPABIY merch here! https://iwanttoputababyinyou.com/merch 

Learn more about Ellen’s law firm: http://trachmanlawcenter.com/ 

Dawn Wickhorst is a two-time surrogate, single mom of five, and founder of Lumière Surrogacy Advisory. She is passionate about helping intended parents tell their stories authentically while inspiring women through her own journey of resilience, motherhood, and entrepreneurship.

Dawn shares her story as a surrogate and mom, blending honesty, humor, and heart. She talks about building her business, finding strength through life’s challenges, and using her experiences to guide and inspire others on their path to parenthood and self-growth.

Listen as Dawn shares with Ellen and Jenn:

• Becoming a mom in her teens.
• Working with a birth magazine and as a birth photographer.
• Interviewing a local author on a book about infertility and loss, feeling so grateful for her own children, and realizing she could do something to help. 
• A few of the surrogacy differences in Canada versus the US – no compensation!
• Saying “yes” to HIV-positive Intended Parents, because they were HIV positive!
• Second time around, looking for Intended Parents who would want to share the journey with the world with her. 
• A relationship with Intended Parents was high priority, knowing they would be friends. 
• When the second journey ended, she wanted to help others in another way. 
• Started Lumiere Surrogacy Advisory to help Intended Parents tell their stories.
• What makes an Intended Parent profile stand out for surrogates. 

Want to share your story or ask a question? Call and leave us a message on our hotline: 303-997-1903.

Learn more about Dawn and Lumiere Surrogacy Advisory: https://www.lumieresurrogacyadvisory.com

Check out Dawn on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/share/1JnQYSEt2b/?mibextid=wwXIfr

Learn more about our podcast: https://iwanttoputababyinyou.com/ 

Learn more about our surrogacy agency: https://www.brightfuturesfamilies.com/ 

Get your IWTPABIY merch here! https://iwanttoputababyinyou.com/merch 

Learn more about Ellen’s law firm: http://trachmanlawcenter.com/ 

Jessie Jaskulsky is the founder of Surrogacy Simplified, a consulting firm and community built to support hopeful parents through the surrogacy journey. A two-time intended parent through surrogacy herself, Jessie combines lived experience with professional guidance to help others feel informed, confident, and supported every step of the way. Through one-on-one consulting and a growing Intended Parent community, she’s helping families turn what feels overwhelming into something they can navigate with clarity and trust.

Listen as Jessie shares with Ellen and Jenn:

• What intended parents should know about wait times, matching, and why embryo numbers matter.
• The real costs of surrogacy (around $150K, excluding clinic fees).
• Coping with the long emotional wait and uncertainty
• Why support groups and counseling can make all the difference

Want to share your story or ask a question? Call and leave us a message on our hotline: 303-997-1903.

Learn more about Surrogacy Simplified: https://surrogacysimplified.com/ 

Follow Surrogacy Simplified on IG: https://www.instagram.com/surrogacysimplified/

Learn more about our podcast: https://iwanttoputababyinyou.com/ 

Learn more about our surrogacy agency: https://www.brightfuturesfamilies.com/ 

Get your IWTPABIY merch here! https://iwanttoputababyinyou.com/merch 

Learn more about Ellen’s law firm: http://trachmanlawcenter.com/ 

Fertility Docs Uncensored is a weekly podcast launched in March 2020 by three reproductive endocrinologists from across the United States: Dr. Abby Eblen (Nashville Fertility Center), Dr. Carrie Bedient (Fertility Center of Las Vegas), and Dr. Susan Hudson (Texas Fertility Center). The idea was born at a fertility conference just before the COVID-19 pandemic, when the doctors realized Zoom could make podcasting from different locations possible. Since then, the show has evolved into a trusted source of honest and reliable information on fertility and IVF. With a wide range of guests—including reproductive urologists, acupuncturists, embryologists, mental health professionals, and nutritionists—the podcast continues to explore all aspects of reproductive health while supporting listeners on their fertility journeys.

Listen as Abby, Carrie, and Susan share with Ellen and Jenn:

• Paths to Fertility Medicine – The doctors reflect on their diverse training, why they chose REI, and how their own experiences—including being IVF parents—shape their practice.
• Preimplantation Genetic Testing (PGT-A) – A nuanced discussion of benefits, limitations, and ethical questions, especially in surrogacy and mosaic embryo transfers.
• Gatekeeping in Fertility Clinics – Where to draw the line between respecting patient autonomy and ensuring safe, ethical care.
• Policy & Post-Dobbs Landscape – How state laws and restrictions affect daily practice, patient anxiety, and even OBGYN training nationwide.
• Fertility Myths & Media – From pineapple cores and McDonald’s fries to gender-selection tricks, the doctors bust myths while underscoring how misinformation spreads.
• The IVF Blueprint – A look at their new book, designed as a practical handbook to guide patients through every stage of IVF, egg freezing, and embryo transfer.

Want to share your story or ask a question? Call and leave us a message on our hotline: 303-997-1903.

Learn more about Fertility Docs Uncensored: www.fertilitydocsuncensored.com 

Follow the Docs on IG: www.instagram.com/fertilitydocsuncensored/?hl=en

Learn more about our podcast: https://iwanttoputababyinyou.com/ 

Learn more about our surrogacy agency: https://www.brightfuturesfamilies.com/ 

Get your IWTPABIY merch here! https://iwanttoputababyinyou.com/merch 

Learn more about Ellen’s law firm: http://trachmanlawcenter.com/ 

Mark Semple is a Canadian citizen who has been involved in international medical and fertility tourism since 2008. Mark founded his first fertility company in 2008 after engaging in IVF with his wife in 4 different countries and seeing a need for cross-border access to fertility care. In that time, Mark has helped create IVF, egg donation, and surrogacy programs with clinics in many countries, founded a US cryobank, assisted Canadian, US, and international fertility clinics with regulatory compliance, and has worked with clients from over 60 countries. He also owns ReproVida, a medical group in Buenos Aires, Argentina.

Currently, his interests mainly lie with surrogacy and egg donation programs in Colombia, Mexico, and Argentina. Mark was the pioneer of international surrogacy in Colombia in 2018 after seeing a need and a positive legal framework to assist all family types. He has helped create 2 clinic surrogacy programs in Colombia, is the owner of a foundation that supports surrogate mothers in the country, and has helped create a stable framework for all other agencies to follow. Colombia is now a leading global surrogacy destination, especially for single men and same-sex couples.

In addition, he was one of the pioneers of surrogacy in Mexico in 2012. With a recent Supreme Court decision affirming the validity of surrogacy (after a previous 2016 negative decision), Mexico is once again a global destination for surrogacy.

Mark has been an invited keynote speaker for 3 national conferences in medical tourism (on how to create programs to draw international patients) by the governments of Costa Rica, Taiwan, and China. He has been an article contributor to the Medical Tourism Magazine, and he was part of Simon Fraser University in Vancouver, Canada’s creation of Ethical Guidelines in Medical Tourism.

Listen as Mark shares with Ellen and Jenn:

• Being Canadian and dealing with Canada’s system for infertility treatment.
• Looking internationally for other options, including Costa Rica and Panama. 
• Ultimately conceiving their child with the help of doctors in Cape Town, South Africa.
• After his experiencing, learning more about medical tourism. 
• Joining with a partner to start a vascular surgery program in Costa Rica. 
• Moving to just working in fertility care in a number of countries.
• Finding so many countries – Canada, much of Europe – limited access to care through regulation.
• Doctors being able to do thing in the US (such as sex selection in IVF) that is not permitted in many countries. 
• In 2018, starting a surrogacy program in Colombia supported by a supreme court ruling and friendly environment toward same-sex male couples. 
• Genetic connection required between dad and child, with surrogate on the birth certificate until removed after some period of time. Colombia not an option for single intended mothers or same-sex female couples. 
• Talking costs (significantly less than the US)!
• History of surrogacy in Mexico, including the 2021 supreme court decision.
• Complications in Mexico, but a better fit for certain intended parents.
• History working in Argentina, but recent problems causing him to discontinue work there.
• Other options in Europe; issues with surrogates traveling between countries. 

Want to share your story or ask a question? Call and leave us a message on our hotline: 303-997-1903.

Learn more about Surrogacy Colombia: www.surrogacycolombia.com 

Learn more about our podcast: https://iwanttoputababyinyou.com/ 

Learn more about our surrogacy agency: https://www.brightfuturesfamilies.com/ 

Get your IWTPABIY merch here! https://iwanttoputababyinyou.com/merch 

Learn more about Ellen’s law firm: http://trachmanlawcenter.com/ 

AshLeigh Meyer Dunham is a distinguished legal professional with a career rooted in service to Alabama families. She serves as a Referee in Jefferson County’s Juvenile Court, where she adjudicates sensitive family and juvenile matters with fairness, clarity, and compassion. Her work creates stability for children and families facing crisis, drawing on years of experience handling complex legal issues with a steady, principled approach.

AshLeigh is also a practicing Fertility Attorney at Magic City Fertility Law. Her expertise in this area is deeply personal: AshLeigh and her husband welcomed their daughter through IVF, but had to leave Alabama to access the care they needed to start their family. As an attorney, AshLeigh helps individuals and couples navigate the legal complexities of assisted reproduction so they can start and grow their families too. That experience fuels her public advocacy for legal protections for families seeking fertility treatment. She believes no Alabamian should have to leave home to start a family.

AshLeigh is running for a seat on the Alabama Supreme Court to bring a grounded, family-centered perspective to the state’s highest court. With experience across family and juvenile law, she is uniquely prepared to ensure that the court serves all Alabamians with integrity and empathy.

www.ashleighforalabama.com

Listen as AshLeigh shares with Ellen and Jenn:

• Juggling being a practicing attorney, juvenile referee, hip hop fitness enthusiast, and Alabama Supreme Court candidate!
• Struggling to build a family herself and seeking fertility treatment, unsuccessfully, in state.
• Traveling to Oregon to see a fertility doctor based on Instagram advice. 
• Successful getting to her daughter.
• Having two more embryos stored in Oregon, with no intention on moving them to Alabama. 
• The terribleness of the LaPage case – the Alabama Supreme Court ruling that a clinic could be held liable for manslaughter as a result of embryo destruction – and it’s aftermath in Alabama. 
• Fertility clinics shut down. 
• 19 days later the Alabama legislature passed a bill to protect IVF clinics from criminal actions.
• But bill also prevents legal responsibility for clinics acting negligently. 
• Alabamians seeking care out of state for family buildng.
• AshLeigh fighting for better care and family rights for Alabamians. 

Want to share your story or ask a question? Call and leave us a message on our hotline: 303-997-1903.

Learn more about AshLeigh Dunham: www.ashleighforalabama.com 

Learn more about our podcast: https://iwanttoputababyinyou.com/ 

Learn more about our surrogacy agency: https://www.brightfuturesfamilies.com/ 

Get your IWTPABIY merch here! https://iwanttoputababyinyou.com/merch 

Learn more about Ellen’s law firm: http://trachmanlawcenter.com/ 

Andrea Zorida Ali-Panzarella is a proud mom of three beautiful boys, who was inspired to write this book – Every Family Is A Tree -- after a long journey with infertility and loss. She is also a pediatrician, specializing in child abuse, who has cared for children from all walks of life.

Andrea and her husband welcomed their sons with the help of compassionate physicians and caring gestational carriers. As they read to their children each night, she noticed the limited number of books that represented their unique family story and realized the missed opportunities to empower her children to know their worth. Her hope with this book is that all people, especially children, will feel seen and accepted in this world no matter what their story is.

Listen as Andrea shares with Ellen and Jenn:

• In her medical training, seeing lots of children born by IVF, but never thinking it was something she would need to turn to. 
• After experiencing pregnancy loss, rethinking the mindset that everything happens for a reason. 
• Finding various diagnoses, including male factor fertility issues and polyps. 
• Turning to IVF and getting pregnant with twins. Only to lose one heartbeat and then the next. 
• Going through more transfers that either failed or ended in miscarriage.
• The conversation eventually turning to surrogacy.
• Working with an agency recommended by a friend; being matched with a surrogate they loved. 
• The surrogate becoming pregnant with twins! 
• Finally being able to breath when the babies arrived safely at 35 weeks. 
• Wanting to give the rest of their embryos a chance. 
• Being matched with a more local surrogate this time and getting to drive to attend appointments. 
• From day one with her babies, wanting to explain their story to them, but not finding many fitting children’s books. 
• Taking matters into her own hands to write something where everyone could feel seen – not just her own family, but all the different families she sees in her day-to-day practice as a pediatrician.  

Want to share your story or ask a question? Call and leave us a message on our hotline: 303-997-1903.

Learn more about Dr. Andrea Ali-Panzarella and her book Every Family is a Tree: https://www.andreaali-panzarella.com/ 

Learn more about our podcast: https://iwanttoputababyinyou.com/ 

Learn more about our surrogacy agency: https://www.brightfuturesfamilies.com/ 

Get your IWTPABIY merch here! https://iwanttoputababyinyou.com/merch 

Learn more about Ellen’s law firm: http://trachmanlawcenter.com/ 

Stephanie Witte was born and raised in South Dakota. She has always had a passion for helping others and giving of herself has given her a wealth of experiences that have shaped her into the

person she is today. 

From a young age, Stephanie harbored ambitions of becoming a forensic scientist, driven by a desire to contribute to justice and help society by apprehending wrongdoers. This aspiration led her to pursue a bachelor’s degree in Criminal Justice with a specialization in Forensic Science from Colorado Technical University in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. Life took an unexpected turn when Stephanie embarked on the journey of motherhood. 

Balancing her career aspirations with the responsibilities of raising a family became a challenge, especially when faced with the daunting task of finding suitable daycare for her children. This challenge inspired her to open her own state-certified, in-home daycare in July 2010. Over the course of 12 years, she nurtured and cared for numerous children. Through this experience, Stephanie gained a profound understanding of the importance of providing children with a safe, supportive environment where they could thrive and grow. 

In 2018, Stephanie’s passion for helping others was reignited when she felt compelled to become a gestational surrogate. Driven by a desire to assist individuals or couples struggling with infertility, she embarked on a remarkable journey, delivering babies for intended parents across the globe. Despite facing challenges along the way, Stephanie’s commitment to helping others build their families remained unshaken. 

Throughout her surrogacy journeys, Stephanie’s own family stood by her side, experiencing a range of emotions and challenges unique to their situation. Recognizing the importance of open communication and inclusion, Stephanie aims to spread awareness about alternative paths to parenthood and foster understanding among families.

Stephanie is the author of Surrogacy: A Journey of Love. 

Book Description: All families are different. There are different numbers of sisters and brothers, or sometimes just one child, but all families are beautiful and precious. Sometimes, people need to ask for help to grow their family. One way is through adoption and another way is through surrogacy.

Brian Junior shares about his family and his mommy’s decision to help other families grow by being a gestational surrogate. He helps us understand these big words and shares what it's like when mommy has a baby that isn't your sister or brother.

Stepmom, mom, surrogacy case manager and gestational surrogate, Stephanie shares the story of surrogacy using her son, Brian Junior, as the narrator. Brian helps kids of all ages understand this very special gift.

The Spanish, French, and Chinese translations are available or coming soon.

Listen as Stephanie shares with Ellen and Jenn:

• Having three girls (one as a step-mom) and a boy and not feeling done. 
• Hearing of surrogacy before she had kids. Offering to be a surrogate for her aunt, not knowing that she needed to have a child of her own first. 
• Reconnecting with a friend who was a surrogate and hearing the good, bad, and ugly (the shots!). 
• Feeling it was truly something on her heart. 
• Saying yes to the first profile presented – a single Brazilian man.
• Going through a double embryo transfer, but losing one of the twins around 15 weeks
• The difficulties of continuing to carry a healthy pregnancy, while also carrying the lost twin. 
• After her husband’s deployment and return, going forward with a second journey. 
• Carrying one little girl for a couple in California. Delivering on the same day – 3 years later – as her first surro-baby!
• Nothing more beautiful than seeing new parents holding their baby. 
• Determined to do it again. Matching with a 3rd couple, but finding no heartbeat at 15 weeks. Parting ways when realizing their termination stances were not aligned.
• Matching with a Missouri family and delivering their little boy.
• Fighting anti-surrogacy legislation in South Dakota. Meeting her agency through the process, knowing she wanted to work in this area. 
• Understanding how important reading together with kids is. But not finding what she was looking for to explain surrogacy to kids. Writing Surrogacy: A Journey of Love.   

Want to share your story or ask a question? Call and leave us a message on our hotline: 303-997-1903.

Find the book Surrogacy: A Journey of Love on Amazon

Follow Stephanie on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/stephaniewittesurrogacybook/

Learn more about our podcast: https://iwanttoputababyinyou.com/ 

Learn more about our surrogacy agency: https://www.brightfuturesfamilies.com/ 

Get your IWTPABIY merch here! https://iwanttoputababyinyou.com/merch 

Learn more about Ellen’s law firm: http://trachmanlawcenter.com/