Education and Credentials: I received an A.B. in German Literature from Harvard University and an M.S. in Library Science from Simmons College. I then awoke to my true calling and spent ten years getting a Ph.D. in clinical psychology from the University of Illinois at Chicago. I did an internship at Illinois Masonic Medical center in Chicago. I am a licensed psychologist in Illinois. I am a member of the Illinois Psychological Association and the American Society for Reproductive Medicine.
Work Background: I was a reference librarian in an academic library for 6 years and realized my main strength was helping people find what they needed beyond what was in books. Before I began working in the infertility field, I worked with mentally handicapped adults and their families and then with residents of nursing homes. In 1992, I began working for Fertility Centers of Illinois, meeting and counseling infertility patients. Twenty years later, I am still there, and still happy in my work. Part of my job includes meeting egg donors and surrogates. I have developed a special interest in third party reproduction, now including embryo donation. Another special interest is in teaching patients how to manage stress and cope with disappointment. The best part of my work is being a part of the decisions people make about how they will build a family.
Most Memorable Work Moment: This is a hard one to answer because there have been a number of them. I think the most powerful are the times when a patient has said, If it had not been for your help and support, we wouldn’t have our child.
Personal Interests: I really like food”growing it, preparing it, and eating it. I have studied tai chi for 10 years. I am in a writing group where we read and critique each other’s work and hope to become famous authors one day. I am the president of the board of directors of a local adoption agency.
Personal Background: I grew up in Boston. My accent is mostly undetectable but I can still speak it at Red Sox games. I am married to Gerry and we have a son and a daughter, both thanks to fertility treatment. My children are a big reason why it took me ten years to get a Ph.D. They were/are definitely worth it. I am a spiritual seeker and an inconsistent meditation practitioner.
My POV: I try to start each day with my own personal meditation, which I ripped off from Psalms, 118.24, and then added my own words to”to live in the moment, pay attention, be grateful, and act from a place of compassion, patience, and tact.
