Board of Directors & Staff

The Infertility Network is an independent, incorporated, registered charity, governed by a voluntary Board of Directors:

• Patricia Silver (Toronto, Ontario) President
  Professional musician, entrepreneur & small business owner who has had close friends affected by infertility. Has played a significant role on many industry and non-profit boards of directors, including Danforth Mosaic Business Improvement Association, Youth Employment Services, Toronto Musicians’ Association, Children’s Entertainment Association, Friends of Black Creek Pioneer Village, Beach Triangle Residents' Association, East Alternative Middle School and Beaches Alternative School. Member of the Infertility Network Board of Directors since 1998.

• Catherine Clute (Chester, Nova Scotia) Secretary
  Writer & editor. Former member of: the Canadian Institutes of Health Research Stem Cell Oversight Committee; Board of Directors of: the Adoptive Parents Association of Nova Scotia, the Adoption Council of Canada, Chester & Area Family Resource Centre & the Infertility Awareness Association of Canada. Adoptive mother of a newborn (now 14) in an open adoption who has provided infertility support in the maritimes for 15+ years. Member of the Infertility Network Board of Directors since 1999.
• Phyllis Creighton (Toronto, Ontario)
  Historian, bioethicist, community & social activist. Published author on ethical issues, having  written on donor insemination, surrogacy, the human embryo, and reproductive & genetic (RGT) use in the light of values. Former Member of the Health Canada Advisory Committee on RGTs. Lifelong community & social justice activist on many issues including: RGTs; family planning, family life & childbirth education; mental health; religion; the environment; and peace. Member of the Infertility Network Board of Directors since 2003.
• Karen Lynn (Toronto, Ontario)
  ESL teacher. Reunited birthmother. President & co-founder, Canadian Council of Natural Mothers. Co-founder & member, Coordinating Committee, Coalition for Open Adoption Records (COAR), an Ontario-based advocacy group. Member of Adoption, Support, Kinship (ASK) board of directors, a support group for adopted adults, first relatives & adoptive parents. Former member of the Adoption Council of Ontario board of directors. Member of the Infertility Network Board of Directors since 2003.

• Shirley Pratten (Nanaimo, British Columbia)
  Registered Nurse and mental health professional. Founding member & media spokesperson for the New Reproductive Alternatives Society, which was Canada's first support & advocacy group for donor-conceived families, and became a national lobby group throughout the many years of legislative process, including the passage of the Assisted Human Reproduction Act (AHR) Act in 2004. Founding member of the Canadian Donor Conception Coalition (to support the first-ever class action lawsuit filed in Canada on behalf of those conceived via anonymous sperm, egg & embryo donation). Mother of a 27 year old daughter through anonymous donor insemination. Member of the Infertility Network Board of Directors since 2001.

• Wendy Rowney (Toronto, Ontario)
  Museum curator. Reunited adopted adult. President, Adoption, Support, Kinship (support group for adopted adults, first relatives & adoptive parents). Co-founder & member, Coordinating  Committee, Coalition for Open Adoption Records, an Ontario-based advocacy group. Vice-president, Adoption Council of Canada. Education Chair, the American Adoption Congress. Former member, the Adoption Council of Ontario Board of Directors. Member of the Infertility Network Board of Directors since 2003.
• Barry Stevens (Toronto, Ontario)
  Adult Donor Offspring (conceived in UK via donor insemination in the 1950s). Documentary filmmaker whose film, Offspring, about his search for his genetic family, has been shown around the world & won numerous awards; the sequel, Bio-Dad, aired on CBC TV in 2009. Co-founder, The Alliance of People Produced by Assisted Reproductive Technology (APPART), an international support group for donor-conceived adults. Member of the Infertility Network Board of Directors since 2001.

STAFF

• Diane Allen (Toronto, Ontario)
  Co-founder & Executive Director, Infertility Network. Mother via assisted reproductive technologies after many years of 'trying-to-conceive' and two miscarriages.

• Allison Graham (Toronto, Ontario)
  Administrative Assistant since 1999.