OVERLAKE REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH - Key Persons
Andrea Birds' passion for embryology began in college while attending courses in Developmental Biology and Genetics. After receiving her Bachelors degree in Biology from Roger Williams University in Bristol, RI she began her career in embryology in 1992. Andrea was trained at a state-of-the-art facility in Massachusetts.
She received her TS (Technical Supervisor) certification from AAB in 2011. Andrea is a former SCARB President (Southern California Assisted Reproductive Biologists). This is a group of professionals that support advanced education and a place for embryologists to network within their community. She is also a team member inspector for CAP (College of American Pathology) and travels to other fertility clinics to be sure practices are in compliance with our national standards for fertility care in the United States.
Job Titles:
- Lab Manager / Clinical Andrologist
Christy recently completed her Masters in Clinical Embryology from the University of Leeds where she graduated with Distinction. She originally hails from the Philippines and attained a Cum Laude with a recognition in Biology from Ateneo de Naga University. Her core undergraduate research involved banana bract to determine its anti-inflammatory and anti-pain inhibitory properties on mice. She is now proud to be working on a team primarily concerned with overall patient care and using ART (Assisted Reproductive Techniques) to help patients achieve their dream of a family.
An identical twin, Christy is sometimes confused with her sister while out and about as they both live in Bellevue so you may have to look twice.
When not in the lab examining specimens, Christy can be found enjoying the outdoors and hiking popular PNW trails with her husband Alvin and pooch Mochi.
Courtney has worked in healthcare for 13 years and loves animals. As a native of the PNW, she doesn't mind the rain.
Cristen graduated from the University of California, Riverside where she received a Bachelor's of Science in Biology. During her time at UCR, Cristen traveled the world with Herpetologists, Ecologists and Botanists in search of new species of reptiles and amphibians. Her most memorable time abroad was searching for the Rafflesia or "corpse flower" in the pristine mountains of Mount Kinabalu and spending several days with the Iban people of Borneo. After graduation, she received a phone call asking if she would like to work as a Fisheries Biologist in the Bering Sea of Alaska. After a few years of chipping ice on deck, collecting data for NOAA and adventure, Cristen put away her XtraTufs and became an Andrologist and subsequently an Embryologist for Overlake Reproductive Health.
During her spare time, Cristen explores the Pacific Northwest with her husband, daughter, and two precocious toy poodles. She also spends her time advocating for her favorite non-profit, Chimpanzee Sanctuary Northwest.
With Overlake Reproductive Heath since the very beginning, Lisa is pleased to help patients obtain their goal of completing a family with an exciting array of innovative pricing options. Our Peace Of Mind™ packages are some of the most competitive in the Pacific Northwest, including a 100% refund program where qualifying patients take home a baby or receive their money back.
Fun fact: Lisa started her career as a dentist but is pleased to have found her way into fertility.
Ellen Marello, TS (ABB), joined Overlake Reproductive Health as a Senior Embryologist with more than 30 years of experience in assisted reproductive technology. Ellen earned her BS in Animal Physiology from the University of California, Davis. Ellen is certified as a Technical Supervisor from American Board of Bioanalysis in Embryology and Andrology. She has extensive hands on experience in IVF laboratories developing and implementing a full range of procedures, as well as training laboratory personnel, and troubleshooting current lab practices. She is also a traveling consultant with international experience. She is a member of the American Society of Reproductive Medicine (ASRM) and American Association of Bioanalysts (AAB). Ellen enjoys spending time with her family and traveling.
A Cum Laude graduate of University of Cincinnati, Jami is a new resident to Washington and excited to be here. Women's Health has always been a passion of Jami's and a focus in her career. Before starting at Overlake Reproductive Health, Jami practiced as a Registered Nurse in labor and delivery for 6 years in Indianapolis, Indiana.
She graduated from Saint Mary's College in Notre Dame, Indiana with Bachelor's of Science in Nursing. She is originally from Michigan and loves being so close to the water now. Jami loves to travel and to spend time outdoors with her husband and dog, Howie.
"I can't express enough how much Jo changed our experience. I don't know how I would've made it through the IVF process, complications, miscarriage, and early pregnancy without her comforting words and quick responses to emails and calls. I felt like she was my own personal IVF angel watching over us and making sure we had everything we needed and saying all the right things along the way. I feel and know that she truly cared about me and my journey into motherhood." Jessica, Aaron, and Ian.
Janine Neely was born and raised in the Pacific Northwest to a couple of small town ranchers. Her love for animals did not stop there as she pursued a pre-veterinary medicine program for her undergrad at Oregon State University. It was during her undergraduate education that she found a passion for reproductive physiology which led her towards her masters in biomedical sciences at Colorado State University with an emphasis in assisted reproduction.
Jennifer DiStefano earned a Master Degree in Clinical Embryology from the University of Leeds in England where she was able to experience Embryology from all different parts of the world. She received her Bachelor of Science in Biology with a minor in Chemistry and Psychology from LeMoyne College in Upstate NY where she also played Division I Girls Lacrosse.
Born and raised in the Seattle area, Joan attended Pima Medical Institute for her Medical Assistant program and is currently attending Bellevue College to further her education in healthcare. She has a beautiful five year old daughter, a chihuahua named Coco, and a kitty named Elvira.
Job Titles:
- Nurse Practitioner / IVF Coordinator
Job Titles:
- Donor Program Coordinator
Born and raised in Washington, Julie is the proud mother of two beautiful girls and one amazing granddaughter. She loves helping patients become parents.
Kaylin is one of our newest faces here at ORH and we are thrilled and excited to have her join our growing team.
Dr. Johnson is board certified in Obstetrics and Gynecology and one of the few board certified Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility Specialists in Washington State. Dr. Johnson has had a full-time Gynecology and Reproductive Endocrinology / Infertility practice since 1991. Dr. Johnson is a graduate of the University of Texas Southwestern Medical School. His residency training in Obstetrics and Gynecology was completed at the University of Tennessee at Memphis in 1989 and he completed a fellowship in Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility at the Medical University of South Carolina. Dr. Johnson has maintained relationships in The American Society for Reproductive Medicine, The Society for Assisted Reproductive Technologies, The Society of Reproductive Surgeons, The Society of Reproductive Endocrinologists, The Seattle Gynecological Society as well as the Washington State Medical Association. He is a nationally recognized expert in endometriosis and has given presentations at medical conferences and symposia across the country. In addition, Dr. Johnson has served on Swedish Hospital Medical Center's Surgery Laparoscopy Committee, Laser Advisory Committee, and the Minimally Invasive Surgery Committee.
"My role as a Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility Specialist is to provide the very best cutting-edge clinical care available. But that's not all. I believe that it is also my responsibility to pay attention to a couple's emotional well-being, acting as a cheerleader if need-be to encourage a couple to keep trying when I believe we will be successful. It also means gently letting a couple know when we have done all that can be done and help those couples explore other parenting options."
Born and raised in San Diego, CA Kris moved to Kent, WA in 2007. Married with 4 kids, 2 dogs and a cat, she excels at wrangling lots of moving parts and partakes in everything at ORH from new patient meetings to helping physicians with surgeries and procedures. Kris recently completed Masters in Health Care Administration.
Margaret is one of the resident medical advisers to the Fertility NZ National Committee. Margaret is an Embryologist and Scientific Director of Fertility Plus in Auckland, New Zealand. She has worked in various fertility clinics internationally.
Megan has been with ORH four years and is a native of Washington state. She is a graduate of the University of Washington with a Bachelor of Science in Psychology and French. Megan is fluent in French! She loves horses and has a West Highland Terrier (Westie) named Simon. One of the perks of working at ORH is that sometimes her dad joins her as part of the anesthesiology team.