NEW ENGLAND FERTILITY INSTITUTE - Key Persons
Job Titles:
- Endocrinology Lab Technician
Job Titles:
- Third Party Reproduction Coordinator
Fluent in Spanish, Beatrice Abshire, or Bea, has expert knowledge about the medical, psychological and financial aspects of third party reproductive medicine. Bea also has worked extensively with same-sex couples as well as international patients.
Job Titles:
- Medical Director
- Medical Director of New England Fertility
Dr. Gad Lavy is the Medical Director of New England Fertility. Gad and the New England Fertility team are responsible for helping to make countless families in Connecticut and around the globe. Patients travel from within and outside the United States for Dr. Lavy's renowned reputation as an expert fertility specialist, and he leads the practice's commitment to providing a warm, supportive environment - where everyone's dreams of having a baby are met with the respect and individualized attention.
Gad Lavy, M.D., F.A.C.O.G, is the medical director and founder of New England Fertility (NEF), the first non-hospital-based outpatient in vitro fertilization (IVF) center in the state of Connecticut. Dr. Lavy received his training at Hadassah Medical School at Hebrew University in Israel and completed his residency at Yale University School of Medicine in New Haven, Connecticut, where he served on the medical faculty of the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology.
Prior to founding New England Fertility in 1991, Dr. Lavy was an assistant professor in the Division of Reproductive Endocrinology at Yale University School of Medicine for four years and served as the director of the Yale program for assisted reproduction.
My patients' desire to become parents is why I work so hard. I am committed to their journey alongside with them, holding their hands each step of the way. My team and I are dedicated to overcoming the challenges. We make families."
Job Titles:
- Member of the Clinical Support Team
- Nurse Practitioner
Graziella (Grace) Stocco, RN, BN, MSN, FNP-C, brings more than 22 years of nursing experience in obstetrics and gynecology to New England Fertility. She works closely with patients, helping them understand each step of the fertility treatment process. An expert in infertility treatment, Grace received her Bachelor's of Nursing degree in Australia, and her Master's degree in Nursing at Northwestern State University of Louisiana.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Administrative Team
- Practice Administrator
In addition to managing day-to-day operations at NEFI, Katie bridges the gap between people and processes so that NEFI can efficiently and thoughtfully provide personalized care to all patients. Katie's personal and professional experience has fueled her passion for helping families: She has three children who were conceived through assisted reproductive technology, and she also has held management roles in both clinic and surrogacy/egg donation agency settings. Katie earned her Bachelor's and Master's degrees in business, with concentration on organizational effectiveness and leadership.
Job Titles:
- Clinical Manager
- Member of the Clinical Support Team
A vital member of our clinical support team, Kate manages NEFI's clinical staff and helps ensure that patients understand their fertility treatment protocols and test results, and addresses their questions during the journey. She has nearly 15 years of experience working in obstetrics and gynecology at hospitals around the world. She received her medical degree in Tbilisi, Georgia and completed her residence in OB-GYN at First Moscow State Medical University in Russia. Kate has several published articles to her credit, focusing on the effects of polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) on fertility.
As a lab technician at New England Fertility, Lynn's work spans embryology, andrology, and endocrinology. She helps our senior technicians with documentation, data collection, and patient updates. Before joining NEFI, Lynn was a laboratory technician at Murphy Medical Associates. Lynn is working toward earning a Master's degree in reproductive clinical sciences from Eastern Virginia Medical School. She has a BS in biology from Southern Connecticut State University.
Job Titles:
- Medical Assistant
- Third Party Reproduction Egg Donor Coordinator
Working as the Egg Donor Coordinator, Mallory prides herself of being able to guide intended parents and donors through their journey with comfort and understanding. Her strong values of love, family, friendship, and acceptance allow her to support her patient with compassion to help ease the anxiety and uncertainty that infertility can bring.
Mallory is a Medical Assistant and comes to New England Fertility Institute with over 6 years of experience as an Egg Donor and Third-Party Coordinator. She lives in California with her husband, 2 children, and a Boston Terrier.
With several years of experience as a medical assistant at fertility practices, Michelle can be seen on any given day drawing patients' blood for testing, assisting in the operating room, and working closely with senior clinicians here at New England Fertility. She has a bachelor's degree in nursing science from National College University in Puerto Rico.
Job Titles:
- Third Party Reproduction Coordinator
Mirjam comes to NEFI with years of experience working for surrogacy agencies which inspired her to pursue 3 surrogacy journeys of her own. Connecting Surrogates, intended parents, egg donors and agencies is a large part of Mirjam's role. Providing smooth set-ups and communication for medical screenings, egg donations, and transfer cycles for all patients is the main goal.
Job Titles:
- Third Party Reproduction Coordinator
Molly brings to NEFI the unique perspectives of an experienced third party coordinator with experience working on both the fertility clinic and agency side of surrogacy. Molly is a highly reassuring figure for intended parents and gestational carriers because, in addition to her professional background, she has completed three surrogacy journeys herself. So, it's clear that Molly is passionate about helping to build families, both personally and professionally, and patients are confident to have her by their side.
Paola Palladino-Riccardelli is thrilled to join the New England Fertility Institute as the Operations Manager. With a background in process improvements and team leadership and customer relationship management, Paola brings a wealth of expertise to the institute's mission of providing top-tier fertility services. Paola is dedicated to ensuring the seamless day-to-day operations of the institute, from patient care coordination to facility management. She is committed to upholding the highest standards of quality and patient satisfaction, making sure that every individual and family embarking on their fertility journey at the institute receives the best possible care and support. With a passion for excellence and a focus on efficiency, Paola is excited to contribute to the continued success and growth of the New England Fertility Institute.
Job Titles:
- Director of Third Party Reproduction
A passionate advocate for gestational surrogacy and egg donation, Shantai Rivera-Bonilla oversees the third party reproduction program at New England Fertility. She has more than 20 years of direct experience in the fields of obstetrics, gynecology, and reproductive medicine, and has helped countless domestic and international patients during their journey to parenthood. Shantai's firsthand experience as a past egg donor allows her to bring even greater insight and comfort to her relationships with intended parents, donors, and surrogates. In addition to her degree in Human Services, Shantai received her Medical Assistant credentials from Bridgeport Hospital's School of Nursing.
Job Titles:
- Finance Manager
- Member of the Administrative Team
Sharon helps New England Fertility patients understand the costs and payment options associated with fertility treatment, and, in turn, helps make the journey less stressful. Before joining NEFI, Sharon spent 12 years at IntegraMed, where she created and grew the Customer Care department for patients needing financial programs for IVF treatment.
Job Titles:
- International Liaison & Third Party Reproduction Coordinator
With nearly a decade of experience in assisted reproduction, Yishai is an international liaison and third party coordinator who helps assisting New England Fertility patients around the world fulfill their dream of becoming parents. Fluent in English, Hebrew and Spanish, Yishai was born in Israel and graduated with a BA from Tel Aviv University where he majored in Chinese, Linguistics and East Asian Studies. Today Yishai represents NEFI at family building events across the globe and is the main point of contact for NEFI's international patients.