While Kristin Welch is today the leader of all of our operations at ConceiveAbilities, she was the pioneer who built the foundation for what is today’s Surrogate Engagement team at ConceiveAbilities. This team welcomes, screens and vets the thousands of surrogate applications received by ConceiveAbilities every month. Kristin is an efficiency enthusiast; her knack for defining and streamlining processes has helped mold this team into the well-oiled machine it is today. As a registered nurse as well as a surrogate herself, Kristin brings a valuable perspectives to her work.
We recently spoke with Kristin about how the Surrogate Engagement Team came to be and, especially, the effort made to consider the motivations of each applicant while reviewing their application.
Honoring Each Applicant’s Vision
“Members of the team and I have been in the shoes of these applicants before, so we understand that each woman has a vision in mind for her journey. In fact, most applicants have experienced something very specific that inspired their interest in becoming a surrogate and we aim to honor their inspiration,” states Kristin.
Kristin mentions that her team often hears from applicants who specifically include on their application that they want to work with same-sex parents as a means of showing their support for the LGBT community. Other applicants specifically request to carry for a heterosexual couple struggling with infertility. Kristin adds, “Many times an applicant has had an aunt or a friend whom they loved who struggled to build their family and these applicants want to become a surrogate in honor of their loved one.
Kristin says, “Our Surrogate Engagement team, as well as our Matching Matters team, works hard to ensure that each applicant’s inspiration for wanting to become a surrogate is honored.”
Kristin acknowledges that occasionally an applicant’s specific vision, or a combination of very specific criteria, will require additional time to find her the right match. There are even rare occurrences when the applicant’s vision for her match is not compatible with the options available at ConceiveAbilities. In these cases, the team suggests that the applicant consider applying to a different reputable agency.
Along the same lines, Kristin shares that she encourages applicants who would likely make wonderful surrogates, but fall just outside of the ConceiveAbilities’ exceptionally high standards. “I believe in surrogacy in general and if a woman hears the calling to help another family but we are unable to work with her, for whatever reason, I am still cheering for her and hope she has the fulfilling experience I had.” The team encourages applicants to join the Surrogacy Learning Center to find out about changes they might be able to make to qualify as a surrogate and to discover additional ways of supporting hopeful people that want to become parents.
Learning More About the ConceiveAbilities Team
ConceiveAbilities is supported by some of the most dedicated and caring women and men in the industry. Take the time to get to know here and we think you will agree that we have one incredible team at ConceiveAbilities.
Calling All Surrogates
And, are you a woman who enjoyed a healthy and successful pregnancy? Do you have friends or family who have suffered from infertility or need assistance from someone else to build their family? Have you ever considered the role you could play in helping someone else build their family – as a surrogate? Learn more about the process of helping someone else’s dream of building a family come true. We would love to talk with you.