Meet the team
DR. CIARA BYRNE
Ph.D.: Director & Co-Founder.
Dr. Ciara Byrne, Ph.D., is a workshop facilitator and expert in reproductive health, having worked with women around the world during their fertility journey, including workshops in Ireland for parents who conceived using donor material and surrogates.
Ciara completed her graduate studies at Columbia University and the University of Vermont, having studied as an undergraduate at University College Dublin.
She has trained extensively in using Mindfulness based therapies, including the Mind/Body program for women experiencing infertility at the Domar Center, Boston IVF.
Ciara has conducted research and published papers on the impact of mindfulness practices on reducing anxiety, depression, and increasing overall well-being.
Like so many women, Ciara took the long and arduous road to making a family, including IVF, with her first successful pregnancy ending in a late-term loss. Following further IVF and much emotional hardship, Ciara and her husband are now parents to three children.
DR. LAURA MCKEE
Ph.D.: Research Director & Co-Founder.
Dr. Laura McKee, Ph.D. is the Research Director and expert in creating and testing intervention programs that increase well-being in families.
Laura earned her Ph.D in Clincal Psychology after completing an M.A. at Columbia University and her B.A at Duke University.
Over the last two decades Laura’s training included working clinically at trauma centers, hospitals, and community and private clinics, and she has served on the faculties of Clark University and The University of Georgia.
She is currently Associate Professor and member of the faculty in the Psychology Department at Georgia State University, where she mentors, teaches, and conducts and publishes research on mindfulness, gratitude, and depression.
She has published over 50 articles and book chapters about parenting, families, and intervention programs.
Laura’s road to fertility was long, and included exploring workshops, nutrition, yoga, acupuncture, groups focused on skills, support and education, IVF and donor material. Laura and her husband are now the luckiest parents to an amazing little person.
