Fertility support and grants in Denver

Bio:
Erin Groom was born and raised in Denver, CO, and is a 5th generation native. After graduating from the University of Wisconsin Erin moved to New York City to work in finance. She spent 5 years there and then met her husband Adam; they moved back to Denver in 2008. Since then Erin has spent her career in the stock business and continues to do so today. She and Adam have two miracle children, a daughter Sutton who is 7, and a son Nash who is 5, as well as their dog Hank.

Why JFF?

After undergoing four years of infertility treatments including IUI, IVF, many surgeries, several miscarriages, and the initial engagement of a surrogate, Erin always wanted to find a way to give back to the infertility community. She is excited to help JFF by mentoring and connecting with those experiencing infertility as well as assisting in raising awareness about infertility and the organization throughout the Denver community.

Evi Bachrach Makovsky, JD, MSW, is a retired attorney and social worker. Having served five years as Assistant Colorado Attorney General and six years as Denver’s Senior City Attorney in employment, Evi was also an adjunct professor at the University of Denver Graduate School of Social Work and at the University of Colorado Health Sciences Center in healthcare and ethics.

Evi is a member and immediate past Chair of the AIPAC Colorado Council, and serves on the board of several organizations including: Rose Community Foundation – Jewish Life Committee, Metropolitan State College of Denver Foundation, Children’s Hospital of Colorado Foundation, and Denver Health Foundation. Evi’s former board participation includes being a former Trustee for Denver Jewish Day School, JEWISHcolorado, the Women’s Bean Project and a Trustee with the Colorado Symphony. Evi was also an original founder of “CHAI”, a community response to domestic abuse, that is now a part of Jewish Family Service in Denver. CHAI provides confidential counseling, advocacy, information and referrals.

Why JFF?

Evi is excited to be involved with JFF – serving a long time need in the Jewish community – addressing fertility, IVF, surrogacy and overall family building. Up until recently our community had very few resources, so she is thrilled to be a part of this project. She wants more women to participate in the future, and cares deeply about setting an example for her children and (many) grandchildren to engage in important community work.

Debra Michaud grew up in Orlando, Florida. She graduated from nursing school while receiving a degree in Education in 1986. Debra worked in labor/delivery and postpartum, newborn care and then as a State Medical Inspector in the Florida Jail system. She also worked as a utilization review nurse for the Medicare and private insurance systems.
Debra later transitioned into the medical-legal world. She owned and operated a legal nurse consulting business, MedReview, for 20 years, interpreting and assisting attorneys in the evaluation of medical-legal claims and retaining medical experts.
Debra’s prior experiences and this role allowed her to transition into the evaluation and management of small businesses, including the financial direction and oversight of these businesses, and the personal financial mindfulness of their owners. This role continues to evolve and now also includes the personal mindfulness education of individuals and life coaching.
Debra’s philanthropic involvements have included participating as one of the founding families, subsequent Board of Directors, and President of the Board of Directors of Hillel Day School in Boca Raton, Florida. She was also on the Board of Directors, and subsequent President of the Board of Directors of Ramah Darom in Clayton, Georgia. She also served on the Court Appointed Special Advocates for the State of Colorado. Debra is a Past Member of the Board of Directors at the Hebrew Educational Alliance in Denver, Colorado.
Why JFF?
JFF piqued Debra’s interest as a new way to get involved with Denver’s Jewish Community. She was especially interested in giving back via JFF due to her own personal journey as a young woman and as the mother of a child experiencing infertility, along with her past women’s health nursing background.

Rabbi Elizabeth Sacks is a Rabbi at Temple Emanuel in Denver. She was ordained as a cantor in 2007 by the Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion (HUC-JIR) and holds a B.A. in Jewish Studies and Music from Harvard University. From 2007-2012, Cantor Sacks served as the Associate Cantor at Central Synagogue in New York, focusing on worship, education, and young professional engagement.

In addition to her congregational work, Rabbi Sacks advises national Reform Movement organizations across the country, chairing and serving on associations for the Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion, the American Conference of Cantors, and the Union for Reform Judaism. She is a frequent presenter at conferences and panels on the topic of worship design and ritual innovation. Rabbi Sacks is married to Elias Sacks, Director of the Jewish Publication Society. Cantor Sacks, Eli, and their children – Charlie and Tova – live in Denver.

Paula Samet was born and raised in Cincinnati, Ohio, and earned her bachelor’s degree in Organizational Communication and Business from Miami University in Oxford, Ohio. After graduating, she moved to Denver to grow her work in the Jewish nonprofit community. For more than a decade, Paula has worked in Jewish communal programming and fundraising, and she now serves as a director leading regional efforts across the Mountain West and Southwest.

Why JFF?

After years of unexplained infertility and pregnancy loss, Paula and her husband, Josh, went through multiple rounds of IUI before turning to IVF. Today they are the grateful parents of two children. Their journey made them passionate about connecting with others in the Jewish community who are facing infertility, and about making sure no one walks that path alone.

Paula served on the Jewish Fertility Foundation’s Denver Exploratory Committee and was integral in bringing JFF to Denver. She is proud to support JFF Denver’s work helping local families build the families they dream of.

Pauline lives in Denver (as an East Coast transplant from Boston) with her husband, Jody, and their toddler daughter, Anna. Pauline has been a stay-at-home mom since Anna’s birth in late 2022 but stays connected to her community through volunteer work. She serves on the Board of the nonprofit Family Tree, which offers services for those affected by the interconnected issues of homelessness, child abuse, and domestic violence. She is also the Chair of their Development Committee.

Previously, Pauline worked as the Operations and Marketing Manager for Touch the Top, Inc., supporting Adventurer, Author, and Keynote Speaker Erik Weihenmayer, who happens to be blind. Erik also founded the Fort Collins nonprofit No Barriers, which his team, including Pauline, supported. Her role included traveling the country with Erik and acting as his event manager for his presentations to corporations, nonprofits, and schools. During her time with Touch the Top, Pauline created and produced the No Barriers Podcast, which highlighted folks who had faced immense challenges in their lives and the process of healing had turned their pain into meaning.

Pauline’s journey to becoming a mom was only possible through reproductive technology. After years of experiencing infertility, she was advised to embark on IVF. Eventually, Anna was conceived after many emotional years and ups and downs. Having to go through the process while the country was on COVID restrictions made Pauline extra cognizant of how isolating, lonely, and challenging fertility treatments are and the importance of mentorship and support. She is thrilled to join the Advisory Council and bring her lived experience and dedication to the work JFF provides their community.