Board of Directors
Our Board of Directors is an eclectic team of individuals with varying abilities and professional qualifications dedicated to advancing UIRC’s mission. We are continually looking for Board Members with a connection to infertility, a commitment to the mission, and skills that can support the strategic goals and objectives of UIRC. To apply for a board position, click here.
Jairan Ware, MBA
Board Chair
Jairan Ware holds a Master of Business Administration (MBA) from Westminster College, as well as graduate certificate in Marketing. She also earned a Bachelor of Science in Psychology and a minor in Theater Arts, giving her a well-rounded education. During the latter half of her MBA studies she had the unique opportunity to travel to China to study business development in the growing Asia market.
Jairan spent most of her career working in the non-profit healthcare sector, particularly Intermountain Healthcare where she spent nearly 7 years working to improve patient outcomes. During her tenure, Jairan participated in a variety of committees and focus groups aimed at bettering services, efficiency and safety outcomes for patients and their families. Jairan has robust experience collecting and analyzing large sets of data to develop and monitor improvement initiatives.
Prior to her non-profit work, Jairan worked for the State of Utah in the Department of Health and Human Services where she partnered with communities and families to help keep children safe from abuse and neglect. Jairan has a strong interest in foreign policy and geopolitical relations. She is an active member of the Salt Lake Chapter of American Committees on Foreign Relations and enjoys attending and contributing to monthly discussions pertaining to current world affairs.
While trying for their second child, Jairan and her husband were faced with infertility and have undergone many IVF failures. One of the hardest things for her while going through this journey was experiencing firsthand the lack of awareness and stigma associated with infertility. Through online forums and support groups Jairan found a community she could lean on and is deeply passionate about growing awareness and services to the broader Utah community. She also loves traveling with her husband and son, frequenting farm to table restaurants, stores and events, and hiking in Utah’s beautiful mountains.
Forrest Harris, MBA
Vice Chair
Forrest comes to UIRC with a strong background in Marketing and Sales with a Bachelor’s degree from University of Houston and a Global MBA in Marketing. Forrest has the strategic skills to target markets, develop a positive brand, and analyze data in order to nourish public perception of the organization.
Forrest has long and proven record of relentlessness in pursuit of personal and professional goals. A variety of roles have taught him how to navigate the hierarchies of organizations, seek out influencers and decision makers, and build productive relationships. Forrest’s experience has also proven that persistence pays when focused on a specific goal.
Forrest’s goal for UIRC is to focus efforts on closing the gap in the infertility community, promote awareness, and encourage societal and legislative change as it pertains to infertility.
Forrest and his wife faced infertility together and are have grow their family through IVF. They feel fortunate to be blessed with the children they have. They cherish family time together barbecuing, camping, boating, and playing with their sweet Australian Shepherd, Rory.
Jennifer Holt is licensed as a Master Esthetician. She was a stay-at-home mom for 10 years before she decided to go back to school and get her license in the beauty industry. After a few years in the industry, she has become a proud owner of her own business. Her goal is to help others feel beautiful inside and out.
During her time as a stay-at-home mother, Jennifer was a part of an organization Now I Lay Me Down to Sleep- an organization that provides photography for miscarriage, stillborn and infant loss. For five years she was the Coordinator and a photographer. Walking into the rooms and providing photos for families that had already lost or were in their last moment of goodbyes was one of the most heartbreaking but most beautiful moments she was honored to be a part of. She loved feeling like a part of their family and providing a service that would give them a way to remember their child forever.
When Jennifer was a young mother, she had an aunt that was going through IVF. After many failed attempts, Jennifer and her aunt made a plan for Jennifer to donate her eggs or be a carrier for her. Her aunt eventually had a successful pregnancy and now has 16-year-old quadruplets. Jennifer never lost her dream of being able to help a couple have their family and knew one day she would become a gestational carrier. In 2011, Jennifer started her first surrogacy journey and since has had the opportunity to carry four babies for three beautiful families.
Jennifer has been very involved with the surrogacy community in Utah, from being a support for surrogates to helping many Intended Parents match with Surrogates. Jennifer joined the UIRC board because has a strong passion for families and hopes to continue to fight, educate and support surrogacy in Utah.
Jennifer Holt
Board Secretary
Camille Hawkins, LCSW
Board Member, UIRC Founder
Camille Hawkins is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker and the Founder of Utah Infertility Resource Center. She earned her Master’s Degree in Social Work from the University of Utah and her Bachelor’s Degree in Social Work from Utah State University.
Camille is passionate about helping individuals and couples manage the aspects of their lives that are affected by the strain of infertility and childlessness and works to help her clients navigate the complex worlds of infertility,third party reproduction, and adoption. Camille provides counseling to individuals and couples, participates in local outreach, research, state and national advocacy, and presents on various topics such as "The Unique Challenges of Adoption when you've Struggled with Infertility" and "Raising your Adopted Child."
Before her work at UIRC, Camille was a therapist at The Family Support Center in Salt Lake City. Her focus was helping families recover from traumatic events and overcome mental health challenges. Camille’s professional experiences also include serving the Women’s, Children’s, and NICU units for Intermountain Healthcare. There, she worked as a crisis social worker assisting mothers who lost their babies due to miscarriage or stillbirth. Additionally, Camille has experience with childhood grief groups as a volunteer to the "littles" with The Sharing Place.
Camille has completed level 2 training from the Gottman Institute for Couples Therapy and was trained by the State of Utah in Trauma Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy. Camille serves on the Utah Adoption Council and is a member of the Mental Health Practitioners Group of the American Society of Reproductive Medicine where she receives ongoing training. Camille began working in the field of infertility and adoption after the resolution of her own journey to parenthood.
After many failed infertility treatments, she became a mom through adoption. In her spare time she enjoys being with her husband, two daughters, and two fur babies.
Brooke Oveson Walrath graduated from BYU – Idaho in December of 2013 with a BA in Spanish Education and is a member of the Spanish National Honors Society. Before finishing school, she served an religious mission in Argentina, waited tables for several years, and tutored students in Spanish and writing. After graduation, she taught Spanish at a Utah junior high school for five years. She is currently working towards her Masters degree at the University of Utah.
After a few frustrating years facing infertility with little more than blogs and WebMD for support, Brooke finally sought out a reproductive endocrinologist and an in-person support group. After a few appointments with the doctor, she learned that she and her husband were facing both male and female factor infertility. She has done three IVF cycles and been pregnant once, which ended in a miscarriage.
Brooke likes to spend her time reading, studying, or with her husband, usually seeing a movie or exploring downtown Salt Lake City.
She loves working at UIRC educating others about options for treatment, adoption, and other routes to parenthood as well as advocating at the state and federal levels for legislation that helps ease the burden of infertility. She believes that infertility is and has been the most isolating incident of her life and that no one else deserves to feel alone in this.
Brooke Walrath, BA
Board Member, UIRC Cofounder
Melanie Jordan, MBA
Board Member
Melanie Jordan received a Bachelor’s of Science from Brigham Young University and an MBA with a focus in Marketing and Finance from the University of Iowa. While at UIowa, Melanie was the president of the local chapter for National Association of Women MBAs and received the Tippie MBA Excellence in Leadership Award. Additionally, she did resume and career mentoring for undergraduate women business students.
During her MBA, Melanie completed a summer internship with American Express and was offered a full time position when she completed her degree. After graduation, Melanie and her husband, Tom, moved to New York City. While they enjoyed living life in NYC, they missed the suburbs and their families. Eventually, Melanie and her husband decided to return home to Utah. Melanie currently works in Technology & Operations at Zions Bancorporation.
Melanie and her husband faced infertility for several years before pursuing IVF in 2015. They are now the parents of beautiful twin daughters. Finding the local support group and online community was a huge help to Melanie at a tough time, especially after feeling alone on the journey for many years.
Melanie is excited to be a part of UIRC and ensure that others are able to find the help and support that they need as they face the challenge of infertility. Melanie brings to her role of Board Chair a shrewd eye for business, a passion for helping others, and strong leadership skills. She has proved her skills to be an invaluable asset to the creation of a brand new non-profit organization.
In her free time, Melanie loves to spend time with her husband and daughters, read, cook and shop.
