Creating Families through Surrogacy for 19 Years

Founded in 1994, Northwest Surrogacy Center is the leading and most successful surrogacy center in the Pacific Northwest. In addition, our professional staff has over 35 years of experience in facilitating adoptions. We have been helping create families for over three decades.

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“I like the fact that Northwest Surrogacy Center is a small agency and could be really sensitive to our needs, and that we had Sandy's number and could call her any time. I would refer her to anybody, and I wouldn't think twice about it. I wouldn't even tell people to interview anybody else. I would just say, she's the one you want to go with.”

-Jacki

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Our Team

The NWSC team has spent nearly 20 years leading surrogates and intended parents through the complex and rewarding medical, legal, and emotional experience of surrogacy. We understand the profound impact our work has on both surrogates and intended parents.

We are a small and dedicated staff and we get to know each and every one of our clients, which means you will never be dealing with a stranger. We are proud of the experience, skill, and compassion we bring to our relationships with you.

SANDRA HODGSON, Director and Co-Founder

Sandra Hodgson, Esq. is Director and Cofounder of Northwest Surrogacy Center. She has helped form numerous families through surrogacy and egg donation, representing intended parents, surrogates, and egg donors for nearly 20 years.

Sandra is licensed to practice law in Oregon, Washington, and Montana. Her areas of practice include surrogacy, egg donation, and adoption. She has been an attorney since 1985 and in private practice since 1988, before which she was a law clerk at the Oregon Supreme Court and Oregon Court of Appeals.

Sandra is a member of the American Academy of Adoption Attorneys and the American Academy of Assisted Reproductive Technology Attorneys. She has authored book chapters and other materials on adoption and assisted reproduction, and has been a speaker at assisted reproduction and adoption seminars. In addition, she is a member of RESOLVE and the American Society of Reproductive Medicine.

Sandra feels extremely lucky to do the work she does, and is honored that her clients let her be involved in such a personal journey. When she's not at work she enjoys cooking, hiking, being outdoors, and spending time with her husband and grandchildren.

What Sandra will do for you: Sandra is the primary contact person for both surrogates and intended parents. She answers all of their questions, makes the match, conducts the introductory meetings, and provides support and information for both parties throughout the surrogacy. She also directs the overall surrogacy program, from the big picture to the small.

JOHN CHALLY, Co-Founder

John Chally, Esq. is Cofounder of Northwest Surrogacy Center. He has nearly 20 years of experience as a surrogacy attorney, with a focus on securing the legal relationship between intended parents and their children. He also has over 35 years of experience practicing in the areas of adoption and adoption litigation.

John is licensed in both Oregon and Washington. He has a Martindale-Hubbell rating of AV Preeminent, indicating the highest level of professional excellence and ethical standards. He is ranked as a Super Lawyer. John has published numerous articles and book chapters on adoption and frequently speaks at adoption seminars. He was a member of the State of Oregon Task Force on Adoption Services and drafted legislation regarding Oregon jurisdiction in adoption proceedings, which was enacted by the 2003 legislature.

John is a member of the American Academy of Adoption Attorneys and the American Academy of Assisted Reproductive Technology Attorneys. He was one of the early promoters of open adoption. In 1985 he cofounded Open Adoption & Family Services, Inc., which is one of the largest adoption agencies in the Pacific Northwest and the leading agency promoting open adoption. He served on its board of directors for eight years.

John feels that he is doing the work he was meant to do. Outside the office he enjoys spending time with his three children and two grandchildren. He also hikes, kayaks, and practices yoga.

What John will do for you: John works mostly behind the scenes on business management and creating a vision for the program. He answers client and staff questions and is known for delivering clear and honest information. He is particularly involved with our international clients.

TABITHA LUNDBERG KOH, Client Services Manager

Tabitha Lundberg Koh, Esq. first worked for NWSC from 2001 to 2004 as the office manager and bookkeeper. After graduating from the University of California Berkeley Law School in 2007, she served as a litigation associate at Orrick, Herrington, and Sutcliffe, before rejoining the NWSC team in 2009 as the Client Services Manager.

Tabitha is licensed to practice law in Oregon, Washington, and California. Her practice areas include adoption, surrogacy, and assisted reproductive technology, as well as estate planning and probate. She is a member of the American Academy of Adoption Attorneys , Oregon Women Lawyers (OWLS), and the Oregon Gay and Lesbian Law Association.

Tabitha loves working with people and supporting her clients, and she is passionate about helping create families. She and her wife live in Portland with their toddler daughter.

What Tabitha will do for you: Tabitha facilitates communication between surrogates and intended parents, oversees meetings between clients, prepares surrogacy contracts, and communicates with medical and other providers. She is also a great solver of problems.

MOLLY O’SHEA, Program Coordinator

Molly O’Shea has been at NWSC since 2005. She graduated from the University of Oregon with a degree in political science and environmental studies. Molly came to NWSC with several years of experience in finance and administration, mostly in law firms. Molly is inspired by the women she gets to work with every day who so generously give the gift of surrogacy. She also finds it deeply rewarding to watch people who have worked so hard to have children finally get to be parents.

When she's not at work, Molly likes to travel, hike, read, and cook. She lives in Portland with her husband and their two year old son.

What Molly will do for you: Molly meets in person with potential surrogates, coordinates with other surrogacy professionals, and guides surrogates and intended parents through the process from start to finish.

AMY VANIOTIS, Communications and Marketing Coordinator

Amy Vaniotis began working with NWSC as a freelance writer in 2011, and soon joined the team as a permanent employee. She graduated from Dartmouth College in 2005 and spent several years as the writer and editor for a national animal nonprofit in DC before transplanting to the Pacific Northwest. Amy loves hearing surrogate’s and intended parents’ stories and watching them find happy endings.

In her spare time Amy writes fiction and poetry for children and adults, and her work has appeared in several literary journals. She lives in Portland with her two cats.

What Amy will do for you: Amy handles the recruitment and initial screening of surrogates, and writes many of our print and web materials. She may also ask you to share photos or stories about your experience.

HEIDI MARTENS, Executive Assistant

Heidi Martens attended Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis for her graduate work in public history and is currently completing her thesis. She had several internships, including with the Indiana Medical History Museum, and also worked for the Indiana State Medical Association before moving to Portland and joining the NWSC team in late 2012. Heidi says that watching intended parents and surrogates connect over something as profound as the joy children bring to people’s lives makes her feel good about the world, and she feels lucky that her job is to participate in that.

When she’s not at work Heidi loves hiking and camping in national parks, going to museums, spending time with her family, and playing Dungeons & Dragons with her friends from school. She lives in Portland with her husband and their two year old daughter.

What Heidi will do for you: Heidi schedules and coordinates with potential and current intended parents, assists Sandra with daily operations, and collects information about our surrogates.

JULIE LONDON, Financial Coordinator

Julie London graduated from Lewis and Clark College in 2010 with a degree in international affairs. While she was in school she spent a semester in Senegal, where she worked on her French. She joined the NWSC team in 2012 as the receptionist before becoming the Financial Coordinator. Julie loves knowing that NWSC helps bring babies into happy and healthy homes. She’s excited to think about the amazing futures those children will go on to have.

Julie grew up in California and has been in Portland since 2006. When she’s not at work she enjoys painting, golfing, running, and hanging out with Harvey, her 7 year old dachshund.

What Julie will do for you: Julie manages the day to day administration of client trust accounts, monitoring balances and making sure that surrogates get paid.

GEORGIA CARY, Receptionist

Georgia Cary is the newest member of the NWSC team, which she joined in early 2013. She graduated from Lewis and Clark College in 2012 with a double major in religious studies and sociology/anthropology. Before joining NWSC she worked at an ice cream food cart, where she ate too much ice even though they did not serve her favorite flavor, peach. Georgia enjoys participating in the lives of so many loving families.

Georgia grew up in Connecticut and moved to Portland in 2008 for school. She enjoys going out to eat, baking muffins and pies, and playing softball with her roommates. Someday she may go to law school or open a bakery.

What Georgia will do for you: Georgia’s friendly voice and cheerful laugh will greet you when you call. She handles the phones, filing, and all other front desk duties.