Leadership
Eve C. Feinberg, MD, President
Dr. Eve Feinberg is one of the original founders of the Kevin J. Lederer Life Foundation, which was renamed the Chicago Coalition for Family Building in 2020. She is a Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility Specialist and Medical Director at Northwestern Fertility and Reproductive Medicine. Dr. Feinberg did her residency in Obstetrics and Gynecology at Northwestern University and her fellowship at the National Institutes of Health. Dr. Feinberg is active on a national level within the field of infertility and is the past President of the Society for Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility, a current Director-At-Large for the American Society for Reproductive Medicine and is a member of the Editorial Board for the journal Fertility & Sterility. Dr. Feinberg is a fierce advocate for increasing access to infertility care. She is married and is the proud mom of 3 kids conceived with lots of love and fertility treatments.
Jennifer Hirshfeld-Cytron, MD, MSCI, Vice President
Dr. Jennifer Hirshfeld-Cytron is board certified in both Obstetrics and Gynecology and Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility and has been practicing medicine since 2004. Currently with the Fertility Centers of Illinois, she completed her OB/GYN residency at University of Chicago, and REI fellowship at Northwestern University. Dr. Hirshfeld-Cytron is well published on fertility preservation and the cost analysis of fertility therapies, and has a special interest in fertility preservation, social egg freezing and increasing access to infertility care. A devoted founder of the Chicago Coalition for Family Building, she is married, and is the proud mom of two daughters.
Jonathan R. Lederer, JD, Secretary
Jonathan R. Lederer is a board member of the KJL Life Foundation to honor the memory and help continue the work of his late brother, Dr. Kevin J. Lederer. Over the years, he witnessed first-hand the joy that his brother brought to couples unable to have children on their own. Visiting his brother’s office at Fertility Centers of Illinois, he marveled at framed pictures of the many children Dr. Lederer helped bring into the world. As a parent, he knows how fulfilling children have made his life. His children are a testament to the great work Dr. Lederer did and that his colleagues continue to do. As the KJL Life Foundation grows, it can reach beyond the Chicago metro area and give more people the opportunity to overcome infertility issues. Jonathan R. Lederer is a real estate attorney who resides in Tenafly, New Jersey with his wife, Angelique, and their three (3) children, Camille, Thomas and Julie.
Jill Smiley, MPH, Director
Jill Smiley received a BS in Community Health from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and went on to receive a Masters in Public Health from Northern Illinois University. She spent 10 years working in health education and research, most recently as a research coordinator at the Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago Center for Rehabilitation Outcomes Research. She became involved with the Kevin J. Lederer Life Foundation after hearing about it from her own Reproductive Endocrinologist. After being blessed with three beautiful children, Jill wanted to give back and help other couples struggling with infertility. Most recently, Jill left her career in research to pursue her dream of becoming a nurse, and she is excited to be a part of an organization that is helping people gain access to the infertility treatments they deserve.
Nidhi Desai, JD, Director
Nidhi Desai currently serves as the Deputy Director of the American Academy of Assisted Reproductive Technology Law Attorneys and has served as a member of the Board of Directors for the American Academy of Adoption Attorneys. She has been instrumental in drafting and passing legislation to protect the rights of families born of assisted reproductive technology in Illinois, first in 2005 with the passage of the Illinois Gestational Surrogacy Act and most recently in 2015 with updates to the Illinois Parentage Act to protect children and families born of gamete donation. She works with individuals and couples from around the globe to help them realize their dreams of creating a legally secure family.
Ari Cohen, Director
Originally from California, Ari obtained his B.A. in International Relations in Tel Aviv, Israel, before getting his M.S. in Microbiology at Georgetown University in Washington, D.C. He worked on pandemic response, disaster preparedness, and public-private coordination for the Departments of Defense and Health & Human Services. He moved to Chicago in 2016 where he has worked as Director of Business Development for the Israeli Consulate, VP of Strategic Partnerships at NOCD, head of Strategy & Partnerships at Kaleidoscope Health Ventures, and as co-founder to a women's health company that sought to expand access to reproductive health care to low-income and rural women. Currently he's leading some of the drug development efforts for Loyal, a biotechnology startup seeking to help dogs live longer and healthier lives. He is also a certified personal trainer, scuba diver, and avid painter. He and his husband recently welcomed a set of twins, who were made possible in part thanks to the generosity of the Coalition.
Cammie Trainer, Director
Cammie Trainer has over 18 years of experience in the Commercial Real Estate industry, focused on Corporate Retail Development. She joined Chipotle Mexican Grill representing the company across the Midwest and Canada. She then joined Starbucks Coffee Company leading retail expansion across Chicagoland. Throughout her career, she has mentored Women in the Commercial Real Estate business and is currently volunteering within the Starbucks Women’s IMPACT Network and Hora Del Café Network. As a former Scholarship Athlete, she is actively
involved in The Ohio State University Varsity O Alumni Society. She became involved with Chicago Coalition for Family Building after learning about the foundation from her Reproductive Endocrinologist and supporting several friends through their fertility journeys.
Meredith Frese, Director
Meredith currently is a Senior Managing Director at CBRE where she is responsible for Client Development. Her professional background is well-rounded in the many aspects of helping companies turn their real estate into a competitive advantage for their organization. She is a fierce advocate for professional women in her organization, helping launch part of her company’s Women’s Network in Chicago. She is also a proud Wisconsin Badger and is a member of the University of Wisconsin School of Business Alumni Board. After learning about the Coalition through Northwestern Fertility and Reproductive Medicine which helped her and her husband welcome two little boys, Meredith is thrilled to join the board and help others achieve their dream of family.
