We are a small, tight-knit team, dedicated above all, to the successful delivery of your precious cargo. We are experienced in the handling of dangerous goods, and our procedures are compliant with IATA regulations. Depending on destination and timing of your shipment, one of us will be with your consignment from start to finish, ensuring safety and efficiency.
We work together, liaising with embryologists and patient coordinators at both origin and destination clinics. We ensure that relevant regulatory bodies are consulted, to ensure proper procedures are followed. We are also mindful of cultural sensitivities, and take all of this into consideration as we plan each journey.
Bringing extensive experience (over 50 years combined) in International Logistics and Transportation at both Ground and Corporate level, Simon and Annare decided to join forces and diversify into an area that interested them both, cryogenic shipping. More specifically, cryogenic shipping and the safe storage of embryos and gametes.
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Annare Heneghan-Bernet
Director Customer Service & Operations
With over 20 years of experience in Customs Brokerage, Freight Fowarding and Import Supervision, Annare is a founding partner with a love for problem solving, investigation and customer service. Annare formally ensures the smooth, successful operations of the business, including coordination with both origin and destination clinics, as well as assistance with the preparation of documents for airport security and customs. Dedicated and resourceful, she navigates the complex legislation and safety compliance issues, as well as bearing in mind the many ethical and religious constraints in order to safely hand-deliver your special consignment. Annare also provides helpful advice and emotional support during sometimes complicated and lengthy processes. Irish in origin, now living in France, Annare also lived in America. She is a former US Customs agent, as well as a US Marine, and a generous volunteer within her local french and Anglophone community.
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Simon Hedley
Managing Director
Simon manages the business, operations and logistics side of the team. He brings with him a wide range of business management experience in regional as well as international airport operations. His career background in freight-forwarding, air cargo, logistics and assistance, coupled with his experience and expertise in both trade body negotiation and the organization and transportation of dangerous goods cargo led to the creation of IVF Couriers with Annare in 2012. Whilst fertility samples are by no means ‘dangerous’ goods, the detailed processes and safe guards involved are of paramount importance in transit.
British in origin, with a childhood spent in Kenya, Simon is bi-lingual English and French and resides in France where his family is being raised in a multi-cultural community. Creative, pragmatic, generous and resourceful, his significant experience in cross-cultural relations and diplomacy ensures that IVF Couriers keeps it’s thinking cap on with new ideas and innovations to improve service and delivery.
Along with Annare, Kate and the entire courier team, Simon personally organizes and hand carries shipments over, under and around the world to ensure that promises are kept.
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Kate Meehan
Customer Liaison North America
Kate’s background as a Nursing Facilitator and her experience in innovative nursing care is invaluable as we continue to seek to better understand how we can assist both clinics and labs as well as those undergoing fertility treatments. During her time as Office Manager for a large OB/Gyn Practice, her responsibilities for staffing and patient scheduling meant that she was solving patient issues on daily basis. As the physicians in the practice were regularly the first port of call for many patients with fertility issues, Kate understands the diagnostics, logistics as well as the emotions surrounding these complicated times.
Raised and educated in Ireland, Kate moved to Chicago, where she started working at a large Ambulatory Surgery, and hasn’t left the medical field since. Kate’s clinical experience has involved Critical Care, the Emergency room, Surgery and most recently as medical assistant to a trauma surgeon. Hopefully we won’t face any such urgent situations, but it’s good to know that Kate is as cool under pressure as your precious cargo!