Board of Directors
Katie Mcmeen - Chair
ktmc.briefencounters@gmail.com
Katie first attended Brief Encounters meetings in 2015 after her daughter Brynn was born still at 38 weeks. She has been volunteering with the board since 2022.
When not doing work for the board, Katie is often knitting, watching movies, or walking her doggie, Snowflake.
sandy faber - Co-Chair / facilitator
Sandy Faber is a mother to three children, two living. Since the death of her daughter Aisley Cecilia Faber, she has found Brief Encounters to be a valuable resource of hope and support. She began serving on the board as the treasurer in 2017. Sandy is a lawyer and sole owner and operator of Faber Family Law, LLC, a law firm that serves families going through divorce or separation.
Megan Wright - DATABASE MANAGER / facilitator
database@briefencounters.org
Following on early miscarriage and two second-term losses in 2004, Megan attended her first Brief Encounters meeting. It was here where she found a haven to grieve her babies and process the losses. A year later - in the interest of giving back, she began managing the database and helping to facilitate meetings. She lives in Portland with her husband, two dogs and one cat. They have two grown daughters.
Sara Andersen - Communications Chair
Sara first attended a Brief Encounters support group following a second trimester loss in 2019. The following year her daughter Lena was born at 26 weeks and died after an 8-week stay in the NICU. Brief Encounters support groups have allowed her a place to grieve without judgement.
Sara is also the mother of two living children and a menagerie of pets; 2 dogs, 2 cats, a box turtle and backyard chickens.
Julie decourcey-bell - treasurer
Julie is the mom of Zoey Lavigne Bell, stillborn at 39 weeks in the spring of 2023. Julie first sought out Brief Encounters on behalf of her husband, Mickey, after realizing there is little space in this world for men to openly grieve. She has since found the group to be integral to her own journey with grief. She joined the Board as Treasurer in 2023 to share her professional experience as a CPA and as a tribute to Zoey, so loved and forever in our hearts.
Courtney Clark - website manager/Member At Large
info@briefencounters.com
Courtney’s son Hendrik was stillborn at 39 weeks in April of 2022 and then experienced another loss when her next pregnancy ended in a surgical abortion at 8 weeks in 2023. She soon became a regular attendee at the infant loss support group. She wants this organization to always be available to those who need support and love after experiencing the loss of a child. Courtney and her husband Jeff work to keep Hendrik’s memory alive and are proud fur parents to a rambunctious kitten named Dip and the sweetest dog named Phoebe.
Laura klyzek - newsletter editor
newsletter@briefencounters.org
Laura’s daughter, Claire, lived for a tumultuous month in the NICU during the spring of 2012. After making the decision to remove her from life support, Laura knew she needed to find others who would understand the magnitude of her loss. Brief Encounters allowed her to grieve in a safe place on her own timeline. She is mother to two living daughters and one crazy corgi.
Adam Draper - facilitator, Grieving Partners
Hello, my name is Adam Draper. In July of 2019, our son Ira was born three weeks prematurely and needed an emergency cesarean delivery. After his birth, he was held at Randalls children's hospital where he lived the short three weeks of his life. Ira did not have the ability to swallow due to his very rare genetic disorder. Several tests were done and after a few weeks we were informed that his genetic disorder would affect every aspect of his life. We made the very difficult decision to bring him home for hospice so he would not pass in the hospital. 24 hours later, he died quietly in mama's arms.
Both my wife and I were attending infant loss support groups shortly thereafter. After a few of these meetings and recounting our story to the group, I felt a noticeable disconnect between me and my partner. It was at this moment that I saw the need for a partner group. As facilitator, my desire is to create a safe environment and hold space for discussing our experiences that some may find difficult or afraid to speak about with people who have not been witness to our story. As the partner, our return to work and social life is treated very differently. I would argue that it is often overlooked or, even worse, ignored altogether. I am here for anyone who just needs someone to listen.
Hanna Neuschwander- facilitator, Ending a wanted pregnancy
Hanna has facilitated the EAWP group since 2020; she began attending the group in 2016 when her daughter River was diagnosed at 21 weeks with severe brain anomalies. Hanna and her husband John made the impossible choice to end River's life (Hanna published an essay about the experience in Longreads, available here). Hanna and John attended their first Brief Encounters meeting while still pregnant with River, knowing that she would soon be gone. She was born and died via induced labor and delivery in September 2016. They found great comfort and support through the loneliest parts of their grief in being able to talk with other families who had been through the same nightmare. Ending a wanted pregnancy for medical reasons is a particularly difficult and lonely decision; Hanna is honored to meet monthly with families who are walking through the complex grief that this experience creates.
pam morison - facilitator, Ending a wanted pregnancy
Pam began facilitating the EAWP group in 2022; she began attending the group in 2020, shortly after termination of her daughter Johanna at 20 weeks, due to multiple cerebral hemorrhages. Pam and her husband, Andrew, made the most compassionate decision possible to end Johanna's life during the early weeks of the Covid pandemic. Johanna was born, deceased on April 2, 2020 via induced labor and delivery. They began attending Brief Encounters meeting just a few weeks after Johanna's death. The group has provided them great comfort and support as they have grieved, especially with the increased loneliness of the pandemic and challenges of the post Dobbs world for termination families. Ending a wanted pregnancy for medical reasons is a particularly difficult and lonely decision; Pam is honored to meet monthly with families who are walking through the complex grief that this experience creates