Dr. Atlas is the chairman of the Obstetrical and Gynecologic Department at Mercy Medical Center, and an assistant professor of OBGYN and Reproductive Sciences at University of Maryland Medical Center. Dr Atlas has been practicing Maternal Fetal Medicine for almost 30 years with a very special interest in the diagnosis and management of not only recurrent pregnancy loss but also mid trimester losses.  His team has developed a Pregnancy Loss Center at Mercy which includes emotional support and surgical approaches those women. They have been incredibly successful in achieving the goal to allow women to have a beautiful child that they can love, care for and raise. 

“What I am hoping to bring to this group is an ability to get members who reach out the help they need.  What I am hoping to learn from you, is how to better treat and help women who have untoward pregnancy outcomes.  I truly believe that this can be a synergistic bond between your group and the medicine aspect.  Certainly I know there needs to be greater empathy and understanding from the medical profession, especially for women who have had losses.  There is a tremendous need to improve the communication skills of physicians of which I am hoping by being a part of this advisory group, we can help in training new physicians down the road how best to handle, manage and treat women with these special needs. I look forward to being a member of this advisory group for many years to come.” -Dr Atlas

Stacey Wilson is a mental health specialist that has been in the field for over 30 years. It is a passion of hers to help people work through their struggles and obtain the quality of life they deserve. Stacey holds degrees in psychology and sociology and is a critical incident responder for individuals and groups with certifications including: MHFA, CHE/BH Certified Preceptor, bachelor of science in psychology, bachelor of arts in sociology, bachelor of science in exercise therapy, International critical incident stress foundation certified, Mental health first aid certified, Dialectal behavior therapy techniques, Nutrition in special dietary needs certification, ACSM exercise therapy for progressive and developmental disabilities certified, and NHCA. She works with adolescents, adults and couples, and is LGBTQ embracing .

Amber McConnell is a Labor and Delivery Nurse at Carroll Hospital and co-founder of the hospitals Bereavement Group. Amber has been a nurse for almost 13 years. She spent the first 3 years as an ER nurse and the other 9+ years as a nurse in Labor & Delivery. As an ER nurse she saw many early losses and always struggled with the fact that she just didn’t have the time to give women what she knew they deserved. She tried her best to always hold space for them to the best of her ability but always felt regret that more couldn’t be done. As a nurse in L&D she knew that loss would be part of the job but didn’t anticipate how passionate she would become about caring for families experiencing loss and what a humble privilege it was to care for families going through the unimaginable journey of delivering their babies still. In January 2015 she had the heartbreaking privilege to care for her co-worker and dear friend Rachael as she delivered her 19 week twin girls. Taking care of her and her family forever changed her as a nurse and as a person. Walking alongside her in her grief journey only emphasized to her the importance of taking care of hearts, minds and bodies during hospital stays but also the need for care outside of the hospital. Through the shared experience of bereaved and caretaker, we began to envision how they could improve the hospital’s bereavement program and care during stays and also reach the community of early pregnancy loss as well. In October 2018, after attending a perinatal loss conference, the two came home with the tools needed to make their vision a reality. In the 3+ since then they have worked hard to provide the best care for families experiencing loss in the hospital and have run a support group since January 2020 for families dealing with loss of pregnancy at any stage through first year of life.

“Although I myself am not bereaved and fully understand the sacred space I’ve been allowed into as a nurse and caregiver. I am excited at the prospect of further connecting care in the clinical setting with community and post loss care. “-Amber

Sharon P. Fisher is a psychiatric nurse practitioner and founder of Nurtured Well, LLC, a boutique mental health practice dedicated exclusively to women. It was born from her own experiences with infertility, post -partum, and motherhood. Its mission is supporting women through all stages of their adult life. She has been a nurse for over 20 years, working in mental health since 2007. Sharon is certified as a Perinatal Mental Health Professional by Postpartum Support International. Additionally, she was a peer support group leader for RESOLVE: The National Infertility Association. Sharon co-authored Beyond The Egg Timer: A Companion Guide For Having Babies In Your Mid-Thirties and Older to help other “AMA” moms navigate the stigma and misinformation around having a child later in life. Sharon is thrilled to be a part of this organization.

“Every woman has the right to have her story told, space held for her grief, and community for her journey. “