State Strong:
Advancing pro-Family Building Across the United States
who we are.
State Strong is a national coalition of state-level family building advocates, grassroots organizations, non-profits, and individuals working together to protect and expand access to fertility care and family building rights.
our values.
✅ Collaboration – We share knowledge, resources, and strategies to strengthen state-level advocacy.
✅ Access & Freedom – Everyone deserves the freedom to decide if, when, and how to grow their family.
✅ Resilience – This work is personal, challenging, and ever-evolving. We support each other to stay strong.
why we exist.
Most fertility and pro-family building policy happens at the state level, and this will only become more critical in the years ahead. By aligning advocacy efforts, we ensure that policies reflect real family needs—not political agendas. Together, we push for pro-family policies, fight harmful legislation, and stand up for the fundamental right to build a family.
STEERING COMmITEE
Ginanne Brownell is an award-winning author and journalist. Her work has been published in outlets including the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Financial Times and Foreign Policy. Her second book, Elusive Mommyhood: an investigative reporter's personal journey into IVF and surrogacy, is both a memoir and journalistic deep dive examining assisted reproduction and surrogacy in a broad international context. She is the communications and research director of the Michigan Fertility Alliance. She has two children born through surrogacy.
ginanne brownell
Kate Weldon LeBlanc is the Executive Director of AllPaths Family Building (formerly named Resolve New England), an independent non-profit organization dedicated to building a caring community in New England to support, inform, and advocate for all those struggling to grow their families. Kate has worked in policy roles throughout her career. A proud Massachusetts native, she holds a Bachelor of Social Work from Skidmore College and a Master of Public Administration from the UMass Boston. Kate and her husband Joe are the grateful parents of Sophie, thanks to IVF.
kate Weldon leblanc
miraya gran
Miraya Gran is a fierce and determined family building advocate with a foundation in political science. In 2021, after facing the challenge of becoming a parent without insurance coverage for fertility treatments, she didn’t wait for change—she demanded it, boldly calling her state legislators to ensure access to infertility insurance coverage for all Minnesotans.
As an IVF Mom and a Director for the Minnesota Building Families Coalition, Miraya leads with purpose and is relentless in her pursuit of advancing family building opportunities. As a member of the State Strong Steering Committee, she continues to be a catalyst for progress, driving systemic change in the pursuit of effective family building policies for all Americans.
stephanie jones
Stephanie Jones is a business leader and pro-family advocate dedicated to expanding access to assisted reproduction. She leveraged her expertise in business and coalition-building to found the Michigan Fertility Alliance, leading the charge to modernize Michigan’s surrogacy and parentage laws.
In 2024, Stephanie received the RESOLVE Hope Award for Advocacy for her transformative work. She also shared her personal story of reproductive health and abortion to support the successful election of Senator Slotkin to the U.S. Senate.