Session 162: Smart choices, open doors
Donate
At the International IVF Initiative, we are committed to providing free access to our educational sessions, webinars, and resources for professionals and individuals passionate about advancing reproductive medicine. We believe that cost should never be a barrier to knowledge and collaboration. By contributing, you’re ensuring that valuable educational resources, expert insights, and collaborative opportunities remain open to all without financial barriers. Together, we can continue to foster a global community dedicated to innovation and excellence in the field of IVF.
Your Donation
Thank you!
Session 161: Smart choices, open doors
Tuesday, 14th October, 3pm EST/8pm UK
Moderators:
Debbie Venier and Shakil Kanji With Dr Diego Ezcurra
Presenters:
Matt Pettit – "The DNA of Data: Why Barcodes Matter More Than Ever"
Lecture kindly sponsored by IMT Matcher
Javier Herrero Zapata – "The 5 Pillars of Clinic Management"
Lecture kindly sponsored by Fertility Consultancy
Dr Alexander Kotlyar – "Levelling Up with Technology: A Clinic’s Case Study into New Tech"
Lecture kindly sponsored by FertilAI
Q and A
Synopsis
This international IVF Initiative webinar brought together leading voices in reproductive medicine to examine how smart clinic management, the strategic use of technology, and a strong focus on quality and traceability can drive meaningful improvements in everyday practice. With participants joining from around the world, the session provided a collaborative platform to share practical strategies that help clinics adapt, innovate, and thrive in an increasingly data-driven and quality-focused environment.
Expertly moderated by Debbie Venier and Shakil Kanji, alongside Dr. Diego Ezcurra, the session featured three insightful presentations. Matt Pettit explored the critical role of data integrity and barcoding in his talk “The DNA of Data: Why Barcodes Matter More Than Ever,” emphasizing how accurate tracking systems underpin both safety and efficiency. Javier Herrero Zapata presented “The 5 Pillars of Clinic Management,” outlining a comprehensive framework for building resilient, well-structured, and high-performing clinics. In particular introducing a new way to appraise IVF clincs and bench mark them with a report relying on international guidlines, standards and good practice. Dr. Alexander Kotlyar shared a compelling case study in “Levelling Up with Technology: A Clinic’s Case Study into New Tech,” demonstrating how thoughtful adoption of digital tools can transform workflow and outcomes.
The session concluded with a lively Q&A, where attendees engaged directly with the speakers to discuss real-world applications, challenges, and future directions. Overall, the webinar highlighted the power of collaboration, innovation, and data-driven decision-making in shaping the next generation of IVF clinic excellence.
Debbie Venier
Debbie Venier holds a BS in Animal Science and a Master’s in Reproductive Physiology from UC Davis. With over 30 years in embryology, she began her career at Nashville Fertility Center before founding the undergraduate embryology program at Cal Poly.
Debbie co-founded WEST (World Embryology Skills and Training Center), an international hub dedicated to developing, and advancing embryologists through intensive hands-on training programs and career support. Through WEST, she continues to shape the future of embryology and elevate global standards in the field, training 100s of young embryologist each year.
Shakil Kanji
Shakil Kanji is an ex-Google software engineer and the founder & CEO of Fertility Billing Solution, a Canadian technology company focused on modernising cryostorage billing, consent workflows, and patient communications for fertility clinics. After his time at Google, Shakil entered the fertility sector by partnering with his sister, Dr Salina Kanji, a reproductive endocrinologist, to tackle operational challenges that impact both clinics and patients
Dr. Diego Ezcurra
Dr Diego Ezcurra, Head of Global Customer Engagements at Merck KGaA/EMD Serono’s Global Fertility Franchise, brings over 45 years of experience in reproductive technologies across human and veterinary fields. A former entrepreneur who founded and managed five ART laboratories in South America, he has since led global initiatives in the human fertility and biopharmaceutical industries. Holding a Doctorate in Veterinary Medicine and a Master’s in Human Embryology and Andrology, Diego has authored more than 70 publications and is a respected speaker and leader in the global fertility community.
Matt Pettit
Matt has over three decades of experience in Assisted Reproductive Technology, including roles in lab management, R&D, and quality control in the world’s largest bovine and equine breeding facilities.
He also supports a recent strategic partnership between Matcher Technologies and Reprotech, focused on delivering a seamless digital chain of custody for IVF centres, from on-site witnessing to off-site cryo storage.
Matt serves as Trustee and scientific advisor to Nature’s Safe, a conservation initiative preserving live cells from endangered animal species in collaboration with global zoos
Javier Herrero Zapata
Javier Herrero is a highly respected professional in the field of assisted reproduction, who brings over 15 years of expertise as an IVF/Embryology Consultant and Advisor. With a background in Neurobiology, dual Master’s degrees in Biotechnology of Human Assisted Reproduction and Emotional Intelligence, Leadership & Coaching, Javier brings a rare combination of scientific expertise and emotional awareness to the complex world of fertility treatment. His deep clinical insight, leadership experience, and international perspective add tremendous value to the mission of advancing fertility care. He brings extensive experience in clinical and quality management at leading fertility clinics, with expertise in international expansion and IVF lab development. He has contributed to prestigious journals including Fertility and Sterility and Human Reproduction, while specializing in strategy development for donation programs. Passionate about team development and mentoring, Javier is committed to delivering ethical, patient-focused fertility care.
Dr Alexander Kotlyar
Alexander M. Kotlyar, M.D. is a fellowship-trained reproductive endocrinologist and infertility specialist. He is board-certified in obstetrics and gynecology and board-certified in reproductive endocrinology and infertility. Dr. Kotlyar completed his undergraduate degree at New York University and then medical school at Dartmouth. Dr. Kotlyar then completed his residency at the world-renowned Cleveland Clinic. Following residency, Dr.
Kotlyar completed his fellowship at the Yale University School of Medicine. His research at Yale won awards from the American Society for Reproductive Medicine (ASRM).
Dr. Kotlyar has published numerous research articles, review papers, and book chapters on topics as varied as pubertal development, endometriosis and robotic gynecologic surgery. He is also a recipient of the SRI-Bayer Discovery/Innovation grant for this work on the treatment of endometriosis. His clinical interests
include cndometriosis, reproductive surgery, recurrent pregnancy loss, and recurrent implantation failure. He is fluent in Russian and conversational in German.
