The Team

At Northern Reproductive Therapies you have access to a multidisciplinary team of Reproductive Endocrinologists, physicians, nurses, embryologists, laboratory technicians and reproductive health counsellors who are specifically trained in the area of reproductive medicine and infertility. Please click on the links below to learn more about our team members.

Our Team

Heather Brooks

Heather has practiced as a Registered Nurse since graduating from Seneca College in 1981 and has worked in both agency and acute-care hospital settings. With a true entrepreneurial spirit, Heather began Outreach Health Services Inc. in 1993. The company provided Nursing foot care services to seniors and the Department of Veteran’s Affairs as well as CPR instruction to health care providers. After experiencing infertility and conceiving her son through the IVF process she was instrumental in developing the York Region Fertility Clinic with a group of four physicians. The clinic provided services to the Newmarket and surrounding area for 13 years. During this time, Heather also worked in private IVF settings with various clinics in Toronto. In 1999, Outreach Health Services Inc. became the Canadian Distributor for Xytex Corp., a donor semen bank in the United States. Heather now works with clients across Canada to provide them with access to third party reproductive services. Her philosophy as a nurse has always been to help clients with both the physical and emotional impact of infertility.

Dr. Rachel Forman

Dr. Rachel Forman is an Obstetrician-Gynecologist as well as a Reproductive Endocrinologist and infertility specialist in Toronto and Newmarket. She graduated from the University of Toronto residency program in Obstetrics and Gynecology. She then completed a fellowship in Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility at the University of Toronto. Prior to her beginning her medical training she completed a Master's degree in Pharmacology at the University of Toronto. Her current research interests include the role of mutations in mitochondrial DNA in reproductive biology and assisted reproductive technology. She is also engaged in studies examining the risk of congenital anomalies associated with the use of ovulation induction agents such as letrozole and clomiphene citrate, which are agents commonly used in patients undergoing treatment for infertility. Dr. Forman has over 25 peer reviewed publications and has presented her research at national and international scientific meetings.

Dr. Peter Hirsch

Peter is a well respected Obstetrician and Gynecologist who has worked in the Newmarket area since 1969 after receiving his appointment as a Fellow with the Royal College of Surgeons, Canada. He emigrated from Scotland in 1967 after graduating as a Medical Practitioner from the University of St. Andrews. Dr. Hirsch has filled many posts over the years, which include Chief of the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at York County Hospital, Newmarket from 1977-1983. He also worked as a Consultant for the Tridont Corp’s Women’s Health Clinic as well as being a member of their Medical Advisory Board. Dr. Hirsch is also a member in good standing with The Ontario Medical Association and Obstetrician and Gynecology Society of Toronto.

Margaret Russ

Margaret Russ is a registered clinical social worker specializing in infertility, reproductive loss, crisis intervention, individual counselling, couple counselling and adoption. She has undergraduate and graduate degrees in Social Work and conducted research on the impact of male factor infertility at the graduate level. Margaret is a member of the Canadian Fertility and Andrology Society (CFAS), Infertility Awareness Association of Canada (IAAC), American Society of Reproductive Medicine (ASRM), International Infertility Counselling Organization (IICO), the Southern Ontario Network of Infertility Counsellors (SONIC) and the Health Canada Advisory Committee on Reproductive and Genetic Technologies. She is also an Approved Adoption Practitioner, licensed by the Ministry of Children and Youth Services to conduct homestudies in Ontario.

Her goal is to provide support to those experiencing the emotional impact of infertility and other life challenges. Counselling for reproductive health issues including infertility can help individuals and couples process their emotions and improve decision making ability, cope with loss and grief and gain insight into the complex psychological issues of assisted reproductive technologies, including third party reproduction.

Allison Coote

Allison graduated in 1994 from the Laboratory Arts Institute in Toronto and has been working as an OSMT (Ontario Society of Medical Technologists) certified Laboratory Technician since 1995. She received the prestigious Canada Scholar for Excellence award in Science and Technology and was honoured by the then Prime Minister Brian Mulroney. Allison has worked in private laboratories throughout Ontario but has focused on Infertility since 1998 when she started working with Heather Brooks at The York Region Fertility Clinic in Newmarket. Her attention to detail and clinical expertise make Allison a valuable asset to Northern Reproductive Therapies.

Nasreen Taher Ali

Nasreen worked as a Family Medical Doctor in her homeland of Pakistan after graduating from Dow Medical College in 1983 with degrees of Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery (M.B.B.S.) She then went on to train in Reproductive Technologies at the Concept Fertility Center in Perth, Australia in 1998.

Nasreen worked as an Embryologist at the Australia Concept Medical Centre in Karachi, Pakistan from 1998-2003. Since emigrating from Pakistan in 2004, Nasreen has worked with the York Region Fertility Clinic in the capacity of Laboratory Technician. Nasreen brings valuable knowledge and cultural diversity to Northern Reproductive Therapies.