Shining Light Baby

Vicky Li, Co-Founder/Asian Program Director at Shining Light Baby, began guiding Intended Parents through the surrogacy process in 2013. Her passion in life is helping childless couples and individuals realize their dreams of becoming parents; she is honored to be a part of the stories created and fully enjoys seeing Intended Parents and Surrogates come together to create something beautiful. At Shining Light Baby, Vicky is most involved in meeting with potential Intended Parents and providing them expert insight and one-on-one attention as they learn about and consider surrogacy and family building options. Vicky maintains a close connection with Intended Parents throughout their entire journey, making sure all large and small details are handled in a timely fashion. Vicky is a source of dependable support and guidance from the moment contact is established until the baby is born and beyond. Vicky studied at Northern Illinois University, graduating with degrees in Accounting and Music. She was a piano teacher for many years and while she is temporarily retired, she still finds much pleasure in music. In her spare time, Vicky loves spending time with her husband and children, traveling, exploring new places, going out to eat and attending Broadway shows. Vicky grew up in Taipei, Taiwan but has lived in Chicago for 30 years.

Mariana’s passion for helping others in their family building journeys began with the birth of her sister’s twins in 2012. After witnessing her sister and brother-in- law’s life transformation, thanks to the miracle of Gestational Surrogacy, Mariana decided she wanted to dedicate her efforts and professional experience to this wonderful process, leaving behind a successful business to change careers. Mariana enjoys helping both domestic and International Intended Parents, guiding them through their entire journeys and assisting them to understand all that is entailed. With more than five years working in Third Party Reproduction, Mariana is sensitive to the special circumstances involved when Intended Parents live outside of the United States; she is here to make sure all goes smoothly and that the utmost support is provided each step of the way. In addition to Mariana’s business background, she has worked in human resources at Ford Motor Company and McDonalds Corporation and has used her expertise as a consultant for a business solutions firm. Through her experience in the field of Surrogacy, Mariana has built strong relationships with fertility doctors, clinics, and legal professionals, as well as Intended Parents in the United States, Spain, and several Latin American countries. Mariana has Business Administration and Human Resource degrees and is fluent in Spanish and English. Mariana had been married for 15 years and had two sons, she loves spending time with her family and traveling.

Helping families grow is Daria’s passion. She herself has completed four successful egg donations over the course of three years. Daria understands the strong desire to build a family; whether that be as a couple or as an individual and believes that everyone who wants to start a family should have the opportunity. As Shining Light Baby’s Surrogate Program Coordinator, Daria assists Surrogates through all of their initial pre-screening steps, helps find the perfect match with intended parent(s), and provides support to all parties throughout the entire journey. Daria graduated from Joliet Junior College with her Associate’s Degree in Hospitality Management as well as Clemson University with a Professional Certificate in Clinical Medical Assisting. She is a proud Army Wife and loves to travel with her husband around the United States, and hopeful one day, around the world.

Amber lives in Wisconsin with her loving and supportive husband and their 4 children. She is a 2-time surrogate who lives helping families grow. Amber’s favorite part of the journey is watching the Intended parents hold their baby for the first time. It is such a heartwarming experience. She went to school for accounting and loves doing taxes but helping families is a true passion of hers. In their spare time the family loves going up North and enjoying the outdoors.

Jodi lives in the suburbs of Illinois with her husband and four children. She has spent many years as an operating room nurse before turning to the surrogacy world. Her love for surrogacy evolved after having her first two children and witnessing multiple friends struggle with conceiving. She believes that everyone should have the opportunity to experience the profound joy and fulfillment that children bring to life. In her free time, she enjoys reading, hiking and spending quality time with her family. With her kids actively involved in competitive sports, her weekends are often spent on the football field cheering for her son and daughter or in the gymnastics gym supporting her daughter. As a two-time surrogate herself, she cannot wait to work with any new potential surrogates and guide them throughout the beginning stages of their journey.

“I became a nurse because of my deep passion for helping others in every way possible. Becoming a surrogate took that passion to a whole new level, allowing me to help make dreams of parenthood a reality. I’m incredibly grateful to play a role in something as beautiful and meaningful as creating families.” As a wife and mom of two, Stormy’s journey into surrogacy started with a deep desire to help others experience the joy of parenthood. After her first surrogacy journey, she knew it was something she wanted to continue—and she did, completing four incredible journeys (two domestic and two international). Her passion for surrogacy eventually led her to work in the field, where she’s taken on roles like Surrogate Intake Specialist and Journey Case Manager. Now, as an Intake Specialist at Shining Light Baby, Stormy loves connecting with potential surrogates and helping them navigate this life-changing experience with care and enthusiasm. Outside of work, Stormy’s big heart shines in everything she does. She’s even been a licensed foster parent, giving back to her community in meaningful ways. Originally from Orange, CA, she also holds a Psychiatric Nursing License, which she’s had since 2001. Stormy finds so much joy and fulfillment in being part of each surrogacy match, knowing she’s helping create families and making dreams come true—both in her career and her own life.