welcome to the parent collective, we’re happy to have you here.
The Parent Collective is a vibrant community offering comprehensive classes and resources for new and expecting parents in select American cities and online worldwide. Our series, led by experienced nurses and midwives, covers all essential aspects of prenatal and postpartum education—from labor relaxation techniques to new baby care and beyond. In addition to free resources for members, we provide Zoom classes for those unable to attend our in-person sessions. Thoughtfully designed to support mothers and fathers through the many transitions of parenthood, our classes and coaching sessions offer guidance on everything from delivery preparation to new baby care.
this is why we do
what we do.
The Parent Collective was founded by Jessica Hill, inspired by her personal experience during pregnancy. While expecting her first child in the UK, Jessica, an American woman, felt anxious about being far from her family support system. Her friends recommended a prenatal class series called The NCT, which was organized by neighborhood and due date. This structure allowed couples to form support networks before their babies were born, proving invaluable to Jessica during her pregnancy.
creating supportive communities is our goal.
Realizing how crucial it was to build a community before the baby’s arrival, Jessica recognized a gap in support for parents, especially after the baby is born. The Parent Collective strives to fill this gap by bringing together expectant parents with similar due dates in the same city, fostering a support system when it matters most. By connecting parents-to-be before their babies arrive, The Parent Collective ensures that new parents have a ready-made community to lean on, share experiences with, and navigate the challenges of parenthood together. This focus on early connection and ongoing support is at the heart of The Parent Collective’s mission to make the journey into parenthood less isolating and more empowering.
meet our founder
The Parent Collective was founded by Jessica Hill as a result of her personal experience during pregnancy. Jessica was pregnant with her first child in the UK, and as an American woman, she began to feel anxious that she was going to have her baby so far away from family support. Her friends suggested that she register for a prenatal class series called The NCT, which was organized by neighborhood and due date — allowing all couples to form support networks prior to their babies being born. This series of classes proved invaluable to her and her husband during pregnancy and new parenthood.
Now, Jessica hopes to create a similar community for expectant parents with The Parent Collective.
meet our
advisory board
Our advisors are voices we trust in obstetrics, maternal mental health and family supports to help guide us as we grow
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Dr Shieva Ghofrany strives to help people eliminate their fear by being “proactive not paranoid” about their health. An OBGYN since 1999 and co-creator of TRIBE CALLED V, her intention is to “increase our knowledge to decrease our anxiety”.
Having travailed 6 miscarriages, 3 births, endometriosis, weight loss surgery AND ovarian cancer, she’s harnessed her personal experience coupled with her professional observations to GENUINELY help achieve a calmer perspective. She loves engaging with women on every level to guide them realistically in their quest for understanding of their bodies and minds.
What started as an endeavor to connect with other women on Instagram (now with over 65K followers) led to multiple consulting and speaking engagements live and virtually. As well she is frequently quoted in online publications such as Self, Huffington Post, and Parents where she discusses an array of women’s issues. Perhaps most prevalent is the request for her to address the mindset of fear surrounding health issues in general and cancer in particular, given her own experience with ovarian cancer and the surgeries and chemotherapy they required. She has been listed on Top Doctors with Castle Connolly for years and she has also been featured on Verywell.com, WebMD, and in the PBS series now on Netflix “HUMAN: the World Within” which have satisfied her long term pipe-dream of becoming a talk show host;)
While still delivering babies and taking care of pregnant people with her group practice in Connecticut, she also has her own private midlife telehealth practice where she serves to help guide and “strategize” women through this stretch of their life.
Through her work as a doctor in private practice as well as through her courses in integrative health—she’s used her education, clinical experience AND personal journey to highlight the mindset she believes we all NEED to tackle our views of our bodies. She often notes how lucky she feels to have had hands-on experience with women of ALL backgrounds to inform her of the female condition.
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Shirley Griffith earned her Bachelor of Science in Nursing from The College of New Rochelle in New Rochelle, NY. She worked at Yale New Haven Hospital for 10 years, initially as a Maternity staff nurse and for nine years as a Labor and Delivery Nurse and Assistant Nurse Manager. Subsequently, Shirley attended graduate school at Vanderbilt University in Nashville, TN and graduated with her Master’s Degree in Critical Care Obstetrics. Additionally, she pursued a Post-Master’s training at Vanderbilt University to become a Women’s Health Nurse Practitioner. Shirley has worked as a Women’s Health Nurse Practitioner at Maternal Fetal Care, PC since 1996. Amongst her many responsibilities are managing the pre-conceptual consultations; conducting the initial prenatal visit; and providing nutritional counseling during pregnancy. She is the mom of two teenage daughters and a Shi-chon named Luna. Her favorite free-time activity is baking.
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Erin O’Connor is a Professor in Teaching and Learning at New York University’s Steinhardt School of Culture, Education, and Human Development, and Program Leader for Early Childhood. She is also Chief of Education at Cooper and co-founder of Nested where her research explores the roles of social interactions in development with the aim of designing systems that better support children and families. She is also a member of the Board of All Parents Welcome.
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Jessie Paquette is a content creator, entrepreneur, and founder of Dream Baby Names, a consultancy dedicated to helping new parents find the perfect names for their little ones. Jessie holds a Bachelor’s degree in Public Relations with a concentration in Social Media, a foundation that has fueled her passion for storytelling, community building, and connection in the digital space.
What began as a baby name consulting account soon grew into a vibrant online community where Jessie connects with mothers navigating the early stages of parenthood. Through her platforms, she offers honest conversations about mental health, identity shifts, and the importance of finding your tribe in motherhood.
Jessie believes that motherhood should come with a manual—and that support systems should be easy to find. Her mission is to create spaces that make new moms feel seen, supported, and less alone in the uncharted territory of parenthood.
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Ali Caravella is an executive leadership, career, and business coach and the founder of Intersection Coaching. With a background in consulting, HR leadership, and recruiting strategy, Ali brings over a decade of corporate experience to her coaching practice, where she supports women, caregivers, and mission-driven leaders at key career and life intersections. She is a certified health and leadership coach, the co-creator of Eve Rodsky's Fair Play Method certification program, and a passionate advocate for working moms. As a mother of two and a longtime Stamford, CT resident, Ali is deeply committed to creating more supportive pathways for parents before, during, and after parental leave.
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Anna is honoured to join the board of the Parent Collective. A new parent herself, she experienced the tremendous benefit of participating in a Parent Collective cohort. Anna is passionate about women’s health and teaches pre and postnatal yoga and meditation. She also has a career as an actor, producer and writer, with a comedy TV series she co-stars in and co-created, airing in Canada, called Nesting, about building an unconventional family. Anna hopes to support the vital work that the Parent Collective performs. www.annahardwick.com
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Monica Banks is the founder of Gugu Guru and Mom Creators, two pioneering platforms that connect mom-focused brands with a community of influential and entrepreneurial moms. With over 25 years of experience in brand strategy, influencer marketing, and community building, Monica is passionate about helping moms thrive in the creator economy. She brings a unique blend of business acumen and heart to every project, empowering women to grow purpose-driven businesses without sacrificing themselves or their families.
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A Stamford, CT native and first-time mom to baby boy Marco, Jaclyn has been a professional fitness and dance instructor for over 16 years. She and her husband, Vincent, joined The Parent Collective as expectant parents in May 2025 and found the experience invaluable—gaining knowledge, confidence, and a strong community of friends who supported them through the newborn stage and beyond. Grateful for that support, Jaclyn is excited to give back as a member of the advisory board and help other new parents feel prepared and connected.
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Frederick Van Riper is a leadership coach and founder of Seat at the Table Coaching & Consulting, where he helps growth-oriented leaders, partners, and parents connect more deeply with themselves and each other through transformational self-exploration. After an 11-year career managing multimillion-dollar construction projects, Fred discovered that real leadership happens through connection, not control. He now guides executives, founders, and emerging leaders through the foundational inner work that creates lasting change in how they lead, connect, and create. As one of only four male Fair Play Facilitators certified worldwide, Fred brings a vital voice to supporting parents as they navigate the complexities of modern partnership and parenthood. He lives in Central NY with his wife and their two children.