Our Founders & Vision

Meet the Founder and Executive Director of the Fertile Ground Foundation, and CEO of Sweet Pea Chic Baby Box Co., Shemaine Pickens. A native of Charlotte, North Carolina Shemaine has been an entrepreneur and corporate professional for the last 20 years. As a Wife and Mother, her passion to advocate for women and couples sprung from her and her husbands own personal experiences and journey with infertility and pregnancy loss. Her hope is to bring more visibility to the world of infertility and pregnancy loss and to be able put couples on the path to a successful pregnancy sooner. Her mission for Fertile Ground is to bring women and men from all walks of life together to share their fertility experiences in hopes of healing one another, and to provide fertility resources and support to those in this space so that they achieve successful pregnancies sooner! 

As an infertility survivor over the last 10 years, Shemaine has committed to advocating and breaking down the barriers around the infertility conversation through the Fertile Ground Podcast and through the Foundation so that preventative reproductive health and fertility support is championed and supported.

"What doesn't kill can only make you stronger." - Friedrich Nietzsche

Meet Co-Founder of the Fertile Ground Foundation, and CEO of Alliance Logistics, Herbert Pickens III. Herbert Pickens, a native of San Antonio, Texas, co-founded the Fertile Ground Foundation with Wife and Founder Shemaine Fox-Pickens. Herbert is a successful entrepreneur with over 20 years in the logistics industry as well as a Veteran of the United States Marine Corp. 

He works with the foundation to ensure that the fertility conversation reaches not just women, but men as well. He believes that men should work to be as educated and informed as women when it comes to their reproductive and overall health. He champions physical fitness and works with the foundation to cultivate partnerships and collaborations in the community that can assist in spreading the foundations mission and assisting as many families as possible. 

"The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy." 

- Martin Luther King, Jr. 

Courtney Dial-Thurman is one of the Directors for the Fertile Ground Foundation. She’s a native of Charlotte, North Carolina. Courtney is a wife and mother to seven beautiful and very active boys. She’s always had a passion for non-profit organizations. Prior to becoming one of the Directors for Fertile Ground, Courtney would make sure to dedicate time to a non-profit organization of choice by volunteering or offering monetary gifts to support their causes and their communities. 

She understands that giving back to the community is monumental for the growth of your environment and substantial for personal development.  Courtney is passionate when it comes to women being well educated and knowledgeable about their fertility and what resources are available. Fertility isn’t always an easy conversation to have when it’s difficult to conceive, especially if women aren't aware of the resources that are available to them. She hopes to change this narrative and push forward the fertility conversation and ensure women have the access and resources they need to address infertility head on!

 "And you begin again and sometimes you lose, sometimes you win, but you begin again. Even though your heart is breaking, in time the sun will shine and you will begin again.  -Barry Manilow

Milan Kelly joins the Fertile Ground Foundation also as Co-Director. A native of Hartford, Connecticut Milan relocated to the Charlotte area in 2021. Shortly after her arrival to Charlotte she made the acquaintance of Founder Shemaine and Co-Director Courtney through social circles, and they all continued on the path of friendship. As she learned more about Shemaine's goals and passion for advocating against infertility, she became passionate about getting involved with the vision and advocating for women's reproductive health. As she learned more about infertility and also had her own particular experience with it, she made the decision to join the Fertile Ground Foundation at the ask of Founder Shemaine to help support other women and to help women better understand infertility. 

Milan received her Bachelors and Masters Degree and is currently working as a Project Leader for a prominent data organization. Milan has worked as a corporate professional and project leader in the tech industry for over 10 years. She brings to the team her over 10 years of project management experience, corporate professionalism, technical support insight, and passion for supporting women, her community and charitable causes. 

A proud Charlotte native, Keyara Burton is passionate about the growth and vibrancy of her hometown. From its booming business landscape and diverse culture to its warm hospitality, she loves everything the Queen City has to offer. 

Keyara’s passion for the city’s future inspired her to pursue a career in real estate. She enjoys playing a role in Charlotte’s evolution, not just as a realtor, but as an active networker who loves connecting with other locals to foster a sense of community. With her natural ability to listen, attention to detail, and strategic mindset, Keyara delivers a tailored and seamless experience that exceeds her clients’ expectations. 

Beyond her professional life, Keyara enjoys connecting with locals, fostering relationships within the community, and exploring Charlotte with her family and friends by her side. She also finds joy in staying active—whether it’s fishing, playing tennis, or taking morning runs through the greenway trails as the city awakens around her. 

As she steps into her role with the Fertile Grounds Foundation, Keyara is excited to bring her passion for community growth and empowerment to new heights.

Providing engagement and support locally and around the country with the establishment of Chapters that will allow a more intimate setting to address the mental, physical, and emotional impacts of infertility. Fertile Ground is open to women and families from all walks of life; however, we will work to care for and provide attention to those who are highly impacted by infertility such as the Black community. 

There are three areas where the Fertile Ground Foundation wants to address infertility and have an impact.     

1. Physical - Promoting Health and Wellness resources by connecting with personal trainers and nutritionists that can provide guidance on getting and staying healthy individually, as well as a couple; creating good health habits that will promote good fertility.
2. Mental - Providing resources for women and men to deal with the psychological      impacts of infertility.
3. Emotional - Providing resources to battle against depression, anxiety, social      stigma, divorce and low self-esteem. 

Providing a sounding board and a sanctuary where women and their partners can continue      the conversation around the impacts of infertility. No longer will the conversation be taboo; especially in communities of color where infertility rates are higher. For example, studies suggest that Black woman are twice as likely to be impacted by infertility than other ethnic groups. Studies also show that because this topic has been taboo in the Black community, most fertility services has been focused on Caucasian women and their reproductive health. 

It is now time to change that narrative for not just Black women, but all women and their families. Because infertility also impacts men almost as much as it does women, we want to give men an opportunity as well to be included and learn together with their partners about how this impacts them, what role they play, and how they can battle it together as a unit. 

Infertility rates are growing, and reproductive assistance services are being overshadowed by the change in laws and services that support women's reproductive health. With the creation of more conversation around this topic, more women will become more aware of the services and professionals in the fertility arena that can assist them. Creating more awareness around infertility and promoting health and wellness through our resources will be vital to the community we plan to serve. 

Connecting with local Healthcare Professionals in our community - This is another huge way we will be able to support and advocate for women. Most women, especially women of color, consider themselves alone when battling infertility. They don't know where to start, and they are either too embarrassed or afraid to acknowledge and speak up about their concerns. 

Bringing more healthcare professionals into this space, (OB-GYN's, Fertility and Endocrinology      Specialists), and having them share their expertise and best practices with woman on battling infertility will create a healthier and more relaxed environment. 

Podcast and Social Connection - Much of what we experience today comes through social media interaction and online conversation. Fertile Ground will leverage these pathways to      connect with our younger generation and to break the generational barriers around infertility. Our young women and men need to know and understand the importance of caring for their bodies during the reproductive years of 18-35. 

Health is key and preventative care is a priority. We can use the avenues of Instagram and Facebook to connect with our community in this fast-paced world and keep them encouraged, uplifted, informed and connected with each other. 

Fundraising and Grant Assistance for our Impacted Members and Community - One of the goals for the foundation is to be able to raise funds to provide financial assistance to recipients twice per year that will assist with paying for reproductive assistance services and consultations.

Many insurance providers do not cover these services, medications, or consultations which prevents women from getting the support and help they need and causes them to lose      valuable time and resources taking from the financial stability of their home to pay for these expensive services. We want to assist with this where we can and encourage other advocating foundations to do the same.