Why we’re expanding our reproductive health offerings: it’s personal - with Julia Cheek, Vernita Brown, and Halle Tecco
A conversation with Julia Cheek, Halle Tecco, and Vernita Brown
Julia Cheek is the Chief Executive Officer and Founder of Everly Health. She founded Everlywell in 2015 to provide consumers access to at-home lab tests with insightful results. Vernita Brown was the Chief Executive Officer of Natalist and is now the VP of Growth. She believes human assets are paramount and has spent her career learning how to lead and steward them well. Halle Tecco was the Founder & Chief Women's Health Officer of Natalist and now serves as EVP of Women's Health. Previously she was the founder of early-stage digital health venture fund Rock Health and an Adjunct Professor at Columbia Business School.
Julia: No one reproductive journey is the same. Between Vernita, Halle, and myself, we’ve all lived completely different experiences that ebbed and flowed and led us to becoming the mothers we are today. The experience is so deeply unique that at any given time, one person's path can be perceived as linear while another is full of unexpected twists and turns. But if there is one thing we know for certain during a time when there are no guarantees—it’s that women deserve to feel supported every step of the way.
Halle: I couldn’t agree more. As women leaders in healthcare, the personal stories and needs of women have always been an intentional focus. If you’re trying to get pregnant, you know that the journey to parenthood may be as difficult as it is exciting—especially if you’ve experienced pregnancy loss or infertility, which unfortunately is common with at least one and four women experiencing a loss in their lifetime and one in eight couples being affected by infertility.
Women also carry the burden of being ignored when seeking treatment due to gender bias. And if you’re a Black woman, maternal mortality is four times more likely to happen from what are largely preventable causes. It’s unacceptable, and women deserve better.
Vernita: Absolutely. We believe empathy and accessibility to trusted products and services are critical to women, especially those who are on a path to parenthood, which is often a woman's first major touch point with the medical system. Your lived experiences are personal to you, and that means something to us. From day one, we’ve been on a mission to provide a space where women feel empowered to take their health and wellness into their own hands by getting the information and tools they need when they need them.
Julia: Which is why I’m excited to announce that women now have a more cohesive reproductive experience with Natalist joining the Everlywell family as a sister company. While Everlywell women’s health products focus on testing, Natalist’s suite offers a range of products that assists you from conception to childbirth and includes ovulation test strips, pregnancy tests, lubricants, supplements, and self-care.
We’re thrilled to have you join us!
Halle: We’re excited to be here, especially given we can offer our customers so much more.
Whether you’re using a suite of products to help you conceive or using at-home lab tests to check in on hormone levels, it is our hope that you feel confidently equipped and supported with products you can trust on your own personal path.
Vernita: Yes, you’ve got this—and you’re not alone.
Keep up with Natalist and Everlywell by following us along on Instagram @Everlywell and@natalistco. It’s just the beginning!
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