US Safe Haven Laws allow a parent to relinquish their unharmed infant to a designated Safe Haven provider within a specific time after birth.
For immediate assistance, call or text our 24/7 Safe Haven Crisis Helpline: 1-888-510-BABY (2229)
In case of emergency call 911.
Meet The Team
Please meet the team that works tirelessly to promote life saving measures and help parents and Safe Haven providers. This team is made up of professionals such as social workers, nurses, firefighter/paramedics, pregnancy health/support clinicians, and trauma-informed crisis intervention specialists who give their time generously to prevent infant abandonment.
Heather Burner
National Safe Haven Alliance Executive Director; AZ Safe Baby Haven Foundation Executive Director, NSHA Pregnancy Crisis & Prevention Consulting Director, R.N., B.S.N, Pediatric Emergency R.N.
Heather leads an extraordinary team of leaders from across the country. After working with Arizona Safe Baby Haven for seven years and as the Executive Director for over four years she was sought after to provide leadership and direction for NSHA in 2017. She is a wife, mother of three children, and grandmother. She has experienced the tragedy through the unnecessary death of a newborn firsthand, and this life-changing event propelled her motivation to save the lives of precious newborns and help parents in desperation.
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Heather’s commitment to the Safe Baby Haven mission and raising awareness to provide an alternative to infant abandonment has led to many babies finding forever homes, and a safe place for a parent to find care and support in a heartbreaking and at times dangerous situation. She has shown love for her community, parents, and babies and is a gracious leader in the Safe Baby Haven realm. Her passion to provide safety and hope shines a light in a time of darkness, she has developed partnerships across the country to be the answer. Heather is also the administrator of a comprehensive training program for healthcare systems to provide best practice and subject matter expert direction in mother and infant safety and prevention. She is now a national speaker and a voice for the voiceless, changing the tide of fear by presenting the knowledge, answers, and resources to make an impact.
Leticia Sanchez
Communications Strategist
Leticia Sanchez is a recent college graduate who earned a B.A. in Psychology with a minor in Spanish. She is currently pursuing a Master’s in Social Work at Montclair State University. At Montclair State, she has worked under the supervision of Dr. Emily Douglas where she learned about Safe Haven laws and helped conduct research on them, as well. She helped create a study on the education, knowledge, and attitudes of Montclair State students on Safe Haven laws and presented the results at the Montclair State Student Research Symposium in April 2024. She oversees and manages the social media, works on graphics for events, helps create the Monthly newsletter, and works on Fundraising opportunities for NSHA.
Will Burner
Executive Liaison
Executive Liaison Officer, Will Burner, has been working with the Arizona Safe Baby Haven for nearly eight years and is now with National Safe Haven Alliance. He is a husband, father, and grandfather. He holds a Bachelor’s Degree from Arizona State University’s College of Public Programs and began his 24+ year Public Safety Career as a Police Officer. He is currently a Captain/Paramedic with a municipal Fire Department and regularly deploys nationally in the Incident Command System. His relationships and understanding of the Police, Fire, and EMS cultures is integral to the mission of the National Safe Haven Alliance.
Leah Kipley
National Safe Haven Alliance Assistant Director; Baby Safe Haven of Virginia (NSHA Affiliate), Director, B.S. Psychology, Graduate Business Cert., Board Member- Virginia Public Safety/Department of Criminal Justice Services Sexual and Domestic Violence Prevention
Leah leads Safe Haven efforts in her state and oversees NSHA’s east coast and international partnerships, Safe Haven training and legislation initiatives, volunteer and state representative program, and crisis pregnancy outreach. Leah assists the Executive Director with communication and organizational operations as needed and her passion is being a voice for the voiceless- advocating for vulnerable women, mothers, and children through establishing holistic policy, best practice procedures, and programs that provide direct support.
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Leah lives in Richmond, Virginia with her husband, three children, and their pets. She serves on her state's board for domestic and sexual violence prevention and is Director of the Baby Safe Haven of VA program (NSHA affiliate.) She previously lived overseas, in Luzon, Philippines, and has been involved in volunteer, disaster relief/mission work in North and South America, Europe, and Asia. She received her B.S in Psychology, Graduate Business Certification, and is currently pursuing an MBA. Leah previously served with the International Mission Board as an Event Planner, Director of Communications for pregnancy support in VA and volunteer, VA State Representative for NSHA. She has 15+ years of experience in non-profit work and speaks nationally and internationally, advocating for Safe Haven laws and support resources for vulnerable communities.
Lisa Schenk
NSHA Social Worker/ Case Manager
Lisa received her undergraduate degree in Organizational Sociology from Grand Canyon University and her Master of Social Work from Arizona State University, graduating Summa cum Laude. Lisa is licensed by the state of Arizona as an LMSW and has been a social worker for more than 18 years. She has worked in the emergency department and behavioral health arena, and specializes in critical and crisis intervention. She is the proud mom to two beautiful young women who she enjoys spending time with and creating memories. Lisa has been honored to work as the Assistant Director for AZ Safe Baby Haven for more than ten years and the Director of Education for NSHA for more than five years. Lisa continues to provide support and education to our community as well as provide life saving direction and support for both parents and providers.