Our Team



PreemieWorld was founded to help create a “new normal” for preemie families in the midst of the NICU chaos. Our organization is run by a dedicated team of writers, educators, and creatives who strive to make accurate, easy-to-understand information available to parents of premature children, and offer a safe and supportive environment to ask questions or just have their voices be heard. Our team also performs outreach work to improve awareness of preemie rights and enhance current research efforts in the professional community.

DEB DISCENZA – Preemie Mom | Founder | CEO | Publisher

Combining fields in technology and publishing, Deb has created PreemieWorld as the go-to space for education, support and resources for the preemie community including the acclaimed book, The Preemie Parent’s Survival Guide to the NICU. Prior to PreemieWorld Deb founded and ran the award-winning Preemie Magazine.

When not sought after for speaking engagements, media and news-related spots for the medical and general public, Deb provides public service to her community in the form of being a founding member and steering committee member of the National Premature Infant Health Coalition and a founding member and former Leadership team member of the Preemie Parent Alliance. She is also is a regular Column Editor for the Neonatal Network’s Neonatal Network Journal, and a columnist for both the quarterly newsletter for the Council of International Neonatal Nurses (COINN) and for Neonatal Intensive Care magazine.

JENNY MCCORMICKPreemie Mom | Editor-in-Chief

Jenny is a former Children’s Librarian with a Degree in Library Science, a former Executive Assistant within the public safety sector and service agencies and now, Editor-in-Chief of PreemieWorld Foundation, Inc. Jenny is a proud mother of two young boys. Her youngest son, Joshua is a former 26-week micro-preemie who spent 129 days in the NICU. Having traveled the arduous preemie journey, Jenny is incredibly passionate about promoting prematurity awareness, racial & health equity support, as well as encouraging and advocating for other preemie families who are on this journey.

Jenny also enjoys reading and inculcating a love of reading in children. A “rocker chick,” she loves attending rock concerts, live theatre and listening to live music of all genres. She enjoys writing and sharing her journey as a way to encourage others in similar situations. Many have followed her blogs on grief and widowhood on “A Warrior’s Battle” Facebook Page and reading her NICU experiences with her youngest son, Joshua in “The Year of the Dragon” blog posts. Jenny is also a published author through various parenting and special needs parenting magazines.

NICOLE CONNPreemie Mom | Founder | Consultant

Nicole Conn has been a die-hard romantic and black and white film fan from the age of ten.
Nicole has written five novels, a teleplay, eight screenplays, and has produced two soundtracks. Her latest venture, little man, is a documentary she wrote, directed and produced about her own premature son born 100 days early and only weighing one pound. The feature documentary went on to win 12 Best Documentary Awards, along with the prestigious Cedar Sinai’s Courageous Beginnings Award and Family Pride’s Family Tree Award. The film made three TOP TEN FILMS OF 2005.

Showtime picked up little man and ran an Emmy campaign on this hard-hitting story about Conn’s son’s premature birth and subsequent 5-month hospital stay in a Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU).

BRI ZIGANTI – Graphic Designer | Web Designer

Bri Ziganti owns Felice Media, a graphic design and branding strategy firm that offers creative collateral and strategic brand development services. Bri specializes in helping businesses or organizations in niche industries improve their visual impact and presence in the market. She has worked with companies in the neonatal space since 2013.

JEAN MARGARET KATONGOLE – Preemie Mom | Personal Assistant

Jean Margaret Katongole is originally from Kampala Uganda. She is a mother, grandmother to four preemie babies, and now a widow. She has worked with PreemieWorld since 2018.

Jean really loves the work she does to make a positive difference and is inspired by her colleagues.

Become a PreemieWorld Advocate

Want to help spread our mission? PreemieWorld is seeking volunteers for our PreemieWorld Ambassador Program.

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