Marcie’s background includes sales, management, operations, team development and leadership. She has served on a variety of boards such as Habitat for Humanity, United Way, Kiwanis International and Executive Director for her local Chamber of Commerce. She’s a First Mother in reunion since 2008, an adoptive mom, co-founded the Indiana Adoptee Network, and has testified multiple times over the years in support of original birth certificate (OBC) access. She also hosts a weekly Friday night virtual event, Adoption Happy Hour, with global attendance from the adoption constellation. Keithley is the author of The ShoeBox Effect, Transforming Pain Into Fortitude and Purpose as well as the co-author of Frankie and Friends Talk Adoption.

Jennifer resides in Indiana and she recently retired after working 20 years in the employment industry and is a licensed real estate Broker. She holds a BS in Business Management and her background includes education, training, sales, operations, and public speaking. As an Adoptee and First Mother she has a unique understanding of the challenges involved in search and the gamut of emotions experienced in reunion. In 2013, after three decades of searching she located both her mother and son within a 3-month period. In 2018, after years of rejection she finally reunited with her father days before his death. She has served on the board for the ISSA, joined Hoosiers for Equal Access to Records in 2015, and testified in 2015, 2016 and 2021 in support of OBC access legislation for Indiana Adoptees. In 2018, Jennifer was the recipient of the Angel in Adoption award.

Beth brings a background in administration, bookkeeping, event planning, marketing, community relations, and writing to NAAP’s passionate commitment to serve all persons touched by adoption. While she spent most of her life on the sidelines of the adoption community, the unfolding of her own foundling-beginnings story awakened a desire to be involved beyond her personal experiences. As a search angel, she delves into DNA to pay forward to other adoptees the gift of finding long-searched-for answers. Her journey of connecting with biological family is chronicled at BethSteury.com. She also addresses relevant topics in her fiction and non-fiction series for young adults. Beth and her husband reside in Indiana.

Kara is a non-practicing attorney with an LLM in Taxation and a master’s in Trade & Investment Policy from George Washington University. In January 2018, she wanted to see where in Africa her father’s family came from. Her over-the-counter DNA test revealed she was 50% something but she had zero African DNA. This meant the man on her birth certificate couldn’t possibly be her genetic father. She lost her bi-racial identity with the click of a mouse. Kara discovered she was 50% Ashkenazi Jew. The DNA pandora’s box she opened led to an identity crisis. She’s a passionate advocate for genetic identity rights. Read her blog about being Unexpectedly Jewish in Seattle.

Brian Stanton is a Los Angeles-based stage actor who is most known for his original solo play BLANK, the true story of his adoption and search for identity. BLANK’s Hollywood premiere catapulted Stanton to perform all over the US and Canada, earning Best Solo Acting awards in New York and Los Angeles. Stanton’s most recent work @ghostkingdom, originally written as a play, was filmed during the pandemic due to theatre closures. Stanton has held screenings of his original film at film festivals as well as for adoption support and educational conferences. The Love International Film Festival honored Stanton with Best Screenwriter and Best Actor awards.

Born in Wilmington, Delaware and raised in Clarkston, Michigan, Cory Goodrich is a Jeff Award winning actress for her roles as Mother in Drury Lane Oakbrook’s acclaimed production of Ragtime, and as June Carter Cash in the Jeff nominated Johnny Cash revue, Ring of Fire at Mercury Theater Chicago, where she was also seen as Alice in The Addams Family, and Alma in The Christmas Schooner, and Carol Brady in the hilarious war between the Partridges and the Bradys in The Bardy Bunch. Most recently, Cory has been seen at Drury Lane as the onstage accordion player in Evita, and at the newly renovated Studebaker Theatre in the premiere of Skates, a New Musical, starring American Idol’s Diana DeGarmo and Ace Young.

A five time Jeff nominee, Cory has performed in productions at the Marriott Theatre in Lincolnshire, Chicago Shakespeare, Theatre at the Center, Ravinia, Candlelight and Drury Lane. A Graduate of Michigan State University, she is also a singer/songwriter, producer, writer, and mother of two, children’s composer with her two award winning CDs, Hush and Wiggly Toes, and three solo folk albums: W.O.M.A.N, Wildwood Flower, a collection of traditional and original folk songs featuring the autoharp, and her latest project, Long Way Around, produced by Ethan Deppe of The Quiet Regret. She is co-producer of six Season of Carols CDs (Season of Carols, Holiday Music to Benefit Season of Concern, which garnered over $200K for the charity.) and The Second City Divas, Live at Mercury Theater CD with Eugene Dizon.

Her memoir, Folksong: A Ballad of Death, Discovery, and DNA is available on Amazon.

Pekitta Tynes is a Professional Comedienne, an Adoptee, a Foster Child, Foundling, and the author of the book titled “Thank God I Was Adopted ‘Cause DNA Is No Joke! Pekitta uses humor to share her search experience and her journey to finding her biological connection in-spite of life’s obstacles. Her experience will inspire, motivate and encourage audiences to never give up on their search and provide insight into why searching was necessary, what was the motivation to search, why giving up the search was not an option, and why DNA is no joke. She is one of the 100 Memorable Adoptees in the book Finding Our Place written by Nikki McCaslin with Richard Uhrlaub and Marilyn Grotzky. Pekitta has lived in Las Vegas, NV for 18-years but now resides in Sacramento, CA. Pekitta holds a Master’s Degree in Business Administration.

Marcie’s background includes sales, management, operations, team development and leadership. She has served on a variety of boards such as Habitat for Humanity, United Way, Kiwanis International and Executive Director for her local Chamber of Commerce. She’s a First Mother in reunion since 2008, an adoptive mom, co-founded the Indiana Adoptee Network, and has testified multiple times over the years in support of original birth certificate (OBC) access. She also hosts a weekly Friday night virtual event, Adoption Happy Hour, with global attendance from the adoption constellation. Keithley is the author of The ShoeBox Effect, Transforming Pain Into Fortitude and Purpose as well as the co-author of Frankie and Friends Talk Adoption.

Kara is a non-practicing attorney with an LLM in Taxation and a master’s in Trade & Investment Policy from George Washington University. In January 2018, she wanted to see where in Africa her father’s family came from. Her over-the-counter DNA test revealed she was 50% something but she had zero African DNA. This meant the man on her birth certificate couldn’t possibly be her genetic father. She lost her bi-racial identity with the click of a mouse. Kara discovered she was 50% Ashkenazi Jew. The DNA pandora’s box she opened led to an identity crisis. She’s a passionate advocate for genetic identity rights. Read her blog about being Unexpectedly Jewish in Seattle.

Astrid (she/her/hers) is the founder and CEO of Adoption Mosaic. Adoption Mosaic is a BIPOC woman and adoptee-led business that seeks to build an inviting adoption conscious community by providing innovative adoptee-centered programs and support. Her life-long interest in adoption is rooted in her own adoption at the age of four from Colombia (along with her older sister). Astrid has been in reunion with her birth family in Colombia since December 2011. Astrid has a degree in sociology with an emphasis in adoption. Since 1992, she has traveled the country to lead adoptee youth groups, present workshops on transracial parenting, talking with children about adoption, and various other workshops focusing on adoption. Astrid has also worked in both the private and public sectors of various adoption organizations. Astrid’s personal experiences as an adoptee, a woman of color, and growing up in a white family and community, fuel her professional path to helping others.

ADOPTIONMOSAIC.COM

An American writer and memoirist, she authored “Normal Family: The Surprising Truth About My Crazy Childhood.” Her memoir is a captivating coming-of-age story about her reckoning with the secrets both parents had carefully kept from her. Her writing has also appeared in The Guardian, Literary Hub, and Newsweek. She lives in L.A. with her husband and two children.

www.chrystabilton.com

Christine Jacobsen is a multi-disciplinary artist sharing her debut memoir, Dancing Around the Truth. Her website and blog contain opinion pieces and samples of the themes she is exploring. Christine has acted, danced, and produced film and theatre. After spending a decade in the performing arts, she earned a Master’s in Counseling from Long Island University. She writes from New York State with her husband, Angelo. Her debut memoir, Dancing Around the Truth was inspired by a DNA testing surprise, which left Christine asking herself, “Who Am I?” When she isn’t writing, Christine enjoys creating visual arts pieces, reading and hiking.

christinefromqueens.com

Leeanne R. Hay is an award-winning freelance journalist and author based in Dallas, Texas. Her work has appeared in newspapers, magazines, literary journals and featured in podcasts. Hay is a graduate of Villanova University, with major in History and minors in Sociology and Criminal Justice. While researching her book, NPE* A Story Guide for Unexpected Discoveries, she earned professional certificates from Florida State University, College of Social Work in Trauma & Resilience.

In 2020, Hay’s story, Hidden Measures, about a Black classical musician and his life’s passion to diversify the American orchestra through training excellence in underserved neighborhoods, was a nonfiction finalist at the 2020 Tucson Festival of Books Literary Awards. An excerpt was published by The Dallas Morning News.

Megan Hunter, MBA, is co-founder and CEO of the High Conflict Institute along with author and speaker, Bill Eddy, LCSW, Esq. who developed the high-conflict personality theory. Megan developed the concept of the Institute after 13 years in policy, legislation and judicial training with the Arizona Supreme Court, Administrative Office of the Courts and 5 years with the Dawes County Attorney’s Office in Nebraska. She is also founder of Unhooked Books Publishing. She leads a team across three continents to bring training and resources on high conflict disputes worldwide.

Megan has trained professionals across a wide spectrum of industries in the U.S. and in eight other countries. Megan holds an MBA and a B.S. in Business and Economics. She has served as President of the Arizona Chapter of the Association of Family & Conciliation Courts, and the Arizona Family Support Council and Nebraska Child Support Enforcement Association. She served 5 years on the Arizona Board of Psychologist Examiners and is currently on the Stepfamily Magazine Advisory Board.

She is the author and/or co-author of several books on high conflict interactions.

High Conflict Institute

Aimee is the Associate Director of Staffing and Lead Genetic Genealogist for DNAngels, and also serves on DNAngels’ Board as Liaison to Staff.  Aimee comes to DNAngels with a medical background and was previously an officer and board member of a non-profit organization focused on the elderly and children.  Aimee leads the team of Angels and has helped to develop our training and mentorship programs. 

In 2014, she became interested in the study of autosomal DNA (focusing on single nucleotide polymorphisms) in search of a diagnosis for her daughter who has a rare medical disorder. Between Aimee’s diligence and finding the right specialists, her daughter was finally able to be tested and appropriately treated. 

In her spare time, Aimee enjoys photography, roller coasters, and visiting Cedar Point amusement park with her family. She currently lives in Kentucky with her husband and two daughters.  She takes great pride and feels blessed to share her knowledge and gifts in helping families reunite, answer questions, and ensure each client does not feel alone in their journey.

Jennifer is a Search Angel and volunteer with DNAngels. Jennifer found her love for Genealogy when she stumbled across an old family secret. As she rolled up her sleeves and tapped into her Jersey Girl stubbornness, she relentlessly worked until she found answers. After that, Jennifer found herself volunteering as intake manager for an organization that could teach her a more methodical approach to being a Search Angel. When that organization merged with DNAngels, Jennifer was welcomed to the new team with open arms, and enjoys every moment of it.

In her personal life, Jennifer lives with her husband Mark. They have four sons together. She grew up in a close-knit, supportive family, and loves when the entire crowd gets together for barbecues in the backyard.

Jennifer’s love language is Acts of Service, which she attributes to her appreciation for everyone that reaches out to DNAngels looking for help.

Kate is a Genetic Genealogist and volunteer with DNAngels  She is a full-time pastor, wife, and mother.   She earned her Master of Divinity from Christian Theological Seminary, Indianapolis, IN. 

She volunteers to do Search Angel work out of love for others, and a desire to bring healing and wholeness to them.  She loves learning about different places and cultures, and she feels that through this process, she becomes a part of each person’s family who blesses her with the opportunity to become part of their story.

Kate is not only compassionate and caring she has a wonderful sense of humor.  In her free time, she enjoys gardening, canning, and DIY projects.   She lives with her husband, Preston, her Weimaraner Lucy, and her Roomba, Rosie.

Kelly is the Associate Director of Administration for DNAngels and an Original Founding Member.  She also serves on the Board as Secretary.  She met Laura Olmsted in November 2018 when they were paired together as search angels for a support group. 

Kelly Grace lives in a rural town south of Atlanta with her husband, Len, and her clowder of special needs cats.  She has many years of experience tracking down missing people.  She began in 1995 tracking down retired podiatrists for the APMA.   She now works as a Family Law and Estate Paralegal.  She can now add the tale of her conception to her collection of odd paternity stories.

In her free time, she enjoys photography, traveling, her Lime Green Jeep, Tudor history, the Beatles, hats and car selfies, word etymology, making vats of homemade spaghetti sauce, and good chocolate.

Rich serves as president of the Coalition for Truth and Transparency in Adoption (CTTA) and Adoption Search Resource Connection (ASRC). He is part of an advocacy team that has seen over 15 Colorado bills signed into law since 2014 to the benefit of adult adoptees, foster youth, birth/first parents, and donor conceived persons. A frequent presenter at digital and in-person conferences, Rich’s interviews and writings have been published in various news outlets and peer-reviewed books.

www.adoptiontruthandtransparency.org

Joyce Maguire Pavao, Ed.D., LCSW, LMFT, was the Founder and CEO of Center For Family Connections, Inc. (CFFC – est. 1995-2012) in Cambridge, MA and New York.  Pavao Consulting and Coaching, and Pre/Post Adoption Consulting and Training 1982-present

Dr. Pavao has done extensive training, both nationally and internationally.  She is an adjunct faculty member in Psychiatry at Harvard Medical School, and has consulted to various public and private agencies, schools, and the court system.  Additionally, she has worked closely with individuals, and families created by adoption, foster care and other complex blended family constructions. .  She has been Principal Investigator on federal grants around Youth At Risk, Homelessness, Transracial Adoption, and LGBT issues in the community of Aging Out Adolescents/Young Adults.

She has developed models for treatment and for training using her systemic, intergenerational, and developmental framework The Normative Crises in the Development of the Adoptive Family and her book The Family of Adoption has received high acclaim.

http://www.pavaoconsulting.com

Bill has been a healer, teacher and facilitator for 40+ years. He has been leading small and large groups, ranging from short term personal growth and structured groups, through long term abuse survivor groups. He believes in our inherent capacity to grow throughout life and become more of ourselves. His first career was in psychotherapy in residential treatment, inpatient hospital, outpatient mental health and private practice. He served individuals children & adolescents and families. His second career was teaching/facilitating communication classes in the North America, Central & South America, Europe, the Middle East and South Asia. The principles of change and growth were equally effective in both careers. Helping people to grow, whether challenged by difficulties or aspirations are the most gratifying and fulfilling experiences.

Kara is a non-practicing attorney with an LLM in Taxation and a master’s in Trade & Investment Policy from George Washington University. In January 2018, she wanted to see where in Africa her father’s family came from. Her over-the-counter DNA test revealed she was 50% something but she had zero African DNA. This meant the man on her birth certificate couldn’t possibly be her genetic father. She lost her bi-racial identity with the click of a mouse. Kara discovered she was 50% Ashkenazi Jew. The DNA pandora’s box she opened led to an identity crisis. She’s a passionate advocate for genetic identity rights. Read her blog about being Unexpectedly Jewish in Seattle.

Krista was born to a teen mother and was a child of the foster care system for four years before she was adopted. Dr. Krista Driver started out as the epitome of the “underdog.” It was as an adult that she discovered she was also an NPE (non-parent expected) and has focused her clinical practice on working with others who have a Misattributed Parentage Experience (MPE) navigate their discovery journey, as well as help them build their tree’s and locate living bio-relatives.

As a licensed marriage and family therapist in the State of California, with a doctorate in psychology, Dr. Driver has dedicated her career to working with the most vulnerable in her community. As the CEO of Mariposa Women and Family Center, a nonprofit counseling center that specializes in providing mental health services to women and children, Dr. Driver is perpetually looking for innovative ideas for the agency and ways to build relevant programming to meet the needs of Orange County and beyond.

In 2016, she was recognized with an award for outstanding contributions in the field of mental health by the Mental Health Association of Orange County. Krista is a published author and her book Mani/Pedi – A True Life Rags to Riches story was published in 2019.

www.mariposacenter.org
Kdriver@mariposacenter.org

Annette L Becklund is a therapist for over twenty years, specializing in Developmental Disabilities, a Mental Health Consultant, writer, and workshop facilitator. Originally from New Jersey, and now in Florida, she is a person who found out her dad was not her biological father. Annette is an NPE (Not Parent Expected) woman who is a professional member of The MPE Counseling Collective, and a member of several support groups with approximately 10,000 members. Annette and her colleagues published a professional study in the Journal of Integrative Medicine, published an article on NPEs in In Focus, a magazine for therapists in Florida, and has spoken on Ancestry Discoveries and related treatment. She facilitates a Facebook page called Ancestry Discoveries and has been a guest on a podcast on the same topic. Author of “Ancestry Discoveries: What Happens Under the Sheets Doesn’t Stay There” available on Amazon and Barnes & Noble. Annette self-published Warren is Wonderful, a children’s book for children with autism. She loves spending time with her husband, Ray, a talented artist, her three pups: Abbie, Zeva, Rafiki and cat, Spirit.

For more info: AnnetteLBecklund.com and AncestryDiscoveries.com.

Joni is personally privy to the complexities of genetic bewilderment having undergone her own surprising DNA discovery: that she, herself, was donor conceived. The unique juxtaposition of her professional specialties and personal story—allowing her insight from both the perspective of expert and subject—has given her a deep understanding and passion for working with individuals and families navigating the intricate emotional, identity, self-esteem, and relationship issues related to adoption, donor conception, or other unexpected family matches (MPE).

She has over 25 years of experience as a psychotherapist specializing in families created through adoption and third-party reproduction and is the Founder and Director of the Infertility and Adoption Counseling Center. She received a Master’s Degree in Social Work from the University of Pennsylvania, and a Certificate in Psychoanalysis and Psychotherapy from the Post Graduate Center for Mental Health in New York City. She is a frequent feature writer and contributor to “Ask the Expert” articles for Adoptive Families Magazine and other select publications and is licensed in the state of New York and New Jersey.

JMantellmsw@gmail.com
https://iaccenter.com/

Theresa M. Knorr, CARC RCP (Certified Addiction Recovery Coach, Recovery Coach Professional) is an adopted person in recovery.  She is the owner of BALANCE Recovery Consultation, creator of Tai Chi for Recovery.  She currently serves as the Director of Recovery Education and Training for Friends of Recovery – New York, is a member of the ASAP-NYCB trainer registry, and co-facilitates Adoptee Paths to Recovery peer support meeting for NAAP with David B. Bohl.   

Theresa has over 30 years of experience working as a clinician, clinical supervisor and program director.  More recently, she has worked as a recovery coach, peer professional trainer and community educator.  She oversees the program for the NYS Recovery Conference and founded the FOR-NY Best Practice Trainer program.  Theresa is a daily practitioner of meditation and has been teaching self-care, meditation, and Tai Chi since 2001. 

Theresa has a BA in psychology (UAlbany 1984) and completed holistic medicine and Tai Chi training at Green Mountain Institute in 2000.  She has been credentialed as a substance use disorder counselor in New York (CASAC, 1997 2014) and Arizona (CADAC, 2014 -2017).  Email:  TaiChi4Recovery@gmail.com Website , Facebook , Instagram , LinkedIn, YouTube

Laura is a New York actor and comedian and donor-conceived. She received her B.A. in Theatre Performance from Nazareth College. Laura has had lead roles on TV shows, and national commercials. Laura performs stand-up comedy at venues like Broadway Comedy Club, Bananas, and headlined Carolines on Broadway. Laura has been featured on the New York Comedy Festival and won the ‘Broadly Funny’ Divison at the 360 Stand Up Festival. Laura is a rising content creator. Laura has gone viral several times on TikTok and her following has grown exponentially in a short amount of time. Laura writes, produces, and edits all of her own work. 

https://www.laurahighfive.com/

Pekitta Tynes is a Professional Comedienne, an Adoptee, a Foster Child, Foundling, and the author of the book titled “Thank God I Was Adopted ‘Cause DNA Is No Joke! Pekitta uses humor to share her search experience and her journey to finding her biological connection in-spite of life’s obstacles. Her experience will inspire, motivate and encourage audiences to never give up on their search and provide insight into why searching was necessary, what was the motivation to search, why giving up the search was not an option, and why DNA is no joke. She is one of the 100 Memorable Adoptees in the book Finding Our Place written by Nikki McCaslin with Richard Uhrlaub and Marilyn Grotzky. Pekitta has lived in Las Vegas, NV for 18-years but now resides in Sacramento, CA. Pekitta holds a Master’s Degree in Business Administration.

Brian Stanton is a Los Angeles-based stage actor who is most known for his original solo play BLANK, the true story of his adoption and search for identity. BLANK’s Hollywood premiere catapulted Stanton to perform all over the US and Canada, earning Best Solo Acting awards in New York and Los Angeles. Stanton’s most recent work @ghostkingdom, originally written as a play, was filmed during the pandemic due to theatre closures. Stanton has held screenings of his original film at film festivals as well as for adoption support and educational conferences. The Love International Film Festival honored Stanton with Best Screenwriter and Best Actor awards.

Pekitta Tynes is a Professional Comedienne, an Adoptee, a Foster Child, Foundling, and the author of the book titled “Thank God I Was Adopted ‘Cause DNA Is No Joke! Pekitta uses humor to share her search experience and her journey to finding her biological connection in-spite of life’s obstacles. Her experience will inspire, motivate and encourage audiences to never give up on their search and provide insight into why searching was necessary, what was the motivation to search, why giving up the search was not an option, and why DNA is no joke. She is one of the 100 Memorable Adoptees in the book Finding Our Place written by Nikki McCaslin with Richard Uhrlaub and Marilyn Grotzky. Pekitta has lived in Las Vegas, NV for 18-years but now resides in Sacramento, CA. Pekitta holds a Master’s Degree in Business Administration.

Marcie’s background includes sales, management, operations, team development and leadership. She has served on a variety of boards such as Habitat for Humanity, United Way, Kiwanis International and Executive Director for her local Chamber of Commerce. She’s a First Mother in reunion since 2008, an adoptive mom, co-founded the Indiana Adoptee Network, and has testified multiple times over the years in support of original birth certificate (OBC) access. She also hosts a weekly Friday night virtual event, Adoption Happy Hour, with global attendance from the adoption constellation. Keithley is the author of The ShoeBox Effect, Transforming Pain Into Fortitude and Purpose as well as the co-author of Frankie and Friends Talk Adoption.

In an instant, Paul Fronczak became a man without a name, a birthday, or medical history—an “unidentified living person,” in official terminology. Ten years ago, Paul took a DNA test that disproved the story he’d been told about his identity—that he was “Baby Fronczak,” the infant who’d been kidnapped from a Chicago hospital in an infamous 1964 crime. Paul has spent the last ten years searching for answers—and looking for the real Paul Fronczak. “I’m on a mission,” he says, “and I can’t stop until I find out what happened.” A military veteran and former actor as well as an avid bassist and Rush fan, Paul now lives in Las Vegas, and has a daughter he calls “the greatest kid in the world.” Paul is devoting himself to helping others with unknown parentage issues. His motto: “Leave no stone unturned.”

Leslie Pate Mackinnon has maintained a private psychotherapy practice for four decades. She resides in Atlanta and presents both nationally and internationally on issues that impact families conceived through adoption and third-party reproduction. She’s been on GOOD MORNING AMERICA w/ Robin Roberts, and on CNN discussing the impact of the internet on adoption. She was featured in DAN RATHER’s investigative report; ADOPTION OR ABDUCTION and was most recently on the Katie Couric show along with her oldest son Pete.

Leslie’s story is included in the book; The Girls Who Went Away, and the documentary A GIRL LIKE HER. Drawn to the field by placing her two firstborn sons for adoption when she was a teenager, her passion today is to educating as many therapists as possible, before she drops! She currently serves on the Evan B. Donaldson’s Board of Directors. For fun she reads voraciously, listens to jazz and sings in a gospel choir. For more information about Leslie, please visit www.lesliepatemackinnon.com.

Dr. Michelle Tullier is a nationally certified career counselor with more than 30 years’ experience helping people navigate both the practical and emotional sides of career development and job search for more fulfilling and successful work lives. She served as Executive Director of the Georgia Tech career center, as one of Monster.com’s first online career coaches, and in regional leadership roles with a global outplacement firm serving clients from individual contributors to executives. She holds a PhD in Counseling Psychology from UCLA and BA from Wellesley College.

Michelle now manages Careers Uncomplicated, a full-time career coaching practice that serves clients of all ages remotely across the U.S. (www.careersuncomplicated.com). Since learning of her NPE status in 2016, Michelle has done deep and difficult work to process the shock of her new identity and has developed a special interest in how MPE experiences can impact career choices, career identities, and attitudes toward work.

Amy Barker D’Alessandro, LMHC, owner & founder of Adoption Savvy, is an Adoption & Trauma Therapist who offers individualized counseling, coaching, consulting, clinical supervision, and public speaking services. Amy holds a Masters degree in Counseling Psychology, is licensed with Washington state as a Mental Health Counselor (LMHC). Her practice focuses on individuals and families impacted by adoption and foster care as well as donor-conceived adults and their parents, those with DNA surprises, NPEs, Late Discovery Adoptees, surrogates, and others experiencing reproductive and genetic identity issues. Amy is also a mother of a child lost to adoption. She is also an Adoptee from a closed adoption during the Baby Scoop Era in long-term reunion, and she also has ongoing contact with her grown son of an open adoption.

Amy and Jennifer, who works at Adoption Savvy with Amy, often refer to themselves as Savvy Sisters, but more than that, they consider each other their Journey Mate on the lifelong journey of adoption. Since both have personally and professionally experienced the devastating impact of harmful secret-keeping and the coercive climate of the adoption industry, they encourage others to step out of “the fog” that is shrouded in secrecy, shame, and fantasy to walk fully in the truth of their story, which is essential to healthy identity development and healing from trauma.

https://www.adoptionsavvy.com/

amy@adoptionsavvy.com

Jennifer completed her Masters in Social Work at Columbia University. She is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker in Yakima, WA and is certified in Relationally-Focused Psychodynamic Psychotherapy. She’s an Adoption & Trauma Therapists, retreat facilitator, presenter, and writer. She focuses on individuals and families impacted by adoption and foster care as well as donor-conceived adults and their parents, those with DNA surprises, NPEs/MPEs, Late Discovery Adoptees, surrogates, and others experiencing reproductive and genetic identity issues. Jennifer is a very involved birth/first mother and has a unique open adoption experience with 20-year-old Chloë and her adoptive family.

Jennifer and Amy, who works at Adoption Savvy with Jennifer, often refer to themselves as Savvy Sisters, but more than that, they consider each other their Journey Mate on the lifelong journey of adoption. Since both have personally and professionally experienced the devastating impact of harmful secret-keeping and the coercive climate of the adoption industry, they encourage others to step out of “the fog” that is shrouded in secrecy, shame, and fantasy to walk fully in the truth of their story, which is essential to healthy identity development and healing from trauma.

https://www.adoptionsavvy.com/

jennifer@adoptionsavvy.com

Gina Davis is the founder of Advocate Genetics, and a multi-state licensed, board-certified genetic counselor, who has specialized in the field of reproductive medicine for the past 20 years. Gina is also a co-founder of EM•POWER with Moxi, an education company dedicated to empowering choice and community in embryo donation, after realizing the complex gaps in the space following her own personal experience as an IVF patient and known embryo donor.

Alongside Gina’s experience educating and counseling patients on family-building options, she has a background in developing clinical programs tailored to patients’ and providers’needs. Gina is dedicated to shifting the focus from mere genetic risk assessment of gamete donors to a more humane understanding of how genetic information can help donor-conceived individuals integrate their family history into their lives and their healthcare decisions in the future. Gina has helped to shape the role of the genetic counselor within the field of Reproductive Medicine, and has been instrumental in the training of fellow genetic counselors, physicians, nurses, other health care practitioners and graduate students in reproductive genetics. Gina is the past chair and current member of the Genetic Counseling Special Interest Group of the American Society of Reproductive Medicine (ASRM). She is an active member of the Assisted Reproductive Technology Special Interest Group of the National Society of Genetic Counselors (NSGC), a member of the Pacific Coast Reproductive Society and the Society for Ethics in Egg Donation and Surrogacy. 

For nearly three decades, Richard has been accomplished educator, practitioner, researcher, author, mentor, and presenter.  He has written or co-written nearly 50 peer-reviewed publications in leading medical and pharmacy journals and has given more than 150 presentations at national, state, and local-level health care professional meetings.  Richard has served as an Adjunct Faculty member for multiple Colleges of Pharmacy, precepted more than 500 students, and is a two-time nominee for the American Associations of Colleges of Pharmacy Master Preceptor award and a Preceptor of the Year award recipient.  He also received the American Pharmacists Association’s One-to-One Patient Counseling award, given annually to five pharmacists nationally.  He is a Certified Professional in Patient Safety (CPPS).  Richard earned his Bachelor of Science degree from the U. of Iowa and a Doctor of Pharmacy degree from the U. of Illinois-Chicago.

In 2020, an at-home DNA test revealed that Richard’s father was not his genetic father, a not-entirely-surprising discovery since he has always felt ‘out of place’ within his own family.  Unfortunately, both his mother and genetic father are long deceased, but available information substantiates that his conception was the result of a sexual assault.  Richard continues searching for a younger sibling that he has never met, placed for adoption immediately after being born.   

Born in the land of Oz, Ridghaus relinquished a son at age 19 and then later, at the age of 35, learned of his adoption.

He co-created the documentary film Six Word Adoption Memoirs, permeating adoptionland worldwide, then designed and edited a coffee table book from the second round of interviews.

With graduate degrees in law, film, and English Composition he taught university-level writing and media courses, including poetry, for 20 years. Currently Ridghaus co-facilitates Adoptee Voices Writing Group and Vocce – a writing group for birth/first parents.

His lifelong love for cinema started with Star Wars. and he continually studies light in motion and story craft. An amateur mycophile, when not on set he can be found in deep woods foraging and carrying his vintage Yashica Mat -124 G.