I’ve always been drawn to the agency’s mission to offer holistic support to children and families in the adoption, foster care, and kinship community as well as our commitment to ethical adoption practice and inclusivity, especially as a pioneer in welcoming LGBTQ+ families who are interested in adopting.

I think the biggest challenge is ensuring parents have the financial and emotional resources and support they need to raise their children. We know that, whenever possible, children belong in their family of origin, and when they can’t remain there, connection to family of origin is important. We also know that access to specialized, trauma-informed mental health services is limited due to financial barriers and a lack of trained clinicians.

Paths for Families addresses these issues in several ways, including:

1. Providing all-options counseling for all the expectant parents with whom we work
2. Promoting open adoption, which allows for post-adoption contact and connection
3. Partnering with Baltimore City Department of Social Services to provide Family Find services so youth in care can find permanency with their families of origin and fictive kin
4. Offering FREE specialized, trauma-informed therapy and parent support groups to Maryland families

I continue to be struck by how authentically our team cares about the clients whom we serve and about the work we do. Our team is deeply committed to one another as well, ensuring we take care of ourselves along the way.

I would love to continue to expand our work around family well-being, helping to ensure that children are raised in their families of origin whenever possible. I would also like to incorporate the voices of those with lived experience in this space to strengthen existing initiatives and explore new program opportunities.

I’ve had many people over the years say to me: “I don’t know how you can do what you do!” My answer has always been that the work is hard, but I have the privilege and honor of helping children and families heal. Most of my career has involved providing therapy to children and families impacted by trauma. I see kids get better and families grow stronger. Supporting children and families has always been my passion and knowing the impact of my work and the work of my colleagues lasts well beyond our last session/meeting/phone call continues to drive all that I do.

Last summer, I received a call from a former client with whom I had worked for several years while she was in high school. She left me a voicemail saying she was sitting in her dorm room, getting ready to start her freshman year of college. She wanted me to know she and her mom were doing really well, and she thanked me for all I had done to help her and her family.

Our local child welfare departments are such crucial partners, and I look forward to working more directly with those teams to enhance and expand our current collaborations and partnerships. I’m also excited about engaging with organizations at the state and national level to continue to advocate for ethical adoption practices and legislation that supports the needs of the adoption, foster care, and kinship communities.

I would love to establish a scholarship fund that could increase access to our services for folks for which cost may be a barrier (and who aren’t covered under any of our contracts).

There are so many books that have impacted me both personally and professionally, but two that stand out are Dibs in Search of Self: The Renowned, Deeply Moving Story of an Emotionally Lost Child Who Found His Way Back by Virginia Axline and My Grandmother’s Hands: Racialized Trauma and the Pathway to Mending Our Hearts and Bodies by Resmaa Menakem.

There are many, but one of my most recent favorites is The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid.

Spending time outside hiking and walking keeps me sane. I also LOVE a great HIIT (High Intensity Interval Training) workout, baking, reading, and podcasts.

I was a fitness instructor in the ‘90s and early 2000s as a side hustle. Loved step aerobics!

Italy, Spain, and Greece are at the top of my list!  I’m drawn to the history, natural beauty, and the FOOD!

I love Asian cuisine, especially sushi and Thai food.

I’ve always secretly wanted to host the Today Show (or work at Trader Joe’s) 😊.

Dark chocolate! Can’t get through the day without it.

80s music is my go to! U2 is my all-time favorite band and always puts me in a good mood.

I feel so honored to have been selected as Paths for Families’ next CEO and am excited about what lies ahead!