Meet Libby Ethridge, our Central PA Office Manager! Her family’s transparency about she and her sibling’s international adoption drives her to spread awareness about the adoption process through the eyes of the adoptee. Read on to find out more about her adoption story and how she helps clients, family, and friends! Can you tell us [...]
Meet Jess Coughlin, our Cherry Hill, NJ Adoption Counselor. Her story is a truly unique journey that opened her mind and her heart to adoption. She grew up next door to a family with adopted children, three of whom were her best friends. The family’s connection with one another inspired her work at AFTH and [...]
Meet Stephanie Cappriotti, our Central PA Out-Of-Area Program Coordinator and Adoption Counselor. Adoption is something very near and dear to her heart and continues to be a constant in her work and family. Her cousin’s adoption through AFTH inspired her to work in the adoption field. What about your cousin’s adoption story inspired you the [...]
Meet Katie Houser, AFTH's Pittsburgh Office Manager! Adoption serves as the foundation of her family and helped her build connections with fellow adopted parents as well as adoptees. Keep reading to learn more about the unique origins of her family How has adoption shaped your family dynamic and the life of your children? I have [...]
Meet Roberta Evantash, our Manager of International Services! Her dedication to helping families throughout the adoption process drives her work at AFTH. In addition to helping clients, she also was a part of her relative's adoption journey. Tell me more about your personal connection to adoption. I have worked at AFTH almost from the beginning [...]
Meet Marilyn Rich, our Central PA District Supervisor and Search Coordinator! Her impressive career path demonstrates her dedication to the family building process through adoption. As an adoptee herself, Marilyn has poured her heart into AFTH and tells us that the best past of her job is seeing the children of families she has helped [...]
Meet Heidi Gonzalez, AFTH’s Associate Director, Regional Supervisor of Allentown, PA & Wilmington, DE, and self-proclaimed Webmistress! Heidi’s connection to adoption goes back to before she was even born! The daughter of AFTH's Founder Maxine Chalker who is an adoptee herself, Heidi has seen the ups and downs of the adoption process, and everything in [...]
The hospital experience is a time of excitement for prospective adoptive parents but it can also bring about worries and fears as well. It can be one of the most emotional parts of the adoption process. Emotions run high and it’s a roller coaster of thoughts and feelings. As adoption counselors, we often tell our [...]
A very special thank you to Kyle for sharing his story. Happy Young Family The journey from start to this day has been a learning experience. In the beginning it was very hard. I will tell you about the start of everything. My ex and I were just starting out in Pittsburgh PA [...]
While open adoption and future contact comes easy to some birth parents, others need some space after placement or initially desire a closed adoption. As adoptive parents, you want to honor those wishes, but it is important to not think that there will never be contact or no need for updates if your child's birth [...]
