MEET OUR COLORADO ADOPTION AGENCY TEAM
Adoption and Surrogacy Choices of Colorado is a leader in the adoption community. We have been assisting birth parents, children, and adoptive parents in Colorado since 2002. Adoption and Surrogacy Choices of Colorado is a private, non-profit adoption agency licensed by the state. Our staff has a genuine commitment to providing an empathetic, empowering, and progressive experience to all involved in the adoption process. The talented and experienced adoption professionals at Adoption and Surrogacy Choices of Colorado work cooperatively and persistently in an effort to ensure successful placements.
Christy Ikeler
Executive Director
Birth Parent Caseworker
Christy Ikeler, is our Executive Director and Birth Parent Director. Christy has been with Adoption Choices Team for 20 years, since opening the doors in 2002! Christy has a true passion for what she does and her true love is working with and helping each birth parent. Whether she is up all night on the phone talking with them, taking them to doctors appointments, out for their favorite treat, providing counseling or at the hospital during labor and delivery, Christy is very involved every step of the way. She has a contagious laugh and a spunky personality that our birth moms all can bond with and relate to. As an adoptive parent herself, adoption holds a very special place in her heart and she can relate on every level with both birth parents and adoptive parents. In her free time Christy loves spending time with her daughter, gardening, baking and taking vacations with her family. Christy is an excellent leader for our team at Adoption Choices and is truly one of a kind!! As Executive Director, Christy spends time with the staff, birth parents and adoptive families in order to ensure that the agency is running smoothly. She has placed a huge emphasis on community outreach and programs for birth parents. Christy loves the opportunity to lead the agency into a brighter future.
Brenda Hudson Retrum, BA
Director of Adoptive Parent Services
Home Study Provider
Brenda’s passion for adoption was sparked when she adopted her two sons through private, domestic adoption. She has been working in adoption for over twenty-three years and it has always been her desire to give back to the process that created her family. In her work Brenda counsels birth parents and provides support and guidance to adoptive parents. For the past thirteen years, she has also worked as a contractor in international adoption, including assistance with the COA (Council on Accreditation) Hague accreditation for two agencies. She is an innovative advocate for her clients and encourages them to truly participate in and take charge of the life event of adoption, a process that will profoundly affect them. It is her belief that in an atmosphere of honesty, respect, and support, it is possible to experience the process with realistic expectations about the challenges and joys of adoption. Brenda is an adoption educator and trainer and works as a confidential intermediary for the Colorado courts, locating and contacting sought-after relatives (birth parents, adoptees, and birth siblings). She has served on the Boards of Directors for several local adoption agencies and volunteers her time to Gift of Adoption. A Colorado native, she is an avid runner, loves doing yoga, enjoys reading, and creates jewelry. Brenda resides in Golden, Colorado, with her husband, her two sons, and Carmen the labradoodle.
Stephanie Walker, MSW
Child Placement Supervisor
Home Study Provider
Stephanie joined the Adoption Choices family in 2014 as the Child Placement Supervisor. Her love for adoption began in first grade when she made friends with twins adopted from Vietnam. Her heart grew strong over the years for adopted children and ultimately led her to graduate school where she continued her focus to her dream of working in the adoption field. Stephanie earned a Master of Social Work degree from the University of Denver in 2001. Over the past 15 years, Stephanie has worked as a pregnancy counselor and as an adoptive parent counselor for foster care, international adoption and domestic adoption, writing hundreds of home studies for families, and helping build their forever families. Stephanie is married and has three boys ages 12, 9, and 5. Together with her family she enjoys riding bike, playing games, watching her three sons compete in their various sporting and musical activities and go on vacations.
Cassidie Reiman
Birth Parent Case Worker
Home Study Provider
Case Worker for Gestational Carriers
Part-Time Office Manager
Cassidie has been with Adoption Choices since 2015, she has her bachelors in Interdisciplinary Affairs with concentrations in both Sociology and Business Management. Cassidie has additional training in Victim Advocacy, foster care and has been working in women’s services for over 10 years. Cassidie has always had a heart for adoption and it was her career dream to work in adoption. She started off doing volunteer work for advocacy programs, adoption organizations and worked in High Risk Maternal Fetal Medicine through the University of Colorado Hospital and Children’s Hospital of Colorado. Cassidie is also blessed to have personally experienced an adoption of her own in 2012, completing her family of five! Cassidie loves what she does as a case worker from initial phone calls, meetings, doctor appointments, interaction with the adoptive families to delivery and counseling. Cassidie has a passion for those in need and strives to help make a difference in the lives of the people she meets. She is a firm believer in being kind, compassionate and open minded in all situations. “Unless you’ve walked in their shoes, there’s no place for judgment. A kind word or compliment can go a long way!” The bittersweet moments in adoption reminds Cassidie each and every time, why she loves what she does!
Nicole Ferlito
Paralegal
Project Manager
Nicole is thrilled to be on the Adoption Choices team! With previous adoption experience she understands the importance of working with people in a more intimate capacity. It takes all members of the triad to help assist with a positive adoption experience on all ends–both Expecting Parents and Hopeful Adoptive Parents. With a BA in Women’s Studies, she brings patience, strong interpersonal and communication skills, and the ability to empathize without judgment. Nicole received her Paralegal Studies Certification in 2020 and is learning so much on the legal side of adoptions.
Nicole is a Chicago Native and coming from a big, traditional Italian family, she understands the importance of love, family, and relationships. Outside of work, she enjoys, traveling as much as possible, attending concerts, and snowboarding, hiking, or camping in the beautiful Rocky Mountains. Nicole aspires to always be hands on and helping in any way that she can, by creating a supportive environment for others around her.
Todd Bright-Frare
Home Study Provider
Susan Merten
Home Study Provider
Todd Bright-Frare joined the Adoption Surrogacy Choices of Colorado team in 2018 as a Home Study Provider. Todd has wanted to adopt since he was a young boy. Probably from watching too many Brady Bunch re-runs. Todd has an MA in Marriage and Family Therapy; with a focus in Teen and Young adults with dependences; and End of Life counseling. Todd has two adult daughters; one is a nurse in New Orleans; and one is with Parks and Rec. here in Colorado. Todd and his husband Will were able to step closer to being the “Bradys” when they adopted their 2nd son recently. Todd spends most of his time chasing after his two grade schoolers, his Peloton bike, working on their 19th century home, Hiking 14ers with his family, and the dogs; and camping all over Colorado.
Stephanie joined the Adoption Choices family in 2014 as the Child Placement Supervisor. Her love for adoption began in first grade when she made friends with twins adopted from Vietnam. Her heart grew strong over the years for adopted children and ultimately led her to graduate school where she continued her focus to her dream of working in the adoption field. Stephanie earned a Master of Social Work degree from the University of Denver in 2001. Over the past 15 years, Stephanie has worked as a pregnancy counselor and as an adoptive parent counselor for foster care, international adoption and domestic adoption, writing hundreds of home studies for families, and helping build their forever families. Stephanie is married and has three boys ages 12, 9, and 5. Together with her family she enjoys riding bike, playing games, watching her three sons compete in their various sporting and musical activities and go on vacations.
Her passion for adoption was sparked when she adopted her two sons through private, domestic adoption. She has been working in adoption for over twenty-three years and it has always been her desire to give back to the process that created her family. In her work Brenda counsels birth parents and provides support and guidance to adoptive parents. For the past thirteen years, she has also worked as a contractor in international adoption, including assistance with the COA (Council on Accreditation) Hague accreditation for two agencies. She is an innovative advocate for her clients and encourages them to truly participate in and take charge of the life event of adoption, a process that will profoundly affect them. It is her belief that in an atmosphere of honesty, respect, and support, it is possible to experience the process with realistic expectations about the challenges and joys of adoption. Brenda is an adoption educator and trainer and works as a confidential intermediary for the Colorado courts, locating and contacting sought-after relatives (birth parents, adoptees, and birth siblings). She has served on the Boards of Directors for several local adoption agencies and volunteers her time to Gift of Adoption. A Colorado native, she is an avid runner, loves doing yoga, enjoys reading, and creates jewelry. Brenda resides in Golden, Colorado, with her husband, her two sons, and Carmen the labradoodle.
Christy Ikeler, is our Executive Director and Birth Parent Director. Christy has been with Adoption Choices Team for 18 years, since opening the doors in 2002! Christy has a true passion for what she does and her true love is working with and helping each birth parent. Whether she is up all night on the phone talking with them, taking them to doctors appointments, out for their favorite treat, providing counseling or at the hospital during labor and delivery, Christy is very involved every step of the way. She has a contagious laugh and a spunky personality that our birth moms all can bond with and relate to. As an adoptive parent herself, adoption holds a very special place in her heart and she can relate on every level with both birth parents and adoptive parents. In her free time Christy loves spending time with her daughter, gardening, baking and taking vacations with her family. Christy is an excellent leader for our team at Adoption Choices and is truly one of a kind!! As Executive Director, Christy spends time with the staff, birth parents and adoptive families in order to ensure that the agency is running smoothly. She has placed a huge emphasis on community outreach and programs for birth parents. Christy loves the opportunity to lead the agency into a brighter future.
Ms. Mackenzie has built a successful counseling career over the past 20 years, supporting mothers and families, people of all ages and genders, students, community professionals and fellow clinicians. Liv values a diverse professional focus, including the entrepreneurial life of a sole proprietor, the evaluative process of certifying foster/adoptive homes, the insightful and mindful one-on-one one work with enthusiastic clients, and serving as an advocate for underserved populations. Liv is a Licensed Professional Counselor and holds a BA in Pre-Law and Economics from American University, an MA in Counseling from Adams University and a certificate in Human Resource Management from Villanova University. Away from work you will find Liv spending time in nature, biking to the farmer’s market and adventuring with her family.
Catherine A. Madsen, joined the Adoption Choices family as legal counsel in 2013. Catherine is responsible for providing legal guidance to the Agency, training and updating staff on developments in adoption law and legislation, and program development. Catherine
Virginia Frank is an adoption attorney accredited since 1991 with the American Academy of Adoption Attorneys. Ms. Frank is a leader in the field of private adoption and has completed over 4,000 adoptions in her career. Ms. Frank has a law degree from Oklahoma City University and a BA in both Political Science and Communications from the University of Oklahoma.
Cassidie has been with Adoption Choices since 2015, she has her bachelors in Interdisciplinary Affairs with concentrations in both Sociology and Business Management. Cassidie has additional training in Victim Advocacy, foster care and has been working in women’s services for over 10 years. Cassidie has always had a heart for adoption and it was her career dream to work in adoption. She started off doing volunteer work for advocacy programs, adoption organizations and worked in High Risk Maternal Fetal Medicine through the University of Colorado Hospital and Children’s Hospital of Colorado. Cassidie is also blessed to have personally experienced an adoption of her own in 2012, completing her family of five! Cassidie loves what she does as a case worker from initial phone calls, meetings, doctor appointments, interaction with the adoptive families to delivery and counseling. Cassidie has a passion for those in need and strives to help make a difference in the lives of the people she meets. She is a firm believer in being kind, compassionate and open minded in all situations. “Unless you’ve walked in their shoes, there’s no place for judgment. A kind word or compliment can go a long way!” The bittersweet moments in adoption reminds Cassidie each and every time, why she loves what she does!