From Christy Ikeler
March 15, 2017
Hello, and welcome to my first Adoption Choices of Colorado blog. My name is Christy and I am the Executive Director and Birth Parent Case Worker for Adoption Choices of Colorado. In this role, I get to work with both the birth parents and adoptive parents. I have a true passion for what I do. I am also an adoptive parent myself and adoption holds a very special place in my heart.
The purpose of this blog is to provide adoptive parents, birth parents, and those thinking about adoption with an opportunity to learn about subjects that are important to them. I will be blogging twice a month and I welcome your feedback. You can reach out to me at cikeler@adoptionchoices.org.
Please feel free to write to me about subjects you would like me to elaborate on. Some of the topics I will be exploring in the next few months will be: The Adoption Tax Credit, Mother’s Day & Father’s Day, and Keeping in Touch with the Birth Parents. I also encourage you to communicate with me and Adoption Choices of Colorado staff through our Facebook page: Adoption Choices of Colorado.
We consider ourselves like an extension of your family and are with you not only through the adoption process but are also here for you after adoption – through all the ups and downs and to celebrate the wonderful important moments through your adoption journey. I hope my blog will make you more comfortable with some of the feelings that you have.
Remember, you don’t have to go through this alone. We are here for you at Adoption Choices. Sometimes, everyday things seem natural; other times you might not know who to turn to; please never feel that you’re alone.
Here is the story of my personal journey:
The adoption journey was very long for me. After dealing with infertility and starting down the road to adoption I started doing a lot of research, agony of the difficult road ahead, limited choices due to my profession and soul searching I decided to pursue adoption from Social Services. After a home study was completed, core training was attended and my profile was constructed I became active. It was almost two long years of many possibilities that were presented to me and several that I turned down immediately before I was contacted about my daughter. She was 3 years old when I met her and becoming her mama was the very best decision I have ever made in my life. We have had a total of 9 amazing years together!! I am confident that she is my miracle baby and I am thrilled that my journey in life took me down a very long, frustrating and dark road that seemed to never end, because at the end of that road I adopted the child that was meant to be mine!!!! My passionin helping others: I have a very strong desire to help families find their miracle baby just as I have found mine. My biggest belief is that it is important to understand all of the facets of adoption (good, bad and ugly) so that parents make the best informed decision that will be for the rest of their lives. I think it is crucial for them to understand their own strengths and weaknesses so that they only say yes to the child that is meant for them, not to make a decision out of desperation.
So here’s to celebrating adoption! Thank you for starting this blogging journey with me!
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.
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!