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THE STAFF AT ADOPTION
ACCESS
updated May 2008
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Executive/Administrative Staff |
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1-800-FREE-HUG |
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Executive Director
Licensed Child
Placement Administrator
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I started
Adoption Access in 1992 with the purpose of providing more
extensive counseling to birthmothers. I have a Master's of
Science in Social Work and served as executive director of
another licensed child-placing agency prior to founding Adoption
Access. Having served on the clinical staff of a Dallas
psychiatrist, providing group and individual therapy, this was
an interest and background I felt were underused in the adoption
field. I have also had a private practice that included
biofeedback services for Children's Medical Center. I even had a
doll manufacturing business at one time. Adoption work is the
most rewarding field in which you could ever hope to find
yourself. It is a perfect fit for me, and I love everything but
the hours. It is a privilege to be part of such a profound time
in someone's life, both birthparents and adoptive parents and of
course the children. I have tremendous respect for the young
women who make such a painful and courageous sacrifice, so their
children can have the best in life. I also believe strongly in
the great gift adoptive parents provide. In over 350 adoptions
we have had only two divorces. With the average rate of divorce
for all marriages over 60% now, this is a huge gift of stability
and love. I stay in contact with a great many of my birthmoms
and parents so their gifts keep on giving to me. I also have an
incredibly loving and hardworking staff that is like family to
me. Thank you for your interest, and we hope we can provide you
with some answers to your questions and concerns. |
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ashley@adoptionaccess.com |
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Director
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Ashley is the daughter of the
founder of Adoption Access, Deborah Hug. She has grown up
with the agency and has worked here since she was a teenager.
She left Texas to attend Wellesley College in Massachusetts and
graduated in 2001 with a mathematics degree. Ashley spent
several years working for corporations in publishing and the
financial services industries to gain experience on a broader
scale before taking over the reins at Adoption Access. She
is knowledgeable in all aspects of the agency and has done every
job that Adoption Access requires. She is uniquely
qualified for the position of director and brings to it a love,
enthusiasm and dedication that will ensure our ongoing
commitment to quality of service for all of our clients.
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brooke@adoptionaccess.com |
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Adoption Services
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pricilla@adoptionaccess.com |
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Administrator
Pricilla
McCollum graduated from Berkner High School in Richardson,
Texas. Her
most recent experience
has been working in the
administrative field for 4 years in the real estate
industry. She also has 3 years of experience working in
accounting handling payables and receivables. Pricilla also
has two children and they live in the Dallas area. We
are excited to have her as a part of Adoption Access!
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1-800- FREE HUG |
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Transportation- DFW
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www.adoptlegal.com |
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Legal Counselor
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David has been Counsel
for Adoption Access since 1994. From 1987 through 1993, Mr. Cole
represented Dallas County Child Protective Services in suits
concerning the abuse and neglect of children. In 1992 and 1993,
Mr. Cole handled the civil prosecution of every case
investigated through the Dallas Children's Advocacy Center,
including every child death case in Dallas County. Mr. Cole is a
former board member for the Texas Association for Infant Mental
Health. He is a member of the American Academy of Adoption
Attorneys and the Dallas Bar Association. A recipient of the
Dean's Merit Scholarship Award, Mr. Cole graduated from
Pepperdine School of Law in Malibu, California in May of 1987.
He graduated with a Bachelor of Arts from the University of
Texas at Austin in May of 1984. Dave is a tremendous resource
for Adoption Access and gives a great deal of his time and
energy to all of our clients and staff. Despite telling him all
of our bad lawyer jokes, he enjoys the highest admiration of
this staff for his character and ethics. We depend and trust him
without qualification. He has made a difference in the lives of
many children by his devotion and skill to their causes. We are
grateful and lucky to have him. |
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melissa@adoptionaccess.com |
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Adoption Counselor Supervisor
Melissa Stiles graduated in 2001
with a Bachelor of Arts in Communication Studies from California
State University, Sacramento. Adoption has always been close to
her heart since her husband was adopted and she has been
fascinated by his journey. After finding his birth parents in
2003 that peeked her interest in the field of adoption.
Melissa began working at Adoption Access in 2004 as a birth
mother counselor. She enjoyed working with birth mothers
and being their constant source of support through their unique
adoption experience. She was honored that they allowed her to be
apart of such a personal time in their life. Each birth mother
impacted her in different ways and left her with a feeling of
admiration for every woman she had the opportunity to work with.
Melissa is now working closely with adoptive parents and greatly
enjoy seeing each family have a happy ending with their new
baby. Melissa has a two year old son, Fintan Matthew. Her
family means the world to her, and she realizes more and more
that family is the root of adoption.
It is truly an
honor to be apart of creating such amazing families at Adoption
Access and knowing the courageous woman that make them possible.
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Child
Placement Staff-DFW |
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mary@adoptionaccess.com |
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Mary is a Virginia
native who has lived in Texas for twenty years and a
2007 graduate of University of Texas-Dallas, with a
Bachelors of Arts in Sociology. She completed her
internship with Adoption Access and knew immediately
this career path was what she wanted to pursue with
her education. Mary's passion for adoption and
working with birth mothers is somewhat unique. She
has a 12-year relationship with Adoption Access,
first as a birth mother of identical twins, then
having completed her internship, and as the newest
addition to our counseling staff.
Mary brings a refreshing perspective to the team
since she has been a client, intern and counselor.
She is passionate about the opportunities that
prevail for both the birth mother and the adoptive
parents, and recognizes the importance of making
great life choices. She looks forward to being a
positive influence/role model for birth mothers and
their families on what you can achieve if you
believe in yourself.
Mary is enthusiastic about her new role at Adoption
Access.
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carolina@adoptionaccess.com |
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Elisa Kerr
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elisa@adoptionaccess.com |
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Elisa Kerr graduated in 2007 with a Master of Arts
in Counseling from Stephen F. Austin State
University in Nacogdoches , TX and passed the
National Counselors Exam (NCE) in 2008 . Elisa has
an eight year old daughter, Natalie.
Elisa feels that it is a blessing to join the team
at Adoption Access. She is also very excited to be a
part of such a brave and beautiful experience as the
adoption process offers to various families.
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debchristian@adoptionaccess.com |
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Debby joined
the staff of Adoption Access in 2004 initially to help our staff
and clients with support and transportation needs. She
immediately blossomed into an invaluable asset to our entire
staff, birthmothers, and adoptive parents alike. Debby serves
as our night counselor, handling all after hours matters which
naturally transfer into the day-to-day activity of the agency.
She also provides essential support specifically in the Tarrant
County area. Having been adopted herself, Debby has a keen
insight and understanding of adoption that our birthmothers and
adoptive parents undoubtedly need. Her consistent advice and
support are an underlying factor of the agency’s success. She
is here to step in and help with a smile in every capacity of
the job, and her positive attitude is a driving force behind
successful placements. Debby has the capacity to help in each
and every situation, and her devotion to and love for our
clients is immeasurable. In addition to her availability 24
hours a day, literally, she is currently pursuing her degree
with a specialization in Family Studies. She also has a true
life dedication to her family, and she and her husband raise
their precious son Kevin. Debby touches people’s lives, and our
clients are lucky to have her on the receiving end of a phone
call. We are indebted to her service and dedication, and
Adoption Access functions better because of her. |
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Child
Placement Staff-Houston |
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amy@adoptionaccess.com |
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Amy
comes to Adoption Access with an extensive background in
adoption. Both a biological mom and an adoptive mom, Amy wrote
Waiting for Lucinda, a book that tells the story of the
international adoption of her daughter Lucy from Guatemala in
2003. A freelance writer and passionate adoption advocate, her
articles have frequently been published in Adoption Today
magazine and Adoptive Families magazine. Amy annually
attends a summer camp for Latin American adoptive families in
Colorado where she plays a prominent role in workshop
programming for parents and adoptees. She is also very active
in the online adoption community. A former high school English
teacher who earned a Master’s degree in Humanities and a
Bachelors degree in English, Amy spent thirteen years in the
classroom teaching and counseling junior high and high school
students. In 2004 Amy, her husband Dave, and their two
daughters moved to the Houston, Texas area. Because she has a
great deal of respect, admiration, and compassion for her
younger daughter’s birth mother, Amy sees it as an honor and a
privilege to work with Houston birth mothers, to help them make
decisions, and to stand side by side with them throughout the
adoption experience. |
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brittany@adoptionaccess.com |
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Brittany has a Bachelors of Science in Psychology
from the University of Houston Downtown. She has a combined 6
years of experience working with children and parents alike.
Brittany was a gymnastics coach for many years where she also
worked one on one with Autistic kids. Brittany is married and
has 3 wonderful kids, she has two daughters and a stepson. She
has been at home for the past two years caring for her youngest
daughter who was unexpectedly born with Congenital Heart Disease
and DiGeorge syndrome. She knows first hand how unpredictable
life can be and at times demanding caring for both healthy and a
special needs child. She is very nurturing and family oriented
and truly believe that God only gives us as much as he knows we
can handle.
We are so
excited and proud to have Brittany be the newest addition to
Adoption Access! |
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Child
Placement Staff-Amarillo/Lubbock, TX |
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kristen@adoptionaccess.com |
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Kristen is
our counselor in the Panhandle area of Texas. She came to
Adoption Access early in 2005 and is a natural fit for the
agency. She graduated from Abilene Christian University with a
Bachelor of Science in Education in 1999. Next she attended
Southwest Texas State University and received a Master’s Degree
in Education in 2001. Kristen taught school for 6 years and
thoroughly enjoyed the experience. While teaching she mainly
worked with underprivileged children, and she grew to love them
dearly. Kristen saw firsthand the need for children to be in
loving, stable homes. She is very excited about working with
birthmoms so they feel confident their child will be loved and
cared for by the best possible family. Kristen has always felt
it is important to have a job in which she makes a difference in
the lives of others, and she feels that through working with our
birthmoms she will be able to do just that. She has three close
relatives who were adopted has seen how wonderful adoption can
be. Kristen and her husband have recently welcomed their first
child into their home, and she does a wonderful job of balancing
parenting and working. Kristen is a true asset to our
birthmothers! |
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Child
Placement Staff-El Paso, TX. |
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rose@adoptionaccess.com |
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As a Counselor to the
agency in the El Paso area, Rose began working for Adoption Access in October of
1998. She has a Master's degree in Counseling and Guidance from
Webster
University and a Bachelor's degree in Social Work from
University of Texas at El Paso. Additionally, Rose possesses
eleven years of experience working with Head Start, the
homeless, and at-risk youth in the El Paso area. Because of her
expensive background and experience in social work, Rose is a
natural for adoption work. She has been wonderful in connecting
birthparents to other resources that can help them go forward
with their lives. Adoptive parents don't need our help
parenting, but birthparents often do need our help beyond
placement. The counseling is always available to them, but they
may need help in other areas of their lives. Making a difference
for young people in difficult situations is something Rose has
been doing for a long time. We are very happy she is doing this
for us now. She is a very nurturing and caring person, and her
birthmoms adore her. |
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Child
Placement Staff-San Antonio, TX. |
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liza@adoptionaccess.com |
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Liza came to Adoption
Access in 2003 and serves as the counselor in the San Antonio
area. Liza graduated from Our Lady of the Lake University with a
Master of Social Work degree in 1999 and a Bachelor's degree in
Psychology in 1996. While in graduate school, Liza interned with
the Southwest Independent School District Rose Parenting
Program, wherein the primary purpose is to reduce the number of
students who drop out of school due to pregnancy. She helped
students achieve academic goals, work towards graduation, and
develop job-related skills to become productive citizens. Liza
enabled birthparents to become knowledgeable in child
development, parenting, and home management. After obtaining her
Master's Degree, she worked for Christus Santa Rosa Rehabilitation
Hospital in the outpatient services department. As a Child Care
Resource Specialist, she provided assistance to needy families
with children to promote work, responsibility, and
self-sufficiency. She enjoyed helping parents find affordable
childcare through referrals to community resources and
counseling. Liza is a great asset to Adoption Access, and the
effort and support she puts forth for her birthmothers shows her
true level of respect for what an amazing choice they are
making. |
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Child
Placement Staff-East Texas |
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tiffany@adoptionaccess.com |
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Tiffany is new
to Adoption Access as of January 2008. She is a social worker
at heart and has always enjoyed “helping people help
themselves.” Tiffany is an East Texas native and first attended
Kilgore College to obtain her Associate of Science. She then
went on to Brigham Young University in Utah and graduated in
2004 with a BS - major in Social Work, minor in Folk Dance.
Tiffany has worked in a variety of social work fields including
outpatient substance abuse treatment, service worker for men
with learning disabilities, caseworker for people with MR and
mental illnesses, as well as home health social work. She has
always wanted the opportunity to work in adoption. There have
been many family and friends in Tiffany’s life that have
experienced adoption as a birth mother/father or as adoptive
parents. This has given her the opportunity to see the
blessings of adoption and she looks forward to counseling with
these brave young women who are willing to make such a
sacrifice. Tiffany is married to her husband, TJ and they have
one son. |
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Child
Placement Staff-Adoption Consultant |
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jenna@adoptionaccess.com |
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Jenna Howard earned her BS in
Psychology from Abilene Christian University. She obtained her
MS in Social Work from the University of Texas at Arlington and
then earned her LMSW. She has worked in the adoption field since
1994. In addition to working with adoptive parents and
birthmothers, Jenna is also an adoptee. Adoption has blessed her
life and she loves helping families become blessed by adoption.
She and her husband, Mark, have three sons.
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Birthmother
Hotline Counselor |
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elivia@adoptionaccess.com |
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Elivia joined us in 2008 as our
after-hours Phone Counselor. She also works
part-time as a Substitute Teacher. She is very excited about
joining
Adoption Access, Inc., and brings an amazing compassion and
dedication to
Birth Mothers. Elivia is from Southern California and speaks
Spanish
fluently. She spends her free time with her husband and enjoys
reading. |
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