CREATING A FAMILY - Key Persons

Job Titles:

• Chairman of the Kinship Advisory Committee

Alicia is a mother and grandmother of children with different abilities. Her advocacy journey began 30 years ago with her daughter. She has lived experience as a kinship caregiver. Additionally, she has been a part of two research projects on kinship caregivers: Urban Institute, Washington DC and the Nationwide Caregiver Project. She was also interviewed as part of the Creating a Family Legal Options Project and serves on their Kinship Advisory Committee. It is her passion to serve all families in North Carolina, so that no family will be left behind. Whether serving in a leadership role or as an active member of various local organizations, she gives it her all.

Cait adds content to our site and is responsible for much of the content in the Parent Support Group Curriculum.

Cressa keeps us organized. She is our prime project manager and our LMS (learning management system) guru. She also works her behind-the-scenes magic on the website and inquiries. Things I do in my spare time: I spend part of everyday outside feeding horses or chickens . . . or cleaning up after all of them. You might find me on the tractor, in the garden, collecting eggs, petting the cat, or even walking the dog. When that's all done, I relax with cooking, reading, or chatting with the family. What you really need to know about me: After 22 years on the move with the US Marine Corps, my husband and I are living our best life on the farm. We are a full house that includes three children (2 out of the house), a dog, a cat, two horses, and 8 chickens. We love to work on our property, hang out in nature, or follow our children throughout their many activities and adventures.

Job Titles:

• Executive Director
• Executive Director of the National Nonprofit Creating a Family, Announces Retirement After 18 Years of Dedicated Service
• Expert
• Founding Executive Director of the North Carolina

As Executive Director, Dawn sets the direction for Creating a Family, along with our Board. She is involved with grant writing and program development, but the most fun thing she does is plan and host our weekly podcast, where she interviews leading experts in the world of adoption, foster care, and kinship care. She also hangs out on our online support group, so if you want to get to know me better, join us. Dawn Davenport is a leading expert in adoption, fostering, and infertility, and the host of the top-rated podcast on adoption, foster care and infertility in the US-Creating a Family: Talk about Adoption and Foster Care. She is the Executive Director of Creating a Family, the national adoption and foster care support and education nonprofit Dawn is a frequent speaker at conferences, including keynote addresses. She speaks on a variety of topics including post adoption support, transitioning from infertility to adoption, training for foster parents, infertility nurse education, etc. Dawn is the author of The Complete Book of International Adoption (Random House) and has published in national and regional publications, including Conceive Magazine, the Christian Science Monitor, and USA Today. Dawn Davenport, Executive Director of the national nonprofit Creating a Family, announces retirement after 18 years of dedicated service. Dawn Davenport, the founding Executive Director of the North Carolina-based nonprofit and host of the top-rated podcast on adoption, foster care, and kinship care in the US-Creating a Family: Talk about Adoption and Foster Care-has played a critical role in developing training and support curricula for resource families. She is passionate about the organization's vision that every child has a family that recognizes their unique strengths and challenges and is equipped to help them thrive. Dawn frequently speaks at conferences, including delivering keynote addresses and discussing a variety of topics such as post-adoption support, transitioning from infertility to adoption, training for foster, adoptive, and kinship parents, and prenatal substance exposure. Davenport has won awards for excellence from both the US Department of Health and Human Services and the Congressional Coalition on Adoption. She is the author of The Complete Book of International Adoption (Random House) and has published in national and regional publications, including Conceive Magazine, the Christian Science Monitor, and USA Today. The team at Creating a Family would like to extend our heartfelt gratitude to Dawn Davenport for her unwavering commitment, hard work, and passion. We will miss Dawn's guidance and expertise, but we are excited about the future and what we can do to further our support and training for foster, adoptive, and kinship parents. The Creating a Family Board of Directors has hired a national search firm, The Find Partners, to look for our next Executive Director. If you know someone who would be a good fit for this position, please contact Ben Lerner at ben@thefindpartners.com. Dawn Davenport is Executive Director and the "Official Voice" of Creating a Family since she has been hosting our weekly podcast since 2007 and is a frequent speaker at conferences. (We try to not let that title go to her head.) We also are proudly led by a terrific Board. You can check out their bona fides if you're so inclined.

Job Titles:

• Member of the Kinship Advisory Committee

DeBorah co-facilitates one of our bi-monthly gatherings for kinship caregivers. She provides ongoing outreach and support to the families that participate in this group. Things I do in my spare time: My first response is what spare time? LOL. I write poetry and perform at poetry slams. I have art projects I work with different mediums wood, paint, canvas, glue jewelry etc. I make what I call peace sticks using branches from the trees on my property and jewelry from several sources. What you re ally need to know about me. I love spending time and traveling with my grandson. I play the Tibetan bowls and lead people in emotional, spiritual and physical healing meditations along with other alternative healing practices. I wanted to tell you how your podcasts have touched our lives, I've listened for years trying to decide if fostering was our path to parenthood, what I could do to prepare, what to expect etc. I can honestly say the advice given through "creating a family " changed our lives… and his. Brittany Baker

Dr. Elizabeth Williams is an integrated care psychologist serving children, teens and their families in her practice embedded within Hendersonville Pediatrics in Hendersonville, NC.  She works with all ages, from toddlers through graduating seniors.  She is also a founding partner and consultant for Health Integration Consultation Services, whose mission is to facilitate behavioral health integration into medical practices. Dr. Williams grew up in South Carolina and received her Bachelor's Degree from Furman University. She received her M.A. and Ph.D. at East Tennessee State University.  She spent a year as a Visiting Assistant Professor at East Tennessee State University before joining the Hendersonville Pediatrics Behavioral Medicine team in January 2017.   She enjoys outreach and is a regular public speaker in her community.

Erica Burgess, BSW, brings over 20 years of experience of combined direct care and management experience in the child welfare system through the private sector. The majority of Erica's career was spent as the Director of Foster Care and Adoption for a North Carolina nonprofit. Her years working in the private sector have provided Erica with the experience and knowledge in child welfare including program development, staff development and training, fiscal oversight, program evaluation, consultation, and project management. Erica has a passion for improving the lives of the children and families served in the child welfare system. She has specific expertise in the areas of foster care, adoption, kinship care, licensure, programming for transition age youth, recruitment and retention of foster, adoptive and kinship caregivers.

Gaile and her husband adopted 2 children from foster care, have another child through guardianship, and have fostered over 18 children in the past 10 years. Her passion is helping other families overcoming trauma and coaching parents and school systems when interacting with children with trauma. She has served as a Parent Advocate for the last 8 years. Before that she spent 17 years as a special education teacher in North Carolina. She is also the Board President for Foster Family Alliance of North Carolina. Gaile has a master's degree in special education from UNC-Greensboro and currently holds NC teaching certification in four areas.

Job Titles:

• Member of the Kinship Advisory Committee

Job Titles:

• Chairman of the Board
• Associate Professor at the School of Social Service Administration

Gina Miranda Samuels is an adult transracial adoptee and an Associate Professor at the School of Social Service Administration and a Faculty Affiliate of the Center for the Study of Race, Politics and Culture at the University of Chicago. Her scholarly interests include transracial adoption, mixed race and multiethnic identity formation, interpretive research methods, and the development of relational, kinship, and cultural ties among young adults whose childhoods are shaped by foster care and adoption.

Job Titles:

• Member of the Kinship Advisory Committee

Job Titles:

• Director of People Development at MX Technologies

Heather Luczak is Director of People Development at MX Technologies. She is an insight and L&D manager with a demonstrated ability of distilling both data and information into consumable, actionable materials to improve organization performance.Her work often requires creativity and unconventional thinking to look at problems in a new way, and pull together the right resources across teams and silos to execute the right solution. Heather holds a Bachelor of Science Degree in Human Development, Family Studies, and Related Services from Brigham Young University.

Jacob is our videographer and animation creator. Adopted into a family of outdoor enthusiasts, he immediately fell in love with the outdoors, all things traveling and learning how to see the world in different ways. "As I grew older I expanded my leadership and outdoor knowledge while simultaneously creating a passion of being able to share and capture the world through my eyes." Things I do in my spare time: I love going out and getting lost in the woods either hiking, biking, climbing or whatever you'd expect at a summer camp. Skating and surfing when available to me are also fun outlets.

Job Titles:

• Attorney

James Fletcher Thompson is an attorney with extensive experience in legal processes for adoption and assisted reproductive technology (ART) in the state of South Carolina. Thompson is a frequent lecturer throughout the state and country on adoption, ART, and child welfare issues. He has also testified before the South Carolina General Assembly on numerous occasions on bills impacting families and children. Mr. Thompson is the author of a book published by the South Carolina Bar entitled South Carolina Adoption Law and Practice, A Guide for Attorneys, Certified Investigators, and Families. He has received national and state recognition for his service on behalf of children and adoptive families.

Jamie is a Jack (or Jill) of all trades. She manages projects and relationships with partners and handles all the details related to the website and technology.

Jamie Morningstar is a fixture in the Utah tech scene and has been a part of several of Utah's most interesting and successful Software as a Service brands. Most recently, she served in engineering and product management leadership at Qualtrics in Provo, Utah. Jamie holds a degree in Computer Science from St. Mary's College of Maryland and an MBA from BYU. She was honored as a decade of impact winner in the 2024 Women Tech Awards. Jamie is currently pursuing a MA in Clinical Mental Health and plans to re-orient her professional work around coaching and counseling. In her spare time, Jamie loves to ski, cycle, and knit. Jamie and her husband Stephen are proud parents to four kids, two by birth and two by adoption. They were grateful users of Creating a Family resources throughout their daughters' adoption processes from Kazakhstan and China. Through their adventures in adoption, Jamie's heart and mind were opened to the depth and complexity of the global orphan crisis. In response, she started to get involved with hands-on orphan advocacy and education projects. She leads an annual orphanage work trip to the Hogar de Amor orphanage in Colima, Mexico, and is excited to serve on the board of Creating a Family.

Job Titles:

• Assistant Professor
• Researcher

Dr. Coleman is an Assistant Professor and researcher in the Department of Pharmacology and Bowles Center for Alcohol Studies at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. He has done extensive research on the effects of alcohol on brain development including studies of both the central and peripheral effects of ethanol on cellular biological processes that contribute to both addiction and alcohol-related diseases. Dr. Coleman earned his M.D. from the University of North Carolina School of Medicine as well as a Ph.D. in Neurobiology.

Job Titles:

• Member of the Kinship Advisory Committee

Job Titles:

• Artist

Mayia Warren is an independent recording artist and extraordinary individual who has dedicated her life to advocating for invisible disabilities, albinism, and chronic illnesses. Her passion for creating positive change and her unique approach to raising awareness have earned her numerous accolades in the field. Mayia employs various mediums, such as creative communication, traditional artistry, media, music, writing, and digital content, to establish effective initiatives within the disability arena. As someone who personally navigates multiple invisible chronic conditions, Mayia draws upon her life experiences as a powerful tool for impact.

Melissa assists with the development goals for the organization. This includes fund development, grants, marketing, & relationship development with partners. Things I do in my spare time: My husband and I spend our weekends exploring Asheville, NC and hanging out with friends at local breweries. If we're not doing that, you can catch us on a local hike with our dog, Darryl. We also love finding new shows to watch while relaxing after work. If you know of any good ones, be sure to let me know! What you really need to know about me: Cooking and finding new recipes is a passion of mine. My poor husband is always a guinea pig. Food has always been a centerpiece in bringing people together in my family and I love that I can carry on traditions through food while my husband and I also work to create new ones of our own.

Job Titles:

• Director of Rowan County Department of Social Services

Micah Ennis is the Director of Rowan County Department of Social Services, where she has served in varying capacities for 27 years.  Micah has served on community arts boards and helped establish the local Prevent Child Abuse Rowan and its subsidiary Terrie Hess House Child Advocacy Center.  She describes herself as a servant leader and seeks to support and grow servant leadership within the organization and community.  Micah's personal mission includes excellent service to families and children, especially children involved in the child welfare system. She holds an M.S.W. from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Micah and husband, Eric, have a blended family of 5 grown children and 8 grandchildren.  During non-pandemic times, weekends are spend loving on grandchildren, playing Scrabble with friends, and visiting the local coffee shop. 

Job Titles:

• Executive Director of Bridge to Brighter

Nick Sgarlata is the Executive Director of Bridge to Brighter, a non-profit dedicated to supporting youth in and aging out of foster care through resources and programming that help them achieve their goals.

Job Titles:

• Member of the Kinship Advisory Committee

Peter, otherwise known as "the money guy", keeps the financial wheels on the Creating a Family bus moving. Things I do in my spare time: Swim for exercise, kayak, camp in our Alto, big property=lots of work. What you really need to know about me: I am a lucky guy! Great family, wonderful wife and I am a new granddad.

Robin Gurwitch, Ph.D., is a licensed clinical psychologist with close to 30 years of experience in evidence-based treatments and the impact of trauma/disaster/terrorism on children. She is a professor in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at Duke University Medical Center and the Director of Parent-Child Interaction Therapy (PCIT) and Child-Adult Relationship Enhancement (CARE) Training at the Center for Child & Family Health.

Sara edits our weekly podcast and online training course videos. Sara is all about sound- she edits and mixes dialog, music, and sound effects for podcasts, television, and films. Her professional website highlights some of her other projects: https://www.megownsoundworks.com. Things I do in my spare time: I love reading all genres of books, from romance to biography, as well as playing the piano, going to the movies, and travelling to new places!

Sarah has been instrumental in the development and implementation of our prenatal exposure training. She has worked alongside experts to develop the content, outline videos, and work with teachers, preschool teachers, daycare providers, after school providers, and foster parents to pilot the program.

As the Kinship Navigator, Sharon staffs the kinship family support line where she offers information, referral, and support services to relative caregivers. She connects them with community resources, public benefits, legal supports, and our monthly support groups. She also co-facilitates one our our bi-monthly gatherings for kinship caregivers.

Job Titles:

• Attorney

Steve Hayes is an attorney specializing in adoption and assisted reproductive law. Steve has been a litigator for more than 40 years. He has been recognized in Best Lawyers in America, Wisconsin Super Lawyers, as a Leader in the Law and in Milwaukee Magazine as one of the top attorneys in his field in the Milwaukee area. He has volunteered his time as president or board member for lawyer organizations, including the Academy of Adoption and Assisted Reproduction Attorneys, Milwaukee's public television station, his church and various adoption groups. Steve has been lead counsel in numerous Wisconsin and federal appellate cases in the areas of children's law, including surrogacy, wrongful adoption and termination of parental rights cases. He continues to represent several Wisconsin adoption agencies, adoptive parents or birth mothers and was recognized as an Angel in Adoption by the Congressional Coalition in Adoption in 2006.

Tracy is our social media guru who manages all of our online accounts as well as writes and edits various types of content for the website. She reviews books for our Best of the Best Adoption book list for kids broken out by type of adoption and age of the child. She also leads our support groups. Things I do in my spare time: I am a voracious reader and I'm always trying to find a good balance of light fiction and equipping non-fiction. I enjoy doing lunch with a friend or one of my grown-up kids. I might also be a tad addicted to blogs and social media groups that focus on running a home more efficiently or frugally. I find that stuff fascinating and fun! What you really need to know about me: I have 6 kids and 3 in-law kids, and a large extended family. My happiest days are the times we can all be together in one place. Now that four of my kids are adults, those moments are particularly precious to me.