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Staff
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Margaret Fleming, Director and Child Welfare Supervisor (MSW, LCSW)
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Margaret Fleming, a licensed clinical social worker and former psychotherapist,
has worked in the adoption field for over 20 years. She is the mother of eleven
children, eight of whom were adopted. Her last four children were born HIV
positive. It was after spending time in a Vietnamese orphanage where so many
forgotten children with HIV were in need of adoptive families, that she founded
Chances by Choice, a program of Adoption-Link. CbC specializes in locating
internationally born HIV positive children, available for adoption, and working
with licensed international agencies to place them with adoptive families.
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Sharon Steckler, Director of International Programs (MSW, LCSW)
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Sharon is a licensed clinical social worker with more than 16 years experience
in the social work field. She has previously directed two international
adoption agencies and has a background which has provided her with strong
clinical skills, administrative experience and knowledge of multicultural
issues. Sharon has also worked in domestic adoption where she counseled both
birth parents and adoptive parents and has spoken on a variety of adoption
topics. Sharon is an adoptee herself and the mother of three biological
children.
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Noreen Davidson, Director of Domestic Programs (MSW, LCSW)
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Noreen Davidson is a licensed clinical social worker. Her background has been
varied: she was a teacher in the Chicago Public Schools for many years. Noreen
devoted her last years of teaching to pre-school handicapped children and their
parents. She then earned a master's degree in social work, choosing to work in
the employee assistance field for 10 years. During this time she also worked in
a hospital setting providing pastoral care and focusing on the dying process.
Noreen has biological twins and has adopted two African-American brothers who
led her to the wonderful world of adoption.
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Liz Moore, Director of Development
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Liz Moore joined Adoption-Link in May 2006 as a volunteer working to raise
awareness for HIV+ orphans through Chances by Choice. She now serves as
Director of Development and is committed to finding loving and permanent homes
for all children. Before coming to Adoption-Link Liz was a municipal bond
broker for 6 years. She is a graduate of Miami University with degrees in Mass
Communications and Political Science. She enjoys traveling and spending time
with her family and friends. Liz and her husband Greg live in Chicago.
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Mary Z. Austin, RN, Director of Operations
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Mary has more than 20 years experience in the area of Human Resources. Most
recently, after becoming a registered nurse, she worked in a local community
health center as the Director of Human Resources. The mother of two adopted
daughters from China, Mary has had first hand experience with the international
adoption process. She joined Adoption Link in July of 2006 and is currently
working with the Chances by Choice Program. Mary is also responsible for the
Agency's Human Resources Department.
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Donnie Morey- Family Adoption Specialist
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Donnie Morey has been employed by Adoption Link since 2003 as a Family Adoption
Specialist completing international home studies, domestic home studies and
post-placement reports. Prior to coming to Adoption Link, Donnie worked for
over 13 years in the field of child welfare, focusing on providing in
therapeutic foster care for individuals with special needs. Donnie currently
works for Adoption Link on a part-time basis, and has made a new full-time
career in selling real estate in Chicago's richly diverse neighborhoods. Donnie
is originally from Oklahoma, but has called Chicago home since 1988. Donnie
received his bachelor of science in psychology from Oklahoma State University.
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Jeanne Winsted Rosser, Haiti Program Coordinator (MSW, LSW)
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Jeanne Winsted Rosser is an adoptive parent and home study worker who
specializes in international adoptions. A graduate of Jane Addams School of
Social Work, Jeanne has also administered disabilities awareness programs at
the elementary school level. In 2004, Jeanne traveled to India as a volunteer
in Rotary International's pediatric polio immunization program, and her dream
is to someday volunteer in Africa.
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Shanna Downey (MSW)
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Shanna received her Master's from Loyola University Chicago in 2006. She has
been working in the adoption field for three years. She currently works as a
Special Education Teacher in Melrose Park.
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Denise Baker, BS - Ethiopia In-Country Coordinator
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Denise has a BS in Arts and Letters from Portland State University, but it was
her minor in Black Studies that brought her to Africa to study early childhood
development. Her experience in Ghana was so moving that she applied and was
accepted for a six-month internship at an orphanage in Ethiopia. Touched by the
need she saw there and fascinated by the spirit of the people, she is committed
to helping children in the community who have been touched by the AIDS crisis.
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Elizabeth Forte (MSW, LCSW)
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Elizabeth Forte has been employed part-time with Adoption-Link since 1996 as a home study worker and supervisor for
the domestic home study program. She is the domestic home studies and licensing coordinator for D.C.F.S. foster family home care licenses.
Elizabeth has had over 25 years of experience in a variety of settings which has included in-patient psychiatry,
medical and rehabilitation hospitals, homeless shelters and community counseling centers.
In addition to working for Adoption-Link, she has been employed with a local Chicago rehabilitation hospital for 17 years.
Elizabeth received her Masters in Social Work from UIC. She lives with her husband and two daughters in Oak Park.
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Heather Breems (MSW)
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Heather has been working at Adoption-Link since June 2007 as a home study worker and DCFS licensing representative.
She graduated in May of 2007 with a Master’s in Social Work from Loyola University, Chicago. She has been working with children in a variety of settings for over 10 years and has a real passion for bringing families together through adoption.
Heather was recently married and lives with her husband in Berwyn.
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Michelle Witt (MSW)
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Michelle is a licensed clinical social worker and home study worker who specializes in international adoptions.
Michelle graduated from St. Louis University with a Master's in Social Work in 2003 and since that time has also worked as a counselor. She and her husband live in Edwardsville and are the parents of two children.
Michelle dreams of adding to their family through adoption.
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Stephanie More (MSW, LSW)
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Stephanie has been employed part-time with Adoption-Link since October 2007. She received her Bachelor’s in Social Work in 2001, and then obtained her Master’s in Social Work in 2007 from the University of Michigan.
Stephanie spent one year living and working in an orphanage in Honduras and has a passion for international child welfare service. She has four years experience working in domestic and international adoption and has provided direct service to adoptive parents, birth parents and adoptees.
Stephanie enjoys living in Chicago and taking advantage of all the activities the city has to offer.
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