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ADDRESS:
111 N. 7th Street, Suite 402
St. Louis, MO  63101
 
PHONE:
314.FOSTER.3 (314.367.8373)
800.FOSTER.3 (800.367.8373)
 
FAX: 
314.241.0715
 
WEBSITE:
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Our Mission Minimize

The Foster & Adoptive Care Coalition is a non-profit agency that strives to create permanency in foster children’s lives by recruiting and retaining foster/adoptive families.
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Coalition Staff Minimize
 

 
  
Melanie Scheetz - Executive Director Minimize
111 N. 7th Street, Suite 402  St. Louis, MO  63101
314.367.8373 x21
 
Melanie Scheetz and her husband are proud adoptive parents of two children, ages 12 and 10.   Melanie has more than 20 years non-profit management experience in the areas of administration and development. She joined the Foster & Adoptive Care Coalition as its Executive Director in 1999. During the past 10 years, the Coalition has recruited more than 1,000 new foster/adoptive families, and found adoptive homes for more than 250 hard-to-place children. Under her guidance, the agency developed the groundbreaking program, Extreme Recruitment.
 
Melanie has been honored with the North American Council on Adoptable Children’s 2006 “National Adoption Advocate” award; the 2007 Congressional “Angels in Adoption” award; and the 2008 “Women of the Well” award. She has a B.S. in Accountancy from Miami University.
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Connie Doty - Wendy's Wonderful Kids Recruiter Minimize
111 N. 7th Street, Suite 402  St. Louis, MO  63101
314.367.8373 x28

As a Wendy's Wonderful Kids recruiter, Connie finds adoptive families for children who are typically more difficult to place...older children, teens and sibling groups.  She conducts intensive, child specific searches to recruit appropriate families, and work with the families to prepare them for a child's placement with them.  Connie establishes a trusting working relationship with the child to determine his or her adoptive needs, find the best match, and prepare him/her for adoption working closely with other members of the child's team.
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Debbie Genung - Director of Development Minimize
111 N. 7th Street, Suite 402  St. Louis, MO  63101
314.367.8373 x38

Debbie joined the Coalition in early 2006 with six years of professional development experience and decades of volunteer fundraising.  She is the staff liaison for the Junior Board (launched in 2006), and is responsible for grant writing and reporting, special events, individual, foundation, and corporate giving, Annual Appeal, and Fostering Hope (newsletter for donors and volunteers.)  Debbie is the proud mother of four children and two “adopted” Spanish sons – brothers who lived with the Genung family the year they were each 12 years old.
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Jan Joeckel - Co-Director of Illinois Recruitment Minimize
111 N. 7th Street, Suite 402  St. Louis, MO  63101
314.367.8373 x27
 
Jan Joeckel has been with the Coalition since 2002.  She recruits and supports foster and adoptive families in the St. Louis Metropolitan area, including southern Illinois .  She works closely with the Missouri Children’s Division, Illinois Department of Children and Family Services, and their private agency partners, to stay current on specific child placement needs and the licensing process for foster/adoptive families.   Prior to joining the Coalition, she served as a child welfare specialist for the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services and a social service worker for the Missouri Children’s Division.  She has a Master of Social Work degree and is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker.  She has 20 years of experience in child welfare.
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Liz Johnson - Wendy's Wonderful Kids Recruiter Minimize
111 N. 7th Street, Suite 402  St. Louis, MO  63101
314.367.8373 x31

As a Wendy's Wonderful Kids recruiter, Liz finds adoptive families for children who are typically more difficult to place...older children, teens and sibling groups.  She conducts intensive, child specific searches to recruit appropriate families, and work with the families to prepare them for a child's placement with them.  Liz establishes a trusting working relationship with the child to determine his or her adoptive needs, find the best match, and prepare him/her for adoption working closely with other members of the child's team.
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Barbara Kane - Outcomes Specialist Minimize
111 N. 7th Street, Suite 402  St. Louis, MO  63101
314.367.8373 x26
 
Barbara is a graduate from the George Warren Brown School of Social Work at Washington University.  She received her undergraduate degree in Sociology from the University of Wisconsin-Madison.  Barbara has been with the Foster and Adoptive Care Coalition since January 2007 when she began her practicum education.  She enjoyed her experience so much that she continued her practicum there and is currently in charge of the Holiday Wishes program, a program that brings holiday gifts to foster and adoptive children in the Metro St. Louis Area.
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Denise Kelley - Director of Advocacy & Recruitment Minimize
111 N. 7th Street, Suite 402  St. Louis, MO  63101
314.367.8373 x25
 
In 2001, the Coalition expanded services to foster and adoptive families through its Family Advocacy program. Since that time Denise has used a self-advocacy model to provide one-on-one case based advocacy to foster parents, adoptive parents, relative caregivers, biological parents, and child welfare professionals. Typical inquiries include assistance in navigating the child welfare system, policy/procedure clarifications, and finding community resources. Denise also coordinates the Coalition's foster and adoptive parent training enrollment for Missouri residence living in the Metro Area. Denise, in partnership with other Coaliton staff, work closely with MO Children’s Division and its private agency partners to stay current on specific child placement needs, the licensing process for foster and adoptive families, and supportive services for foster and adoptive families.  
 
Prior to joining the Coalition team, Denise worked in the child welfare field providing crisis intervention services through the Intensive In-Home Services program and later as a foster care case manger. Denise holds a Masters in Social Work from Saint Louis University.
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Heather Kemper- Director of Public Relations Minimize
111 N. 7th Street, Suite 402  St. Louis, MO  63101
314.367.8373 x36

Heather is a local St. Louisan, a licensed foster parent, and a graduate from the University of Missouri, Columbia with a degree in Public Relations.  Her responsiblities include the content and design layout of newsletters: "Fostering Hope", "Family Connections" (statewide), "News You Can Use" (both MO and IL); e-newsletters:  "e-News You Can Use", and "e-FosteringHope"; and the content and design of the Foster & Adoptive Care Coalition website.  She is also in charge of developing, enhancing and maintaining a good relationship with the media and community.
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Tom Kircher - Co-Director of Illinois Recruitment Minimize
111 N. 7th Street, Suite 402  St. Louis, MO  63101
314.367.8373 x27

Tom is a 30 year veteran of the IL Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS), and has been with the Coalition since his retirement in January 2001 as a foster home recruiter. Jan and Tom Kircher work together as the co-directors of Illinois recruitment. They work closely with Illinois DCFS and it's private agency partners to stay current on specific child placement needs, the licensing process for foster and adoptive families, and supportive services for foster and adoptive families in southern Illinois. 
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Kimberly Knox - Director of Family Development Minimize
111 N. 7th Street, Suite 402  St. Louis, MO  63101
314.367.8373 x35
 
Graduate from the University of Missouri – Columbia, with a degree in Social Work, Kimberly began working with foster/adoptive parents as a Recruiter and Trainer in Northern Virginia. As a member of the Coalition team she facilitates Parent Support groups and coordinates the Training Extravaganza, Parent’s Night Out respite events and the Parent to Parent respite network. 
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Leslie Lewis - Director of Educational Advocacy Minimize
111 N. 7th Street, Suite 402  St. Louis, MO  63101
314.367.8373

Leslie Lewis is the Director of Educational Advocacy for foster and adoptive parents and professionals.  She is a foster/adoptive parent with more than 36 years of experience in the field of special education. She is the retired Executive Director of the St. Louis Public Schools Special Education Division.  Leslie assists with enrollment issues, educational issues, special education evaluations and services, tutoring, developing an IEP.  She also serves as an advocate when needed for special education meetings.
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Carlos Lopez - Director of Investigations Minimize
111 N. 7th Street, Suite 402  St. Louis, MO  63101
314.367.8373 x39
 
After serving 20 years in the St. Louis Police Department, Carlos Lopez joined the Foster & Adoptive Care Coalition as the organization's first Family Connections Investigator. While with the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department, Carlos served as a patrol officer (11-years) and as a Juvenile Detective (9-years).  While a Juvenile Detective, Carlos worked one on one with at risk youth specifically regarding gang prevention, detection and intervention. He was also a part of the Truancy Initiative, which was a highly successful multi-agency program decreasing truancy in the St. Louis area. Carlos' investigation skills combined with his experience in serving children and families has helped facilitate successful reconnections of foster children with birth family.
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Sheila Suderwalla - Director of Project Teen Plus & APTCH Minimize
111 N. 7th Street, Suite 402  St. Louis, MO  63101
314.367.8373 x30
 
Sheila, MSW has directed Project Teen Plus since 2003 achieving great success in securing permanency for teenagers in foster care. She recruits and supports adoptive families for teens.  Sheila also facilitates a teen support group for program participants. In addition to Project Teen Plus, Sheila coordinates a weekly televised adoption recruitment segment, “A Place to Call Home.” In partnership with St. Louis’ NBC affiliate KSDK NewsChannel 5 over 55% of the hardest to place children who have been featured on this Emmy winning program have found forever families. Ms. Suderwalla’s work experience includes contracted case management for the State of Missouri, Family Development Specialist – training and licensing foster and adoptive parents and case management for abused and neglected children, including those born drug addicted and/or with HIV/AIDS. Ms. Suderwalla has extensive volunteer and advocacy experience, including mentoring at-risk teenagers. In addition to membership in professional organizations, Ms. Suderwalla serves as a board member for several local and national non-profit organizations. Sheila has a master in social work degree from Washington University in St. Louis.
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Rossi Summers - Director of Operations/Little Wishes Minimize
111 N. 7th Street, Suite 402  St. Louis, MO  63101
314.367.8373 x33
 
Reshelle "Rossi" Summers is a foster/adoptive parent.  She holds master's degrees in Human Service Agency Management and Human Resources.  Rossi is responsible for administering the Little Wishes program and for overseeing day-to-day operations at the Coalition. 
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Shelley Thomas-Benke - Director of FosterServe Volunteers Minimize
111 N. 7th Street, Suite 402  St. Louis, MO  63101
314.367.8373 x29

An active volunteer herself, Shelley is responsible for recruiting volunteers to make a difference in the lives of foster/adoptive children.  She collaborates with 14 St. Louis metro area agencies that serve foster/adoptive children, making volunteer referrals to these agencies as well as recruiting Coalition volunteers.  Shelley also works with companies and groups to organize events and drives that benefit foster/adoptive families.  She works part-time.

Shelley worked as an attorney specializing in child abuse/neglect issues and appellate work for 10 years before transitioning into the non-profit sector to become Director of FosterServe Volunteers.  Shelley has a B.S. in Business from the University of Minnesota and received her J.D., cum laude, from the University of Wisconsin. 
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Cindy Ysaguirre - KidStore Manager Minimize
Tyler Presbyterian  2109 S. Spring Avenue  St. Louis, MO  63110
314.773.KIDS (314.773.5437)
 
Cindy, a proud mother of two and a a grandmother of four, is a part-time employee responsible for managing the daily operations and volunteer staff of the KidStore.  She also performs internal audits for the Little Wishes program.
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111 N. 7th Street, Suite 402, St. Louis, MO 63101 | 800.FOSTER.3