Grounded in Research. Guided by Lived Experience.

The data is striking: adoptees are four times more likely to attempt suicide than their non-adopted peers, according to the American Academy of Pediatrics. Research consistently shows that separation from one’s original mother—even in infancy—can leave lasting effects on trust, attachment, and identity. In response, we’ve built a multidisciplinary team of researchers to study and strengthen our intervention model, ensuring that our mentorship approach remains evidence-driven and responsive to the unique needs of adoptees.

The Experts Behind Our Mentorship Model

Our Trainers and Research Team consists of nationally recognized scholars, seasoned clinicians, and adoptee advocates who bridge research, lived experience and practice. Together, they advance a mentorship model that is trauma-informed, research-driven, and uniquely responsive to the lifelong impacts of adoption.

MEET OUR RESEARCH TEAM

Publications by our Team

  • Adoptive parents' perspectives on adoption adjustment and post-adoption support

    Journal of Public Child Welfare by Bonni Goodwin, Elissa E. Madden, Payton Harrison

  • When We Become Ours, A Young Adult Adoptee Anthology

    By Shannon Gibney, Nicole Chung, Mariama Lockington, Meredith Ireland, Mark Oshiro, Stefany Valentine Ramirez, Eric Smith, Kelley Baker, MeMe Collier, Susan Devan Harness, Lisa Nopachai, Matthew Salesses, Sun Yung Shin, Lisa Wool-Rim Sjöblom, Jenny Heijun Wills Afterward: JaeRan Kim

  • Out of the Fog and into Consciousness A Model of Adoptee Awareness

    By Susan F. Branco, JaeRan Kim, Grace Newton, Stephanie Kripa Cooper-Lewter, Paula O’Loughlin

  • Post-Adoption Contact Experiences of Birth Mothers

    Adoption Quarterly by Donna M Aguiniga, Elissa E Madden, Bonni Goodwin, Scott Ryan

  • Virtual coaching for child welfare workers–a tool to promote learning

    Journal of Public Child Welfare by Julia M Kobulsky, Emily Smith Goering, Bethany R Lee, Chelsea Gray, Catherine Moon, Charlotte Lyn Bright, Bonni Goodwin

  • You Should Be Grateful: Stories of Race, Identity & Transracial Adoption

    By Angela Tucker

  • Korean Adoptees Who Adopt: Ethnic, Racial, and Adoption Socialization with Second- Generation Adoptees

    Adoption Quarterly by JaeRan Kim, J., Lindley, J., Zhou, X., Lee, H., & Lee, R. (2024

  • The Inclusive Family Support Model: Facilitating Openness for Post-Adoptive Families

    Child & Family Social Work by JaeRan Kim & Angela Tucker (2019)

  • Supporting Adoptees through Mentorship and Mutual Aid

    Presentation at University of Washington-Tacoma by JaeRan Kim (University of Washington Tacoma), Michelle Bagshaw (University of Washington- Seattle), Angela Tucker (Adoptee Mentoring Society) and Beth Yu Simpson (AIREroots).

    Read our blog post