Our leadership team is committed to the wellbeing of adoptees.
MEET OUR TEAM
STAFF
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EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR & FOUNDER
Angela Tucker is a transracial adoptee, the author of “You Should Be Grateful”: Stories of Race, Identity and Transracial Adoption, the host of the podcast The Adoptee Next Door and the subject of the documentary CLOSURE.
Anglea lives in Seattle, Washington with her husband Bryan and their cat "Grandma Pearl." When she's not working to amplify adoptee voices, you can find her at the spa, on the basketball court or hostessing at Jazz Alley. She drinks a London Fog nearly every single day, and is currently debating the importance of kicking this sugary (but, oh-so-delicious) habit.
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PROGRAM COORDINATORamanda paul (they/ them) is a seasoned consultant, analyst, and technologist whose work is grounded in an intention of creating a healed world where everyone can live liberated, whole lives. They also run a thriving pet sitting business and volunteered with AMS for two years prior to becoming the first employee in the company. They are a transracial, transnational adoption survivor, living on the unceded land of the dxʷdəwʔabš (Duwamish) people with their cat, escher. They enjoy spending time with trees, baking sourdough bread, and playing ukulele.
MENTORS
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Angela Tucker (she/her)
1:1 MENTOR, THE ADOPTEE LOUNGE
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Anna Allanbrook (she/her)
1:1 MENTOR
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Andrew Strappazon (he/him)
1:1 MENTOR, THE ADOPTEE LOUNGE
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Jenny Nau (she/her)
THE ADOPTEE LOUNGE
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Sarah Mascado (they/them)
1:1 MENTOR, THE ADOPTEE LOUNGE
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Shannon Tyo (she/her)
1:1 MENTOR
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Lauren Noel (she/her)
1:1 MENTOR, THE ADOPTEE LOUNGE
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Carolyn Abrahamzon (she/her)
1:1 MENTOR
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
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BOARD CHAIR
Rebeccah (she/her) is a Corporate Social Responsibility Program Manager at IBM. She activates global opportunities for employees to volunteer within their communities and markets donor campaigns that amplify the importance of giving back. Passionate about human rights and civic engagement, Rebeccah has been sharing her own adoptee journey through different public forums since 2020 to help cultivate greater awareness of transracial adoptive experiences. She lives in Minnesota and has a master's degree in Business Administration from Bethel University. In her free time, Rebeccah enjoys hiking and cooking.
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BOARD SECRETARY
Kerry (he/him) is an experienced team leader with international business management skills. As an architect, he has a deep understanding of design-thinking and project management to translate client aspirations into built environments. His creativity, passion, and curiosity take his work across the world. His work has focused on community development planning and implementation. In addition to working in the design field, he has a passion for education, having taught at Ball State University and helping start Inspire Academy. Kerry is an adoptive father who enjoys traveling with his family.
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BOARD TREASURER
Joel (he/him) lives in the Twin Cities of Minnesota along with his wife of 10 years, Melanie. Together they have four kids: two of whom were adopted and two who they cared for through foster care and have since reunified to their biological father.
Professionally, Joel has worked as an accountant in the nonprofit sector for over 10 years. Joel has been active in his local church where he helped found a foster/kinship care ministry which supports the foster community in the Twin Cities. Additionally, Joel is involved with an organization called Fathers for the Fatherless, which creates opportunities for men to be active in their communities and raise support for vulnerable and fatherless children. For fun, Joel loves being outdoors, playing games, spending time with his wife and kids and spoiling the family’s pet rabbit, Pancho. During football season, you can find Joel shamelessly cheering for the Minnesota Vikings. A dream of Joel’s and Melanie’s is to buy a property in the country where it can be used interchangeably as an event space & farm while also providing internship work for foster youth.
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Alisha (she/her) is an attorney at Jones Day working on tort litigation and providing pro bono support to survivors of human trafficking and low-income Atlantans seeking safe and stable housing. As a former Judicial Citizens Review Panel member for the Fulton County Juvenile Court, Alisha has assisted judges in determining permanency plans for children and youth in foster care. During law school, Alisha interned for Children’s Rights where she worked to support foster youth and juvenile justice initiatives. Alisha has also worked for a not-for-profit foster care agency in Seattle, Washington where she organized events to support foster youth. Alisha received her undergraduate degree at Georgia Tech in 2017.
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Alissa Newton (she/her) is an Episcopal priest, author, and development consultant and a mother through adoption. Alissa brings years of experience working and consulting with churches and non-profits as an organization developer. She believes that healthy relationships of care and connection are a vital foundation to building a just, and loving world. Alissa's particular areas of professional interest include anti-racist theology, intercultural competency, congregational development, and child theology. She is currently serving the Episcopal Diocese of New York as Canon to the Ordinary. Alissa loves reading speculative fiction, hiking with her dog, making music, and spending time with her husband and two amazing kids.
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Kevin (he/him) is an adoptive and biological father to three children. He loves reading, swimming and traveling with his kids. Kevin is known as the coach of the family. He finds immense joy in attending weekly dance classes, coaching basketball, and teaching new skills, like how to swim or swing a golf club. Professionally, he builds trusted relationships with clients and communities. He began his career in finance in 2011. With extensive knowledge of the banking industry and expertise of product offerings, Kevin serves his clients by caring deeply about how their finances meet their personal desires and needs. In addition to being a father and finance professional, Kevin is passionate about community and is dedicated to building lasting connections. Having served as treasurer on the Board of Directors for the Deaf Blind Service Center of Seattle, he currently serves on a Plymouth Housing committee, and is proud to contribute to AMS. His unique experiences and compassion give him the skills to effectively connect with individuals from diverse backgrounds.
VOLUNTEERS
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STARTUP STRATEGIST
Vanessa (she/her) is a passionate mom through adoption and pregnancy, and works with leaders focused on workplace engagement, efficiency, and operational excellence. She strives to be in peace as a result of conscious presence and acceptance. As a yoga teacher, she supports others to tune into, nourish, and love their journey, body, mind, and spirit. Whether teaching or working in organizations, she strives to create a caring culture where people feel heard, seen, and loved.
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FUNDRAISING STRATEGIST
Juliet (she/ her) has a background that spans the government, political, and start-up sectors. She is currently receiving her MBA from Rice University (Class of 2025), with a focus on entrepreneurial studies and product management. As a transracial adoptee deeply impacted by her experience, Juliet feels it is her responsibility to teach – especially non-adoptees—about the adoptee experience and the challenges faced by adopted children as they enter adulthood and beyond. Juliet resides in Houston, Texas with her husband, Javier, and dog, Zorra. In her free time, Juliet enjoys writing, going on long-distance road trips, and hiking with her husband and dog.
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COMMUNICATIONS SPECIALIST
Anne (she/her) manages communications for the Adoptee Mentoring Society, bringing over 15 years of experience providing communications support to nonprofit organizations.
Anne began volunteering for AMS after earning about the organization from friends who are adoptees an those who were adopted. Amongst Anne’s favorite activities include board games and puzzles with her children, running, and cycling.
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STEWARDSHIP SUPPORT
Pat Stephens (she/her) is retired after years working at The Columbian newspaper in Vancouver, Washington. She grew up with Angela’s adoptive mother. Angela affectionately refers to her as “Aunt” Pat. Life in retirement includes family and friends, a black cat named Eddy, and volunteering with several small non-profits and her church. The creativity of sewing and quilting for personal enjoyment, as well as special projects for other people, keeps her sewing area filled with color and texture. She enjoys the beauty of the outdoors in good weather, a cup of coffee or tea with friends, reading good novels, and road trips.
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OPERATIONS SUPPORT
Sam (he/him) volunteers in Operations for AMS. Sam is a listener of adoptee voices and is a queer adoptive parent in an adoption constellation that is deeply committed to openness. Sam recently acted as a volunteer publicist for the groundbreaking new book Adoption Unfiltered, which for the first time brings together the perspectives of adoptee, birth parent, and adoptive parent authors in one title. He formerly held marketing positions at Slack and Twilio. You’ll often find Sam attending concerts at Red Rocks!
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DIGITAL STORYTELLER
Jennifer (she/her), a lifelong professional singer, is a transracial adoptee who experienced a profound journey of self-discovery upon reuniting with her birth family. Motivated by her own experiences, she passionately advocates for other adoptees navigating their unique paths. Currently, Jennifer works in marketing outreach for a non-profit organization while managing their Shared Housing Program. In her spare time, she enjoys the therapeutic art of baking sourdough goods and passionately cheering for her favorite football team. Go Eagles! A devoted wife and mother, Jennifer resides in New Jersey, where she balances her roles as caregiver, community advocate, and seasoned vocalist.