I have 39+ years of experience working in the Child Welfare field.  I have worked with teens in residential care, with children and families providing family-centered services, with foster care and adoption recruiting, training, licensing, and supporting families who care for other people's children, and my most recent position as an integrated Health Services resource specialist caring for the needs of children who have a mental health diagnosis. 

 

I became involved with Share My Smile while working as a foster care/adoption support worker when Share My Smile was just getting started.  I collaborated with Share My Smile to help provide supportive programs and activities that were not budgeted for in the State contract but were very much needed to help retain families who provide care for other people's children.  I also became a Share My Smile family when I took guardianship of my grandchildren.  So I understand from all levels how important and valuable the programs and activities Share My Smile provides are.