I have been helping birthparents with adoption decisions since 1978. After all these years I remain humbled by the courage and love of birthparents.

This work is a labor of love as well as a profession. When I dealt with infertility nearly forty some years ago adoption was a comfortable and easy choice.  Adopting my son would lead me to a career working with birthparents and founding an agency of open adoption.  His was a closed placement – the only kind of infant adoption available, and all I knew was that I loved him more than anything but always carried a vague wonder and worry about his birthmother: was she ok?  Did she worry about him?  How could I ever thank her for this incredible gift?

My youngest child, adopted at age five and in a fully open adoption is now an adult.  She is able to say exactly why open adoption matters to her – she is comfortable and confident about who she is and how she came to our family.  Her birthmother is part of her and part of us and she knows it is okay to love us both.

I simply love this work.  And I have the deepest sense of responsibility when I see the trust placed with us by people who are dealing with such important issue.  I hold dear a strong sense of mission and a good sense of humor – both are invaluable as we laugh and cry with our birthparents and the families they choose to raise their children.

As agency co-founder and Director, my commitment remains to promote relationships based on trust, honesty, and personal integrity. If you choose to work with us, we pledge adherence to these standards and our best efforts to listen, care, and meet your needs.

Nancy Johnson, MSW
Agency Director

I have had a heart for adoption since the mid 1970’s and has become a lifelong journey and passion. It has included special needs teaching, grief and loss counseling, foster parenting, infertility and our own adoptions, parenting both adoptive and birth children to adulthood, and as a help and support to birth and adoptive parents.

From those experiences I have learned to embrace and understand loss from all sides, how deeply I could love a child not of my making. And that parenting by birth or adoption is about accepting differences, loving unconditionally and helping a child reach his fullest potential. Our adoption journey officially began in 1980 with the adoption of our daughter, Lindsay followed by and our son, Christopher in 1982. We met Lindsay’s birthmother after the adoption and began a caring long term relationship. Christopher’s birthmother also reconnected within a couple years and it was joy to find answers to questions. Though each adoption journey has been traveled differently each has seen very positive connections. Over time we were able to get to know not only the birth parents, but the siblings and extended families. All of this has helped us to be better parents equipped with background information, understanding and acceptance.

Our children come hardwired with different genetics, heritage, race, and temperament but each nurtured and guided to reach their full potential. All share the love for family; birth and adoptive.  As a parent and open adoption professional I am happy to see that children can own their histories as they build their futures.

I have learned that as birth and adoptive parents seek to understand their roles they are more accepting of each other. Their willingness to connect on a personal level enhances the awareness of the needs in adoption and diminishes fears.  I hope to help empower birthmothers, entitle adoptive parents, and see children raised to healthy happy adulthood.

Maureen Reilly, BS
Adoption Coordinator