About Us
Providing caring, supportive service to adoptive and birth families since 1987.
OUR PERSONAL JOURNEYS AND COMMITMENT TO ADOPTION
MARK IVERSON, JD
Agency Director
As a young attorney, I was not sure that I wanted to continue practicing law. I then learned that my spouse and I were unable to have children. We embraced the adoption journey that blessed us with three wonderful children and a career as an adoption attorney. I have had the privilege of representing agencies, adoptive parents and birthparents for over 30 years.
I am particularly excited about working in an agency that offers open
adoption services to intended parents and expectant mothers.
When my daughter Sarah was three years-old she asked us, “Mommy, how come so many people love me?” and then repeated, “How come so many people love me?” Open adoption allows adoptees to know that they are loved by all parties involved.
It is a privilege for me to support adoptive parents and birthparents in their adoption journey. I am committed to offering adoption services with integrity and compassion.
SARAH IVERSON, BS
Adoptive Parent Coordinator
I have been working in the professional field of adoption helping build families since 2017. However, my experience with adoption began when I was born, over twenty years ago. My birthmother made the difficult and selfless decision that she was unable to raise me and placed me for adoption through an adoption agency located in Seattle, Washington. This choice of my birthmother provided the opportunity for an infertile couple the opportunity to build their family through adoption. This infertile couple became my parents. I also have two siblings, both whom are adopted as well.
Although my adoption is a closed adoption with very minimal information provided to my parents regarding my birthparents, I know that the decision made by my birthmother was one that was made out of pure love for me.
As an adult adoptee, I have so much love and compassion for all parties involved with the adoption process during such a sensitive time. My commitment to you as an adoption coordinator is to promote ethical standards, build relationships based on trust and honesty and provide non-judgmental support and listening to all parties involved.
It is a privilege to assist individuals through the adoption process, a process that has forever changed my life and I hold very close to me. I look forward to working with you through your adoption process whether it be as an expectant mother or prospective adoptive parents.
CHRISTINE VERSTRATE, BA
Adoptive Parent Coordinator
I am a Whitworth Graduate with a BA in Human Services. I am a mother to four wonderful children who keep my husband and me busy with sports and family nights together. My grandmother adopted 11 children, so adoption has always been a part of my family. For the past seven years I have had the privilege of working closely with expecting mothers considering placing their baby for adoption. I have a deep respect for mothers who are faced with an unexpected or challenging pregnancy. I support expecting mothers in their choice to raise their baby or place their baby with a loving family that is unable to have biological children. I admire the courage and strength of these women. I am available to our expecting mothers 24/7 to support them during their pregnancy and post pregnancy recovery.
NANCY JOHNSON, MSW
Agency Consultant
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 parents they choose to raise their children.
As Agency 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.