Employees

Rosalind has a Master’s Degree in Early Intervention from the University of Oregon. She worked as a caseworker for the Department of Human Services Child Welfare department for seven years. She has also worked with homeless families and victims of domestic violence. She says, “I believe that taking care of children is the most important job in our society and children in foster care are among those needing the most care”. Rosalind was born in North Carolina, but grew up in Italy. She has worked in Africa helping girls to go to high school. She has three children, six grandchildren, one cat, and enjoys gardening and writing.

Nichole Brown has a Bachelor’s Degree in Sociology and Spanish from The University of Oregon in Eugene, OR. She worked as a Bilingual Child Protective Services caseworker for 12 years and has extensive experience working with foster families, interviewing child abuse victims and developing individualized case/safety plans. She currently serves as a legal assistant and child visitor for juvenile and family law attorneys currently serving local youth in foster care.

Heather is one of our adoption workers in the Eugene/Springfield area.  She also serves families in Douglas county.  Heather has dedicated her life to working with children and families in one way or another.  She continually focuses on how to make the world a better place, and what we can do to ensure the well-being of children.  She holds a degree in Elementary Education from The University of South Florida in Tampa.  She taught in Tampa for over a decade.  She took a sabbatical from teaching to volunteer with a donation based traveling kitchen that feeds homeless people across the country.  This brought her to Northern California where she spent several more years teaching before relocating to Springfield, and becoming an Adoption Worker. Becoming an Adoption Worker has made her really happy, and her background in education gives her a unique perspective of children.

When she has the opportunity she can also be found substitute teaching in Bethel and 4J school districts in Eugene.  When she has free time she enjoys making upcycled and useful crafts, embroidering, sewing, and spending time with her animals. Heather’s friends would describe her as fiercely loyal, creative, and a problem solver.  Her students’ have said that she makes learning fun, and her clients have said that she goes the extra mile.

My name is Jammie Trimble and I am a 41 year old proud mother of 6 (one step-daughter who is 26 years old, three biological children-a daughter who is 24, a son who is 21 and another daughter who is 14-and I am in the process of fostering to adopt my great nephew and niece who are 7 and 3 years old). I was born and raised in Portland, Oregon and I have been married to my significant other for more than eleven years. My family is very active and we are always on the go. We love to travel and we enjoy spending time together as a family. We also love to watch my daughter Tyra (14 years old) play basketball and we are eager to watch how far it will take her.

I elected to get into the adoption field due to my current situation with being a relative foster/ adoptive parent. I enjoy getting to know new families and supporting them in adding to their family. I have found adoption to be hard, but very rewarding work. It has been one of my greatest challenges navigating the DHS system and providing adequate support to young children who have experienced severe trauma. I also enjoy learning new ways to support my children through all of the training that is available to adoption workers and it also helps me to offer support to my assigned families. I previously worked in the mental health/addictions/ criminal justice field, so I am no stranger to dealing with difficult issues. I pride myself in being a good listener, an advocate and good at following through. I look forward to all this year has to offer.

Staci is an adoptive parent who has a passion for assisting others grow their families through adoption.  Staci is a passionate advocate and has a strong knowledge of adoption and how the system works.  She lives in the Portland area with her children and husband.  They enjoy the outdoors, helping others, and doing things together as a family.  Staci is a dedicated worker who has many years of experience as a youth support counselor and as a teacher.  Staci loves assisting others through the adoption process.

Laurie has dedicated her life to helping abused and neglected children have better long-term outcomes. She and her husband began doing foster care in 1990. Between 1990 and 1996 they cared for more than 60 children who had been removed from their parent’s care. The Linn’s adopted two of their foster children. The youngest has global developmental delays. Laurie says she is a “master” at accessing services for him now. In 1996, Laurie began her Child Welfare career as a Foster Home Certifier for DHS, but quickly moved into an Adoption Worker position, which she says was and is her dream job. Over the next 2l years, Laurie worked in every aspect of Child Welfare. She retired in 2015, after working twelve years as a Program Supervisor in Polk County. She began her position as an Adoption Worker with A Family For Every Child shortly thereafter, saying she has a passion for this work and is not ready to end her very rewarding, fulfilling career. Laurie has a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Management from Linfield College and a Master’s Degree in Social Work from Portland State University.

“Adopting one child won’t change the world, but for that child, the world will change.” I always wanted to save the world, but realized early on that task was impossible. Being a social worker allows me to play a part in changing children’s world and I feel blessed to have the opportunity to meet the most amazing people who are making the choice to save these children. I have been a social worker for 22 years. I have raised 5 kids and been a foster parent to many others. I volunteer as a CASA . Eighteen of my social work years were in the field of child development and the other four in the field of Medical Social Work. I have been an adoption worker for just over a year now and love every minute of it. There is nothing more rewarding than helping people find their forever homes.

Melanie is one of our adoption workers in Central Oregon here at AFFEC. She graduated from Oregon State University in 2015 with a bachelor’s degree in Human Development and Family Sciences with a concentration in Human Services. Prior to working for AFFEC, Melanie worked and volunteered with CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocates) helping children in the foster care system. She really took an interest in the adoption process and realized that she wanted to help anybody and everybody that she can to adopt these kiddos out of care so they can find their forever home. She is the proud mother of three incredible and adventurous kiddos who are 11, 9, and 6. In her spare time (what is that?) she trains in the martial art of Brazilian Jiu-jitsu, plays the piano, and has a passion for statistics and geology. She enjoys spending any time that she can with her family, especially camping and swimming. and walking their giant family dog, Athena.

Allison Hutcheson is a Southern Oregonian at heart. She grew up in Grants Pass where she graduated from North Valley High School. She then moved away for four years to attend Carroll College in Helena, Montana where she graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Communication Studies, and a Bachelor of Arts in Public Relations with a double emphasis in business and journalism. After graduating from college, Allison ventured to Hawaii for six months before she permanently returned to her roots in Southern Oregon.

 Allison worked for Oregon DHS: Child Welfare for 12 years. During this time she spent the first half of her tenure as a CPS worker, and the second half working as a relative foster home certifier. It was also during this time she was promoted to supervisor of the Foster Care and Adoptions Unit at the local branch of which she worked. At times while she was a foster home certifier, she would also carry her relative foster homes through to adoption. Although Allison enjoyed working with families to help them start the process of becoming safe and healthy during her time as a CPS worker, it was her experience as a relative foster home certifier where she discovered an even greater passion of helping to keep children within their family system when they could not safely remain with a parent.  During this time, just some of her job duties included: conducting home studies, confirming safe environments, advocating for her foster families, and she also was among one of the Foundations trainers for new and prospective foster and adoptive parents. 

 Allison is excited to have discovered A Family for Every Child and is eager to work with applicants ready and willing to open their hearts and lives forever to a foster child whose case plan is adoption. Allison says, “it is my hope to bring awareness of this great adoption agency to the Rogue Valley and the services it provides to families who are eager for an adoption home study completed in a fair amount of time. My vast knowledge of the Oregon Child Welfare system is an asset as I work in collaboration with the agency’s permanency worker for a successful outcome for everyone. I am honored to be able to walk along side families starting on this exciting, and sometimes emotional journey. I enjoy advocating for the families I represent and value the sensitivity needed as I stand with them through the entire process.”

Allison resides in Grants Pass with her young daughter. She enjoys spending her free time adventuring on mother/daughter day trips and also visiting with other close family in the area.  

Melissa was born and raised in the Pacific Northwest. She obtained her MSW degree from Walla Walla University in 1999. Upon graduation she worked for Washington State Children’s Services for 18 years. 11 years as a front line worker and the remaining 7 as a supervisor.

She has 4 biological children, 4 adopted children, 3 grandchildren, and has been a foster parent since 2005.

Melissa is passionate about the importance of permanency for all children. She understands the complexities of working with the system and the real life day to day challenges of raising children adopted from the foster care system.

Melissa is excited to partner with A Family for Every Child and to expand their presence the state of Washington.

Melissa enjoys photography, baking, vacations with her family, and riding in her convertible during the summer.

She resides in King county with her husband, grandson, biological, adopted, and foster children.

Athenia (Tina) Childers……..was born in California to a single mother in crisis. She spent most of her formative years moving often from state to state, even at one point living in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. Much of these years were spent moving in and out of foster care, group care, receiving care and relative care.

Tina has 4 biological children and 7 grandchildren and 1 very cherished angel. Currently she has a teenager and her two sisters residing all in the same home.

Growing up in care Tina brings a unique perspective to the table. Always questioning and encouraging our youth to question. Bringing the “family value” of teaching our children to Dream……that is the one word that most us take for granted. Passion…….Drive……..Teach……..these are all very valuable qualities that Tina has had to learn along the way. One’s that she values above all else and shares with friends and family.

Tina has worked in Domestic Violence & Sexual Assault Program / Shelter (YWCA), Federal Probation & Parole, State of Washington Children’s Administration (Child Protective, Child Welfare, Division of Licensed Resources), Pioneer Human Resources, Auburn Youth Resources, Sea Mar Community Healthcare and Anthem Healthcare (Amerigroup.) Currently she holds a Bachelor’s of Science in Criminal Justice with a minor in Forensics, and a Master’s in Science Criminal Justice Administration. With numerous other trainings and certifications. It is also with great anticipation that Tina looks forward to collaborating with our community, state and agency partners to provide a better future and to teach our kids to Dream again.

Megan is a Senior at the University of Oregon pursuing a degree in Family and Human Services with a minor in Legal Studies. She is passionate about finding children permanent and loving homes before they age out of the foster care system. Her experience started as an intern for A Family For Every Child her first year of college and she has stayed with the agency all four years. This year, Megan is taking on the role of the Adoption Worker’s Assistant – where she is being trained on the adoption process and participating in all of the training that an Adoption Worker receives when first starting with A Family For Every Child. In her free time, she enjoys cuddling up with her cat, drinking tea, and cheering on the Ducks!