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Julie Craft
Founder, President and Administrative Director
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In spite of years of miscarriage and infertility, Julie gave birth to a daughter, Lindsey. She adopted a second daughter, Lauren, through a private adoption and then co-founded the
Adoption Support Center two years later, in 1986. The Center is based on all the things Julie wished she had had in her experience with Cayman's mommy. She wished she could have
helped her birth mom in labor and delivery, shared pictures and letters over the years, and known Lauren's medical history as she grew up. With Julie's help, Lauren was reunited with
her birth mom a few years before Phyllis passed away in 2003, then Lauren followed in 2004. Julie was always grateful she gave Lauren the gift of reunification and that she had the
chance to thank her birth mom for the privilege of raising her daughter.
Today, Julie hopes to help adoptive couples put themselves in a birth mom's shoes and feel the power of the decision she is considering. She also wants birth moms to put themselves
in the scared couple's shoes, and understand how hard it is to give their hearts to a birth mom with the hopes she will choose them as parents for her baby. She wants the “Golden Rule”
of adoption. Honesty, compassion, comfort, and excitement. The true meaning of adoption at ASC.
Julie is married, busy raising her grandson, having raised two daughters; Lindsey who is an Registered Nurse, and Lauren, Cayman's mommy, who passed away in 2004.
Visit Remembering Lauren to read the memorial to her daughter.
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Marllys Clements
Executive Director
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Marllys joined the Center in 1996. She has a Master's Degree in Marriage and Family Therapy from Butler University. She had previously worked as the director of
Goodwill Industries' Muncie office and in private practice marriage and family therapy. She has a passion for helping people. Ten years earlier,
Julie had met her when Marllys' husband, Jim, worked with Julie at the Garfield cartoon studio. His art talent, and the fact he was an adoptee, prompted Julie to ask him to
design the ASC letterhead, brochures and even the website. He is still the webmaster of the ASC site. They have two biological children; a daughter in college and a son
who has graduated from technical school.
As Executive Director, Marllys leads the home study team and oversees the social workers on staff. She is in charge of all of our adoption files, making sure we meet state
licensing requirements. Marllys also handles all interstate coordination. She performs the office interviews as part of the home study process and teaches the Home Study Class
each month at the the Adoption Support Center. Marllys places all adoptive parent advertising, creates the couple biographies, and helps set corporate policy.
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Abbie Rust, Amanda Hammond, and Kate Lewis
Adoption Coordinators
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Abbie, Amanda, and Kate are involved immediately. We think they are three of the best coordinators in adoption! They are available to their birth moms around the clock
for emergencies and support. They come to the girls, working around their schedule and include the family and friends that give them support. As problem
solvers, they look at their birth moms' lives and set budgets, help them apply for Medicaid, advise them on their birth fathers, and more. They know that
helping them choose the perfect match in a couple is everything. It gives birth mothers comfort and confidence in their adoption plan, knowing they have a
family who will talk of them with love and keep their promises. Our families will honor their wishes as will Kate, Amanda, and Abbie.
Amanda came to us fresh from college in 1998 with a passion for adoption. She has touched every part of the Center, from birth mother support to home studies,
marketing and more. After the birth of her son, she even experienced infertility with its stress and disappointment. She has recently given birth to a beautiful
baby daughter.
Kate joined the Center in 2008 when she came to us from a state agency. Her experience there has brought a wealth of knowledge to our agency.
Kate's heartfelt compassion for birth mothers and adoptive families makes her a natural as she supports both birth parents and adoptive parents through
the adoption process.
Abbie has recently joined our amazing coordination team and is a graduate of the University of Southern Indiana. She happily travels from one border of
Indiana to the next, meeting with great gals who just need a shoulder to cry on or someone to listen.
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Kathryn Marsh
Adoption Assistant and Phone Duty Support
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Who do you get when you call our Center? Whether you are a scared birth mom or a nervous adoptive couple, night or day, you'll get Kathryn. A friendly, helpful and enthusiastic girl.
She can relate. No intimidation here...just a gal who will give you all the time in the world. Ask your questions, tell your story, let her help. Birth moms can call anytime, because
this wonderful young woman will answer the phones 24 hours a day. Kathryn is a problem solver in the first call. No emergency is too big or too small. Calling from the hospital?
Emergency delivery at home? Homeless in the cold? She is authorized to take action, then bring a coordinator up to speed, if necessary.
Kathryn is married with a young son and daughter. Her children have been a daily fixture at the agency with eight “aunts” enjoying them throughout the day.
Kathryn joined the Center in 2007 and assists adoptive parents in maintaining their home study documentation. She also processes correspondence between
adoptive parents and birth parents helping families continue the relationship they started during the adoption process.
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Diane Stiles and Liz Ferreira
Home Study Case Workers
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Diane and Liz provide domestic and international home studies. Diane was with ASC as a birth mom coordinator and home study provider
for ten years and returned in 2009. She is the adoptive parent of two little girls, adopted as siblings in 1995. In addition,
Diane is providing “Kid Counseling” at the center, providing individual therapy, family therapy, play therapy, bonding and attachment therapy,
adoption-related therapy and behavioral therapy.
Liz joined in 2007 as an over-flow home study case worker. We met her through her son, who adopted a little girl from China. Both Diane and Liz are L.C.S.W.s and highly qualified.
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Mande Miskewycz
Adoption Outreach Coordinator
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Mande joined the Center in 2009 and works closely with Julie and Amanda regarding Adoption Outreach and Education. She has known Julie since she was in high school and was a friend of Julie's daughter.
(Both always had a sense they would work together some day.) Mande is a graduate of the Kelly School of Business at Indiana University. She is married and
just returned to Indiana after living in California for seven years.
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