2009 Conference Speakers
We are in the process of confirming all of our speakers and will be adding speakers to this page over the coming weeks. Please check back for information on additional speakers. Also, please note that the speakers list is subject to change without notice.
Our 2009 keynote speaker is adoption author, Natalie Nichols Gillespie. Natalie is the author of seven books and the managing editor of mtl magazine. In addition, Natalie's articles have appeared in more than two dozen publications including Christian Parenting Today, HomeLife, Charisma, Christianity Today, Spirit-Led Woman, Christian Music Planet, and CCM magazine. Natalie is a happily-married mom and stepmom of seven.
Natalie is the author of Successful Adoption, a welcome guidebook for adoptive families that answers many questions for adoptive parents from a Christian perspective. The Congressional Coalition on Adoption Institute recognized Natalie's work for adoption in 2006 by selecting her for the Angel in Adoption Award
Sessions:
Keynote Address
Preparing Your Heart and Your Family for Adoption
Ted and Rebecca Barlow have five children, four of them were adopted from Siberia, Russia. They were among the early adoptive families from that region and are celebrating 10-12 years since their “adoption days” next month. Their girls were all adopted between the ages of 4 and 12. The Barlow’s greatest passions are for adoptive families to have the support that they need, physically, emotionally & spiritually, for preservation of birth family bonds whenever possible, and for those who are still in need of nurturing homes.
Jamie Bauman is a CPS specialist and currently works in an adoption preparation unit. She has worked with foster and adoptive parents in varying capacities through Child Protective Services for close to three years. Jamie holds a Masters of Divinity and a Masters of Social Work (concentrating on child and family practice) from Baylor University, where she graduated in 2005.
Session:
Adopting Waiting Children from the Foster Care System
David & Leslie Brewer married in 1996 and have three wonderful children, two boys and a girl. The first child was the result of successful infertility treatment (IUI), the second child was adopted domestically, and the third child was an unexpected miracle! David & Leslie like to share their adoption story and to mentor and pray for other couples going through the process. The most important thing they learned during their adoption was to trust God's plan even when things looked bleak.
Session: Domestic Infant Adoption 101
Dr. Susan Dibs is Board certified in general pediatrics and pediatric emergency medicine. She completed her residency and fellowship at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia from 1991-1997. She was attending physician in pediatric emergency medicine for 8 years at Yale. After adopting her daughter from China in 2004, she decided to transition into international adoption medicine. Dr. Dibs now serves in the International Adoption Clinic at Children's Medical Center Dallas.
Greg is the pastor at Westminster Presbyterian Church (PCA) in Greenville, Texas. He & his wife, Tracey have been married for 14 years. They are the pround parents of four daughters: two biological & two adopted. They are a multi-racial family that is learning the art of living in a small, rural, community in the South.
Session: Living as a Multiracial Family
Kara Holt is a licensed professional counselor, a registered play therapy supervisor. Currently, Kara is the assistant director at the Center for Play Therapy at the University of North Texas in Denton and a doctoral candidate. Kara’s passion is empowering parents to be the therapeutic change agent in their child’s life. Most of all, she considers her most important role of being a wife and a mom to her daughter Anistyn (age 9) adopted through foster care in Arkansas.
Session: Preventing F.I.T’s: Parenting Strategies for Adoptive Families
David and Kim Johnson suffered through 6 years of infertility prior to having a biological daughter conceived through IUI. After Emily's birth, they tried IUI for another year with no success. They were happy with the choice to only have one child until God placed adoption on their hearts. Now, having gone through both infertility & adoption, they are inspired to share their experiences with others who are currently making these tough decisions.
Session: Adoption & Orphan Ministry in your Church or Small Group
Jay and Courtney Jordan have been happily married for 11 years. They are the proud parents of two beautiful children, Callie (6) and Jae Min (1) who was adopted from South Korea in the spring of 2009. After having one biological child and plans to grow their family larger, they began to realize that God’s plan was to grow their family through the miracle of adoption. They have been a part of the Lake Pointe Adoption & Orphan Care Ministry for the past 3 years and are currently serving in the role of International Adoption Coordinators for the ministry.
Session: International Adoption 101
Luke and his family share a passion for adoption, orphan care, and evangelism. Luke and his wife, Cyndi, have three children, Bethany, Kyle, and Minte. In 2008, the Krawietz family was blessed through adopting Minte from Ethiopia, and their family continues to minister to children and families in Ethiopia. Luke is the president of International Hope and Heritage, a ministry aligned with God's purpose of serving children and families through evangelism, education, orphan care, and adoption advocacy.
Session: Financing Adoption
Beverley Lewin is a licensed social worker and teacher. Beverley has been involved in child placement through international and domestic adoption for 17 years. She has also taught pre-school for 30 years and has an avid interest in young children and their emotional development. Beverley's pre-placement counsel of adoptive parents have helped many families be prepared with practical advice on helping their children attach successfully.
Session: Will My Child Attach?
Andrew and Tricia Steele are proud parents of five children. They adopted their youngest child, Jessie, from China in 2006, and they are currently waiting to bring home their newest daughter, Johanna. The Steele's have been involved in adoption and orphan ministry for 4 years and have a passion for connecting families to children so that they can experience the miracle of adoption. Andrew and Tricia serve in the Lake Pointe Church Adoption & Foster Care ministry and Andrew serves as the Orphan Advocacy Program Director for International Hope and Heritage.
Sessions:
Adoption 101
Jeanine Thomas has over 13 years of experience with children's sensory development. Jeanine is the co-owner of Excel Pediatric Therapy in Rockwall Texas and is a SIPT certified Occupational Therapist. Jeanine has worked with many children in hospital, school, and clinical settings.
Session: Your Child's Senses
Todd and Veronica Westlake have been happily married for 16 years. Prior to adopting their daughter, they suffered through several unsuccessful infertility treatments including IUI, IVF and Frozen Embryo Transplant. After much prayer, God placed it on their hearts that the creation of a family is not just about biology, but a decision to love others as our Heavenly Father has loved us. Through their experience, they want to encourage others to see beyond the science of becoming a parent to the realization of parenthood through adoption.
Session: Domestic Infant Adoption 101
Tiffany coordinated the Angels from Abroad program for Dillon International in 2009. She and her husband Garth adopted their first child Vladic (14) through the Angels program in 2005, and are in the process for their second adoption
Session: Hosting an Orphan in Your Home
Congregations Helping in Love and Dedication (CHILD) is a unique collaboration between Texas' faith-based communities and Child Protective Services to find loving homes for children who have come into the state's care due to abuse and neglect. The goal of CHILD is to recruit and license adoptive families from congregations across the state. Additionally, each congregation will have the opportunity to develop supportive services for their foster families
Session: Foster Parenting 101