Our Agency Team of Experts

Daniel

President
california | executive

Our Agency Expert:

Daniel

President
Email Address: Daniel@nightlight.org
Favorite Bible Verse: I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you. John 14:18
Favorite Adoption Story: Each year Nightlight brings a group of kids from orphanages overseas. I wonder how these kids feel as they get off the plane in a strange country, and head off with a stranger (host family) for a couple weeks. I spoke with Luba, a young woman who came several years ago on one of these tours. She was later adopted by her host family. I asked her, “Were you scared to walk off with a woman you didn’t know?” She said, “No, because I knew she was my mom. I got off the plane and pointed at her.” There is a divine appointment set between these waiting children and their loving parents. We at Nightlight are privileged to be there when it happens.
Education: Daniel Nehrbass has a Ph.D. in Pastoral Counseling from Fuller Seminary and holds three masters degrees: in theology, divinity, and ministry. His B.A. is from U.C. Irvine. Prior to coming to Nightlight, Daniel was an ordained Baptist pastor, professor of biblical studies, and professional Christian counselor.
Responsibilities: As President, Dan plans for the future goals and direction of Nightlight, oversees the Nightlight offices and manages our capable and experienced team. Dan also focuses on fundraising for the agency.

Daniel is the President of Nightlight Christian Adoptions, home of the Snowflakes® Embryo Adoption program. He has worked as a pastor, professional counselor, and adjunct professor of biblical studies at Biola University. He is also a published author of four books and numerous articles in adoption and religious magazines. Dan is a board member of Every Child Has a Name, the National Christian Adoption Fellowship, A Helping Hand, and on the organizing committee of Adopted for Good.

Camela

Accounting Manager
california | executive

Our Agency Expert:

Camela

Accounting Manager

Alice

Home Study Coordinator
california | administrative

Our Agency Expert:

Alice

Home Study Coordinator
Email Address: alice@nightlight.org
Favorite Bible Verse: My darling, everything about you is beautiful, and there is nothing at all wrong with you. Song of Songs 4:7 (NCV)
Favorite Adoption Story: My favorite adoption story is of my friends who have adopted three of their six children. I admire their family and how their love continues to grow with each child who enters their family. After observing this family I have a picture of how vast God’s love is for His children and the rejoicing that happens when someone joins the family.
Education: Bachelors of Arts in Behavioral Science with an emphasis in Sociology from Concordia University Irvine
Responsibilities: My responsibilities are to assist families through the Home Study process.

Amanda A

Social Services Manager
california | executive-directors

Our Agency Expert:

Amanda A

Social Services Manager
Email Address: Amanda@nightlight.org
Favorite Adoption Story: I don’t have just one favorite adoption story! Each adoption that I have been involved in becomes my favorite and leaves an impression on my heart. My most impactful adoption story is my grandmothers. She was adopted domestically as an infant into a wonderfully loving and supportive family. Even though her adoption was closed and she never learned who her birthparents parents were, her parents always spoke positively and respectfully of her birthparent’s decision. Through my grandmother’s story, I grew a passion for adoption and pursued a career in the adoption field.
Education: Bachelor of Arts in Sociology, Biola University; Master of Social Work, California State University, Long Beach
Responsibilities: As a social services manager, I review home studies and post adoption reports, conduct international referral reviews, support families in post adoption, and supervise local social services employees

Amber U

Snowflakes Placing Family Coordinator
california | snowflakes

Our Agency Expert:

Amber U

Snowflakes Placing Family Coordinator
Email Address: amber@nightlight.org
Favorite Bible Verse: Matthew 16:33 "I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world."
Education: Bachelors of Arts degree in Human Services with an emphasis on Social Services
Responsibilities: Conducting pre-matching consultation, entering family into matching database, updating placing families with progress in the program, facilitates communication between adopting and placing parents.

Caroline

Home Study/SFE Provider
california | home-studies

Our Agency Expert:

Caroline

Home Study/SFE Provider
Email Address: caroline.ano@nightlight.org

Janean

Foster Care Advocate
california | foster-care

Our Agency Expert:

Janean

Foster Care Advocate
Email Address: janean@nightlight.org
Favorite Bible Verse: Deuteronomy 31:6 "Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the LORD your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you."
Favorite Adoption Story: It was my first year as an adoption social worker after graduating with my MSW. This family was infertile due to the wife being born without a uterus. Very special family. They had waited so long and I worked and worked with them to take a step into domestic adoption so they could have a chance at adopting a newborn baby (what they wanted). They adopted their first little girl, but she was taken after 6 months. This was heartbreaking, but we continued to work through it together. They got a second placement of a baby girl named Miracle. She never told anyone until the day of adoption that she had a book of names for the kids she was going to have. Her first choice for a baby girl name was "Miracle." When this baby girl was placed and already had this name she knew this was a blessing from God, but she didn't want to jinx it. However, the day of signing she cried and let it out and I just felt blessed to have been part of their journey through such a huge desire to become a mother.
Education: I graduated with my MSW in 2018 from University of Southern California. I got my BS in Sociology in 2015 from California Baptist University. I am currently studying for my Law and Ethics to get my hours to become a LCSW. I have a background in behavioral health (wraparound).
Responsibilities: I will be responsible for recruiting foster parents as well as case management and service coordination for children in foster/foster adoptive homes.

Karli

Snowflakes Program Coordinator | Family Communications Specialist
california | snowflakes

Our Agency Expert:

Karli

Snowflakes Program Coordinator | Family Communications Specialist
Email Address: karli@nightlight.org
Favorite Bible Verse: Jeremiah 29:11
Education: Graduated from The New York Conservatory for Dramatic Arts with my Associates Degree in Occupational Studies in Film and Television Performance
Responsibilities: I am the point of contact for families after the embryos arrive at the adopted family's clinic. I act as the liaison between families in facilitated communication, and am the post-birth point of contact once Snowflakes have been born.

Krista

Snowflakes Adopting Parent Coordinator
california | snowflakes

Our Agency Expert:

Krista

Snowflakes Adopting Parent Coordinator
Email Address: krista.jones@nightlight.org
Favorite Bible Verse: Genesis 50:20
Education: Bachelor of Arts Degree in Communications Studies from Azusa Pacific University
Responsibilities: As the Snowflakes Adoptive Parent Coordinator, I work with adopting families through the application and matching process.

Michelle

Executive Director
california | domestic

Our Agency Expert:

Michelle

Executive Director
Email Address: michelle@nightlight.org
Education: Master of Counselling from Lindenwood University
Responsibilities: Counselling expectant parents and overseeing our domestic and foster adoption program.

Nikki E

Home Study Provider
california | home-studies

Our Agency Expert:

Nikki E

Home Study Provider
Email Address: nikki.eigler@nightlight.org
Favorite Adoption Story: My very first Domestic adoption was a birth mother who was a last minute situation where the baby was already born. She named the baby Hannah and was deciding between three families. When she made the decision I called the family to inform them and they told me they had also named the baby Hannah. It was a perfect match and the families are still in touch today (13 years later).
Education: I have a Master's in Social Work and am an LCSW. All of my professional experience has been with child welfare, including work with Child Protective Services, Foster Family Agencies, Domestic Adoption, and International Adoption.
Responsibilities: Working with families and writing Home Studies and Post Placement Visits

Renae

Snowflake Family Evaluation Provider
california | 

Our Agency Expert:

Renae

Snowflake Family Evaluation Provider
Email Address: Renae@nightlight.org
Favorite Bible Verse: Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men. –Colossians 3:23
Favorite Adoption Story: My husband and I adopted an 8 year old girl from Colombia in 2008. That same year we gave birth to a baby girl. In 2012 we adopted an 8 year old girl from LA County Foster Care. We gave birth to another girl that same year! Having “twins” nine years apart twice has been an incredible journey of blessings!
Education: MA in Communication with an emphasis in Interaction Studies and Organizational Behavior. Currently completing an MS in Human Sciences
Responsibilities: Colombia Program Coordinator

Rhonda

International Program Director
california | international

Our Agency Expert:

Rhonda

International Program Director
Email Address: rhonda@nightlight.org
Favorite Bible Verse: Whoever destroys a soul, it is considered as if he destroyed an entire world. And whoever saves a life, it is considered as if he saved an entire world. Yerushalmi Talmud 4:9
Favorite Adoption Story: More of my family members are adopted then born into our family. I first became aware of adoption, when my brother came home on my 5th birthday, a month after his birth. Adoption was the way my husband and I chose to build our family through the adoption of five school aged children from Russia and one from Kyrgyzstan. Adoption is a way of life for me and I feel very blessed to help other families throughout their adoption journey.
Education: Rhonda Jarema earned her B.A. In psychology from University of Michigan and her M.A. from Pepperdine University.
Responsibilities: Manage the California office with specific responsibility for Kinship and UAA Adoption programs, Education Programs, Intercountry Home Study services, Home Study Abroad, and Hague Accreditation.

Sage

Snowflakes Team Lead
california | snowflakes

Our Agency Expert:

Sage

Snowflakes Team Lead
Email Address: sage@nightlight.org
Favorite Bible Verse: Romans 8:1 “There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.”
Education: B.A. in Intercultural Studies with a concentration in Interdisciplinary Education, and B.S. in Business Administration with a concentration in International Business
Responsibilities: My job responsibilities include assisting with the matching, contract, and shipping phases of the embryo adoption process, as well as assisting with coordinating adopting parents’ preferences, profiles, and communication between adopting and placing parents.

Sarah F

Social Services Manager
california | home-studies

Our Agency Expert:

Sarah F

Social Services Manager
Email Address: sarah.faltas@nightlight.org

Winter

Pregnancy Counselor | Adoption Advocate
california | domestic

Our Agency Expert:

Winter

Pregnancy Counselor | Adoption Advocate
Email Address: winter@nightlight.org
Favorite Bible Verse: 2 Corinthians 4:7-10 "But we have this treasure in jars of clay, to show that the surpassing power belongs to God and not to us. We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed; always carrying in the body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be manifested in our bodies."
Favorite Adoption Story: It would be hard to choose just one of the beautiful stories I've heard as my favorite. I am continually blessed and inspired by the courage, love, and bravery that birth mothers have as they make one of the most difficult decisions of their lives, and am moved by the love, kindness, and perseverance of our adopting families as they go through the adoption process. I love how these acts represent the unconditional love that God has for us, as he has adopted us as orphans and brought us into his family.
Education: Bachelor's Degree in Interpersonal Communication and Psychology, Biola University
Responsibilities: Winter is responsible for counseling and supporting expectant parents who are in the process of making an adoption plan. She also supports, trains, and assists adopting families by walking with them through the process of Domestic Adoption. She does outreach in California to different hospitals, pregnancy resource centers, and medical facilities.

Yesenia

International Program Assistant
california | international

Our Agency Expert:

Yesenia

International Program Assistant
Email Address: yesenia@nightlight.org
Favorite Bible Verse: Romans 5:8: God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
Education: B.A. in Psychology and Minor in Spanish
Responsibilities: Conducting inquiry calls with families interested in country programs; answering questions to help guide families to programs that best fit their needs; assisting the International Program Coordinators with dossier preparation.
Talk with our experts:
Donate
© 2023 Nightlight Christian Adoptions | Sitemap
cross