Our Agency Team of Experts

Chelsea

Vice President of Foster Care
georgia | executive, foster-care, program-office-mgt

Our Agency Expert:

Chelsea

Vice President of Foster Care
Email Address: ctippins@nightlight.org
Favorite Bible Verse: Zephaniah 3:17: “The Lord your God is with you, the Mighty Warrior who saves. He will take great delight in you; in His love He will no longer rebuke you, but will rejoice over you with singing.”
Favorite Adoption Story: Less than a year after starting with Nightlight, I received a phone call from an expectant mom who wanted to make an adoption plan for her unborn child. On my way to meet with her for the first time, she called to notify me she was in labor and heading to the hospital. I am not typically in the delivery room, but this sweet expectant mom asked for my support and she was a trooper throughout her entire delivery. Each hospital experience is unique and special, but this one is especially dear to my heart as I watched this little one enter the world! It is an experience that is rare for me, and I have a special relationship with everyone involved with this precious adoption story!
Education: Chelsea holds a Master of Social Work from the University of Georgia, in addition to a B.S. in Family and Consumer Sciences with a major in Human Development and Family Science.
Responsibilities: Chelsea ensures compliance with state laws and regulations, and overseas the home study program, domestic adoption program, and foster care program in the Georgia office

Dana

Executive Director
kentucky | program-office-mgt

Our Agency Expert:

Dana

Executive Director
Email Address: dana@nightlight.org
Favorite Bible Verse: Philippians 4:6-9
Favorite Adoption Story: I now have two! I began working at A Helping Hand Adoption Agency (which later became Nightlight Christian Adoptions) the first week of May, 2007. That very same week, in Guatemala, a precious little boy was born. Four months later, our Guatemalan caseworker walked through the office holding two files in the air, one in each hand, praying “Dear God, we lift the files of these two boys up to you. We know that you know where their families are and we pray, dear Lord, that You will send them our way. Do not keep them waiting!” I asked to see the files and immediately fell in love with the most beautiful baby boy I had ever seen. One month later, we began the process of adoption. One year later, this little boy became my son! In November, 2020, my cousin was hospitalized due to Covid-19. She had custody of a child through the state foster care system she was planning to adopt. She was looking for someone to keep her while she recovered. I asked my husband if we could step in as “fictive kin” and he said “Sure! We can take care of a baby for 3 or 4 weeks!” My cousin went on a ventilator the following day and took months to recover from the virus. In the meantime, my husband and I had fallen head over heels in love with the happiest, most joyful little girl and were praying individually for what we later learned was the same thing. Neither of us wanted to ask my cousin, we wanted her to ask us to adopt her! She called a few days later after learning from her doctors that she would never recover to the ability to chase after a toddler and care for a child on her own and asked if we would like to make her our little girl. Our 3 to 4 weeks turned into forever in August, 2021!
Education: Dana holds an Associate of Arts in Paralegal Studies and a Bachelor of Science in Child & Family Studies from Eastern Kentucky University. Her Master’s Degree in Child & Family Studies was earned from Western Kentucky University. Dana is a member of the National Council on Family Relations and is certified as a Certified Family Life Educator (CFLE).
Responsibilities: As Executive Director, Dana oversees the programs of the Kentucky office, supervises its employees and runs the day to day functioning of the office.

Heather

Director - Post Adoption Connection Center
texas | program-office-mgt

Our Agency Expert:

Heather

Director - Post Adoption Connection Center
Email Address: heather@nightlight.org
Favorite Bible Verse: Psalm 116:7 – Be at rest once again, O my soul, for the Lord has been good to you.
Favorite Adoption Story: I worked for many years in our international programs and I am filled with joy at each child brought into a family. There was one case where we had difficulty with getting paperwork completed by a foreign country and had been praying for months for everything to come through and be approved for a family to adopt their child. When we finally got news of the approval, I remember running down the hallway toward my supervisor as we hugged, cried, and rejoiced that this family would be bringing their child home. Even as agency staff, we carry each of these children and families heavy on our hearts and thank God for each family that He creates.
Education: Bachelor’s degree in Social Work from Baylor University
Responsibilities: I focus on providing support and connection with our adopted children, adoptive families, and birth parents after placement through Nightlight’s Post Adoption Connection Center. We offer services for mentoring, coaching and counseling, support groups, referrals to resources, and other forms of support. I also manage our post adoption tracking coordinators and processes for our international adoption programs.

Kelsey

Executive Director
colorado | program-office-mgt

Our Agency Expert:

Kelsey

Executive Director
Email Address: kelsey@nightlight.org
Favorite Bible Verse:  2 Corinthians 12:9-10 “But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so the Christ’s power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.”
Favorite Adoption Story: My favorite adoption story would have to be about my little boy, Isaiah, whom I adopted while living in South Sudan in 2009. Isaiah who was 13 months old at the time, was living on the street with his 9 year old sister Rose, and they had lost both parents to AIDS only a month after Isaiah was born. Isaiah was HIV positive from birth and as a result of it going untreated for so long, he passed away shortly after I adopted him. When I first met Isaiah he was extremely unhappy, malnourished, and had never experienced joy or laughter. Isaiah, though only 1 year old, showed obvious indicators of neglect, distrust, anger, and an absence of love. I was privileged to spend 4 months with Isaiah and in my short time of loving and caring for him I saw God’s love transform this child from being an angry, distrusting, and hurting little boy to a boy full of love, laughter, and joy. It taught me about the power of love and how important it is for every child to know they are loved, accepted, and worthy. Though this story had a tragic ending, it’s beautiful because Isaiah was able to know and experience love, self-worth, acceptance, and joy before he left this earth. It is now my objective, hope, and aspiration that every child will have a loving home and family and will know they are unconditionally loved because nothing is more transforming and powerful than LOVE.
Education: Masters of Social Work from the University of Louisville
Responsibilities: Kelsey is responsible for the training, supervision and support of Social Services Staff in the Colorado office, including the Domestic Program Coordinator, the Home Study Coordinator, Interns, and Home Study Writers. She also reviews all home studies completed in Colorado, and works with out of state agencies on completing and reviewing home studies for mutual International Adoption clients from their states.

Lara

Executive Director
missouri | program-office-mgt

Our Agency Expert:

Lara

Executive Director
Email Address: lara.kelso@nightlight.org
Favorite Bible Verse: “Weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning.”-Psalm 30:5
Favorite Adoption Story: I have been involved with a number of domestic adoptions, however I will admit that the adoptions of my son and daughter stand out as two of my favorite. I feel like I am able to assist adoptive families by drawing from our personal adoption experiences, relationships with our children’s birth parents, and my own process of coming to accept my infertility. I understand that the adoption process can leave one feeling extremely vulnerable. I understand that there are many questions and concerns. It’s scary. But I have witnessed many, many successful and joyful outcomes. Every adoption is a blessing to me.
Education: Lara holds a Bachelor of Arts in Business Administration from Lindenwood University and a Master of Arts in Counseling from Missouri Baptist University. In addition she maintains a Licensed Professional Counselor status through the State of Missouri.
Responsibilities: As Executive Director, Lara oversees the programs of the Missouri office including domestic and international adoptions, supervises its employees, and runs the day to day functioning of the office. Lara brings over 15 years of vocational experience in adoption to her work at Nightlight, but she also provides the personal insight of being an adoptive mother twice. Lara holds a Bachelor of Science in Business as well as a Master of Arts in Counseling from Missouri Baptist University and is a Licensed Professional Counselor.

Michelle

Executive Director
california | program-office-mgt

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.

Nichole C

Executive Director
south-carolina | program-office-mgt

Our Agency Expert:

Nichole C

Executive Director
Email Address: Nichole.chase@nightlight.org
Favorite Adoption Story: It is hard to pinpoint a favorite adoption story, as I believe all adoption stories are incredible and unique. I have had the privilege of being a part of many. I look forward to being a continued support for both expectant parents and adoptive families through this journey of love, selflessness, and vulnerability.
Education: Masters of Social work from University of Southern California. Licensed Master Social Worker in South Carolina.
Responsibilities: Nichole leads the team in our SC office and provides oversight of adoption programs managed there.

Rozdi

Executive Director
oklahoma | program-office-mgt

Our Agency Expert:

Rozdi

Executive Director
Email Address: rozdi@nightlight.org
Favorite Bible Verse: Mark 9:23 all things are possible to him who believes
Favorite Adoption Story: I believe adoption is such a great option for someone who is wanting to expand their family as well as do God’s work. I have several friends that have been adopted and it has been such a good experience for them.
Education: I have a BA in Psychology and MHR (Masters in Human Relations) from the University of Oklahoma. I also have my LPC.
Responsibilities: Ensures compliance with state laws and regulations, and overseas the home study program, domestic adoption program, and foster care program in the Oklahoma office

Sonja

Executive Director
indiana | program-office-mgt

Our Agency Expert:

Sonja

Executive Director
Email Address: sonja@nightlight.org
Favorite Bible Verse: Psalm 82:3 Defend the weak and the fatherless; uphold the cause of the poor and the oppressed.
Favorite Adoption Story: Working in international adoption you visit many countries, with some orphanage facilities being worse than others. Many years ago while visiting an orphanage in Africa, I met an older boy who was rail thin and with hollowed eyes who grabbed my arm and asked me to find him a family. You could see the desperation in his face. The attorney we worked with at the time told me every time she visited the orphanage, the boy asked her why she was only placing babies and toddlers with families and why families only wanted young children. He pleaded with her to find him a family too. This story broke my heart, we made it our mission to find this child a home and within a few months, we were able to find that family for this child. That was many years ago and today this child is thriving.
Education: MA
Responsibilities: Executive Director of the Indiana office. Oversees the programs in the Indiana office including the Bulgaria, Ukraine, Haiti, Samoa, Burkina Faso, Dominican Republic, Liberia, Portugal programs in addition to overseeing Anchored in Hope and Birth mother services in Indiana. Ensures compliance with state and federal laws and regulations. Provides guidance and assistance to the Advisory Board and fundraising activities.

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