Spotlight | Foster and Adoptive Parent Advocacy Center

Spotlight on Taylor Lewis

We asked Taylor Lewis, our Youth Summit Project Lead, a few questions to get to know her better.

What exactly do you do for FAPAC?

As the youth Summit Project lead, my responsibilities involve designing and executing the Youth Summit that will take place from May 5-7th, 2023. My days vary, but the main component is the same; looking into the logistic items needed to plan a holistic learning experience for youth, and a lot of time is used scaling items I can address to the planning committee. We are also bringing in youth interns, analyzing their learning styles, and tailoring them to fit them best while taking their feedback and manifesting actionable steps. Our purpose is to give these youth interns high-quality job skills that prepare them for in-person, remote, and hybrid work.

What did you do before FAPAC?

I have over a decade of experience developing and managing youth programming and providing holistic learning content, products, resources, and services for all life stages of youth labeled as “at-risk.” I do not like the label “at-risk” and prefer saying young people need extra partnership. I focus on a holistic approach to youth development.

Can you explain the holistic approach and how it applies to your role?

The holistic approach focuses on balancing four key components; mental health and wellness, building relationships, post-secondary college & career paths, and understanding your rights and resources. If I have to choose, I prioritize building relationships because adults are responsible for forming relationships when you are a child. Transitioning to adulthood can be difficult because the former youth have to take on more responsibilities in their life, which focus heavily on communication and networking skills. Communication is essential to creating, developing, and maintaining relationships. More responsibility equals more power and independence.

What is your favorite part of working at FAPAC or in this industry?

Working for youth has always been rewarding, and it is an excellent reminder that all things I am doing are necessary. I aim to become an expert in developing holistic learning experiences for youth. I want to take my passion for writing articles and blog posts and understanding the best practices for communicating with youth and adults. It would be great to provide this for FAPAC and its families.

What would you like to see FAPAC do for its employees or families?

As FAPAC moves to youth programming, I would love to see a holistic balance and introduce more mental health events, employment, relationship building, and just about having fun. Building a community is essential, and I would like to see more events provided to families and build those relationships.

Spotlight on Eleanor Dessart

We asked Eleanor Dessart, Our Communications Coordinator, a few questions to get to know her better.

What are some of your responsibilities at FAPAC?

My responsibilities for FAPAC involve scheduling mass emails, drafting social media posts, updating databases, researching upcoming events in the area and communicating them to families, putting together employee/board spotlights, and supporting the team with their tasks and projects.

What drew you to FAPAC?

When I was seeking an internship in Fall 2022, I knew I wanted to be in DC and focus on the foster care/adoption community, partly because of my own adoption experience and because this sector had been the center of my academic interests throughout college. When I came across FAPAC, I saw its unique focus on supporting the resource parents, kinship caregivers, and foster care youth. While I had initially sought out working with children and teens directly, FAPAC presented an opportunity to support them by advocating for the caregivers and focusing on the familial needs as a whole. I’m beyond grateful for the opportunity to continue working with the FAPAC team!

What has been your favorite FAPAC experience so far?

I have several favorite memories, but one of them would be the Pinstripes bowling event last Fall. During this shared parenting event, both foster and biological parents came together for a fun day of bowling and a buffet-style lunch. This was my first time meeting some of the FAPAC families, and I loved seeing the smiles on everyone’s faces!

What’s something you’ve gained working at FAPAC, and what do you hope to see moving forward?

During my time at FAPAC, I’ve been surrounded by some of the most passionate and supportive co-workers. I’ve developed new relationships, navigated unfamiliar softwares, and learned to advocate for myself and others. As I continue to work at FAPAC, I hope to interact with families more frequently (especially now that I’m living in DC) and see greater engagement with all that FAPAC has to offer. We recently started sending families a monthly newsletter highlighting program updates, volunteer opportunities, and other FAPAC-related information, so I’m looking forward to seeing how this new channel bolsters involvement.

Spotlight on Janet Miller

We asked Janet Miller, our grants manager, a few questions to get to know her better.

What does a typical week at FAPAC look like for you?
As the Grants Manager, most of my time is spent writing grant applications, reporting our progress to grant providers, researching new opportunities, checking different databases, looking at 990 forms, and updating the database so that FAPAC can send its year-end reports. I then document FAPAC’s programs and our accomplishments so that I can better inform our audience.

What did you do before FAPAC?
Before FAPAC, I worked for and collaborated with small to large nonprofits and for-profit organizations in Annapolis. I handled marketing and administration until finding my niche in grants management. I love working on behalf of nonprofits for the positive and impactful programs they deliver, from after-school programs, mental health, homelessness, food and pantry, and group/family homes. I enjoy looking for different topics, setting goals and objectives, and meeting them.

What is your favorite part of working at FAPAC or in nonprofits?
My favorite parts of FAPAC are the team and how well we hold up and get things done. We are given much independence, allowing me to do my work freely. FAPAC’s big thing is identifying and structuring the program around that need. Once programs are implemented, we assess our progress and potential improvements, and if they are not successful, we find better programs.

Your position is mainly done remotely. What motivates you, and how do you stay on top of your work?
To stay motivated, I focus on lists and targets on what I need to do daily. This helps me prioritize things. The staff meetings are great because it helps me get back on track while giving me updates on what projects my colleagues are working on. It makes you feel more connected, especially when communication is always significant for me.

Thank you Janet for your amazing work at FAPAC!

For National Intern Day, FAPAC Honors Ryan Robinson, Non-Profit Management Intern

How was the internship?

I loved that there was so much autonomy in my role! FAPAC gave me the freedom to improve my skills while working on many projects. It was nice to see everyone be in charge of their part and have the independence to do their job while getting support from the Executive Director. It was nice to be recognized for my work and receive reassurance on my efforts and how well I was doing. This motivated me to work even harder. I found it incredible that FAPAC provides so much support and resources to its staff while fulfilling its mission to the public.

What did you learn?

I learned a lot! My prior experience came from large corporations, so this is my first time working at a nonprofit. I always wondered about the relationship between for-profits and nonprofits and how they worked together to achieve good work. FAPAC taught me the connection and how organizations can better partner to achieve great things. I also learned about financial management, fundraising, and marketing.

What are your plans after FAPAC?

I plan on completing a Master of Business Administration and a Master of Science in Human Resource Management from West Virginia University. I am focused on opportunities in Human Resources, and my goal is to have an internship that falls in this field soon. While I live in West Virginia, I would like to move to DC or another metropolitan area. I am not opposed to trying something new!

From everyone in the FAPAC family, we want to thank Ryan for all the fantastic work he has done for this organization and wish him the best of luck!

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