About the Adoption Center – Domestic and International Adoptions

The Adoption Center is a private, non-profit adoption agency licensed in both Illinois and Indiana. We offer a safe, caring atmosphere for birthmothers, birthfathers and adoptive parents. Our staff consists of specially trained counselors. Several staff members have had experience with adoption in their own lives.

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Adoption Center for Family Building Staff

Read about our team of dedicated adoption professionals.




	Directors:

			Tobi Ehrenpreis, M.A, MPH, Executive Director and Founder Tobi has a Bachelors Degree in Social Work from the University of Michigan. She also holds a Masters Degree in Social Work from the University of Chicago, and a Masters Degree in Public Health from the University of Illinois. She oversees financial, marketing and administrative services and counsels families waiting to adopt. Tobi has two daughters by adoption. In 2001, Tobi founded On Your Feet Foundation, an Illinois not-for-profit that assists birthmothers following an adoptive placement.


			Maggie Gill Benz, LCSW, LMFT, Clinical Director and Co-Founder Maggie holds Masters Degrees in Psychology and Social Work from the University of Illinois, and DePaul University. Maggie has over 25 years of experience in the adoption field, and is both a licensed Clinical Social Worker and Marriage and Family Therapist. Maggie oversees all home study services, counsels adoptive families and supervises the birth parent counselors. She has two sons, one through adoption.

	Counseling Team:


			Richelle Haines, MSW, Birthmother Advocate, is a licensed Social Worker, completing her Master's Degree in Social Work n 2009 from Loyola University Chicago. She has worked in social services with international communities for over six years. Richelle has worked extensively with children and adolescents in Ethiopia including the Mother Teresa Home in Addis Ababa. Richelle is married and has one daughter through an international adoption. She enjoys cooking, running and yoga.


			Nicole Holliday, BSW, Birthparent Advocate, counsels pregnant women and teenage girls in the Bloomington and Peoria Illinois area. Nicole has a Bachelors Degree in Social Work and seven years experience working with birthmothers. "I am passionate about helping women with unplanned pregnancies before, during and after the adoption." Nicole is a birthparent herself involved in an open adoption. She has presented at the North American Council of Adoptable Children conference on the topic of open adoption.


			Carol Nightingale, LCSW, Adoption Advocate, is a licensed clinical social worker providing homestudy services in the greater Chicago area. Carol has a Masters Degree in Social Work from the University of Illinois. She has worked as a middle school counselor for many years. Carol's personal life has been touched by adoption, too; her husband is an adoptee and they have two children together—one through adoption.


			Judy Orbach, LCSW, Adoption Advocate, provides home study services to prospective adoptive families in the Metropolitan Chicago area. Judy is a licensed clinical social worker with many years experience as a school social worker and in private practice. She holds a Masters Degree from Loyola University Chicago. Judy is married and is the mother of two daughters through adoption.


			Cher Pollock, LCPC, Birthmother Advocate. Cher is a licensed Clinical Professional Counselor with a Masters Degree in counseling from National Lewis University. She is also a birthmother herself. Cher has been with the Center for over eleven years, working with birthparents in Central and Southern Illinois and Central Indiana and conducting homestudies for families in downstate Illinois.

			Sue Stewart, LCSW, Adoption Advocate, has been conducting homestudies in the greater Chicago area for over twenty years. Sue has been with the Adoption Center for over ten years. She holds a Masters Degree in Social Work from the University of Chicago and is a licensed clinical social worker. Sue is married and is a mother and grandmother.

			Mary Seddon, MPH, Birthparent Advocate provides outreach, education and counseling to birthparents in Northern and Northwest Indiana. Mary has earned a Masters Degree in Public Health from the University of South Florida and has worked in the counseling field and probation for many years before joining the Adoption Center staff three years ago. Mary has two teenage children through adoption.

			Vicki Twomey, B.A., Birthmother Advocate, counsels birthparents in the greater Chicago area. Vicki has her Bachelors Degree in human services and has been working with birthparents for over 8 years. Vicki is a birthmother herself who enjoys mentoring women considering adoption. She also works as a case manager for On Your Feet Foundation, an organization that assists birthmothers following an adoptive placement.


	Administrative


			Nancy Feldman, AA, Office Manager With over 20 years administrative experience, Nancy coordinates all day-to-day administrative functions, and keeps the office running smoothly. Nancy holds an Associates Degree in Child Development, and is the mother of two young adults through adoption. After working in Corporate America for many years, Nancy is enjoying being part of a social service agency helping to create families through adoption.

			Brenda Flores, AA, Administrative Assistant. Brenda has an Associates Degree in Design and over two years administrative experience prior to joining the Adoption Center Staff in 2009. Brenda is fluent in Spanish, and has been instrumental in our efforts to reach the Spanish speaking community.

About Our History

The Adoption Center was first licensed in 1996 as one of several Illinois adoption agencies. Two years later, the Center was licensed as an Indiana adoption agency. We are an outgrowth of Adoption Resources, founded in 1987 by Tobi Ehrenpreis, a social worker and adoptive mother of two. Tobi was later joined by Maggie Gill Benz, also a social worker and adoptive parent. Today, our team of professionals is comprised of several adoption counselors, an office manager and an advertising assistant.

The Center has an all volunteer Board of Directors including a clinical psychologist, a neonatologist, an attorney, an accountant, business people and adoptive parents.

Adoption Center Policies and Practices:

The Adoption Center offers a full range of personalized services to its clients. Our staff and Board recognizes that every adoption is unique, as are the individuals involved in the process. All adoption agencies are licensed by the state(s) in which they operate and are required to follow certain rules and procedures. At the same time, Adoption Center for Family Building is a small agency, striving to maintain flexibility and offering services tailored to the individual.

Are you considering adoption in Illinois? Ask about adoption services in: Aurora, Joliet, Chicago, Chicago suburbs, Peoria, Rockford, Danville, Springfield, Kankakee, Belleville, Bloomington, Waukegan, Plainfield, Moline, Crystal Lake, McHenry, DuPage Cook, Lake or Kane County and elsewhere in Illinois.

Are you considering adoption in Indiana? Ask about adoption services in: South Bend, Fort Wayne, Lafayette, Indianapolis, Evansville, Bloomington, Terre Haute, Kokomo, and Northwest Indiana -- Hammond, Whiting, Highland, Michigan City, LaPorte, Valparaiso and Northern Indiana, Indianapolis, Evansville and other towns and cities in Indiana.

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