Executive Director
Myriam Avery, MA has traveled to many countries helping adoptive families and is skilled in working with US Embassies and Consulates worldwide. With over 20 years of experience, she's provided direct international adoption services to hundreds of families. She has helped process adoptions from China, Uganda, Bulgaria, Romania, India, Korea, Thailand, Vietnam, and Nepal. She has also worked with families who have adopted children in the United States.
Myriam is dedicated to the orphaned children of the world who are in need of permanent loving homes. She has extensive knowledge regarding all aspects of the adoption process, and has completed a published thesis on international adoption. Myriam has two biological boys and two daughters adopted from China. She is honored to be a part of any family’s adoption process.
Director of Social Services
Debby Fields, MS, LMHC, has a Master’s degree in Marriage, Family and Child Counseling and is a Licensed Mental Health Counselor. Debby has worked in the field of adoption since 2006, providing home studies
and post adoption supervision and support. She is honored to be part of the process of building families through adoption. Debby lives in Edmonds with her husband and two daughters. What Debby likes best about working at Agape Adoptions is seeing the
delight of parents as they bond with
their children and the joy of children
who know they are loved and cherished.
Debby is a Trust Based Relational Intervention (TBRI) Practitioner and Educator.
Adoption Program Coordinator
Alycia Aponte-Paden is a mother of four beautiful children and has been married to her wonderful husband for the past 15 years. Alycia enjoys spending time with her family and friends, exploring “off the beaten path” places with her amazing kids, and trying out new foods. She has worked several years in healthcare and administration, but her favorite job was working for a nonprofit for the past 5 years. After losing their mother, Alycia and her brother were orphaned at a young age. They went to live with their maternal grandmother and she became their safe haven of unconditional love and care. Alycia's forever grateful to have someone care for her the way her grandmother did. She's excited to join the Agape team, learn more about the adoption world, and continue pursuing her passion of helping families.
Home Study and Post Placement Coordinator
Maya Trettevik graduated from Western Washington University with her Bachelor of Arts Degree in Human Services. She loves dogs, fried chicken and enjoys learning American Sign Language. Maya was born in China and was adopted from Jian, JianXi at the age of one and has a sister who is also adopted from China. In 2012, they traveled with their Mom and Grandma to tour their hometowns. Throughout Maya’s life, she has always had a passion for helping children and families. She hopes to build connections with those who are going through this process and share her story in hopes that it would encourage other families. Maya is excited to work at Agape Adoptions to help bring families together.
Adoption Program Assistant
Hailee Stewart graduated from Western Washington University with a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Sociology and a minor in Psychology. In 2006, she began her career in the adoption field by supporting families through the adoption process. She is extremely passionate about improving the lives of children around the world!
She enjoys spending time with her husband, two sweet kiddos and one cute puppy! Hailee also loves chocolate chip cookies, tulips, photography, shopping with her twin sister and planning family vacations, either somewhere tropical or to Disneyland!
Child Advocate and Communications Coordinator
Veronica Latsko graduated from the University of Virginia with her Bachelor of Arts Degree in Public Policy and Leadership, with a second major in Foreign Affairs. In 2018, Veronica began her professional soccer career in the National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL), and played for the Houston Dash in Texas, for the last four years. She currently plays for the Seattle’s professional soccer team, OL Reign, and lives in Tacoma with her two dogs. Veronica is passionate about helping women and children and is excited to advocate for the children in our Agape program.
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Social Services Team
Adoption Social Worker, Washington
Tiffany Didrickson, MEd, has a Master's of Education degree in Guidance and Counseling. She began working in adoption because of a passion for bringing orphaned children into loving families. She has worked since 2011 providing home study and post adoption services to families and joined the staff at Agape Adoptions in 2015. Tiffany and her husband have four active children and have personal experience going through the international adoption process. She and her husband adopted their then 5 year old daughter from Ghana in 2013. Tiffany understands the myriad of emotions that families go through during the adoption process and enjoys helping to prepare families for the journey.
Adoption Social Worker, Washington
Lacey Gray, MS, LMHCA has a Masters in Counseling Psychology from Chaminade University in Honolulu, Hawaii. Lacey is currently a therapist working toward her license as a mental health counselor in private practice. She has several years of experience working in the foster care system in WA, as well as working as a CPS case manager and home study writer in Hawaii for both the licensing of foster homes as well as domestic adoption. Additionally, she has worked with survivors of human trafficking. Lacey loves different cultures and has had the honor to travel to over 31 countries exploring the world! She has spent several years working in Honduras and India. Lacey loves having the opportunity to unite cultures, families, and helping children find their forever homes. She is passionate about adoption and she and her husband hope to adopt someday. Lacey resides with her husband in Longview, WA. She enjoys fishing, hiking, traveling, spending time with family, reading and adventuring with her two German Shorthair Pointer pups and her cat.
Adoption Social Worker, Washington
Cathy Swanson, MS, LMHC has spent her entire career working with children and families. She has a Master’s Degree in Marriage and Family Therapy from Seattle Pacific University and a Bachelor of Arts in Social Welfare from the University of Washington. Cathy has worked with Child Protective Services, been a Guardian ad litem, worked in a community mental health clinic and most recently, spent 10 years working at Seattle Children’s. This work has included individual therapy with children and adolescents, parent coaching, leading groups and completing mental health assessments. Many of the families Cathy has supported include adopted and foster children. Cathy is excited to work with families in the early stages of adoption. When not working Cathy spends time with her husband, three grown children and their families. She loves getting outside, traveling and cheering for the Huskies.
Adoption Social Worker, Oregon
Alyssa Whitesides , MA, has a Master’s Degree in Counseling Psychology. Alyssa has worked in the field of adoption since 2004, providing services to both children and families. She developed her passion for adoption while working in the child welfare field helping to identify adoptive homes for children in foster care. Since then, she has worked in domestic infant adoption, foster care adoption and international adoption providing home studies and post adoption supervision and support. Alyssa joined the Agape team in 2014 as the Oregon and Southwest Washington Adoption Social Worker. Alyssa feels truly honored to walk along families as they welcome children into their lives through adoption. Alyssa lives in the Portland, Oregon area with her family.
Adoption Social Worker, Alaska
Sonya Sipos, a lifelong Alaskan, has worked with children and families in Alaska for over 20 years and deeply enjoys her work with adoptive families. Sonya received her bachelor’s degree in psychology from George Fox University and continues to pursue educational opportunities that help her better support her families in any way possible. She began her career working with teens in behavioral and psychological crisis and quickly came to realize the importance of a holistic, whole-family approach in addressing children’s mental health needs. Sonya continued to work with families in a variety of capacities throughout the state and was introduced to the world of adoption in 2007. Since then she has worked in infant, foster care and international adoption and enjoys every aspect of working with both birth and adoptive families on their journey through the adoption process.
Adoption Social Worker, Washington
Alyssalayne@agapeadoptions.org
Alyssa Layne, MSW, LCSW, has worked in the adoption field since 2005, first in North Carolina and now in Washington since 2015. She earned her Bachelor of Arts in History from Davidson College, and her Master of Social Work from The University of North Carolina at Charlotte. Alyssa loves working with children and families, and she considers it an honor and a privilege to play a small role in families’ adoptions journeys. She loves to celebrate the milestones, big and small, along an adoptee’s path to forming bonds of attachment in his or her adoptive family. Alyssa lives in Kent, Washington, and in her free time she loves to travel, garden and play with her dogs.
Adoption Social Worker, Oregon
Ida@agapeadoptions.org
Ida Sanders, MSW, LCSW has a Master’s degree in Social Work from the University of California at Berkeley and is a licensed clinical social worker. Ida has been working with children and families in public child welfare for over 25 years and in international adoption since 2017. Ida is committed to helping all parents provide a safe, accepting, nurturing home for their children where they can heal and grow. Ida enjoys getting to know adoptive families and is honored to able to support and assist them on their adoption journey. Ida lives with her family in Portland, Oregon. She feels very fortunate to live in the beautiful Pacific Northwest and enjoys exploring the music, art, food, and natural beauty of the area.