Board & Staff

Meet Our Team

At the Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption, we are fortunate to have a mission-driven, passionate team leading the implementation of our strategic priorities and life-changing programs, as well as a board of trustees that shares our belief that a permanent family is possible for every child waiting in foster care.

Join Our Community

Board of Trustees

Rob Geen, Chair

Child Welfare Consultant
Kris Kaffenbarger, Vice Chair

SVP Business Development, The Wendy’s Company
Michael O’Malley, Secretary

President, Wendy’s of Bowling Green
Rich Krumholz, Treasurer

Managing Partner, Delight Restaurant Group
Julie Bieszczat

President, Barney Enterprises Management Services
Laura Butrico

President, The Rawson Group
Rasheeda Clark

Brand President, Wendy’s, Flynn Group
Eric Daly

Vice President, Global Wendy’s Customer Team, Coca-Cola

Pamela Farber

Thomas Family Companies
Jelani Freeman

Corporate Counsel, Xcel Energy
Jhonny Mercado

Owner & Co-Chairman, Wen JAI Restaurant Group
Blair Miller

CBS, Atlanta News First
Scott L. Moeschberger, Ph.D.

Professor of Psychology, Taylor University
Sean Niklas

President, Saren Restaurants, Inc.
M. Coley O’Brien

Chief People Officer, The Wendy’s Company
Carlos Ribas

Senior Vice President International & Managing Director Canada, Latin America & Caribbean Region, The Wendy’s Company

Terry Stigdon

Regional CEO, American Red Cross - Indiana Region
Pete Suerken

President & CEO, QSCC
Kirk Tanner

President & CEO, The Wendy’s Company
Wendy Thomas

Thomas Family Companies
Michael Welch

President & CEO, Tirebuyer.com
Tamika Williams

Associate Director, Child & Family Well-Being, The Duke Endowment
Rita Soronen, ex officio

President & CEO, Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption

Image of Rita L. Soronen — Rita L. Soronen

President & CEO

About Rita

For more than 30 years, Rita Soronen has worked on behalf of abused, neglected and vulnerable children, providing leadership for local, state and national efforts, working to improve the juvenile justice and child welfare systems while striving to assure safe and permanent homes for North America’s children. Leading the Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption, a […]

Senior Leadership

Jill Crumbacher

Senior Vice President, Marketing & Development
Melinda Haggerty

Senior Vice President, General Counsel
Jennifer Justice

Senior Vice President, Strategic Program Development
Heather Miller

Senior Vice President, Human Resources
Chip Spires

Senior Vice President, CFO

Cathryn Chuey

Staff Accountant
Clay McCreery

Senior Accountant
Jared Moloney

Senior Manager, Finance and Accounting
Chip Spires

Senior Vice President, CFO

Amanda Weitz

Manager, Business Development & Government Relations

Kelly Bradshaw

IT Systems Manager
Fred Engel

Director, IT
Stephanie Fowler

Manager, Office and Facilities Administration
Sharon Kingery

Front Desk Receptionist
Carol Patzkowsky

Executive Assistant

Ali Gedminas

Manager, Human Resources
Amy Licata

Director, Human Resources
Heather Miller

Senior Vice President, Human Resources

Abbey Christopher

Staff Attorney, Program
Quinn Dybdahl

Senior Staff Attorney, Program
Melinda Haggerty

Senior Vice President, General Counsel
Jennifer La Fayette

Paralegal

Onome Ambrose

Development Assistant
Dean Bring

Vice President, Development
Lori Brittenham

Director, Cause Partnerships
Laura Carpenter

Senior Manager, Graphic Design
Grace Carter

Development Assistant
Jill Crumbacher

Senior Vice President, Marketing & Development
Lexie Digby

Senior Manager, Donor Content Marketing
Cat Dugan

Coordinator, Digital Communications
Alison Fournier

Director, Events
Tim Kelso

Director, Marketing & Communications
Brittany Lacey

Senior Manager, Child Welfare Marketing
Rachel Lien

Director, Development Analytics and Operations
Maggie Malloy

Manager, Graphic Design
Rachel Milligan

Senior Manager, Partnerships
Jackie Moats

Information Manager
Clare Nejedly

Manager, Development Operations
Julianne Nichols

Vice President, Marketing & Communications
Nicole Pesa

Manager, Partnership & Event Communications
Lisa Rovner

Director, Development
Carmen Savarino

Senior Manager, Development
Mary Ellen Smalley

Director, Brand and Cause Awareness
Betsy Walker

Senior Director, Partnerships
Lawrence Witherspoon

Senior Manager, Partnerships

Natalie Adams

Director, Training
Abby Allison

Adoption Program Manager
Julia Brake

Director, Wendy’s Wonderful Kids
Danielle DiMatteo

Senior Manager, Training
Brittni Doerfer

Adoption Program Manager
Melissa Eck

Senior Director, Data & Performance Measurement
Laura Garvin

Director, Wendy’s Wonderful Kids
Andrea Glass

Vice President, Programs
Stacy Gonzalez

Senior Manager, Training
Deanna Jewell

Adoption Program Manager
Jennifer Justice

Senior Vice President, Strategic Program Development
Megan Kennedy

Adoption Program Manager
Adrienne Kennedy

Senior Manager, Training
Christina Killilea

Adoption Program Manager
Sara Kroboth

Senior Adoption Program Manager
Angela Marshall

Director, Wendy’s Wonderful Kids, Canada
Leigh Anne McDermitt

Senior Adoption Program Manager
Donna Minor

Adoption Program Manager
Susan Missler

Senior Data Analyst, Data & Performance Measurement
Courtney Overholt

Senior Adoption Program Manager
Darlene Reynolds

Adoption Program Manager
Tara Roberson

Senior Manager, Training
Mervat Saa

Director, Wendy’s Wonderful Kids
Lisa Shiff

Program Manager
Beth Stahl

Adoption Program Manager
Andrea Williams

Vice President, Programs

Join Our Team

Interested in joining the team at the Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption? Check out our current job openings.

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