Amanda Sauter, LMSW  works with adoptive parents writing home studies and conducting post placement visits in the Buffalo area. Amanda is drawn to the adoption field due her personal experiences. Amanda’s brother was adopted from South Korea when he was 4 1/2 months and she was 11 years old, and they have been extremely close since that day. Amanda is excited to be a part of the adoption journey with Adoption STAR families.

Angela Buchanan, LMSW  works with adoptive parents writing home studies and post placement reports in the Buffalo area. Her full time job is with Erie County Department of Probation where she works at the juvenile detention facility. Angela enjoys working with Adoption S.T.A.R. clients because "placing a child with a family who will love the child unconditionally is a blessing."

Deanne Day, MSW  began with Adoption S.T.A.R. as an MSW student intern from the University of Buffalo. Deanne works with prospective adoptive parents conducting home studies and post placement supervision in the Buffalo and Rochester communities. Deanne enjoys getting to know her clients and provides much needed guidance and education everyone she works with to enable them to navigate the home study and adoption process.

Heather Mauro, MSW  has been working in the field of adoption for many years. She has a great deal of experience with International adoption and entered the adoption field because she was drawn to adoption after a family friend adopted a little girl from Russia; the child blossomed under the love of her new family and the parents were given a gift from the child that was unparalleled." Heather works with adoptive families adopting via the domestic or international route. Heather conducts home study and post placement reports in the Syracuse area.

Jessica Brumbaugh, BSW  works with adoptive parents writing home studies and post placement reports. Jessica’s full time job is at The Society for the Protection and Care of Children in Rochester where she supervises a program for teenage parents. Jessica enjoys working with Adoption S.T.A.R. clients because "whether they are a birth parent or an adoptive parent, they are all extraordinary people with selfless ambitions and lots of love to give to children."

Kathleen Cores, MSW, LCSW  works with adoptive parents conducting home studies and post placement visits. In addition Kathy works as a school social worker for the Buffalo Public Schools. Kathy has worked with Adoption S.T.A.R. since the agency’s inception. Kathy also mentors graduate student interns who work with the agency. She enjoys working with Adoption S.T.A.R. clients because "working with adoptive parents and seeing them with their new children is heartwarming and makes me feel that I am involved in a very worthwhile endeavor."

Lisa Binder, LCSW  has worked in the adoption field for the past twenty years in a variety of capacities. Lisa’s experiences includes conducting home studies and post placement reports, counseling pre-adoptive families who are visiting older children from the foster care system, acting as an educational liaison for families with adopted children requiring special education and grant writing. Lisa is also a trained psychotherapist. She maintains a private practice in NYC with a specialty in adoption issues. Lisa finds working with adoptive families extremely rewarding and especially enjoys being part of the process of helping in the creation of loving families for infants, older children and teenagers.

Marie Dolfi, LCSW  has a private practice specializing in pre and post adoption issues for members of the adoption constellation in Albany, NY. She is on the board of the Adoptive Families of the Capital Region, Inc. and the Advisory Board of the Post Adoption Resource Center at Parsons Child & Family Center. Marie enjoys working with Adoption S.T.A.R. clients because it gives her an opportunity to educate parents on the unique issues adoptive families’ experience. Marie feels fortunate to work with Adoption S.T.A.R. clients in helping them build the forever families they have been dreaming of.

Marjorie Beldue, LCSW-R  provides home study and post placement services for clients of Adoption S.T.A.R. Marjorie is the Assistant Director of Disaster and Emergency Services at the Greater Rochester Chapter of the American Red Cross. Prior to this she volunteered for the Red Cross for 27 years, 15 in the Health and Safety Department as an Instructor of CPR and First Aid and 12 as a Disaster Mental Health Volunteer in both local and national disaster services. Marjorie has also worked as a school social worker for 13 years and that work was with young children with special needs and their families. Marjorie enjoys working closely with adoptive parents to hear their life stories and to hear their dreams for the future, the entire process is so beautiful and so real. From start to finish, being part of the Adoption S.T.A.R. family is an important part of my professional and personal life."

Nicole Cummins  has a degree in social work and was originally with Adoption STAR full time where she was the Supervisor of Family Services. Nicole has many years of experience in the field of adoption working with expectant parents, birth parents and adoptive parents. Nicole left her full time position with Adoption STAR due to her husband’s job relocation. Currently Nicole and her family reside in Pennsylvania. Nicole continues to be actively involved with Adoption STAR and maintains the adoptive parent online profiles, and other "internet" agency features. In addition, Nicole is responsible for the creation and creativity involved in all the hard copy newsletters produced by the agency.

Nuala Campbell, M.S. Ed., N.C.C.  works with adoptive parents writing home studies and conducting post placement visits. In addition to being a mom, Nuala also works part time for Child & Adolescent Treatment Services’ 21st Century Program at Buffalo Public School #74. Nuala enjoys working with Adoption S.T.A.R. clients because "being able to help people fulfill their dream of creating a family is an extraordinary experience and I am grateful to be a part of that process."

Peter Winkler, LMSW  is an experienced social worker in the fields of adoption and foster care. For over twenty years, Peter worked for the NYS Department of Social Services where he directed the state adoption subsidy program and the Interstate Compact for the Placement of Children (ICPC). Peter currently conducts home study and post placements for clients in the Albany area.

Ruby Glicksman, LCSW-R  works with adoptive parents, providing home studies and post placement reports. Ruby is the Program Officer on the Steering Committee of the Genesee Valley Division of the National Association of Social Workers. She has many years of experience as a Primary Therapist providing mental health services. Ruby is also a volunteer on the Disaster Mental Health Teams of the Greater Rochester Chapter of the American Red Cross, and with Monroe County Disaster Mental Health Services. Ruby feels that being a participant in an adoption process goes to the heart and soul of all the individuals involved, and gives her great satisfaction.

Sirka Louca, LCSW-R  has over 15 years of experience providing counseling and support services to individuals, families, couples and groups. She specializes in the areas of infertility and adoption and offers a wide range of services that encompass the entire family building spectrum. Sirka is a professional member of RESOLVE, the Mental Health Professional Group of the American Society for Reproductive Medicine. Sirka’s own experience with infertility and adoption has left her with a strong desire to help others experience support, healing and joy on their journey towards parenthood.

Stephanie M. Watson, M.S., C.R.C.  has a Master’s degree in Rehabilitation counseling with 15 years experience working with people with severe mental illness, and in the chemical dependency and rehabilitation fields. Stephanie wanted to work at Adoption S.T.A.R., "Because my own adoption experiences were the lights at the ends of my tunnels! Adoption was the path to fulfilling my dreams of motherhood! I want to be one of the supportive, loving, teaching people along that path for other adoptive families. I think it’s my way of giving to the community and sharing my family in a fulfilling way." Stephanie conducts home studies and post placement supervision as well as facilitates some of the educational classes for Adoption S.T.A.R.

Talya Meyerowitz, MSW  conducts home studies and post placements in the Rochester area. Talya’s experience is extensive and her most recent position was as a school social worker providing support and assistance to students individually as well as group. Talya is a mom to two young boys. She loves her adoption work saying, "It is an honor being able to witness families evolving through the adoption process from the first steps to the moment they become parents."