Once Upon A Time...In Adopteeland

Like many children adopted in the postwar era in which she grew up, Julie Wetherby has carried the burden of relinquishment and family secrets right through her life. When a powerful call to arms commands her to finally take action, she is faced with a life-changing challenge. Can Julie put off what she always intended to do: investigate her roots? Wheels set in motion, she embarks on a journey th...

Craig S. Hyman honors a lifelong calling to service in the areas of adoption education, healing & growth.   Craig has been in reunion with all members of his biological families since 1987. As an adopted person, he has experienced the depth of separation trauma from blood relatives, as well as the transformative, healing process of the mind, body, and spirit. Craig is the creato...

Veronica graduated with a bachelor of arts degree in sociology and later went on to earn a master's degree in mental health counseling from Webster University. Veronica is currently a registered intern counselor with the state of Florida. She hopes that she can help educate adoptive parents and others in the counseling profession on adoption-related trauma and be an advocate for adoptees. Veronica...

Paige Adams Strickland is a Baby Scoop Era adoptee from Cincinnati, Ohio. She researched and found biological family in 1987-88 before modern technologies. Her state records were open although her adoption was considered “closed” at the time. She is a wife, mom of 2 daughters, grandmother of 2, a teacher and fitness instructor. She loves reading, gardening, writing and spending time with family an...

David Bynum was born and adopted at birth in Columbus, Oh. He began his search in 2018 and is currently in reunion with both sides of his biological family. He is a married father of three and grandfather of six. He is a U.S. Army Veteran and Retired Correctional Officer. David Recently retired from coaching High School Football at Reynoldsburg High School due to the Coved – 19 pandemic. David and...

Michele Kriegman born Suzanne Gilbert is a storyteller by nature but she was missing her own backstory well into adulthood. Finding her birth-father helped complete it. She worked for many years in U.S. and Japanese journalism, including ABC News, iVillage.com, Lilith, Maine Public Radio, NYT Nippon TV's morning show, . More recent journalism has been for cybersecurity publications such as In...

Author and entrepreneur Joi R. Fisher-Griffin is an experienced educator, a passionate adoption advocate and a patron of the arts. After going through her own struggles as an adoptee, Joi wrote her memoir,  Finding Joi: A True Story of Faith, Family, and Love . She shared her story so that she could help others who sit in silence about their struggles, and she continues to find ways to be ope...

Emma Stevens is a U.S. domestic adoptee from birth and has survived layers of trauma that have put her on multiple journeys. She developed the inner strength and courage to surmount the many struggles she faced. Her traumas were born from being an adoptee who struggled with being forced to wear an impossible mask of playing the part of the “good adopted child.” Because being relinquished and adopt...

Keith Sciarillo is a loving father and a Late Discovery Adoptee who enjoys connecting with his community. Keith currently works in the Accounting field for a Law firm and does volunteer work on the Emerging Leader Advisory Board for C.A.S.E. (Center for Adoption Support and Education).   Music by Corey Quinn

Rich Uhrlaub , M.Ed. has been dedicated to support and effective advocacy for the interests of adults impacted by relinquishment and adoption for over 20 years and currently serves as ASRC President. Relinquished and adopted at three weeks old, Rich located and connected with his family of origin in 1995. Rich has testified before legislative committees and presented and facilitated at various con...

Oliver considers himself a simple man with a complexicated identity. He is a husband, father, man of faith, engineer, veteran, and adult adoptee. He lives in Troy, OH (just north of Dayton). Throughout the past three years he has been digging deeper into his genetic history with the help of the adoption community. Like many others, he is seeking wholeness.  Oliver currently facilitates a DNA...

Kate Murphy was adopted during the Baby Scoop Era. Her long search for family yielded results through the wonder of DNA in 2015. Now in reunion, she finds peace and acceptance through connection with other people who were adopted.  Kate is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker with a psychotherapy practice in Atlanta, GA. She specializes in working with members of the adoption constella...

Betsie Norris is the Founder and Executive Director of Adoption Network Cleveland: The Ohio Family Connection. Betsie is an adoptee who searched for and was reunited with her birthparents and siblings in 1986, when she was in her mid-twenties. She emerged from that experience with strong convictions about the lifelong journey of adoption for all involved, and the need for systemic change. She...

Kenneth Bonomo was born in Chicago, Illinois at Dunning Asylum in the mid sixties. He is of mixed race origin with his father being African-American and his mother being of Polish and Swedish ethnicity. He was adopted by two loving adoptive parents and had a very happy childhood. He went on to become an elementary school teacher, marry his best friend and sweet heart. He enjoys genealogy and...

Jacqueline is from Chicago and the mother of a beautiful son and daughter. Music by Corey Quinn

Snippets from eight guests during Season One share perspectives as adoptees Music by Corey Quinn

Renecia Jennifer is a provocative, creative storyteller at heart. Once sharing her story became her assignment, Renecia gave breath to a vision to bring those revelations to life through the arts. Renecia is a late-discovery adoptee who was raised by same-race parents. At the age of 22, her parents had the courage to share what she already knew in her core. It’s often said, adoption doesn’t guaran...

Pekitta is a published author of the book "Thank God I was Adopted 'Cause DNA is No Joke!" Based on her memoirs and journey to how she found her biological family through DNA testing. Her reunion can be seen on a YouTube video, "Pekitta's Journey". https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZFhUFNkqpPU Music by Corey Quinn

David Bohl is a catalyst, immersionist, chronic malcontent, empath, conscientious persister, solitudinarian, itinerant introvert, and often complexly hypervigilant, David B. Bohl is also a relinquishee and adoptee, a  professional independent addiction and recovery consultant , and a former consumer of substance use disorder and mental health services. He’s also the author of  Paral...

Julie Ryan McGue writes a weekly blog, and a monthly column for her local paper, called That Girl This Life. Her work has been featured on Brevity Nonfiction Blog, Lifetime Adoption Adoptive Families Blog, Severance Magazine, Adoption & Beyond, Adoption.com, and The Imprint e-magazine. She has a degree in Psychology from Indiana University and a Masters in Marketing from The Kellogg Gradu...

Peter Capomolla Moore is the president of Adoption Rights Australia. He is a Genealogist, Late Discovery Adoptee at age 59, a father of five, grandfather of eleven, foster carer of many, discovery also revealed he had an Italian father and a mother of Australian Aboriginal & Scottish ethnicity. In 2017, Peter reunited with his mother & five maternal siblings. In 2018 Peter reunited with th...

Tina read two of her poems, "Reflection" and "Help". This episode is lovingly dedicated in memory of Kyle Glantz. Music by Corey Quinn

Michael Knox completed five Ironman Triathlons to date and says finding fitness is how he found his (biological) family. He is a part of Adoptees Connect Atlanta. Music by Corey Quinn

Daryn Watson has been connected to the adoption community for years and works with Adoption Knowledge Affiliates. He coaches adoptees during search/reunion and can be reached through his website and email: http://www.adoptionreunioncoaching.com daryn@adoptionreunioncoaching.com Music by Corey Quinn

Niranjani is a young professional in the healthcare space – focused on training, organizational development, and business development. She was raised in Maryland, in a suburb outside of Washington D.C., and used to spend her childhood summers in her motherland, India. Placing importance in interpersonal relationships, Niranjani believes that adaptive communication and a strong emphasis on soft ski...