Joan Strauss

Executive Director

Joan Strauss

Executive Director

Joan founded the agency in 1999, after working in the adoption field herself. She has had a long career working with children and education. She has a passion for linking children with opportunity. She lives in Denver, CO with her Husband, Henry, and has a daughter who had her own little girl and made Joan a grandma! Joan was born and raised in China, and has spent much time there, as well as many other countries, seeing the need of children living in orphanages first hand. She enjoys spending time with family, going to the theater, traveling, her dog Max, and of course serving children and families through adoption.

Hannah Newell

India Program Supervisor

Hannah Newell

India Program Supervisor

Hannah joined IAN in July 2019 after getting her B.S. in Human Services. She has a heart for children, especially those with special needs, and is passionate about serving them and their families. She is excited to work with families as they move through their adoption process. Hannah is a Colorado native and loves being outdoors, reading, and spending time with others.

Bob Mardock

India Program Coordinator

Bob Mardock

India Program Coordinator

Bob Mardock serves as one of IAN’s India program coordinators. He also serves as the co-founder and president of International Family Services, a domestic and international adoption organization which placed over 5000 children into U.S. homes. Bob comes with a rich 30-year background in the world of adoption. When he was in high school, his parents opened their home to a teen in need and Bob saw the impact of an “open heart – open home” for his foster brother’s life. Once married to the love of his life, Carol, they decided adoption would be part of their family culture. Six adoptions later, and four biological kids (yes, that’s 10 kids), they live a full family life. He has been involved in India for over 20 years and has overseen the adoptions of nearly 500 children from India.

Bethany Compton

Adoption Assistant

Bethany Compton

Adoption Assistant

Adoption has been a blessing and a huge part of Bethany’s life since her family adopted her first brother from Korea when she was 8 years old. She now has 9 siblings, 7 who were adopted (from Vietnam, India, and the U.S.), bringing the number of kids in her family to 10. Her mom began working in the adoption field over 20 years ago when they adopted her sister from India, which allowed her to assist her and learn more about the adoption process. In 2007, she was given the opportunity to officially work with the India program, and she has been “hooked” ever since. She is honored to work for IAN’s India program, and to be a small part of bringing children and families together.

Sylvia Priest

Social Worker

Sylvia Priest

Social Worker

After twenty seven years of doing various Social Work assignments for a large Denver area human services agency, Sylvia went to work for ten years as a Social Worker and Administrator for a combined Department of Labor and Denver Public Schools initiative. In 2006 she returned to the full time practice of Social Work in the adoption arena. She has worked for human service agencies doing domestic adoptions and foster and kin care studies and for several international adoption agencies in the metropolitan area. She has degrees in Psychology and Social Work and a Juris Doctor. Sylvia reads, does needlework, gardens and travels internationally in her spare time with her husband of over 50 years.

Tosha Medina

Social Worker

Tosha Medina

Social Worker

Tosha joined the International Adoption Net team in August 2021 as a social worker intern. She has experience working with children and families in educational and health care settings. She is a Denver native and completed both her Master of Social Work degree concentrating in Children and Youth Risk and Health Development, and a Bachelor of the Arts degree in Communication and a minor in Sociology from the University of Denver. Tosha is dedicated to enhancing the wellbeing of children and families. She is passionate about strengthening the family unit and ensuring adoption families have the resources they need to thrive.

Anna Cheshire

Office Manager/Adoption Coordinator

Anna Cheshire

Office Manager/Adoption Coordinator

Anna graduated from the University of Tulsa in May 2022 with a Bachelors in Anthropology with minors in History, Education, and Biology. Her studies in college helped her develop a passion for non-profits and working with people from different backgrounds. She believes that "family" can have many different definitions. She is excited to work for IAN because she can watch multicultural families be built and develop over time.

Courtney Compton

Adoption Assistant

Courtney Compton

Adoption Assistant

Courtney comes from a large family of 10 kids built through adoption: She has 3 sisters (2 biological and 1 adopted from India) and 6 brothers (adopted from South Korea, Vietnam, & domestically). Her mom began working in the adoption field around the time they adopted from India and hired Courtney (and her sister Bethany) to work with her. She's thrilled to have the opportunity to continue helping families adopt through IAN. In her free time, Courtney enjoys spending time with her family, playing board games, watching tv/movies, and reading.

Nikkeria Murphy

Adoption Coordinator

Nikkeria Murphy

Adoption Coordinator

I graduated with a B.S in Public Health and worked as a nanny while attending college. I grew to love helping families thrive and had the privilege of working for many types of families. It solidified my belief that there is more than one way to become a family. I am a Colorado transplant, and I haven't fully adopted the outdoor lifestyle. I'm more of a homebody, but if there's food involved, I'm willing to get out!

Stephanie Walker

Child Placement Supervisor

Stephanie Walker

Child Placement Supervisor

Stephanie has been working in the adoption world since 2001, after graduating with her Master's degree from DU. She has a passion for helping create forever families and over the years has worked in domestic and international adoption as well as with foster families. Stephanie's biggest joys are her husband and their children. When she isn't cheering her children on in their various passions, she loves to sit by the fire-pit, travel, watch movies and snuggle her dogs. Stephanie was honored to join the IAN staff in July 2023.

Get to know our team!
Our coordinators have guided 100's of families and are ready to help you.

Contact a Coordinator

Meet the Team

Joan Strauss

Hannah Newell

Bob Mardock

Bethany Compton

Sylvia Priest

Tosha Medina

Anna Cheshire

Courtney Compton

Nikkeria Murphy

Stephanie Walker

Board of Directors

Mimi D Brouillette

Carter Sales

Brenda Retrum

Peggy McKay

Julie Segraves

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