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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 is a grandma to two granddaughters! 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, and of course serving children and families through adoption.
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.
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.
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.
Beth Risdon, MSW is IAN’s Lead Child Placement Supervisor, and brings years of experience in clinical evaluation and support for social workers and prospective adoptive parents. She is the key contact between IAN and partner agencies in other states to support families adopting with IAN. The daughter of adventurous parents, Beth was raised in Illinois, Maryland and Athens, Greece. She attended college in Virginia before moving to Colorado with her husband, Ken, in 1993. Beth received her Masters of Social Work (MSW) at the University of Denver. Beth and Ken are the parents to two adult children, Sam and Emma, and have two rescue pets – Krosby, an orange tabby, and Annie, an English cream golden retriever. When not wearing her social work hat, Beth is a trail runner, marathoner and triathlete. She combines her passions for travel and fitness by doing marathons and triathlons around the globe. Beth tries to live by her favorite Lewis Carroll quote, “In the end, we only regret the chances we didn’t take.”
Nikkeria graduated with a B.S in Public Health and worked as a nanny while attending college. She grew to love helping families thrive and had the privilege of working for many types of families which solidified her belief that there is more than one way to become a family. Nikkeria is a Colorado transplant and recent newlywed who says she is more of a homebody, but if there's food involved, she is willing to get out and go.
IAN is delighted to welcome Kerry Podaridis as the newest member of our team. As our Outgoing Adoption Coordinator, Kerry supports international clients through the U.S. adoption process. She graduated from the University of San Francisco with a degree in Psychology and has dedicated her entire career to working on behalf of children. Since entering the field of adoption in 2017, her proudest professional achievement has been building and coordinating an outgoing adoption program. Kerry finds great fulfillment in helping bring children and adoptive parents together, and she is known for her exceptional commitment to the children and families she serves. Outside of work, Kerry’s greatest joy is being a mother to four adult children and a grandmother to her beloved grandchildren. When she isn’t supporting families or spending time with her own, she can often be found indulging her lifelong love of all things Bob Dylan—she has seen him perform live more than 50 times!
Kelly brings over 23 years of adoption experience to IAN, where she plays a role guiding families through the Bulgaria intercountry adoption process and supporting the agency’s work across programs. As an adoptive mother of three young adults from Kazakhstan and Colombia, she understands firsthand the joys and challenges of adoption and is deeply committed to Hague best practices, helping families navigate every step with care, confidence, and heart.
Michaela graduated with her Bachelor of Science in Business Administration. She is an individual deeply passionate about adoption, shaped by her own experiences as an adopted child. Having been adopted at a young age, Michaela understands firsthand the transformative power of finding a loving and supportive family. This personal journey has ignited a lifelong commitment to helping children and families navigate the adoption process, ensuring that every child has the chance to grow up in a nurturing environment.
Kandra’s role is to facilitate interactions between clients and staff while managing the agency’s daily operations. Prior to entering the adoption field in 2018, her professional background includes operations roles at a variety of nonprofits and small businesses, as well as many years as an artisan baker. Kandra brings regulatory fluency and heartfelt advocacy to her work with children and families; she is deeply committed to practices in adoption that prioritize the lived experiences of adoptees and expectant parents while providing compassionate and honest service to families seeking to grow through the unique process of adoption. Born and raised in Colorado, Kandra shares her life with her partner, Chris, and a wide circle of family and friends (and animal companions!). She is a voracious reader who loves spending her free time exploring the world through arts and crafts, sports, travel, and food.
I am passionate about using the wisdom, experience, and knowledge I have gained to help the adoption community in an organic and authentic way. So much emphasis is placed on the process of adoption, and not as much on the care and support of those in the adoption community. I feel that I am returning to the root of my love for adoption – the people involved. I believe that employing empathy and informed interpersonal communication skills are the keys to healing and developing healthier relationships, which is my goal in all of the services I offer.
Address
7430 East Caley Avenue
Ste 220
Centennial, CO 80111
Phone
1-800-982-3778
Email
info@internationaladoptionnet.org
Hours of Operation
Monday through Friday: 8:00 AM – 4:00 PM MT
