About International Adoption Net
Established in 1999, International Adoption Net (IAN) is a licensed, full-service child placement agency and nonprofit organization in Greenwood Village, Colorado in the United States of America. We are a Hague-accredited agency, and have been so since 2008. Our current Hague approval is valid through July 1, 2024 with IAAME. We are also an active member of the National Council for Adoption, a membership based advocacy group that is, “Passionately committed to the belief that every child deserves to thrive in a nurturing, permanent family, NCFA’s mission is to meet the diverse needs of children, birth parents, adopted individuals, adoptive families, and all those touched by adoption through global advocacy, education, research, legislative action, and collaboration.”
Our agency and staff members have tremendous amounts of experience handling domestic and international adoptions. IAN has facilitated adoptions in the United States, China, Guatemala, Nepal, Ukraine, Kazakhstan, Ethiopia, Uganda, India, Mexico and Bulgaria, as well as assisting with many other countries through our post adoption and home study services.
The majority of our placements and services are with our International Programs. We are experienced in meeting the legal and cultural requirements of the foreign adoptive country, as well as the adoption laws of Colorado and the United States. We provide pre-qualified, carefully screened adoptive parents to the foreign country for consideration so that children are placed in loving, healthy environments full of opportunity
Our Team
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 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.
Julie Kula – Director
Julie Kula was born in Seoul, Korea and was adopted internationally when she was 1 year old. She has lived in Denver since and considers herself a “Colorado Native”. She is married and has three sons. Julie’s passion for adoption began when returning to college later in life, graduating with her BSW and MSW. Her work experience as a social worker includes working in Child Welfare and Kinship and as an Adoption Counselor. She loves to help, support and walk with families going through the adoption process. As an adoptee, Julie has personal experience with adoption that gives her a unique understanding for both the adoptive parents and the adoptee.
Hannah Kakac – India Program Supervisor/China Adoption Coordinator
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 serves as 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.
Joy Caraway – Adoption Coordinator
Joy was born in Shouyang, China and was adopted when she was a little over a year old. However, she grew up here in Denver, Colorado. She recently got her Bachelors in Sociology and a minor in Ethnic Studies. Adoption has played a huge part in her life and she wants to give back to the adoption community. Outside of work Joy enjoys spending time with loved ones, going to concerts and traveling the world.
Rachel McCain – Adoption Coordinator
Rachel graduated in May 2022, with a Bachelors in Child and Family Development with an emphasis in Family Services and a minor in Gerontology. She has worked with children and their families since she was 15, continuing through high school and college. Rachel interned at another adoption agency before joining IAN, and this great opportunity made her realize her love and desire for international adoption. She moved from Georgia to Colorado in January 2022 and has fallen in love with her job and life since then!
Bethany Compton – India Assistant Coordinator
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
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 and she and her husband celebrated fifty four years of marriage this year.
Sheri Ludlam – Social Worker
Sheri has been working as a social worker for IAN since December 2007. She loves being able to help families through the adoption process by completing their home study and post placement reports. Sheri earned a Psychology degree from Colorado Christian University in 2002. Prior to working for IAN, she has worked in a residential treatment center, in home based services for families and individuals dealing with crisis and mental health issues, and as a Child Protection Caseworker for Denver county. Sheri is married and has two boys. She enjoys hiking, working out at the gym, playing games, volunteering at her boys’ school, and spending time with her family and friends.
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 of 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.
Our Board
Mimi D Brouillette, Chair
Julie Segraves, Board Member
Peggy McKay, Board Member
Brenda Retrum, Board Member
Carter Sales, Board Member
