About Us

CHOOSE US BECAUSE

• Adoption Advocates has a professional social work team that covers the entire state of Michigan.
• Our social workers have years of experience in international adoptions, domestic adoptions and special needs adoptions.
• Adoption Advocates offers pre-adoption training, education and preparation.
• Adoption Advocates has worked with placing agencies across the U.S. & with countries across the globe.
• Many of our staff members also have adopted children.

OUR STAFF

Joan Hadersbeck, BS, LBSW, Executive Director/Supervisor
(616) 866-8223
adoptionadvocates@charter.net or homestudy.advocates@gmail.com

Since our agency was founded in 1999, Joan has been our executive director. She has over 18 years of experience in working in both domestic and international adoptions. In addition to this, Joan was also adopted herself, has an adopted sister as well as an adopted daughter. She has assembled a very professional, ethical and dedicated team of social workers to provide the highest quality of services to our Michigan families.

Wendy Panourgias, MSW, LMSW, ACSW, Social Work Supervisor
(586) 677-5070 wendyp.msw@gmail.com.

Wendy is a masters-level social worker who has been working with adoptive families since 1998. She is very passionate about both helping orphaned children find forever families and to ensuring that parents are genuinely prepared to bring an adopted child into their family.

Sheri Schmidt, BA, LBSW, Team Leader (616) 457-0189, sheriaa@sbcglobal.net.

Sheri has worked with Adoption Advocates since 2005.She has two adopted children from Russia. She personally understands what families go through and the profound experiences of bringing their children home. She is committed to helping other families fulfill their dreams of adoption and helping them throughout the process.

We also contract other highly qualified social workers throughout the state of Michigan to best serve our clients needs.