Posted by Deb Shrier

Deb Shrier

Welcome to Humans of JF&CS! Periodically, we will be featuring different staff members to highlight the amazing work they do.

Behind our 40+ programs are compassionate, committed, and dedicated staff who care deeply about our mission and our agency. With this broad range of programs comes a team of staff members with diverse interests, passions, and skills, who all share a deep commitment to building a strong foundation of well-being and resilience for our clients. We hope these staff spotlights give you a taste of the incredible individuals behind our services and a sense of the deep compassion and dedication they bring every day.

I’m part of the Adoption resources team at JF&CS. I conduct home studies with pre-adoptive individuals or couples, give expectant parent counseling, and provide search and reunion work. I began working at JF&CS after Betsy Hochberg, Director of Adoption Resources, and I met at a conference years ago. I was working at a different adoption agency at the time, but our tables were located right next to one another. We talked about our personal and professional link to adoption and the real need for post-adoption services for families. Six months later, our similar thinking on post-adoption services led me to working at JF&CS with Betsy.

The most exciting part about what I do is getting to work with so many different types of clients and hear everyone’s unique story. Listening to these personal reflections informs the way I do my work. I’ve learned a great deal from my clients over the years and I’ve made important changes in my clinical approach. There are so many different aspects to my work that it never gets dull or boring!

I’m so proud of the work done throughout the agency to make a difference in people’s lives. Whatever part of the organization we work in, we’re working towards the same goal. I also love having so many intelligent and knowledgeable colleagues. I know I can always find the answer to any question or find an important resource! JF&CS is truly a very special place to work.