“I’m a perpetual student of life. In my opinion, if you’re breathing, you’re learning! That’s partly what brought me to Voce. I was already working at Washington County Children and Youth as a legal secretary, but I was at a crossroads and wanted to learn more about child welfare and the law. I was in the right place at the right time to apply for the paralegal position with Voce, and I haven’t stopped learning since. This whole line of work is essentially my life. My husband and I were foster parents when our daughter entered our lives 25 years ago. We got a call in the morning about fostering a little girl, and I literally brought her home from work that day. After not being able to have children of our own, we were determined this was the route to go. I was scared, though. I didn’t want to screw up. Looking back, you don’t know what to expect, but somehow you just do it.
Over the last 15 years in the county, I’ve seen a lot change. When you shepherd a child’s case from beginning to end, you begin to spot patterns and you develop a sixth sense about cases. My agency has always been proactive though. I never want to see a child stay in foster care longer than necessary. It helps to keep a good sense of humor, and my teammates would describe me as a ‘goofball.’ Once I’ve gotten comfortable with you, it’s on! I’m known for using old phrases taken from my grandparents that make people laugh.
Outside of work, most of my time is spent with family—my mom, husband, brother and in-laws. We also made a pact with my daughter’s birth siblings and their families to talk often and camp together each year. My journey with child welfare has paralleled my life as a mom. I just keep learning, laughing and growing.”
- Kris, Paralegal
