Twin Cities - Metro

Nicole has over 27 years’ experience in the nonprofit and public sector. She has served as Executive Director of several Minnesota and Colorado based nonprofits that promote healthy communities, including No Barriers USA, Vinland National Center, and FamilyWise. She currently serves on the Foster Care Task Force through National Council for Adoption. In addition, she is involved in bringing Quality Parenting Initiative to Minnesota, a part of the Supervised Visitation Leadership Institute, and several policy making committees.

Sarah Danielson, MA, LPCC has experience in providing individual therapy, family therapy, and support group services to children and adolescents who are in foster care or who have been adopted. She works to support children and families along the adoption/permanency constellation and has been trained in trauma-informed practices such as Trauma-Focused Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy and Trauma-Informed Child-Parent Psychotherapy. Her passion to support families in connection and understanding one another forms the foundation for her work.

Anjaly is a licensed social worker in the state of Minnesota who graduated in 2023 with a Bachelor’s degree in Social Work. She joined Ampersand Families in January 2024 as a Youth Permanency Specialist, where she works to ensure older youth in foster care find lasting and supportive connections. In her role, Anjaly prioritizes relative and kinship placements, and strongly advocates for youth to have a voice in all permanency-related decisions. As a transracial adoptee herself, Anjaly brings a personal and informed perspective to her work.

Supporting, Training and Licensing Foster Parents and Prospective Foster Parents. Including: home study assessments, placements, foster care support groups, foster care and adoption training, and post-adoption support and resources.

Address:
Anoka County
2100 3rd Ave.
Anoka, MN 55303

Mariah has her Bachelor's of Social Work degree from Southwest Minnesota State University and she is a licensed social worker. Mariah formerly worked as a child protection social worker and supervisor for Southwest Health and Human Services. Currently, Mariah is a Post-Permanency Navigator with Foster Adopt Minnesota. Her role is to provide resources and answer questions that arise for families after the finalization of an adoption or transfer of permanent legal and physical custody (TPLPC).

Following 22 years in the field as a licensed child psychologist, and 17 years in private practice, I am no longer providing direct care as an adoption-competent therapist. For my "second chapter", I am eager to join the team of HELP Specialists at Foster Adopt MN (FAM) in January, 2026. The HELP Program provides free, curated support services to any Minnesota adoptive, kinship or foster family; adopted persons, former foster youth and community professionals.