Providing Foster Care Adoption Education & More!
Leesa Malone
Leesa joined CH/LSS in March 2021 as an Adoption Family Worker in the foster care and infant adoption programs. In April 2022 Leesa began the role of an Adoption Education Facilitator. In 2020 Leesa completed her Master’s Degree in Human Services from the University of Northwestern-St. Paul. Prior to her work in Foster Care and Adoption, Leesa worked in residential treatment for teens as well as ABA therapy for youth with autism. Leesa combines her professional knowledge and her lived experience as an adoptee, and a former foster parent, to help educate individuals on how to support youth who have experienced trauma.
Katie Sir
Katie joined CH/LSS in October 2022 as an Education Facilitator and Event Coordinator. She studied Marketing and Psychology and is a Car Seat Safety Trainer. Katie has a diverse background of working with incarcerated mothers, individuals seeking their permanent family, and youth ministry. She draws from her experience to add character and energy to her leadership of events and classes. Her passion is fueled by helping parents on the front end of their foster care journey (through education) as well as getting to provide fun experiences to families that have placement!
Rebecca “Becca” Underhill
Becca has been an Educational Facilitator with Children’s Home since November 2019. With this role, she has had the opportunity to be a trainer for prospective foster and adoptive parents, a facilitator of Parent Support Groups, and a leader for various youth adoption education programs. She is a certified CARS technician. Having built her family through adoption in 2012, she understands the importance of connection with other foster and adoptive families. In her free time, she enjoys spending time with friends and family, substitute teaching (yes, really!), geocaching, and playing BINGO on her phone.
Angela Checco De Souza
Angie received an undergraduate degree in Social Work from Bethel College in Minnesota, and a Master’s Degree in Social Work from St. Thomas University in Minnesota. Prior to joining Children’s Home in 2001, she completed two years of volunteer mission work in Mexico and India. Her professional travel has included multiple trips to India, as well as Korea and Russia. As a social worker with domestic infant and international adoption, she was privileged to see many children join families. Angie became certified as a practitioner in Trust Based Relationship Intervention (TBRI ®) in 2012. Angie has experience providing kinship care and is a mom to five children. She joined the Foster Care Adoption Education team in 2021. She is passionate about the need to prepare families for the process of adoption, the initial transition after placement, and the lifelong journey.
