TACOMA, WASHINGTON

Kimberly Mays, who helped launch the Parents for Parents program for King County Juvenile Court in Seattle, is a strong and determined parent advocate, speaker and mother of 10 with a powerful story of recovery and reunification. Mays was involved with child protective services and the dependency court system several times over 17 years. She lost parental rights to nine of her children but was able to overcome substance abuse issues and be reunified with her youngest daughter. Through good fortune and hard work, Mays also re-established relationships with eight of the nine children who were adopted and has earned the trust of their adoptive families. Currently working as a social service worker with the State Office of Public Defense, Mays is a parent advocate who serves on numerous committees, including the Washington State Parent Advocacy Committee. She works closely with parents involved in the child welfare system and has frequently testified at the state legislature.

SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA

Michael Huesca, a father advocate and domestic violence counselor, has helped more than 1,000 victims of domestic violence over 12 years. He helped start Paternal Opportunities Programs and Services (POPS) in San Diego, helping fathers interested in reunifying with their children. As executive director, he has expanded the work to support mothers hoping to reunify and ensure that the best interests of the children are met. Mr. Huesca became a single father after his mentally ill partner was unable to care for the children, leaving him to care for their son and her two children from a previous relationship. Huesca conducts training for child welfare workers on how best to engage fathers in child welfare case plans. A member of the Birth Parent National Network, he was the recipient of the 2016 Reunification Hero Award from the American Bar Association.

NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA

Teri Hrabovsky is a tireless advocate, foster and adoptive parent, and community leader. Since she and her husband, Brian, were certified as foster/adoptive parents by the Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS) in the greater New Orleans region in 2007, they have fostered more than 50 children and have adopted a son and a daughter, in addition to raising three biological daughters. Hrabovsky is president of the foster parent association NOLA Hope, which provides support and training to foster parents, items to children in foster care and assistance to families reuniting. A knowledgeable trainer for Model Approach to Positive Parenting (MAPP) classes, she and her husband also started OneHeart NOLA, a nonprofit that provides toys and snacks at the DCFS office for children. Hrabovsky serves on several state committees, including the Quality Parenting Initiative, and as an advisory board member to the Governor’s transition team on foster care and adoption issues.

PALM BAY, FLORIDA

Lou Ann and Jonathan Hawes have been dedicated volunteers and advocates with Grandparents Raising Grandchildren of Brevard County, Florida, Inc., for more than six years. The couple adopted their 5-year-old granddaughter after she entered foster care following her father’s death. They help advocate for relative caregivers and their families to receive needed support, and build bridges with community providers and support programs. Lou Ann wrote grants to secure legal assistance for guardianships and creates a monthly newsletter and brochures for Grandparents Raising Grandchildren. She also served on a panel at a Grandparents Day celebration at the White House, sharing ways to strengthen intergenerational relationships. Jonathan developed a webpage and provides technical support for the organization.

ANCHORAGE, ALASKA

Alaska Representative Les Gara has built on his own experience in foster care to advocate successfully for young people in state care. He entered foster care at age 6 in New York when his father died, and he remained in care until he turned 18. Gara graduated magna cum laude from Boston University and graduated with honors from Harvard Law School. His law career included serving as Alaska assistant attorney general on the Exxon Valdez oil spill litigation. Serving in the Alaska House since 2003, Gara has been instrumental in achieving increased funding for child welfare and foster care services. In 2016, he wrote and co-sponsored legislation that passed unanimously to prioritize kinship placements before foster care, emphasize permanency and ensure school stability for youth in care. He started Laptops for Foster Youth and Alaska’s mentorship program for foster youth, which is now a state-supported program. He has also improved funding for shelters, meets frequently with youth in care and has employed foster care alumni in his office.