TediBear Staff Listing

Executive Director

Tedi attended Florida State University where she majored in Social Work and graduated Magna Cum Laude from The University Of North Florida with a B.A.E./B.S.W. She is currently completing her M.S.W. Tedi taught school (kindergarten, first grade, and special education) for seven years before God called her to begin Tedi Bear Adoptions. She and her husband, Donnie were high school sweethearts, and have been happily married for twenty-two years. She is the proud mother of twelve children from all over the world. Tedi enjoys traveling, spending time with her family, boating, going to the beach, going to the mountains, and delights in seeing the awesome power of God's plan at work in building forever families.

Executive Assistant

Havana began working with Tedi Bear Adoptions in 1997 as a volunteer, and came on board full time in 1999 as the Executive Assistant. Havana's cheery voice is the first voice heard when clients call to inquire about adopting from Tedi Bear. She proudly shares her experience as a grandmother of twelve, nine who are adopted from the US, Romania, Russia, China, Vietnam, and Moldova. She is happy to share with others that the love she feels for her grandchildren is not determined by the fact that they are biologically related to her or adopted. Havana's background includes owning and directing a School of Baton Twirling and Dance, and being a full time wife and mother to her three daughters, Kipi, Tedi, our Executive Director, and Tami, our webmaster. Havana has traveled extensively throughout the world and has lived in many foreign countries. Havana is responsible for sending out information packets, assisting clients in any way she can during their adoption process, and filling in for Tedi when she is out of the country.

Webmaster

Tami is the webmaster for TBA, and occasionally fills in for Havana when she is on vacation. She has been employed on and off with Tedi Bear Adoptions since their inception in 1997. Although she is single and has no children of her own, she enjoys when her sister and brother-in-law take vacations and/or business trips because she is the official "baby-sitter" for her sister's twelve children and she delights in all the time she spends with her nieces and nephews. Tami looks forward to one day having a family of her own and has promised her niece Victoria that she would try to adopt a little girl from the same province in China as she, a promise made to her niece when she was just a baby -- and seven years later, Victoria still reminds her of that promise.

Tami's father worked for the DOD, so Tami grew up in Asia and Europe and was fortunate to have been able to travel to many of the countries TBA represents. Having received an Associate in Arts Degree from Florida Community College of Jacksonville, she is furthering her education at the University of Florida with a double major, in Telecommunications (broadcasting with an emphasis in the sports sector), and Political Science.

A past secretary of the Florida Federation of Young Republicans, Tami remains an active member of the Republican party and has enjoyed working on various campaigns including the governor's 98 campaign, and the president's 2000 campaign, including a stint at the 2000 Republican National Convention. Through her political activities Tami has been able to stress adoption awareness to many who never saw the need for so many forever families.

Asian Program Director

(Vietnam/Hong Kong/China/Cambodia/Kazakhstan)

Denise Wynn is the proud mother of five children, four are birth sons and her youngest daughter was adopted from the Kazakhstan/Tedi Bear program in June of 2001. Denise and her husband have been happily married for 16 years, and he is a builder in Northeast Florida and is also very involved in raising their children. Denise has always been an adoption advocate, as she was adopted by a wonderful, loving, Christian family when she was a newborn. She feels called to help other families during their adoption process, and prides herself in being available for clients whenever they need her. She either answers her emails promptly or answers her cell phone which she carries with her at all times. If she must return calls, she does so as soon as humanly possible.

Denise has a background in Mortgage banking, so she is very used to working with people and enjoys doing so. She feels blessed to be the Asian Program Director for Tedi Bear Adoptions, and states that it makes such a difference to love what you are doing. She does not consider this a job, but rather her mission in life.

Denise has been friends with the Executive Director, Tedi Hedstrom, for nine years. She supported Tedi through her first adoption of Victoria in 1995 which was two years before Tedi Bear Adoptions began. She shares the Tedi Bear vision of finding loving families for as many of the worlds children as she can.

Ukraine and Guatemala Program Director

Jeanne Barnard is our Program Director for Ukraine and Guatemala. Jeanne and her husband are the proud parents of one son who was adopted from Murmansk, Russia. Thanks to Tedi Bear Adoptions, the Barnard's became a family in June of 2001. This was just in time for Jeanne and her husband’s 10-year wedding anniversary!

Jeanne’s first career was in manufacturing as a planner/scheduler and a buyer. She earned a Bachelor’s degree and an M.B.A. both with an emphasis in Operations Management. When Jeanne became involved with her own adoption in 1999, she was inspired by the Tedi Bear Adoptions family and knew immediately that she would one day join them. Her own adoption journey was unusually long, but she benefited from the invaluable experience of preparing dossiers for Russia, Moldova, and Romania. Jeanne loves helping families through the adoption process, and is very active in her local adoption support group. She is very proud to be part of the Tedi Bear Adoptions family, and feels blessed to have the opportunity to help the children of Guatemala and Ukraine find their forever families.