About ACW and Staff listing 2009
About ACW
The Adoption Center of Washington (ACW) is a non-profit, child-placing agency licensed in the District of Columbia and Virginia. The agency's purpose is to provide families for children who have an adoption plan made for them and to provide valuable medical or supportive services to children in orphanages who cannot be adopted.
ACW firmly believes that children have greater opportunities to develop their potential when raised in a nurturing family life. We also empathize with the couples and individuals whose quality of life would improve by adding children to their family. As adoptive parents ourselves, we understand your concerns on a personal level. We support and educate families as they negotiate the adoption process. Adoption is a positive way to add to one's family, and it also greatly benefits children and their new families. We acknowledge that adoption is stressful, therefore we work to link prospective parents with others who have gone or are going through the process to insure the availability of social and emotional support if desired.
We focus on international adoptions. Currently, we work with orphanages and agencies in China, Russia , and Vietnam.
ACW Staff
Linda Brownlee, Executive Director
Linda Brownlee is a licensed clinical social worker and is Board Certified in Clinical Social Work. Working in international adoption, she has placed over 500 children from orphanages. She has presented workshops for Resolve and adoption support groups and at an international conferences in Moscow and in Germany. She and her husband have two children through adoption who are now adults. Linda has recently been awarded the Angels in Adoption Award from Senator John Warner. She was presented her award at a special ceremony on September 13th, 2005. This is an annual award sponsored by the Congressional Coalition on Adoption Institute (CCAI). Linda also serves on the Board of Directors for Joint Council.
Eileen Rafferty, BSW Home Study Social Worker
Eileen Rafferty graduated from Radford University in May 2005 with a major in Social Work.
Christine Grote, Senior Intern
Christine Grote is a senior at George Mason University. She is completing her Bachelor's degree in Social Work.
Melissa Popcev, Masters degree Intern
Melissa Popcev is a senior in the Graduate Social work program at George Mason University. She is completing her Masters degree in Social Work.
Jun Li, China Coordinator
Jun Li, a native of China, speaks fluent English. She coordinates our adoptions from China, which includes translating all the clients' documents.
Thao Pham Loc, Vietnam Coordinator
Thao, a native of Vietnam, speaks fluent English. She coordinates our adoptions from Vietnam. She has been doing charitable work in Vietnam for several years.
Nicholai Ivanitsky, Russia Coordinator
Nicholai Ivanitsky has been coordinating Russian adoptions with Adoption Center of Washington since 1993. He lives in Moscow and has an adopted neice.