Heritage Camps for Adoptive Families has a large Board of Directors, simply because we try to have representation on the Board from each of our ten heritage camps with adoptive parents, adoptees, and community members. If you are interested in joining our Board, please contact Sharon Blender, Board President at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .
Sharon Blender, Board President
Sharon is Director of Worldwide Sales Strategy & Planning for Cisco Systems, Inc. She participates in Cambodian Heritage Camp with her husband Paul Grabowski, and their 11 year-old son adopted from Cambodia. Sharon says what she loves about CHC is “how we teach families to fully embrace & respect their child’s culture and identity in a positive, normalized, fun environment. I love all of the amazing people I have met through CHC.”
Marion Delanoy, Board Treasurer
Marion is a CPA and shareholder at Brinkerhoff Revenig & Corrigan, P.C. in Denver. She and her husband Rich have three adopted children from Korea, who are now adults. They have participated in Korean heritage camp for almost 20 years. They also have a bio daughter who keot coming to camp even afer her Korean siblings “graduated!” Marion says she is on the board because “attending camps, both as campers and counselors, has made a world of difference for my kids and I want to make sure every child adopted into a different culture also has an opportunity to have these experiences.”
Jami Powell, Board Secretary
Jami is a Youth Development Consultant for the Denver Public Schools. She has one child, born in India, who is now a college graduate. Jami has been involved in Indian Nepalese Heritage Camp for 18 years, and is on the CHC Board because “Our family considers camp time as time with our ‘extended cultural family.’ I am on the Board of HCAF to nurture and sustain the well being of my daughter and her "brothers and sisters," to advocate for Adult Adoptees and the next generation of families.”
Maria Collett, Board Member
Maria is a paraprofessional in a Jefferson County elementary school. She and her husband Tim have three adopted children, teenage twin boys born in the Philippines, and a 10 year old daughter born in Korea, so they have been involved in both the Filipino and Korean Heritage Camps for many years. "Our family has enjoyed Filipino and Korean Heritage Camps for eleven years, and it has been a wonderful experience. We have all learned so much, and the camps have opened up many avenues of conversation about culture and adoption within our family. I am excited to be able to contribute to HCAF as a board member, and look forward to giving back to an organization which has given so much to our family."
Marypat Coughlin, Board Member
Marypat is a Clinical Social Worker. She works as the program manager of the Stout Street Clinic Mental Health Team, a program of the Colorado Coalition for the Homeless. She and her husband Ed who have four children born in Bolivia have been part of Latin American Heritage camp for many years. Marypat joined the Board of Directors because ”we have been committed to Colorado Heritage Camps since we first attended Latin American Heritage Camp 12 years ago. Our annual week-end in the mountains at LAHC is a family reunion, and a top priority for all of us each summer. “
Jim Dickson, Board Member
Jim is a self-employed consultant in the Denver area. He has two children, a biological son and an adopted African-American daughter. Jim and his family have participated in the African Caribbean Camp for many years. He says, “The reason we joined African Caribbean Heritage Camp was to equip our daughter and ourselves for the many challenges of a trans-racial family. We all needed to be educated in her culture and in the ways we could help her as she transitions to and from the Black and White cultures she now straddles.”
Wendy Hanophy, Past Board President
Wendy is a self-employed biologist and technical writer, who recently retired from the Colorado Division of Wildlife. She and her husband Rick have one teenage daughter, adopted from China. Wendy and her family have been part of Chinese Heritage Camp since it began, and she is currently the Co-Director of the camp. “Heritage Camps has meant the world to my family. We jumped right in at the first offering of Chinese Heritage Camp. It's an honor to serve on the board and enable all adoptive families to have a HCAF experience.”
Karen Hart, Board Member
Karen is a Principal in the Aurora Public Schools. She and her partner Meredith have one adopted daughter who is African American, born in the U.S. As Karen puts it, "My job pays the bills. HCAF fills my soul.”
Kevin Hein, Board Member
Kevin is a partner in the law firm of Faegre & Benson LLP in Denver. He and his wife Patti participate in the African Caribbean Heritage Camp with their two African American adopted children, born in the U.S. Kevin joined the HCAF board because he strongly believes in the mission of the organization and the service it provides to trans racially adoptive families.
Bill Huron, Board Member
Bill is the business unit compliance officer for McKesson Health Solutions in Colorado. He and his partner Richard Rogers have two sons born in Vietnam. They have been part of Vietnamese Heritage camp since their sons were infants. “HCAF provides the most adventuresome and authentic way I’ve found to help my children explore the abstract concept of cultural heritage and the adoption experience. Nothing else offers my sons an opportunity to form lasting relationships with their adopted peers, camp counselors and members of the Vietnamese community. “
Wy Livinsgston, Board Member
Wy is the owner of Wystone’s World Teas in the Belmar shopping district in Lakewood, CO. Wy will be active in our African Caribbean Heritage Camp as a camp participant and role model. Wy joined the HCAF Board of Directors because as she put it, “I am proud to be a HCAF Board member because the organization embraces the ideas of inclusion and diversity and fosters camp experiences which make meaningful differences in the lives of adoptees and their families.”
Rick Meyers, Board Member
Rick is a self-employed contractor, and the President, of PAN Enterprises in Boulder, CO. Rick and his wife Heidi have three children adopted form China, and they have participated in the Chinese Heritage Camp II since it began. Rick is on the HCAF board because "it is almost impossible to not be positively impacted by HCAF once you get involved. Cross cultural competency is fostered by the awareness, education and understanding gained at each camp. I am proud to be part of such a phenomenal organization. These camps truly make the world a smaller, safer, and more welcoming place."
Sanjiv Nariani, Board Member
Sanjiv is a Senior Project Manager at KDC Architects/ Engineers, PC in Denver. Sanjiv, his wife Namita, and their two daughters, have been instrumental in bringing authentic India culture to our Indian Nepalese Heritage Camp for many years. Sanjiv joined the board because “after 12 years of being in awe of the generous parents nurturing these balanced & beautiful adopted children and both surpassing differences and man-made limitations to form a wordly family unit, I feel privileged to be on the board of this organization.”
Jolynne Reynolds, Board Member
JoLynne is a Professor in the Graduate Counseling Program at Regis University in Denver, CO and has a private counseling practice in Denver where she specializes in children, adolescents and their families. She and her husband have one teenage daughter born in Russia. Jolynne and her family have participated in REECA Heritage Camp for many years. “I joined the HCAF Board because HCAF does more to strengthen adoptive families and internationally adopted children than any other organization I have found. Not only do the family camps give children a better sense of their cultural heritage and birth country, but give us time to have fun as a whole family. My daughter has benefited so much from meeting other adopted children and members of Russian Eastern European community. I am proud to support all the programs of HCAF.”
Ken Seeley, Past Board President
Ken is the CEO of the non-profit organization, Partnership for Families and Children. He and his wife Karyn have an adult adopted daughter born in India. They have participated in Indian Nepalese Heritage Camp for many years. Ken is on the Board of Directors because “My family connects to Heritage Camps because it provides cultural roots for our daughter and the enrichment of joining with the Indian community for our entire family.”
David M. Slattery, Board Member
David works for the U.S. Postal Service and is a Filipino adoptee. He has been involved in Filipino Heritage camp since the very beginning of that camp. “I am a part of the board because I want to hear the views of the parents and see what drives them to be a part of the board. I truly enjoy sharing the adoptees experience and voice. Each of the board members have shared a special part of their life, along with their story. If it was not for the HCAF Board, I wouldn't be able to call them a part of my extended family.”
Donald Wagler, Board Member
Don is an IT Specialist for IBM. He and his wife Roseanne have been a part of REECA Heritage Camp for many years. Their teenage daughter was born in Russia. Don is also a Board Member of the Colorado FRUA organization.
Shelley Wiley, Board Member
Shelley is a sales account manager for the Pall Corporation. She and her partner Beth have two boys, one adopted from Mexico, and the other adopted in the U.S. of Latino descent. They have been participants in the Latin American Heritage Camp for many years. “I joined the board of Directors because I wanted to continue supporting HCAF in a bigger capacity. The job of connecting our children to their heritage, of providing support to our families, doesn't end with our weekend camps... it is ongoing all year round!”
Scott Wong, Board Member
Scott is the CFO for the non-profit organization, Partnership for Families and Children. He and his wife Dawn have two adopted children, a daughter born in
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