Angela Tucker
Founder & Chief Executive Officer
Angela (she/her) is a transracial adoptee, the author of “You Should Be Grateful”: Stories of Race, Identity and Transracial Adoption, the host of the podcast The Adoptee Next Door and the subject of the documentary CLOSURE. Angela lives in Seattle, Washington with her husband Bryan and their cat "Grandma Pearl." When she's not working to amplify adoptee voices, you can find her at the spa, on the basketball court or hostessing at Jazz Alley. She drinks a London Fog nearly every single day, and is currently debating the importance of kicking this sugary (but, oh-so-delicious) habit.
Ruby Barnett, PhD
Mentor
Ruby (she/her) was born and adopted in California, then grew up in England. She loves traveling and has lived in the desert, a cave, a boat and a tiny house. She has been in contact with her birth family for over twenty years, which has been often difficult, sometimes lovely and always complicated.
She lives with her dog, Maisie, and enjoys yoga, walking, camping, and dipping in the ocean at sunrise. She loves seeing live music as well as trying to play instruments. She has lots of unfinished craft projects, and is currently working on a memoir about adoption, non-belonging, and unreliable memories.
Finding adoptee community has been transformational for her, and she is excited to be part of extending community to others, by mentoring with AMS.
Amy Geller, DSW, LICSW
Mentor Coach
Amy (she/her) is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) in New Jersey with more than 25 years of experience in clinical practice. An adoptee herself, Amy brings her unique combination of lived experience, clinical practice, and academic scholarship to the adoption community. Amy earned her Masters in Social Work from NYU Silver School of Social Work and a Doctorate in Social Work at Rutgers University, where her qualitative research focused on amplifying adoptee voices in social work theory and practice. She has presented nationally on adolescent adoptive relationships, loss, and attachment, and is an instructor at the Rutgers Graduate School of Social Work.
Shelise Gieske
Mentor
Shelise (she/her) is mom to two kids and two cats. She lives in Portland, OR where she loves to read, camp with her family, and watch Asian dramas.
Shelise was born in South Korea, adopted as an infant by a white family and raised on a farm in Minnesota. She has worked in the adoption field as an advocate, educator, and administrator for nearly 20 years. Shelise is excited to be a mentor because she loves to be in community with her people - adoptees! She hopes to create a space where adoptees feel they can be themselves and connect with someone who can relate to the experience of being an adoptee.
Bonni Goodwin, PhD, LCSW
Lead Researcher
Bonni Goodwin (she/her) is an Assistant Professor at the Anne and Henry Zarrow School of Social Work and Director of the Center for Adoption and Family Well-Being at theUniversity of Oklahoma. She also serves as the Statewide Coordinator of Adoption Preservation Services for Oklahoma Human Services. Dr. Goodwin’s research focuses on adoption, permanency, and mental health, and she provides training, consultation, and policy work at the state and national levels to improve services for adoptive families and adult adoptees.
View Bonni’s CV here.
Jenée Hall
Administrative Assistant
Jenee Hall (she/her) brings over 20 years of experience in executive and operational support across corporate, nonprofit, and entrepreneurial environments. She specializes in building systems, managing complex projects, and translating leadership vision into clear, streamlined execution. Throughout her career, Jenee has supported CEOs, public figures, and growing organizations by strengthening internal operations. Known for her discretion, reliability, and proactive approach, she plays a key role in supporting leadership and advancing the mission of the Adoptee Mentoring Society. When she’s not working behind the scenes, Jenee can be found traveling internationally or engaging in cultural events in her hometown.
Jenny Nau
Mentor
Jenny (she/her) is a Seattle area educator with over a decade of experience as a secondary public school teacher, and is currently working in higher ed. Outside of her professional life, she enjoys spending time with her partner, daughter, and their dog, Dyna. She is an avid gamer, and loves to crochet, write, and dance.
Jenny entered reunion with her biological family when she was 32-years-old and knows firsthand the solace that adoptee spaces can bring when navigating the joys and challenges of this phase of life. As a mentor, she seeks to provide supportive, validating spaces for adoptees to explore all of the complexity of adoption in community with one another. She believes that while there are many nuances to our unique stories, our collective experiences are a powerful tool to facilitate belonging, authenticity, and healing.
JJ Rett
Mentor
JJ (she/her) is a full-time mom to her three young children, six fish, and an ever-growing number of plant babies. She and her husband relocated to her hometown of Dayton, OH after a brief time in Asheville, NC and fifteen years in New York, NY where she enjoyed a career in the arts. She counts spending time in nature, studying astrology, practicing art as meditation, and playing sports with her children among her favorite pastimes.
JJ discovered she was adopted at the age of 20 and entered reunion with her biological family at age 30. Now, she is passionate about being in community with others who are navigating all that adoption encompasses, and aims to create spaces where adoptees are heard, seen, and valued. Having felt true acceptance and inclusion in the Adoptee Mentoring Society’s spaces as a mentee, she considers it a deeply meaningful gift to now serve as a mentor.