Bringing Families Together Strengthens Support for Foster Youth and Families - and Team Promotions!

At Bringing Families Together (BFT), our mission has always been to provide unwavering support to foster youth, adoptive children, foster families, birth families and adoptive families. In the past few months, we have been hard at work restructuring our organization to serve our families even better.

Today, we are proud to officially announce several well-earned promotions within our Foster Care Case Management (FCCM) Team and Resource Team, reinforcing our commitment to the children and families we serve!

Strengthening Our Foster Care Case Management & Resource Teams

BFT’s Resource Team is dedicated to licensing and supporting foster and respite care providers while also facilitating adoptions through foster care. Meanwhile, our Foster Care Case Management (FCCM) Team works in partnership with the Missouri Department of Social Services – Children’s Division to provide case management services to families whose children are in the foster care system. We support children and families through every step of the foster care and adoption journeys.

Our recent leadership changes will enhance these critical services and ensure our children families receive the best possible support through the hard work and passion of our incredible team.

Celebrating Leadership Promotions

Kelly Martinez – FCCM Coordinator

Kelly Martinez has been with BFT since 2015 and has been promoted to Foster Care Case Management (FCCM) Coordinator. In her new role, Kelly will lead both the FCCM and Resource Teams, ensuring the highest quality of care and service for our children and families.

Kelly holds M.S. and B.S. degrees and has demonstrated exceptional leadership in her time at BFT.

When asked about her favorite aspect of working at BFT, Kelly said: "One of my favorite things about working at BFT is that everyone here has a sincere desire to help our families be successful through possibly the most difficult situation in their lives. On any given day, I’ve seen every person here giving 100% to our families and in support of one another."

When asked about her promotion to her new position, Kelly shared,

“Simon Sinek once said “Leadership is not about being in charge. It is about taking care of those in your charge." I’m thrilled to embark on this new leadership journey and am eager to contribute to creating meaningful and positive changes. Together we’ll enhance the support we provide to our clients, while also fostering professional growth and a rewarding work environment for our dedicated staff.”

Carol Pine – Resource Development Supervisor

Carol Pine, who has been part of BFT since 2020, has been promoted to Resource Development Supervisor. She previously served as a Family Development Specialist on the Resource Team and holds a B.S./B.S.W. degree.

Carol is passionate about supporting foster children and families, helping them navigate their journey through foster care and adoption.

Carol said her favorite thing about working with our kids and families is:

"My favorite thing about working at Bringing Families Together is being able to support foster children and families throughout this season in their lives. I love being able to watch children reunify with their parents and if they are unable, then being able to watch them find their forever families."

When asked about her promotion, Carol also told us,

“I am excited to work with the amazing team of licensing workers here at BFT. I am grateful for this opportunity and I cannot wait to see the impact we can have and the support that we can provide as a team!”

Ashia Bell – FCCM Supervisor

Ashia Bell recently celebrated 10 years with BFT and has been promoted to FCCM Supervisor. Having joined BFT in February 2015 as a Family Service Worker on the FCCM Team, she brings a decade of experience and dedication at BFT to her new leadership role.

Ashia said one of her favorite things about working at BFT is, "I feel like I am supported. I am trusted in my position, and people value my opinion."

Ashia said of her promotion that:

“I am ready for a challenge!”

Regine Brown – FCCM Supervisor

Regine Brown has been promoted to FCCM Supervisor. She joined BFT in 2023 and previously served as a Lead Family Service Worker, and before that as a Family Service Worker on our Case Management Team.

She holds a B.A. and has a deep commitment to serving families through their foster care journey.

Regine shared about her favorite thing helping our children and families:

"My favorite part is being a part of our families’ journey. The good, the ugly, and everything in between."

She also said about her promotion,

“This promotion is not just a step forward in my career but a deepened commitment to my passion and the work I love. Being a part of BFT’s  mission has been a privilege, and I look forward to not only contributing to the agency’s continued success and longevity but also supporting and empowering our case managers. My goal is to help them work smarter, not harder—providing the tools, guidance, and encouragement they need to thrive without the added stress. As when we remove the unnecessary stressors- we’re able to show up as the best versions of ourselves for the families we serve. I’ll forever be grateful for this opportunity to grow, lead, and continue making a meaningful difference alongside this amazing team.”

These new supervisors join Nicola “Nikki” Lee, who has been serving as an FCCM Supervisor since 2023. Nikki shared her appreciation for BFT, saying,

"My favorite thing about working for BFT is the atmosphere and being around people who love what they do. The employees are passionate about their jobs."

Additional Promotions

We are also pleased to recognize two more team members for their outstanding contributions:

• Grace Whitener was promoted to Lead Family Development Specialist on the Resource Team. Grace has been with BFT since 2021 and holds a B.S./B.S.W. degree. When asked about her favorite thing about BFT she said:

"My favorite thing about Bringing Families Together is the work environment, and I enjoy being able to provide support to our foster families."

Looking Ahead

These leadership promotions reflect BFT’s ongoing commitment to strengthening our services and supporting our families more effectively than ever. We are incredibly proud of our team and look forward to the positive impact their leadership will bring to our foster youth and families.

Stay tuned! In our next blog post, we will highlight the launch of BFT’s Parenting+Plus Program, a new initiative designed to support parents and shorten out-of-home placements for children. We will also celebrate the promotion of Karen Johnson to Family Support Coordinator, overseeing this vital program.

Additionally, we will soon share exciting updates about our executive team leadership, including Liz Ervin as FCCM Director, Kim Brown as Executive Director, and Randi Howard as Business Director, who are our three co-founders of Bringing Families Together!

Learn more about the incredible work of our Foster Care Case Management Team and Resource Team on their pages, and get to know our amazing team members on our Teams page.

Thank you for your continued support as we grow and enhance our services to create brighter futures for children and families!

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