We dramatically improve the experiences and outcomes for kids in foster care, working to ensure they find safe, loving families, embraced by Foster Friendly Communities™ where they BELONG.
We Have 1 Mission: Family
To dramatically improve the experiences and outcomes for kids in foster care by ensuring they can be placed with caring foster and/or adoptive families.
We Focus On 2 Profound Problems
1
Recruitment
With close to 400,000 kids in foster care there are only half as many licensed foster homes as kids in care. The frustrations of navigating an overloaded child-welfare system can derail even motivated families.
2
Retention
Half of new foster families quit in the first year, often due to a lack of social support. The result is a “leaky bucket” where the pace of recruitment cannot keep up with the rate of attrition, and it is vulnerable children who fall into the gap.
These conditions lead to kids waiting longer, moving more often between temporary placements, experiencing more trauma and reinforcement of the feeling that they don’t belong.
We Offer 3 Innovative Solutions
Our I Belong Project™ video storytelling initiative recruits families for adoption-eligible kids in foster care. It is the largest, most effective program of its kind. As it brings children’s powerful stories to life, it also inspires thousands of new people each year to get engaged engage foster care.
Our Foster Friendly Communities™ movement and App seek to retain foster families by engaging communities, activating businesses, faith communities, nonprofits and elected officials to show up for families to show appreciation and provide tangible support.
We raise awareness of foster care to recruit foster and adoptive families and accompany them on their journeys by providing information and inspiration to help them take their next step. Our Foster Friendly Podcast and FosterCon™ webinars are just two of our well-recognized resources.
Our mission is executed at a grassroots level by our state-based teams, supported by a lean shared services team to provide strategic direction, technology enablement, marketing and fundraising support, and operational efficiencies.
Executive Team
Brian Mavis
Executive Director, Strategic Partnerships
AKB co-founder, dad, former foster dad and pastor, world’s greatest “papa”, and husband to the beautiful Julie Mavis for 31 years. Enjoys good company, conversations, and cuisine.
Phil Grizzle
Executive Director, Operations
A bio, foster and adoptive dad of four, Phil’s leadership focus is on sustainable change, excellence, and efficiency. He loves exploring new places, the outdoors and is continually in search of the perfect cup of coffee.
Nanette Kirsch
Executive Director, Marketing and Communication
Tech marketer, writer, wife, mom to four adoptive and bio kids, Nanette loves all forms of clear and compelling communication, especially over a home-cooked meal with friends and family.
I Belong Project™ Shared Services Team
Lisel Atherton
Child Welfare Specialist
A former child-welfare caseworker, Lisel helps ensure the safety and dignity of the kids filmed for IBP. She is a bio and foster mom to four busy sons.
Brian Edman
Creative Director
Brian leads video editing for the I Belong Project and enjoys using his talents to improve the outcomes of kids in foster care.
Operational Shared Services
Leah Busboom
Operations Project Manager
Leah is a Salesforce administrator and operational lead on the Foster Friendly App. She also is a published author and committed advocate for vulnerable kids.
Marty Hyde
Operations Project Manager
Marty manages special projects for IBP and the leadership team and provides support for AKB Operations. Her work allows our entire team more easily reach their goals and fulfill our mission. She has served on a local church’s WRAP team.
Marketing
Travis Vangsnes
Storyteller and Marketing Manager
Co-Host of The Foster Friendly Podcast
A bio, foster and adoptive dad, Travis is helping to bring foster care closer to home as producer of the Foster Friendly Podcast and in support of other marketing initiatives.
Christina Bauer
Social Media Strategist
A former foster youth and new mom, Tina draws from both experiences to ensure an authentic, knowledgeable and empathetic voice across AKB’s social media platforms.
Sarah Kerr
Social Media and Marketing Manager
Sarah brings her passion for creative storytelling, guided by deep market insights and analytics to her role managing AKB’s social media presence. Sarah enjoys reading, baking, and photography and is dedicated to making a meaningful impact through her work.
Courtney Williams
Host of FosterCon
Co-Host Of The Foster Friendly Podcast
Courtney is a foster adoptive mom who has fostered 60+ kids and is a TBRI-certified trainer. She brings her extensive professional and life experience to her roles as host of AKB’s FosterCon webinar series and co-host of The Foster Friendly Podcast.
Board of Directors
Tim Shirk
Chairman
Tim has served with America’s Kids Belong since its inception in 2015 and currently serves as chairman of the board of directors. He is a partner with Fox River Partners where he specializes in projects that leverage the power of public-private partnerships at the intersection of the three-legged stool: government, business and civil society + faith communities to unlock value for cities, states and nations.
Anthony Ritchie
Vice Chairman
Anthony Ritchie is Director of Fox River Foundation who has served on the America Kids Belong Board of Directors since 2022.
He and his wife a foster – adoptive and bio parents to five kids in Big Rock, IL. And in his “spare time” he builds and flies airplanes.
Dairius Kawewehi
Board Member
Dairius Kawewehi joined the Board of Directors in 2024. A retired Naval officer, systems engineer, program manager and nuclear submarine officer, Dairius now serves as a systems engineer with FTS International, LLC. A former foster youth, Dairius is a passionate advocate for kids in foster care, leading a support group, and speaking and sharing his own experiences as a source of hope and inspiration in overcoming adversity.
Janet Kelly
[Former] Board Member, Co-Founder
Janet Vestal Kelly is a co-founder of America’s Kids Belong, founder of Virginia’s Kids Belong, and adoptive mom and long-timer advocate for vulnerable children.
After nearly a decade of service with the non-profit Janet tendered her resignation in July 2024 in order to accept the role in the Governor Glen Youngkin’s Cabinet as Secretary of Health and Human Resources. We are grateful for her service and support. Read more.
Contact Us
America’s Kids Belong
1151 Eagle Dr., #464
Loveland, CO 80537
I Belong Project and Foster Friendly Communities are trademarks of America’s Kids Belong.