Foster Friendly Podcast

If you’re like most people you don’t know a lot about foster care — and even less about the stories and needs of the 400,000 kids in the U.S. child-welfare system today. 

We’re bringing foster care closer to home with stories from the front lines. We’re talking with former foster youth, foster parents and remarkable individuals who are finding unique and powerful ways to dramatically improve the experiences and outcomes for kids in foster care by creating more caring and supportive communities for kids and families.

Episodes

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About Our Hosts

Brian Mavis

Brian Mavis is the founder of America’s Kids Belong (AKB). A former foster parent, Brian brings a unique blend of personal experience, compassion, and strategic vision to his work. He believes foster care is an upstream issue tied to many of society’s greatest challenges and is passionate about engaging communities to take action. His leadership style emphasizes collaboration, clarity, and culture, making him a trusted voice in the nonprofit and foster care sectors. In addition to his work with AKB, Brian is a writer, speaker, and mentor. He is about to publish his latest book, Go Upstream: Diving Into Foster Care to Heal 10 Social Wounds. When he’s not advocating for foster kids, Brian enjoys spending time with his wife, children, and grandchildren, and is learning to balance his workaholic tendencies with his new mantra: “What would make this fun?”

Courtney Williams

Courtney is married to her best friend Bobby and mother to nine, including 6 through adoption. She’s been a caregiver to over 65 children through foster care and has a heart to help foster families thrive by mentoring new foster families.  She also loves pouring into the birth moms of the kids in her care. Bobby and Courtney are also facilitators for Cultivate Connection, a parenting course that incorporates TBRI principles in the home. Courtney joined AKB in 2019 and uses her personal experiences in her roles as Marketing Spokesperson and Recruiting Specialist.  Courtney enjoys living in Durango, Colorado where she can hike and camp in the San Juan Mountains.

Travis Vangsnes

Travis has been with America’s Kids Belong since 2017 and currently works as Storytelling and Marketing Manager. He’s also spent time as a Grant Writer and has raised over a million dollars in foster care funding initiatives. Travis and his wife Jessie formerly served for three years as House Parents for kids in foster care at Thornwell Children’s Home in SC and later were licensed foster parents for a brief time. Travis is an adoptive dad to two boys and also has three biological kids. Travis loves strong coffee, reading, mountain biking/building bike trails, hanging out at breweries, and sitting around bonfires with friends asking deep questions like “How lucrative do you think a traveling squirrel circus would be?” and “Would you be in?”

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If you or someone you represent has a message to share that will help bring foster care closer to home for our listeners, we’d love to connect. Share some details using the form below and a member of our team will be in touch. 

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