Meet Your Hosts and

Board of Directors

  • Co-Founder, President

    “In 2017, I unexpectedly discovered that I am an NPE (Not Parent Expected) while delving into my family history. Since then, I've devoted much of my time to assisting others in their quests to find family connections, serving as a search angel.

    My dedication to service extends beyond my academic pursuits. I've established a supportive online community for NPEs on Facebook and regularly facilitate Zoom meetings, as well as a weekly book club tailored to Adoptees, Donor Conceived Individuals, Late Discovery Adoptees, and fellow NPEs. Advocating for social justice is a core value of mine, and I actively engage in nonprofit work within my community.

    In addition to my academic and nonprofit endeavors, I am deeply invested in education as a high school special educator. My focus lies in supporting students who navigate emotional regulation challenges, utilizing trauma-informed approaches, and implementing Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) in Schools. I am a certified Reiki practitioner, 500 RYT (Registered Yoga Teacher) through Breathe for Change, and currently, I am pursuing MSW at Rutgers School of Social Work.

    I make my home at the beautiful Jersey Shore, where I share my life with my wonderful husband, three sons, and our beloved pup, Cooper. When I manage to carve out spare time, I indulge in my passions for reading, yoga, meditation, and binge-watching crime TV. ”

  • Co-Founder, Chief Financial Officer

    “I was adopted at 3 months old, and this fact has always been an integral part of my identity. From a young age, I harbored a strong desire to uncover my origins and understand my story. Thankfully, my adoptive parents wholeheartedly supported my quest for self-discovery. However, upon reaching the legal age of 18 and attempting to obtain my adoption records and original birth certificate, I encountered the formidable challenges that many adopted people face in accessing such information. This struggle ignited a passion within me to advocate for the rights and needs of adopted people like myself. My advocacy efforts encompass raising awareness about the trauma of separation, promoting family preservation, and exposing faults within the adoption industry. With the advent of DNA testing, my focus shifted towards assisting others in their quest to reconnect with their biological roots. I became deeply involved as a search angel, particularly dedicated to helping Amerasian individuals identify their American GI birth fathers. On a personal note, I've been blessed with a wonderful husband, with whom I've shared 32 years of marriage. Together, we've raised three remarkable adult children who bring us immense joy. In my leisure time, I indulge in pursuits such as genealogy research, reading, relaxing by beaches and pools, and the occasional shopping spree. However, nothing brings me greater happiness than spending quality time with my three beautiful grandchildren.”

Meet Our Advisory Committee

The Advisory Committee plays a vital role in guiding, supporting, and advancing the mission of Hiraeth Hope & Healing, Inc. in serving Adopted Folks, DCPs, LDAs, and NPEs.

Key responsibilities include:

  • Providing strategic guidance on programs and initiatives

  • Advocating for awareness of family separation and its impact

  • Engaging with the community and strengthening connections

  • Supporting core efforts, including retreats and policy advocacy

  • Fostering networking opportunities and assisting with special projects

  • Contributing to the growth and success of the organization’s mission

Through their expertise and dedication, committee members help shape the organization’s direction, ensuring it remains a source of healing, connection, and empowerment.

  • Chairperson

    Born within months of the landmark Roe v. Wade decision, I am among the last of the Baby Scoop Era Domestic Infant Adoptees. Adopted at 2 days old, this early separation from the woman who gave me life has profoundly influenced my identity from childhood onwards. From an early age, I have felt a deep empathy for those unable to remain with their families of origin throughout their youth and promised myself when I “grew up” that I would do something to make it better. I was always motivated to find my birth family and have enjoyed reunion with many family members over the years including grandparents, sisters and a brother. Words are insufficient to describe the validation I experienced, seeing my reflection in another's face for the first time. After retiring as an executive in Human Resources, drawing on my professional experience and passion for helping others, I enjoy volunteering my time with Hiraeth Hope & Healing. Additionally, I enjoy quilting, traveling, learning about different cultures, and spending time with family and friends. Residing in the scenic Pacific Northwest, I cherish my roles as a wife, mother, grandmother, daughter, granddaughter, sister, and dog-mom to four golden doodles.

  • Committee Member

    Spotting a sale display in WalMart for 23andMe, I thought it would be fun and exciting to do DNA testing. At that point I had spent the past 25 or so years building a family tree and figured that DNA testing may help fill some of the gaps. I never expected it was going to provide me with jigsaw puzzle pieces I never knew I was missing, including identifying a father I didn't know. When the results came through in March 2018, I excitedly found out I was nearly 100% Italian....but then realized half of me was missing...I did not have any Irish heritage from my father (and I knew he wasn't Italian). On my quest to uncover the truths, I soon discovered a few other familiar NPEs and adoptees (LDAs) and aided them on their journeys, each with their own unique story. I am grateful for the amazing support of an additional family I discovered along the way, my fellow NPEs and Adoptees within the HHH community. While born and raised in New York City, I now call New Jersey my home (although I work in New York City). Professionally I work in higher education administration managing the global business operations for a large university with programs in 10+ countries and growing; and in my role I sit on various educational boards. I am often traveling globally which has enabled me to visit ancestral places and continue to build upon my family history. I hold a Doctor in Education (Higher Education Administration) degree from the University of Pennsylvania, a Masters in Public Administration from New York University and a Bachelors in Business Administration from St John's University. When I am not working or searching for family history, I am hanging with Carter and Dixie, my rescued dogs.

  • Committee Member

    Gina Daniel is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker providing mental health therapy at her Camp Hill, PA practice, Graystone Mental Health and Wellness Group, LLC. She specializes in assisting adults experiencing depression, anxiety, life transitions, relationship difficulties, parenting, as well as NPE-related issues. She is certified as an Intuitive Eating Coach and most recently, became certified to provide Neurofeedback at Graystone. In 2021, Gina earned her doctorate in social work. Her dissertation research study was on the experience of discovering unexpected paternity after completing a direct-to-consumer ancestry test. Her interview focus was on how this experience affects family relationships and the impact on personal identity. When she is not working at her practice, she is traveling, buying more plants, or reading.

Logo design by LIQUIDSTYLE

We were very selective with our name and logo choice!

Hiraeth Hope & Healing

Hiraeth: “here-eyeth” (roll the “r”) a Welsh word for a homesickness for a home to which you cannot return, a home which maybe never was; the nostalgia, the yearning, the grief for lost places of your past.  

Hope: a feeling of expectation and desire for a certain thing to happen, a feeling of trust, the absence of despair.

Healing: to make healthy, whole, or sound; restore to health; free from ailment, to bring to an end or conclusion, as conflicts between people or groups, usually with the strong implication of restoring former amity; settle; reconcile.

We truly believe "Togetherness Heals"

Leaves: Growth past pain from all walks of life, people, and circumstances; hence the color variations.

Heart: Love as the core of the Hiraeth Hope & Healing ethos.

Hands: Togetherness as the foundation of hope and healing. We will hold your hands as long as you need us to.

…but, since we can’t roll our r’s, we pronounce it Hi - rith