Meet Our Adoption Case Workers

Steffany A. Aye

LSCSW, LCSW
Founder & Director

Hi, I am Steffany Aye. I have been a part of the field of adoption since 1993 and have found adoption work to be very rewarding. I was brought to the work of adoption in college while obtaining my first masters degree in Family Life Education and Consultation. I have always had an interest in unplanned pregnancies and infertility. However, it was not until I was asked to work in the field of adoptions that I began to see how the pieces of my interest could fit together.

While obtaining my 2nd masters degree in Social Work, I had the opportunity to also study Hospital and School Social Work. I thoroughly enjoyed learning about these other fields; however, I knew that my heart's desire was to be involved in the field of adoption. Within a few short months, the doors began to open and my desire of starting an adoption agency became a reality.

Since 1998, Adoption & Beyond has grown from a small, one-person home-based agency to an agency with nine workers covering two states. I am so thankful and blessed to have had the opportunity to work with hundreds of wonderful birth parents, adoptive families and their children. In addition, I am the proud mother of five children, one having joined our family through adoption.

Sincerely,

Steffany A. Aye

Rachel Crews

LBSW
Adoption Coordinator

I am Rachel Crews, and I am an Adoption Coordinator with Adoption & Beyond. I have been an adoption social worker for over sixteen years. I was raised in Texas and met my husband, Joel, at the University of North Texas in Denton. After receiving my Bachelor's degree in Social Work in 1991 from the University of North Texas, I began working in domestic adoption. After eight years in domestic adoption, marriage, our son Jack, and a move to Kansas, I began working in international adoption in 2000. Two years ago my husband, son, and I added a beautiful little girl from China to our family. Caroline has been our daughter since January 2007 and what a blessing she has been to all of us!

When I am not working, my family and I spend a lot of time playing and volunteering at my son's school, our church, and a local retirement home. Adoption holds a very special place in my heart, and I look forward to working with all of you.

Sincerely,

Rachel Crews

Amy E. Cain

MA, LPC
Southwest Kansas Area

Hi! My name is Amy Cain. I began working at Adoption & Beyond in the spring of 2001. I count it a privilege to be a part of the process which creates families! During my years Adoption & Beyond, I have been involved in providing services to all of those involved in the adoption process, from facilitating domestic adoption placements to providing home studies and post-adoption services. One of my favorite aspects of my work here is teaching the educational workshops.

I completed my Bachelor's of Science in Psychology with minors in Social Work and English at Southwest Missouri State University. Following the completion of my degree in 1998, I have continued to work in the adoption field. In October 2007, I completed my Masters of Arts in Counseling from MidAmerica Nazarene University and am a Licensed Professional Counselor in the State of Kansas. I also currently see individuals, couples, and families in private practice in Olathe and Gardner.

I truly believe in the miracle of adoption as a way of creating a family and have seen many matches that are so perfect it is hard to explain. I believe that the family is the core of our society, and I will work to preserve its importance and strengthen its ties by emphasizing respect, integrity, and honesty between all of its members – families created by adoption included! I am the proud aunt of three nephews who entered our family through adoption and cannot imagine our family without their precious faces.

Sincerely,

Amy E. Cain

Michelle Crain

LCSW
St. Louis & Eastern Missouri

Hi! My name is Michelle Crain, and I am a home study coordinator. I have been with the agency for over six years. I have a Master's Degree in Social Work with a concentration in Mental Health. My experience for the past eighteen years has been working with children and their families helping them to work through different issues in various settings. I currently work part-time as a social worker in an Early Childhood Special Education program at a school district near my home. Throughout my career I have worked with children who have been adopted and their families. I have always enjoyed and had a very strong interest in the adoption field.

My interest in getting involved specifically in the adoption field peaked after the adoption of my beautiful daughter six years ago. Since that time, I have also adopted a gorgeous little boy. They are the most precious miracles that have ever come into my life. My passion for birth parents, adoptive families, and children heightened after my own education and experience as an adoptive mother. The strength involved with everyone is truly amazing and heart warming. Prior to our adoptions, we had to go through much training on adoption and the issues that are presented to everyone involved. It has caused me to have a tremendous respect for the birth parents and the courage and love that goes into making an adoption plan for their child; a true awareness of the strength and compassion of the adoptive parents; and a true appreciation of the blessings children really are. I feel honored to work with families who are going through the adoption process.

I have really enjoyed the time that I have been with this agency and I look forward to working with you.

Sincerely,

Michelle Crain

Tonya Grauberger

LMSW
Northern Kansas & North West Missouri

Hi, my name is Tonya Grauberger and I live in Topeka, Kansas. I graduated from Washburn University with a Bachelors of Social Work and later returned to Washburn for my Masters of Social Work.

I have always had an interest in working with children. I completed my undergraduate internship with Court Appointed Special Advocates, of Shawnee County (CASA). Unsure of the focus I wanted to pursue in my work with children, I took a job in the field of accounting for five years. I still had a desire to work with families and children, so in the summer of 2004, I began working on my master’s degree. I completed my graduate internship at Adoption & Beyond, where I was very fortunate to have the opportunity to work with prospective birth parents and prospective adoptive families.

It was through my personal experience as a prospective adoptive mother that my interest in working in the area of adoption grew. My husband and I were blessed with a precious son through adoption in January 2003 and a beautiful daughter in May 2007. I had wonderful adoption experiences, and I knew that I wanted to provide families beginning their adoption journey with similar experiences. My heart truly is in the field of adoption and the issues that surround families touched by adoption.

Sincerely,

Tonya Grauberger

Alisa A. Norlin

LSCSW
Wichita & Southwestern Kansas

Hello, my name is Alisa A. Norlin, LSCSW. I have been a contract Adoption Case Worker for Adoption & Beyond since 2002. I graduated from the University of Oklahoma with my Masters in Social Work in 1992.

My previous work experience is very diverse including: healthcare (trauma, neuro-surgery, thoracic surgery, medically complex, and hospice), disaster social work (Director of Disaster Services, OKC Bombing); teaching (taught graduate and undergraduate social work courses at WSU); and international social work (Taiwan, China, India, Philippines, Hong Kong, Singapore, Netherlands, South Africa, Australia, Mongolia, Siberia, Russia and more). Currently, I am a social worker for the Air Force.

My international work provided me with the opportunity to work closely with issues regarding children that eventually lead to work with orphanages and prospective birth mothers. This is where my interest in adoption work really took off.

Lastly, I am an adoptive parent. In 2007, I adopted a daughter from Taiwan and have the first hand experience of going through the process.

I feel very fortunate to have this opportunity to work with families as they make this journey. In continues to be an honor and a privilege to work with adoptive families and their children.

Sincerely,

Alisa Norlin

Debbi Stone

LBSW
Wichita & South Central Kansas

Hello, my name is Debbi Stone, LBSW. I graduated from Bethel College in 1999 with a Bachelors degree in Social Work. During my senior year at Bethel I was able to intern at an adoption agency in Wichita, Kansas. It was an awesome experience which turned into an awesome job!

I enjoy working with adoptive families and appreciate and admire their strength and determination as they travel through the journey to become parents. I have a special place in my heart for all members of the triad. In order for you to know what makes me tick as a person and as a social worker it is important for you to know that I am a birth mother of a 25 year old son named Danny. Danny is a well adjusted man who happens to be an adoptee because I made the decision many years ago to give him parents who could provide for him like I could not at that time in my life. I believe Danny is the awesome man he is today because of his mom and dad, and yes, because he is a product of an open adoption. I understand “open adoption” is not always possible, but by educating yourself about adoption and about your child’s heritage, you will be prepared to help him or her navigate through adoption and through life. I wish you the best and pray your adoption journey will bless you as mine has me.

Sincerely,

Debbi Stone

Shannon Wilson

LCSW
Southwestern Missouri

Hi, my name is Shannon Wilson and I live in Springfield, Missouri. I graduated from Evangel University with a Bachelor’s degree in Social Work in 2000 and from Missouri State University with a Master’s degree in Social Work in 2003. I received my clinical social work license (LCSW) in 2007.

I have been working with an agency that facilitates Adoptions and Foster Care since the spring of 2003. I enjoy my job, and I enjoy developing relationships with my foster families and investing in the lives of the children that I work with.

I have been working with Adoption & Beyond since the fall of 2004 and have thoroughly enjoyed meeting so many new people. It is so rewarding to be a part of children and adoptive parents coming together and becoming a family. There are so many children that need families, and I love sharing in the process of these families being created. I enjoy working with families from the beginning of the home study process all the way through getting to meet their children during the post adoptive visits. I believe that God has opened this door for me, and I am excited for the opportunity to be a part of bringing children who need a family to a family that is waiting for them.

I am married and have been blessed to be the mother to two little girls, Reagan and Riley. Both of my jobs allow me the flexibility to stay home with them most of the time. I love being a mom, and I love helping people become parents through adoption.

Sincerely,

Shannon Wilson

Julie L. Wilson

LMSW
Southern Missouri

Hello! My name is Julie Wilson. I am the Kansas City Area Coordinator for Adoption & Beyond. I started at Adoption & Beyond in 2006. I have worked in the adoption field since 1992 and thoroughly enjoy what I do. I attended Evangel University where I received my undergraduate degree in Psychology and Sociology. Most recently, I attended the University of Missouri – Kansas City and achieved my Master in Social Work degree. I am currently working on completing my supervision to become a licensed clinical social worker (LCSW). I have had the opportunity to work with all members of the adoption triad – birth parents, adoptive parents, and the adopted person. I believe adoption is a wonderful experience for all involved. I am always amazed how God puts together the pieces of the adoption puzzle to form a beautiful picture. I have also seen how the adoption process has changed over the years from being closed to much more openness regarding communication. I feel the changes have been positive for all involved and am privileged to be a part of such a wonderful process. I am excited to be at Adoption & Beyond. I like what I do and am looking forward to continuing my work in the field of adoption.

Most sincerely,

Julie L. Wilson