Greetings from Katie andDrew
We’re so pleased that you’re interested in learning more about us. We’re interested in learning more about you too.
While we haven’t yet met, we are thinking about you. We won’t pretend to understand what you are feeling right now, but want to acknowledge that considering adoption must be very hard for you. We hope that you are supported to make the best choice for you and your baby, whether that is adoption or parenting.
Our interest in adoption started when our close friends adopted a baby boy in Tanzania several years ago. After we decided to startour own family, we faced infertility. We have both always wanted to be parents and, after watching our friends and their son, we knew adoption was the right path for us.
In October 2023, we adopted Zuri as a newborn. She is a delightful baby and welove hersomuch.Weboth grewup witha siblingandwant Zuri to have the experience of being a sister. We believe it is important to have someone with whom you can grow up, especially since we are a transracial, adoptive family.
We put this book together with the hope that it will provide you with a sense of who we are. If you decide adoption is rightfor youand you are interested in meeting us, we would be happy to meet you.
Thank you for reading our profile,
Katie and Drew
About Us
Our days are filled with love and respect. Living and traveling in challenging places has made us a strong couple. We are a true team that enjoys discovering things together. We love being parents to baby Zuri and are excited to watch her become a big sister.
How we Met
We met while living in Tanzania, East Africa, in September 2012. Mutual friends invited us to go water skiing and visit a nearby island. Over the next two years we became friends and eventually started dating in 2014. Our first official date was a picnic on a rock overlooking the Indian Ocean. We were both living away from home, and we got to know each other while learning and traveling together, including during trips to Ethiopia, Kenya, and South Africa. Soon, we were family.
An International Family
While we both grew up in America, we are an international family. From Tanzania, our careers took us to Myanmar and we now live in Timor-Leste, a small island nation north of Australia. We love living abroad because we enjoy learning about different ways of living and thinking. We get to try new food, speak new languages (sometimes poorly), and form friendships with people who have different life experiences from our own.
We know most people don’t have the same opportunities we have had in our lives, which is one reason we are passionate about our work supporting communities in lower income countries—Drew through economic development and Katie through public health.
being parents
Our first adoption made us parents, now we want to add to our family. We’re lucky to be in a situation where Katie can take some time off work to care for a second child during her/his start in life. We can’t wait to get to know and love a new person, to take care of them and help them navigate life, and to learn from them as well. We provide regular updates and pictures to Zuri’s birth family and will do the same for our second child.
I grew up with my parents and one younger sister. We moved around a bit because my dad was in the Coast Guard. I was born in Michigan, where my dad was studying at the time, but I only lived there for a year. The first part of my childhood was spent in New Orleans, a city I returned to later and still love dearly. After that, I lived in Virginia—in the northern part of the state (near Washington, D.C.) and in Virginia Beach. Growing up, I loved reading, playing soccer, and camping.
When I found out there was an exchange program at my university, I signed up to study in Japan for a year. I liked it so much that I stayed for two more years after graduation teaching English. That experience sparked my love for learning about different cultures. A few years later, I returned toschoolinNewOrleanstostudy for amaster’sdegreeinglobalpublichealth. Since then, I have worked in Washington, D.C. and internationally, mostly on prevention and treatment of infectious diseases like HIV, tuberculosis and malaria.
In my free time, I like meeting up with friends to eat or drink delicious things, reading, and listening to podcasts while I cook. It’s important to me to stay healthy, so I run along the beach near our apartment three times a week or do yoga on the balcony. I stay in touch with my family through video calls, and I visit them in the U.S. for about one month every year. I can’t wait for Zuri to meet a new baby brother or sister.
Aboutme What Drewlovesabout Katie
What I first noticed about Katie is her intelligence. She can be soft-spoken but knows more than she usually lets on. Katie reads a lot—especially longform news articles, which is why she is so informed about the world.
As I got to know Katie, I was impressed with her varying interests. She loves listening to music, going to concerts, fashion, design, and knitting. She likes eating good food, especially Japanese, but is willing to try almost anything. When we go to dinner, she tends to overorder because she wants to try as many things as possible.
Katie is someone who takes responsibility seriously. Her parents taught her this and she doesn’t shy away from her duties. I appreciate how diligent and caring she is about others.
FRIENDS
SAY KATIE IS
Thoughtful Hardworking Patient Katie loves
Listening to storytelling podcasts Trying new recipes Reading long articles
Making Spotify playlists
Knitting sweaters and blankets
Meeting animals
Aboutme
I grew up outside of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania in a family of four. My youth was spent playing sports, camping with the Boy Scouts, and playing games with my older brother. We spent every birthday and holiday with grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins who all lived nearby.
My parents are retired high school principals and emphasized the importance of education throughout my childhood. I earned my undergraduate degree at Penn State and then a Master of Business Administration in Cincinnati. When I decided to change careers, I earned a second master’s degree in poverty reduction.
I work as the director of a program that promotes economic development. I love working with entrepreneurs that want to make a difference for their community and country. I lead a team of 20 people. My best days are when my team helps a community earn more income, achieve more dignity, and become more prosperous.
Myfavorite activitiesareplayingsquash,hiking,andreadingbooks.Ialsoenjoy learning different languages. I’m no great linguist, but I have picked up some Swahili, Burmese, and Tetun by living in different countries.
My parents and brother now live outside of Washington DC. We normally visit once per year, spending time with them as well as nearby family. I am excited about introducing anewfamily member to our traditions,especially pizza night.
What Katie lovesabout Drew
The first thing I noticed about Drew is how good he is at talking to people. He engages people with personal questions, really listens to what they are saying, and always finds a way to work in a joke (some are better than others).
Drew is exceptionally kind. He goes out of his way to make people feel comfortable. He quickly won over my 90-something-year-old grandmother (who is notoriously hard on newcomers to the family) when he brought his dinner over to eat with her partner, who was sitting alone in the dark because of his eye condition.
Drew is the fun parent, and I am OK with that. Zuri loves when Drew makes her fly like an airplane or pretends the “claw” is coming to get her. He sings songs to her and is always inventing new games to make her laugh. Zuri smiles when she sees Drew come into the room, anticipating the antics to come.
FRIENDS SAY Drew IS Funny Generous Dedicated DREW LOVES
Watching Pittsburgh sports
Playing board and video games
Playing squash and tennis
Reading science fiction
Playing guitar
Doing crossword puzzles
AboutZuri
We adopted Zuri as a newborn in October2023.BorninNorthCarolina, she has already crossed several US states off her travel list including Florida, Maryland, and Virginia.
Zuri has settled well into her new home in Dili, Timor-Leste. Katie is on acareerbreakinordertolookafterher full-time. We feel this is an important period for Zuri’s development and we feel lucky Katie can stay home with her for now.
Zuri is a happy and serene (most of the time!) baby. She is hitting all of her developmental milestones. Her favorite activities include taking walks along the beach road, playing with her books and stackable cups, clapping, and trying out different sounds. She is extremely friendly and comfortable around others.
HobbiesandIntereßs
COOKING
We enjoy a home-cooked meal and regularly try out new recipes.Katieisthemoreskilledchef but Drewdoes his best to keep up. Our weekly meal planning on Sunday is a ritual. We also subscribe to a fresh vegetable box that comes directly from the farmers in the highlands above Dili. Drew is pescatarian, so our meals are often vegetarian.
TRAVELING
Exploring new places is part of the fun of living abroad. Whilethepandemicslowedusdown,we wereabletorestart our adventures in 2022 with trips to Australia, Indonesia, and Malaysia. Both Drew and Katie have visited more than 30 countries. Having a baby has slowed down our travel for now and we are fine with that. When the time is right, we look forward to traveling with our children.
LEARNING LANGUAGES
Katie and Drewboth speak English. Katie’s bestsecond languages is Spanish, while Drew’s is Swahili. We both enjoy learning new languages and take classes in Tetun, the local language of Timor-Leste, twice a week. We aren’t experts yet but enjoy practicing with our friends and colleagues. Drew’s dream is to become fluentenough to give a speech in Tetun; it’s a work in progress!
Aninternational family
We have had the chance to see and experience so many different things while living abroad—swimming with whale sharks, hiking to a volcano lava lake, exploring an ancient city, and meeting chimpanzees in the forest. Sometimes we get lost or have to act things out in order to communicate with people we meet, but that only adds to the fun.
We both grew up and went to school in the United States. Following university, we pursued careers that allowed us to work internationally. We love the diverse cultural experiences that living abroad has offered us. Katie has lived in Japan and Mexico, and we have lived together in Tanzania, Myanmar, Thailand and Timor-Leste. We have been able to travel to many more countries both for work and vacation.
WhileAmericawillalwaysbehomeforus,weplantocontinuetoliveabroadforthetimebeing.Expatriate families we know tell us how great it is for kids to grow up abroad. Their children attend international schools where they make friends with kids from all over the world. The schools are generally small, resulting in tight-knit communities.
Zuri has been welcomed by everyone in our community in Timor-Leste. People constantly stop us on the street to talk to her and tell us what a cute baby she is. She is well-known at the local stores and cafes where people greet her by name. We are thrilled to welcome another baby into our international family.
A FEW OF OUR Traditions
Our most important tradition is visiting family and friends in the United States for one month every year. We stay in touch by video call and text throughout the year, but it is really important to us to be present with our family.
Anothertraditionwehaveisnamingthedogs,cows,andother animals wepass everyday.Itmaysoundstrangebutthere are alotofanimalsroamingaroundTimor-Leste!Katieespecially loves animals but having one has been difficult because of our international travel. Some of our favorite names: Blazer, Tiny Tank, White Boots, and Deerious (a domesticated deer).
Both Katie and Drew love to watch movies. Every year, we try to watch all the best picture nominees before the Academy Awards ceremony. We like all sorts of films, not just the critically acclaimed ones. Unfortunately, Drew often falls asleep.
Christmas feels a little different in the tropics, but we do many of the same things here that we did growing up. We hang stockings, bake cookies, exchange presents, and watch Die Hard. Christmas was a magical time in both our childhoods, and we want to recreate that for our children.
AN ISLAND Home
We love living in Dili, Timor-Leste, a small island country north of Australia. Timor-Leste only became a country in 2002. It has a unique blend of cultures: Pacific Islander, Asian, and Portuguese. It is a safe and quiet place with a laidback feel. Two famous things about Timor-Leste are its coffee and its coral reefs.
We have a nice, modern living space in Dili. Our two-bedroom apartment is on the fifth floor with a balcony looking out over the ocean. There is a small supermarket on the ground floor of the building, and we are close to cafés, markets, and stores. We walk or jog on the beach almost every day.
Dili is a small but very international capital city. It has many embassies and foreign companies. There are international schools with Australian and American curricula.
One of the rewarding things about living abroad is the different people we meet. Our friends come from many different places including Australia, Indonesia, Portugal, and of course Timor-Leste. We love living in such a diverse environment.
Katie’sFamily
My family has provided me with so much support over the years. Knowing that they are always there for me has allowed me to take chances and grow as a person. I know they will do the same for our new family member.
I have always been close with my sister, who is only 18 months younger than me. She is a medical doctor in Baltimore, is married to another doctor and has two children: my 8-year-old nephew and 6-year-old niece. My parents have retired in Florida. My dad, who was a career Coast Guard officer, now spends his time gardening and golfing. My mom loves quilting, interior design, and spoiling grandchildren.
My parents have a special connection with Zuri, as they helped me care for her for the first two months of her life. They text all the time to request new pictures and we video chat at least once per week.
My niece and nephew love having a new cousin. When we visit, they help feed, entertain, and change her, all while making funny noises and faces to make her laugh.
Drew’s Family
Despite living far apart, I am close with my immediate and extended family. They have provided the bedrock for all my successes. I’m grateful for their support and want to provide a similar strong foundation for my family.
I grew up in the suburbs outside of Pittsburgh as the youngest in a family of four. Pittsburgh was a great place to grow-up. I am a Pittsburgher at heart and still support all Pittsburgh sports teams.
My brother lives outside of Washington, D.C. with his wife, one son, and one daughter. We are still close and talk weekly. During our yearly visits to the United States, we join his family on their summer holidays, usually in Hilton Head, South Carolina.
Both of my parents are retired high school principals. My father lives outside of D.C. on the Eastern shore of Maryland and my mother passed away in 2023. As educators, they taught me the importance of lifelong learning and giving back to the world. I try to carry forward those teachings.
FUN WITH Friends
Building friendships with a diverse set of people is one of our favorite aspects of living outside the United States. We have developedstrongbondswithfriendgroupsinTanzania,Myanmar, and Timor-Leste. Of course, we also have friends back in the United States. Our friends represent a wide array of nationalities, racial backgrounds, and cultural identities.
Oneofthebestpartsoflivingabroadistraveling.Weloveexploring our country of residence and neighboring countries. Friends’ trips are a staple of our traveling, whether it is climbing active volcanoes in Ethiopia or attending a wedding in Los Angeles.
We have formed strong relationships with many of our coworkers. Our workplaces are diverse and foreigners like us only make up a small portion of the employees. We love learning about countries through working and befriending our colleagues.
THANK YOU
If you decide that adoption is the best option for you and your baby, we know you will want to choose the best parents. If you are considering us, you are likely wondering what kind of parents we will be. The truth is we are still new parents, and are learning everyday. Thankfully, we have experienced friends and family to help us.
Our goal as parents is to raise kind and confident children who enjoy life.
As parents, we will:
• Put our children’s well-being first.
• Be honest, loving, and supportive.
• Create a safe home environment.
• Promote kindness and confidence.
• Provide a good education.
• Encourage interests and talents.
• Model good health practices.
• Provide exposure to sports, arts, crafts, music, and culture.
• Teach that all people are worthy of respect.
We want you to know that if you select us as adoptive parents for your child, you will be honored in our home. We will speak about you with respect and share as much about you as you are comfortable with. We hope to maintain contact with you, in whatever way you decide is best. Our hearts are open to you.
We wish you comfort and strength on your journey.
With respect,
Katie andDrew
