Contributors

Rhonda Sciortino is a Christian author, speaker, and successful survivor of trauma who helps people find their purpose She believes that everyone has the power to unlock a life of meaning, connection, peace, joy, and success

Rhonda’s passion is to help people break through their obstacles and limiting beliefs to tap their God given potential Through her books, blog, podcast, online courses and retreats, she has helped countless individuals enjoy the real success that accompanies fulfillment of their purpose rhonda org

Sandie Morgan, R.N., Ph.D.(c) is the director of Vanguard University’s Global Center for Women and Justice She and her husband, Jean, have served as missionaries in Greece, where they first observed children trafficked openly Sandie and Jean founded Live2Free org, an organization founded to end modern day slavery

Chris Chmielewski is the Creator, Owner and Editor of Foster Focus Magazine, America's only monthly foster care magazine He spent five years in foster care before aging out He created Foster Focus so that others in care would have the most up to date information The magazine has consistently grown as Chris is entering his eleventh year of the magazine He has interviewed celebrities such as Maia Mitchell and Jimmy Graham And writers from all over the country contribute articles to the magazine, making it one of the leading sources of foster care news and information in the country

Evelyu Polk, LMFT is a Foster/Adoptive parent, former Social Worker, and California Licensed Marriage, Family & Child Therapist, who is the founder of For A Child's H E A R T , Inc and Author of "It's Heart Work: Being The Village That Raises A Child" and "Meeting Les Brown: Ms Mamie Brown's Baby Boy" www TalktoMsE com

Dr. John DeGarmo is a TEDx speaker and an international expert in foster care and parenting Dr John and his family have been a foster family for over 60 children who have come through their home He is a consultant to legal firms and foster care agencies, as well as a speaker and trainer on many topics about the foster care system He is the author of several foster care books, including The Foster Parenting Manual: A Practical Guide to Creating a Loving, Safe, and Stable Home, and writes for several publications Dr John has appeared on Good Morning America, COURT TV, CNN, ABC, CBS, NBC, FOX, PBS, Good Housekeeping, and more He can be contacted at drjohndegarmo@gmail, through his Facebook page, Dr John DeGarmo, or at The Foster Care Institute

Kathleen Jones is a former foster youth, advocate and author of "Foster Cat Foster Kid God Says You Don't Have to Eat Dirt Anymore!"

Nana Ekua Brew-Hammond is the author of Powder Necklace, which Publishers Weekly called "a winning debut " Named among 39 of the most promising African writers under 39, her short fiction was included in the anthology Africa39: New Writing from Africa South of the Sahara Her work has appeared in African Writing, Los Angeles Review of Books, Sunday Salon, and the short story collection Woman's Work She was a 2017 Aspen Ideas Festival Scholar, a 2016 Hedgebrook Writer-in-Residence, and named to the Miles Morland Writing Scholarship shortlist in both 2015 and 2014 In April 2015, she was the opening speaker at TEDxAccra Every month, Brew-Hammond co-leads a writing fellowship at Manhattan's Center for Faith and Work Also noted for her personal style, Brew-Hammond's fashion sense has been captured by New York Magazine, Essence Magazine, and the New York Times, among many other outlets Recently, she founded the made-in-Ghana coat line Exit 14 Currently, Brew-Hammond is at work on a new novel brewhammond com

Foster Focus has never been, nor will it ever be, a corporate magazine.

Chris Chmielewski (hey, that’s me!) has never been, nor will he ever be, normal

This combination makes it nearly impossible to predict what the two will do from year to year

So my heart didn’t explode I didn’t die after all Sorry to those of you who had me in your local foster care magazine Editor Deadpool Since I’m still alive why not come back? Why not finish what I started? Why not continue my life’s work? Why not continue my life of poverty?

All jokes aside, well, not all jokes, I am me. But, most jokes aside, it was one hell of a rough break away from this thing I created back in 2011 There were some health scares, some hospital stays and a whole lot of life changes My life in no way resembles the life I had when I walked away from this magazine over a year and a half ago

Nor should my writing or style here on these pages.

It’s a new life and a new era for the magazine We’ve gone free and digital! No more paywall.

My backstory is well known, so I see no reason to write about myself any longer Ten years of journaling in the Editor ’s Notes is sufficient. You are more than welcome to check out the archive if you are unfamiliar with me Instead, I think this section would be better utilized if I spent my time here speaking to changes that will come with the magazine or explaining new features that come with this new online format I will continue to speak on the issues of care as they arise, because that’s the gig I signed up for all those years ago

Like all the other changes this year I’m learning as I go From what I gather, we are in for a really cool interactive experience with this new chapter of the magazine. I’m told I can add video and live links among a number of other features. I’m pretty excited about the possibilities

I was really hoping my first Editor ’s Notes back would be much more eloquent than this I mean, I’ve written some doozies over the years This one isn’t popping like I’d hoped Maybe it’s the uncertainty of coming back Maybe I have to get some confidence back after being away so long. Maybe I just need to knock the rust off

Whatever it is that is missing, it isn’t missing from my style or layout prowess. I brought the heat this issue It might be my best work

I did a kind of best of the last ten years thing that I hope you’ll appreciate. I updated the layout and I’m hoping the new presentation software you’ll be experiencing it through will make it really burst through your computer screen

I’ve waited a long time to come back and present this to you so no sense in putting it off any longer

Thanks to everyone who stood by me this year and the 10 before it It’s nice to be back