Corporate Staff

Mindy serves as the Assistant Director of the India program. She works with families on a day to day basis, assisting them with their paperwork and guiding them through the adoption process step-by-step. She is originally from the Indianapolis, Indiana area, holding a Bachelor of Social Work from Ball State University. Currently, she is based out of Northern Virginia, working in our corporate office.

It is an absolute joy for Mindy to serve on the America World team! She is grateful for the privilege to walk alongside families on their adoption journey. She was witness to her parent’s two adoptions from China and has always felt international adoption was an area she was called serve in. She is so thankful for the opportunity to do just that here at America World!

Julie serves as a Family Coordinator in our Haiti & China Programs, working with families daily in guiding them step-by-step through the adoption process and all training & paperwork requirements. A graduate of Vanderbilt University, Julie has a background in education and a master’s degree in Human Services from Liberty University, specializing in Marriage & Family Counseling.

As a military spouse and mom of 4, she has served as a teacher, Air Force family readiness leader, advocacy volunteer, family mentor, events coordinator, program director and stay-at-home mom over the course of the last 20 years and 8 moves.  Most importantly, Julie is an adoptive mom, who brought her son home from China in 2015 and was forever changed through the adoption experience.

Her favorite activities revolve around traveling and spending time with her husband and children. She is especially passionate about watching God weave beautiful stories through families who open their hearts to the gift of adoption!

As a Program Director, Aimee leads the China & Haiti teams and oversees the day-to-day operations of the program. At the heart of each task completed, every long term goal, and every decision made is the desire to serve the families who have entrusted us to walk alongside them in their adoption journey as well as the children who are in need of a loving family.

Her oversight and collaboration with others on the team ensures that families receive up-to-date instructions and guidance on current adoption procedures as well as the support they need at each step of the adoption process. While the number of children who continue to wait can be overwhelming, Aimee remains committed to seeing each child’s unique story, needs, and life as precious and worthy of every effort to see him or her placed into a family.

Aimee has a B.S. in Social Work and brings many years of experience working in foster care, international adoption, and overseas missions. She enjoys spending time with her husband and two boys as well as reading, cooking, and photography.

Anneli is a Senior Family Coordinator for America World, focusing on the India and China programs. In the India program, she walks families through the adoption process from paperchase to travel including dossier collection, immigration filing, the referral process, and travel preparations. In the China program, Anneli concentrates on preparing families for travel.  This includes completion of paperwork at the end of their process , what to expect when a family meets their child for the first time, cultural differences & expectations, as well as an overview of all adoption appointments that will take place during their time in the country.

Anneli holds a B.A. in Sociology with a minor in Social Work and provides many years of international adoption experience both personally and professionally. Her passion for adoption began in 2002 when her younger sister joined their family from China and also spent several years living overseas serving at a foster home for orphans with special needs.

In her free time, Anneli enjoys going on walks, reading, spending as much time outside as possible (preferably near water!), and relaxing with family and friends.

Leah serves as the Assistant Director, where she is passionate about providing excellent customer service and guidance to those considering adoption for the first time and to families already in process. Her role provides her the opportunity to serve and guide families through the various stages of the adoption process and paperwork, advocate for children who are waiting, assist in matching families, develop adoption programs’ structures, complete home studies and post adoption reports, as well as assisting other staff in their various roles.

Leah holds a Bachelor’s Degree from Liberty University with a concentration in Social Work and Counseling. After working in the education field for several years, she was impacted by her time spent in India and felt God calling her to serve orphans more directly and joined America World in 2005. She believes every child is precious to God and we have a Biblical responsibility to care for orphans.

Leah has both lived overseas and served short-term in different capacities, including work in India, China, Africa, and throughout South America where she has served orphans and high-risk children. Within the local church, she has developed missions programs and led international mission teams and loves serving in those capacities.

She and her husband are involved in ministry and have two children from China. When she is not working, Leah appreciates spending time with family, being outdoors, writing, traveling, and enjoys using photography, cooking, and crafting as creative outlets with her daughters.

As the Intake and Adoption Programs Coordinator, Judy ensures the process and review of all applications and is committed to providing support and education to families considering adoption.  Judy brings many years of experience in the world of adoption and social services.  Judy received her Master of Arts in Human Services with a concentration in Family Counseling and Juris Doctor from Liberty University.  Judy and her husband enjoy traveling and have taken several mission trips over the years.  Judy is thankful to be a part of what God is doing through the ministry of America World.

Julia Norris has held various roles with America World since her employment began in 1999, but currently oversees America World’s Affiliate Offices and is also responsible for ensuring the agency’s compliance with The Hague Convention, UAA and USCIS regulations.

Julia has a B.A. in International Relations, a background in investigations and has traveled to 25 countries. She enjoys sailing, traveling, and spending time with her family. She is a single mom with 2 children through adoption.

As Director of the India Program, Lisa oversees all aspects of a family’s adoption from India. She provides supervision to the India Program team, coordinates direct family services and partners with the in-country staff in India to organize the adoption process. Lisa’s professional career for over 25 years has been spent in the area of adoption with a passion to create a safer world for the most defenseless, by insuring that each child finds their God-given family to call their own.

Lisa believes a beautiful and lasting love for the country of India began when her newly adopted daughter of 8 weeks from India was placed in her arms. Her experience in the field of adoption encompasses directorships of a non-profit agency, branch office director and family services director. She has facilitated adoptions for families in the countries of Vietnam, Nepal and India.

Lisa has extensive training working with parents, specializing in the areas of grief and loss and arranged reunions for birthparents and adoptees. Lisa knows firsthand both personally and professionally the joys, frustrations and anxiety that families often experience during and after their adoption. She continues to have an ongoing desire to support families who walk this path.

She is the parent of seven children, four of whom came to her family through international adoption, as well as, the grandparent of ten children, two of whom were adopted from India. Lisa and her husband enjoy traveling, camping and spending time with the family God has richly blessed them with.

Mary has served as Accounting Manager for America World for nearly fifteen years. She brings a keen eye to detail and over thirty years of Accounting and Management to service to our families and financial leadership of our office.

The domestic adoption of a younger sister when Mary was nine years old imprinted the beauty of adoption on Mary’s heart and played a pivotal role in her desire to work in this field. Mary has been blessed with four children and three grandchildren.

When not in the office, we can find Mary and her Husband spending time with family, camping with their dogs, or riding their Harley Davidson motorcycles.

America World has given me an amazing opportunity to live out my passions daily by working directly with families and helping orphans all over the world. I came to America World in 2004 with the desire to help orphans and families in a very tangible way. It has been truly a gift and life-changing experience to work with hundreds of families as they are united with their children. I feel extremely blessed to be part of such an amazing organization that strives to love and serve God in all areas.

I have lived in the Washington Metropolitan area for over 40 years and have been actively involved with adoptions since 1993 – both as a parent and as an advocate for orphans.

After attending St. Albans School, I graduated with honors from the Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C. in 1988 with a Bachelor of Architecture. In 1994 my wife and I founded America World Adoption to assist other former orphans like our first daughter, Fei, and share the blessing of adoption with Christian families.

I work for my family business, a building development, and management company and serve America World Adoption solely as a 40+ hour/week volunteer (no salary). Like the Apostle Paul who made tents, I enjoy having the ability to earn my income from a source that is separate from my primary focus/ministry. My father was a first-generation American born to a poor immigrant family from Yugoslavia; he was a very successful developer in the D.C. area and it was his commitment to hard work that has enabled me to volunteer at America World.

In 2006, I went back to school, and by late 2007 I had earned a Master’s in Nonprofit Management. During school, I applied every project and assignment to America World Adoption and orphan issues. This was a great time for me to learn and study the business side of managing a non-profit organization.

My wife, Renee, and I now have five children: four by adoption and one by birth. God has revealed one of his greatest blessings to our family through His Spirit of adoption and it is our passion to share this with families like you. We are excited about what God is doing through America World and consider it an honor to be building families like yours through God’s design of adoption.

Nothing gives me a bigger smile in my work day than when I know that some precious child is about to get matched with their forever family. I grew up in the D.C. area and, after graduating from the College of William and Mary, I moved back to Northern Virginia where my husband and I settled down and raised our four children. I began my professional career as an elementary school teacher in both Fairfax and Arlington counties. After teaching in the classroom for several years, I transitioned to working for a law firm, which had a significant non-profit area of practice. I am grateful to be back working to help children. I feel very blessed to be surrounded by people who love the Lord and strive very hard each day to serve Him through such an effective, professional and Godly organization.