FAMILY SUPPORT COUNSELORS
Linda Huffaker, Family Support Coordinator
Vanessa Will-Huckaby, B.S.W., Family Support Counselor

STREET OUTREACH YOUTH ADVOCATES
Sarah Finnell, B.A., Youth Outreach Coordinator
Cassidy Phillips, VISTA Volunteer

ADOPTION AND PREGNANCY COUNSELORS
Melody Jamieson, B.A., L.B.S.W., Adoption Specialist
Lisa Carr, B.S.W., Pregnancy and Adoption Counselor

HOME STUDY WRITERS
Amber Buxton, Homestudy Writer
Makayla Mitzel, Homestudy Writer
Angie Hufford, Homestudy Writer

SUPPORT STAFF
Camille Connelly-Terhune, Executive Director
Sabrina Davis, Office Manager
Kathy Tocke, Financial Manager
Linda Johnson, Billing Clerk
Danere Hanna, Secretary
Shannon Boyle, Receptionist/Transcriptionist
Kathi Martinez, Special Projects

SPECIAL EVENTS
Carol Mattison, Event Coordinator
Tonya Mattison, Event Office

Dr. Mikki Barker became FCA's Consulting Psychiatrist in June of 2005. Dr. Barker provides psychiatric assessments and clinical supervision to FCA's Family Treatment team. Dr. Barker is a State of AK licensed Osteopathic Physician and has been board certified in Neurology and Psychiatry since 1994. She holds licensure in the States of Alaska, Indiana, Florida and California, and is on the staff of Fairbanks Memorial Hospital. She received her Doctor of Osteopathy in 1987 and interned at Martin Luther King, Jr./Drew Medical Center in Los Angeles, CA form 1987 to 1989. She has been practicing psychiatry for more than 16 years and has extensive experience supervising clinical staff, monitoring medication, and providing direct psychiatric services.

Anne Brainerd, LPC, NCC joined FCA’s clinical staff in September 2007 and, with the departure of Ed Fitzpatrick, became the Clinical Supervisor in October 2007. Ms. Brainerd has experience both in counseling and administration. She is licensed in the State of Alaska as a Professional Counselor, is an Approved Counselor Supervisor for Professional Counselors, and is Board Certified in Crisis Response by the American Association of Experts in Traumatic Stress. In addition, Ms. Brainerd is proficient in the Spanish language.

Randy Lewis brought his carpenter tools to Alaska in the early eighties. He became a custom woodworker and built a reputation for exquisite design and attention to detail. As a business owner and construction worker, Randy grew to appreciate the importance of effective communication. In 1998, he returned to school at UAF, intent upon learning how to better understand others and express himself. His career as a social worker began here at Fairbanks Counseling & Adoption. In July of 2000 after earning an Associate’s degree in Human Service Technology, he became FCA’s Teen Father Counselor in the Pregnancy Department. Since then, he has earned a Master’s degree in Social Work. Because of the support and patience of the staff and others involved with FCA, Randy was thrilled to get the chance to return in 2004, this time working with teens and adults in the Family Treatment Department. Congratulations to Randy who is now a Licensed Clinical Social Worker.

Sean O'Neil joined our staff as a full-time clinician April 1, 2009. Sean obtained his Bachelor of Social Work degree from the University of Alaska at Fairbanks and a Master of Social Work degree, with a mental health emphasis, from Eastern Washington University. He is currently pursuing licensure in Alaska as a Clinical Social Worker. Sean brings almost twenty years of experience in the mental health and counseling fields working with children, adolescents and adults. He sees clients on a daily basis, Monday through Friday.

Travis Thompson joined FCA in March 2008 working part-time. Ms. Thompson has eighteen years of experience in the counseling field and specializes in working with adolescents. She is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker as well as a Certified Alcohol & Drug Counselor for the State of Alaska.

Linda Sheridan relocated to Alaska from New Jersey, where she was a Licensed Professional Counselor and a Licensed Substance Abuse Therapist. She holds a Master of Science degree in Counseling, with an emphasis on children and families, from Pace University. She has experience counseling individuals, couples, families and groups. She is in the process of applying for Alaska Licensure as a Professional Counselor. Linda began contracting as a clinician with FCA on Tuesday, March 17, 2009 and sees clients Tuesday evenings and all day Saturdays.

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Kathryn Dosch, M.Ed., joined FCA in August 2007 working part-time. She brings specialized experience as a Child and Family therapist and currently is completing supervised hours to become a Licensed Professional Counselor in the State of Alaska. She received her degrees from the University of Alaska Fairbanks and enjoys working with children and adults. She is married to Jason Dosch and they have two boys.

Laurie Klein, LCSW began contract work with FCA in January 2008. She is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker for the State of Alaska and brings eleven years of experience to the FCA team.

Leah Lipka started at FCA in December of 2009.

Jamie Walker

Linda Huffaker was born and raised in Montana. She moved with her family to Fairbanks in 2001. She has over 20 years experience working in the social service sector in the areas of developmental disabilities, transition, employment counseling, drug and alcohol treatment and therapeutic foster care. She is the bio-mother to three daughters and one son. She has parented 32 foster children and last but certainly not least is a grandmother to one. When she is not working she enjoys family time, church, hunting, fishing, and most anything to do with the outdoors. Linda is FCA's Family Support Coordinator and Assessment Counselor under the State funded Family Support Grant.

Vanessa Will Huckaby has a Bachelors of Social Work degree from the University of Applied Sciences, Wiesbaden Germany. As one might expect she has experience working with many different cultures and lifestyles. As well, she also has experience working with children of varying developmental groups and abilities and has the skills necessary to interact and succeed with families, individuals, and with young mother support groups.

Angie Hufford, M.A. started in February 2007. While Angie is new to the Pregnancy/Adoption Department, she has worked part-time as an assessment counselor with the Family Support Program, and has done some counseling in the Family Treatment Department. Angie’s interest in adoption began almost twenty years ago, when her younger brother’s family adopted a daughter. Angie brings a writing background to the table as well, having been a part-time newspaper reporter for several years back in her home state of Indiana. She also currently leads a monthly writer’s group at Door of Hope Church in Fairbanks. Angie has a passionate heart for kids, having previously been an elementary school teacher and an elementary school counselor. Currently, in addition to her duties at FCA, Angie works part-time at Door of Hope Church as the Jr. High Youth Director. Angie has a Bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education from Purdue University, and a Master’s degree in Youth and Family Ministry from Western Seminary in Portland, Oregon.

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Sarah “Raz” Finnell started out in Southern California before getting her B.A. in Theater Arts at University of Puget Sound in Tacoma, Washington. After school, Sarah spent a year in Seattle where she enjoyed teaching Self-Defense with HomeAlive, teaching Drama classes at the Seattle Children’s Theater, and teaching anti-oppression/violence-prevention workshops with the Seattle Youth Employment Program. She decided to move even farther up the West Coast in the summer of 2006 and appeared in Fairbanks on August 13. She caught her first salmon shortly thereafter. Having never before experienced sub-zero climates or regular snow-fall, Sarah knows she’s in for a treat, but is still excited about a short visit to friends and family (in warmer southern climates) this winter.

Cassidy Phillips

Melody Jamieson is a lifelong Alaskan who has been in FCA's Adoption Department since 1979. She is a Licensed Bachelor of Social Work in the State of Alaska. She has 34 years experience in the adoption profession, both in public and private agencies. She has worked for FCA for 24 years, and specializes in all aspects of adoption, including homestudies, placements and follow-up, as well as adoption issue counseling. She has extensive knowledge and experience working with adoption exchanges, interstate placements, international adoption agencies, as well as The Adoption and Safe Families Act of 1997. She is responsible for reviewing and approving each phase, assigning homestudies to FCA adoption counselors and/or subcontractors, providing training in adoptive and guardianship homestudy writing and providing consultation for issues and concerns that arise during the process. She has worked with the rural Alaska Native population, and has several years of experience working under the guidelines of the Indian Child Welfare Act of 1978 (ICWA).

Lisa Carr has been living in Alaska since 1968. She graduated from the University of Alaska in Fairbanks in 1991 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Social Work and minor in Psychology. She has been working at FCA since August of 1991 providing pregnancy counseling and adoption services for our clientele as both a Pregnancy Counselor and Adoption Counselor. Ms. Carr provides a full range of counseling and adoption services that includes liaison, advocacy and support for adoptive and birth parents. She provides a variety of presentations to the community, local schools and institutions. Lisa has extensive knowledge and experience in working with the rural Alaska Native population, and has several years of experience working under the guidelines of the Indian Child Welfare Act of 1978 (ICWA) as well as the Adoption and Safe Families Act of 1997. Ms. Carr is also an Adoption Master Trainer with Infant Adopt Awareness Training. As a Master trainer, she provides training to staff of federally funded health clinics, crisis pregnancy centers, local schools, hospitals, throughout the state of Alaska in the area of adoption counseling.

Amber Buxton

Makayla Mitzel recently relocated to Fairbanks from Rapid City, South Dakota. She holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Social Science, with a Sociology emphasis, from the University of Wyoming. Makayla is working part-time as our Evaluation Coordinator under the Comprehensive Behavioral Health Prevention and Early Intervention Services grant. In that position, she is gathering, scoring and inputting data to show outcome and satisfaction scores. Makayla is also training part-time with the Adoption/Pregnancy Department to write homestudies.

Camille Connelly-Terhune returned to FCA’s administrative staff as Executive Director in November of 2004. She was born and raised in New York on Long Island and has lived in Fairbanks for 29 years. Camille graduated from the University of Alaska in 1981 and worked as Executive Director of FCA from 1989 through 1992. She is married and has two children. Camille has dedicated her time and energy to serving children and families in need, with a major emphasis in advocating for children for 23 years. She enjoys quilting, gardening, music and camping.

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Sabrina Davis was formerly FCA's secetary, moved up to be the Executive Director's Administrative Assistant and became Office Manager in the Fall of 2009. Sabrina is the heart of Fairbanks Counseling and Adoption and her extensive knowledge of the Agency keeps thing running smoothly (well, most of the time). She keeps the Executive Director on task as well as helping out with fundraising activities. Sabrina was born and raised in Fairbanks and is married to Brian Davis who works for the Fairbanks Fire Department as a paramedic. They have two boys and one girl to keep them very busy at home. Sabrina is a huge asset to our agency and her sense of humor and personality are immensely enjoyed.

Kathy Tocke has been FCA's Financial Manager since the Fall of 2009.

Linda Johnson started as the billing clerk for FCA in September of 2006. Linda and her husband, Alan, are life-long residents of Fairbanks.

Danere Hanna has been working at FCA since August of 2006. Danere is at the heart of FCA fielding all sorts of phone calls and greeting clients as they come in the door. If Danere can't help you, she will find someone who can!

Shannon Boyle

Carol Mattison has been FCA's fundraising guru since forever. She has helped to raise more money and oversee more projects than any other volunteer or employee. Always willing to go the extra mile, Carol gets things DONE! Just about anyone who is anyone in Fairbanks knows Carol and all that she has done for the community and for FCA. Carol has been trying for many years to "retire" from fundraising, but we all know that she cannot be replaced. If ever you meet Carol, be sure to thank her for helping to keep FCA a part of the Fairbanks community.

Tonya Mattison started helping out with FCA's 'A Taste of Art' fundraiser in 2009 and has been indispensible since. Tonya is one of our behind the scenes worker who is a joy to have around.

Kathi Martinez is FCA's former Office Manager who now assists on special projects. Kathi also helps to maintain the website, brochures, newsletters, fundraising and helps Sabrina and Carol to keep FCA on task.

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