Dave Malutinok

Executive Director

Dave received his undergraduate degree from West Virginia University, and his MBA from Marshall University.  He worked in the corporate world with an emphasis in strategic planning for 15 years before changing career paths to the non-profit sector.  He is one of the founding directors of HOPE for Children, joining the adoption agency in May 1993.  While at HOPE for Children, Dave strengthened the organization by bolstering the domestic adoption program, and also began the China program in 1994.  In addition to China, Dave was able to start adoption programs in Romania and Cambodia.  He moved on to become the CFO of HOPE worldwide, and later became the President of the National Council for Adoption in Washington DC.  Most recently prior to coming back to HOPE for Children, Dave lived in Boston running his own financial consulting business, and working as a non- profit administrator.

Dave has been on the advisory board for the Congressional Coalition for Adoption institute since 2002, and has traveled extensively internationally with a number of members of Congress promoting international adoption.  Dave has been married to his wife, Peggy, for 27 years, and they have three children, with the youngest, 14, that was adopted from China in 1996.  

Brian Bowley

Administrative Director

Brian and his wife Mercedes

The second oldest of eight, Brian showed an early aptitude for art, and it took him far in his field. After majoring in Product Design at Mass College of Art on Boston, he became the furniture designer, showroom manager and catalog artist for a wholesale trade-only showroom. For eleven years, his designs and blueprints were sent out to company-owned factories all over the world.

Eventually wanting a business of his own, he moved to Cape Cod, Massachusetts, where he designed, built and managed a unique and very successful artist’s consignment gallery and showroom from undeveloped property on a wharf on Cape Cod, MA. While running his business, he also worked part time at a hardware store in the same town. Finding that he loved the daily interaction with people even more, he decided to move on to a new career, and became Assistant Manager and Store Expansion Manager for many years within the same chain in the Boston area.

In 1995, Atlanta beckoned. His son-in-law, Willem Nieuwboer, had started a large-scale digital printing business to create vinyl graphics for the upcoming 1996 Olympics. Wanting to be with their grandchildren and also to reenter the graphic arts field once more, Brian and his wife Mercedes moved to Georgia and settled in Marietta. A few years later, their daughter Sherri moved from California and bought a home nearby to start her family as well. As both the graphic business and his brood of grandchildren quickly grew, he became Special Projects Manager, then Shipping and A/R Manager.  When the position of Administrative Director at HOPE for Children recently opened, he felt honored and excited to be included in such a dynamic group of hardworking people.

Susan Healy

Receptionist & China Adoptions Administrator

Susan (middle) with her daughter, Debbie (right), son-in-law, Jeff, and their children

Susan Healy first worked for Hope for Children from 1998 to 2002.  Although she went on to accomplish other things after that time, Susan visited Ethiopia with Food for the Hungry in 2006, and her heart was deeply moved by the plight of the orphaned children.  It was this experience which caused her realize that she wanted to work at Hope for Children again because she loves being involved in helping children have a happy and fulfilled life.  As God would plan it, Susan returned to HFC in June of 2007.  She has three children and 10 grandchildren that she loves and thoroughly enjoys.    

Melinda Szegedi

Family & Event Coordinator, Ukraine & Colombia Program Director

Melinda and her husband Lali

Melinda began working at HOPE for Children in 1997 as the receptionist. After one year she was promoted to International Adoption Administrator and after 6 months in that position she was promoted again to China Program Adoption Coordinator.  After two years in that position she was asked to work as the Adoption Coordinator for Romania then later to also coordinate adoptions from India and Cambodia.  Melinda has had the opportunity to travel to all of the countries she has worked with.  In 2004 Melinda decided to move to Bucharest, Romania to serve the orphans “hands-on.”  While in Romania she met her husband, Lali.  In 2006 Melinda returned to HOPE for Children and is currently the Family & Events Coordinator.  Melinda loves helping children around the world to be added to loving families.

Dianne Johnson

Director of Home Study Services 

Liz, Dianne, Morgan, Mike, and Nick

Dianne Johnson is one of our caseworkers who has worked for HOPE for Children, Inc. on and off for 10 years.  Initially she led support groups for birth parents, and now she is one of our home study caseworkers.  Her own parenting experiences, as well as, her years with HOPE for Children equip her to train pre-adoptive couples for adoption and conduct post-placement visits in the Atlanta area.  Dianne completed her Bachelor’s Degree at the University of Florida.  She is married to Mike and they have three children—Nick, Morgan, and Elizabeth, all in college.  She and Mike live in Marietta, Georgia.

Shannen White, LMSW

Birth Mother Counselor

Shannen began working as the birth mother counselor in November 2006. She has a passion for working with women who are in crisis. Shannen graduated from Tulane University in 2005 with graduate degrees in Social Work and Public Health. Prior to attending Tulane, Shannen graduated from the University of Georgia with an undergraduate degree in Journalism.

Kim Roberson, LCSW 

Director of Social Services, Russia Program Director

Originally from Atlanta, GA, Kim received a Master’s Degree in Social Work from the University of Georgia in Athens. After graduation she worked at HOPE for Children in the Domestic program as a birth parent caseworker. She then switched to the international side of adoption in 2005, working as the Russia Program Director.  In 2007 she became the Director of Home Study Services.  Currently she is the Russia and Colombia Program Director as well as the Director of Home Study Services.  She has special interest in photography and music. She loves kids and enjoys watching families grow through adoption.  She has worked at HFC since June 2002.  Celebrating her fourth wedding anniversary this year, Kim and her husband Josh also have a little boy, Cohen, whom they adore.   

Chrissy Alberi

China Program Director

Chrissy and Emma, one of the little girls she has united with her forever family 

Although Chrissy grew up in sunny Virginia Beach, Virginia, she graduated from the University of Georgia with a degree in Criminal Justice hoping to join the FBI one day.  After managing a horse farm, teaching horseback riding lessons, and coaching the UGA Equestrian team for over a year after graduation, Chrissy realized that working with families and children was her true passion.  Given the opportunity to pursue her passion in 2001, she was hired by HOPE for Children to work in the China Program assisting families with their adoptions.  After working in this capacity for a year and a half, she began her current role as the China Program Director.  In addition to working with in-country guides to plan each family's adoption trip, it is her joy to travel to China upon occasion to see the entire adoption come together as dreams come true!

Aisha Cooper

China Program Assistant Director

As the eldest child of retired USAF parents, it is no surprise wonder that Aisha enjoys traveling.  She was born and raised in Japan, and she has been all over the world.  When she returned to the States, she finished high school in Arizona and then went to college at Grambling State University in Grambling, Louisiana. She received her Bachelor of Science Degree in Business Management. Aisha has worked in corporate America since she graduated from Grambling State University.  She has managed different businesses and been a part of various entrepreneurial ventures.  Through her travels she realized that her niche was meeting various needs that people have and coordinating the proper resources to do so.  Transitioning to HOPE for Children was a natural career move for her.  She loves people and being able to serve families in their adoption journey, thus helping their dreams to come true. 

Karen Hogle

Hague Accreditation Specialist

(Clockwise from left) Lindsey, Brian, Paul (son-in-law), Ben, Karen, and Audrey

After graduating from college in Arkansas Karen taught 1^st grade for 5 years and then retired to be a full time mother for 10 years. During that time she also taught private flute lessons to students from age 8 through adults. She did extensive temporary office work in Texas, Arkansas, Iowa and Florida. In 1995 her family moved to Atlanta, GA where she began volunteering at HOPE for Children. Karen greatly enjoys helping children and families unite in adoption. In 1996 she was added to the HFC staff, first serving in the domestic department for 8 years and now compiling and authenticating all China Dossiers. Karen is married to Brian, her husband of 26 years and they have 3 grown children, Audrey (23), Ben (21), and Lindsey (21).

Jophy Lau

China Adoption Travel Guide

Jophy Lau grew up in Hong Kong. When she was a teenager, she visited orphanages in China as a volunteer and she quickly discovered the meaning of doing something positive for those in need. 

In 1995 Jophy took a part-time job in assisting American families when they traveled to China to complete their adoptions.  In 1998 she began working full time serving American families for the duration of their adoption trips in China.  Jophy began to deeply respect the families she was accompanying for their decision to bring children into their family through adoption. She finds great meaning in her job, and she loves experiencing the joy of adoption with each family that travels to China.  Jophy states that her job "teaches her much about selfless love," referring to the love she sees between families and the children they adopt.   

Jophy still serves as HOPE for Children's full time contact person in China, acting as a liaison between HOPE for Children and the China Center of Adoption Affairs, planning adoption trips with HFC's U.S. employees, escorting families during their adoption trips, and coordinating donation efforts from U.S. families.  Jophy currently resides in Hong Kong with her husband, Mark, and their three-year-old son, Elton. 

Lisa Goodwin

India Program Director

Will, Lisa, Keith, Zack, Lucas, & Elizabeth

Following 25 years as a Registered Nurse, Lisa Goodwin assumed the responsibilities as India Program Director in the fall of 2005.  Prior to this, Lisa had volunteered her time to assist HFC’s India Program and previous to that she and her husband Keith were foster parents for HFC.  Married for 28 years, she has four children: Will (21), Zack (19), Lucas (13), and Elizabeth (10).  Her two youngest are from Delhi (adopted ‘99) and Bombay (adopted ‘04).  During her travels to India, Lisa has cultivated working relationships with orphanages in Delhi, Chennai, and Bangalore.  She also collaborates closely with Helen Nanjundan, HFC’s India Adoption Consultant who resides in Delhi.

Helen Nanjundan

Adoption Consultant in India 

Helen, Rahul, Mohan & Priya Nanjundan

Helen Nanjundan had a sixteen-year career in Human Resources before quitting to work for a faith-based charity. Subsequently she decided to devote herself to being a full-time wife and Mom.  Her love for orphans, however, led her to begin working voluntarily as an honorary consultant to HOPE for Children.  Together with Lisa Goodwin, Helen has helped revitalize our India program in the last two years. Starting in July, Helen will serve as an Adoption Consultant to HFC.  Helen and her husband Mohan have two adopted children of their own, Priya (now 14) and Rahul (12).  In 1997, Mohan and Helen's initiative led to the opening of the Asharan Children's Home in New Delhi, India.  Helen has a bachelor’s degree in Sociology and a Masters degree in Organizational Behavior. 

Charissa Bright, LMSW

Home Study Caseworker

Charissa Bright is one of our caseworkers who has worked for HOPE for Children, Inc. on and off for 11 years.  Initially she was one of our birthparent counselors, and now she is one of our home study caseworkers.  A variety of roles have given her a broader understanding of the adoption triad as she prepares pre-adoptive couples for adoption and as she conducts post-placement visits in the Athens area.  Charissa completed her Bachelor’s and Master’s in Social Work at the University of Georgia.  She is a licensed master social worker in the state of Georgia.  She is married to Dean and lives in Watkinsville with their two sons, Spencer and Davis.

Sandra Lucas

Mike and Sandra with their two boys

Sandra is one of the caseworkers at HOPE for Children.  She is passionate about adoption; both as an adoptive parent and in her work at the agency.  Even as a child, Sandra would state “I want to work in an orphanage when I grow up.”  Sandra grew up in Georgia and graduated from the University of Georgia’s School of Business with double majors in Management Information Systems and Risk Management and Insurance.  She met her husband Mike at the church they both attend.  Mike and Sandra have been married for over 8 years and enjoyed working together in the singles and young married ministry for over six years.   They adopted their oldest son in 2003 and their youngest in 2005.