Marci Purcell first served on the board of AKA as a board member-at-large and then as board president. Her previous board experience also includes Support Texas Adoptee Rights (STAR), and is currently serving on the STAR Advisory Board. Marci is committed to advocacy and reform relating to the rights of adult adoptees, foster care alumni, as well as truth and transparency in adoption. She is also passionate about disability rights, both in the broader community, and as they relate to adoption. She is committed to seeing AKA thrive as we move into this new decade. Marci has a degree in Psychology, is certified in Psychological First Aid and peer support, and a trained mediator through The UT School of Law, Center for Public Policy Dispute Resolution. When not working for AKA or advocating at the Texas Capitol, she is busy running her vintage business in Austin and enjoying her family. Marci is serving as AKA's executive director and cofacilitating the Women Adoptee Meetup Group and DNA Discoveries Group.
Anne Bingham is a writer living in Austin, TX. She is an ardent adoptee rights advocate and served on the board of Support Texas Adoptee Rights, as well as a long time member of Adoption Knowledge Affiliates. Anne has used her resources, time, and talents educating others about adoption from the birth parent perspective, both on the AKA conference planning committee and as a panelist at past AKA conferences and events. Currently, Anne is the cofacilitator for the Birth/First Parent Peer Support Group.
Tamara Whinston is an adoptive mom and an ardent supporter of AKA. Tamara began seeking a deeper connection to the adoption community and educating herself regarding transracial adoption after adopting her son from Russia. Her passion is creating a community where everyone feels heard and valued. Tamara's expertise lies in bringing people together for meaningful collaboration. She enjoys facilitating meetings, event planning, and serving marginalized and underserved communities. She hopes to assist AKA in its mission of connecting members of the adoption constellation to educational programming and social gatherings. Tamara has already given her time to AKA as a dedicated member of the conference committee for the past four years. Tamara is the cofacilitator for the Adoptive / Foster Parent Meetup Group.
Rod Lind, LPC comes to AKA as an adoptee who recently united with several members of his birth family. He is also a Licensed Professional Counselor and a National Certified Counselor with more than 20 years of experience in the mental health field. He holds a certification in medical hypnosis (CMH) from the American Psychotherapy and Medical Hypnosis Association and has Diplomate status in Comprehensive Energy Psychology (D-CEP) from the Association for Comprehensive Energy Psychology and is currently a Board member of both of those organizations. Rod has a limited private practice helping adult adoptees to meet life’s challenges and to achieve their most desirable sense. Rod is the cofacilitator for the Male Adoptee Meetup Group.
Dianne Sonnenberg, (Member-at-Large) is an international (First Nations) adoptee who has been active in the AKA community for several years, after reuniting with her biological family. She is an artist, and also serves on the boards of the Austin Mosaic Guild and the Texas Society of Sculptors.
Jamie Hughes, LMSW (Member-at-Large) has worked within adoption in various capacities for five years. She has supported couples growing their families through international and domestic adoption, as well as embryo adoption and surrogacy. Jamie holds a Bachelor of Science in Human Development and Family Studies, with a certificate in Women’s Studies, from Colorado State University and a Master of Social Work from Hawaii Pacific University. She is a Licensed Master Social Worker. Jamie is currently an Adoption Social Worker for a child placing agency in Austin, Texas and works with all members of the adoption triad. Jamie also has personal adoption experience within her own family and through close friends.
Dawn Scott is an adoptive parent residing in Austin, Texas with her daughter and their dogs, Lucky and Sadie. Past President of AKA, and longtime open records advocate, Dawn also expresses her passion for transparency as a Senior Manager with Beautycounter, the leading provider of clean skin care and cosmetics in North America.
Karen Whitaker has served on several volunteer committees over the years, through her employers and her son's elementary school. She truly enjoys volunteering and serving. Karen learned more about the adoption experience and the impact when relinquishing her parental rights in 1999. What was then presented as an open adoption - pictures and updates for the first five years - she lacked awareness about what open adoption, or even adoption in general truly meant and the emotional impact relinquishment had on mothers, adoptees, and on birth families. Thankfully, their open adoption grew beyond pictures into a larger, long-distance family, with visits and family vacations over the years. Karen then began researching adoption and connecting with other birth/first/biological mothers to understand her emotional attachment to this experience. She was met with amazing people from the adoption community who mentored and supported her in her journey to healing. Karen advocates for the rights of mothers and adoptees as well as all members in the adoption constellation, for compassion and transparency. As a hard of hearing person, she also advocates for disability rights. When not working or volunteering, Karen is still quite busy being a mom. is the cofacilitator for the Birth/First Parent Peer Support Group
Sherry is an adoptee. She is in a happy reunion with her biological parents. She has provided testimony for adoptee rights during the 2015 and 2017 Texas legislative session. Prior to becoming a Mother she worked in the medical profession. She has been a Licensed Vocational Nurse since 1986. As an adoptee she understands the difficulty involved in obtaining family health history and ancestry. She is a Volunteer Search Angel helping adoptees for over 20 years. Her passion is genealogy. Her research connected her to New Orleans and her French Cajun Irish and Spanish roots. She is a proud Native Texan. Born in Houston. Her ancestors came to Texas in 1824 as one Stephen F Austin’s “Old 300” first families. She enjoys her children and hiking and swimming. Sherry is a volunteer search angel.
Committee Chairs
Conference: Ty Cliffel, Chair / Tamara Whinston, Co-Chair / Dianne Sonnenberg, Committee Member
Education: Karen Whitaker, Committee Chair
Fundraising: Katherine Williams, Chair / Gail Whitehead, Co-Chair
Social Media: Marci Purcell, Dawn Scott, Anne Bingham & Stacie Cleland, Committee members
Education: Karen Whitaker, Committee Chair
Fundraising: Katherine Williams, Chair / Gail Whitehead, Co-Chair
Social Media: Marci Purcell, Dawn Scott, Anne Bingham & Stacie Cleland, Committee members
