Executive Director

Fostering over 50 children and now the adoptive family of a sibling group of three, Shala has dedicated her life to supporting children and families in foster care. As the Program Director of Fostering Together, she served foster parents in a wide variety of ways, including providing training, coordinating events, leading support groups, and connecting families to essential resources — always with the goal of helping foster parents continue their important work. Shala also served for 10 years as a representative for Region 3 on Washington State’s 1624 Foster Parent Consultation Team and continues to serve as a board member of the Foster Parent Association of Washington State (FPAWS). In addition to her work in advocacy, Shala enjoys spending time with her grandchildren, traveling, and continuing her lifelong passion for advocating for children in foster care.

Community Outreach

Along with her family, Christina has thus far fostered over 20 children and had the unexpected joy of adopting. As a foster parent liaison for Fostering Together, Christina supported foster parents with payments, court processes, ICPCs, and access to a wide range of resources. She has also participated in many Family Team Decision Meetings and staffing meetings alongside foster parents, providing guidance and advocacy. Christina continues her commitment to supporting foster families by working as a foster parent mentor with the Alliance CaRES program, helping caregivers navigate the challenges and successes of fostering.

ICWA Qualified Expert Specialist

Larisa is an enrolled Alaska Native tribal member who has dedicated the majority of her professional career to serving Native American children and families. She has worked as an educator, mental health provider for children in foster care, managing supervisor of a tribal child welfare program, liaison for Fostering Together, Qualified Expert Witness, and contractor providing ICWA services. Living in Washington for several years, Larisa continues to serve professionally across the fields of education, mental health, and child welfare. She is also active in her faith community, serving in the prayer ministry at The Bridge Christian Fellowship, where she has attended since 2006. Larisa holds a Master’s in Education (M.Ed.) from Western Washington University, is married to Andrew, a law enforcement officer, and is a proud mother of two. In her free time, she enjoys spending time with people, reading, writing, and caring for her mini-farm pets.