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Susan Soonkeum Cox
V.P. Policy & External Affairs
Lead Media Contact, Policy and External Affairs & Press Releases
541.687.2202
Brian Campbell
Creative Services Director
Communications, Publications, Creative Services & Website
541.687.2202 x.151
Ashli Keyser
Managing Editor
Magazine Feature Writer, Blog & Social Media outlets
541.687.2202 x.176
Robin Munro
Senior Writer
Magazine Feature Writer, Blog & Social Media outlets
541.687.2202 x.152
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Susan Cox
Susan Soonkeum Cox
Vice President of Policy & External Affairs

Ms. Cox is a nationally recognized presenter on international adoption & child welfare. Her media experience includes the “Today Show,” “Good Morning America,” “Australia Today,” Associated Press, CNN, NBC Evening News, CSPAN, Time, Newsweek, Fortune, Christian Science Monitor, Washington Post, New York Times, Wall Street Journal, US News & World Report, Baltimore Sun, Boston Globe, Wall Street Journal, Readers Digest, People, the Oregonian, Seoul Times, Korean Daily, KoreAm Journal, Journal of the American Academy of Pediatrics and other publications. Her writings are published in numerous national and international publications, and she is editor of the anthology “Voices from Another Place” and “More Voices.”
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Dan Lauer
Dan Lauer
 Vice President of International Programs

Dan Lauer began working for Holt in 1986 as the organization’s Latin America Representative.  Based in Costa Rica for four years, he developed and supervised Holt intercountry adoption and child welfare programs in Central and South America.  In 1990, Dan moved to Holt’s headquarters in Eugene, Oregon to serve as the home-based Latin America Representative as well as supervise Holt programming in Cambodia and Romania. During this time of critical need, in which thousands of children were found languishing in Romania’s institutions, Dan directed Holt’s USAID-funded child welfare programs, leading to eventual deinstitutionalization of children in Romania’s orphanages over the next 12 years.  As Program Director and later Associate Department Director and Senior Executive, Dan has played a vital role in introducing innovative child and family services throughout Eastern Europe, Latin America and most recently, East Africa
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Dan Lauer
Abbie Smith, LCSW
Director of Clinical Services
Specialties: Attachment, Trauma, Parenting Adopted Children

Abbie Smith holds a master’s degree in social work from Smith College.  In 1996, she became licensed to practice clinical social work, and later earned post-graduate certificates in two specialized areas – therapy for adoptive families, and attachment therapy. Before joining Holt’s adoption services staff in 2005, Abbie spent three years working with children who have severe emotional issues, three years in an adult acute psychiatric hospital and six years in the child development program at Oregon Health Sciences University. As Director of Clinical Services, Abbie coordinates adoption services trainings, counsels struggling families and handles all disruptions between adoptive parents and children.  Recently, she designed the first agency curriculum to help older children prepare for international adoption. Abbie also adopted a 6-year-old girl 15 years ago.

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Dan Lauer
Steve Kalb
Adoptee Camp Director/Post-Adoption Services Social Worker

Steve Kalb joined Holt in 2005 as the director of Holt’s adoptee camp program. As a social worker in the post-adoption services department, he also manages birth search counseling and assists with background information requests. In his time at Holt, Steve has gained valuable insight into the adoptee experience through direct work with hundreds of adoptees from across the country. Steve is also an adoptee himself, born in South Korea and raised in Iowa. He holds a master’s degree in community-based social work and also teaches in the Graduate School of Social Work at Portland State University, where he is currently pursuing a Ph.D. His current research focus is on adoptee empowerment interventions with the hopes of bringing a community organizing philosophy into post-adoption practice.

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