Gail joins us with a long history of advocating for children and childhood, both as a member of the administrative team of Southside Family Nurturing Center, a family-centered program for the prevention of child abuse and neglect, and with over 12 years of experience as a volunteer Guardian ad Litem with Ramsey County.
Gail says that she is inspired by Ampersand Families’ commitment to “honor the urgency of childhood” when finding permanent families for waiting teens; she is eager to use her experiences and skills to serve this vision.
Gail earned both her B.A. in English Literature and her M.A. in Teaching English at Bethel University. She continues at Bethel as an adjunct faculty member and writing consultant, teaching writing and literature to adult and graduate students from around the world.
One of the things that continues to inspire my work as a Permanency Specialist at Ampersand Families is our commitment to “honor the brevity of childhood.” We work with teenagers and we know that the clock is ticking for these kids to be able to experience what remains of their childhood within the security and… Read more
As staff and board members at Ampersand Families, we have a sort of credo — a list of guiding principles. They aren’t radical, yet given the state of the child welfare system you could be forgiven for thinking they are. Here they are. Read them. If you feel the same, find out how you can help us create a… Read more
While working for an organization with an unusual name like Ampersand Families, I often find myself thinking of the many ways that the symbol for “and” fits our mission. Let me illustrate what I’m thinking: Hey foster child, we think you are priceless & we want to find you parents of your own & maybe… Read more
Do you believe in destiny? I realize this is a personal question from someone you likely have never met, but occasionally I ask myself this question when I consider my work as a Permanency Specialist at Ampersand Families. I was introduced to the work of Ampersand when I attended the CASA National Conference in Chicago… Read more
Gail says that she is inspired by Ampersand Families’ commitment to “honor the urgency of childhood” when finding permanent families for waiting teens; she is eager to use her experiences and skills to serve this vision.
