Bonus Babies

Traci Gurley-Tomashosky: You Just Have To Be Consistent

Send a text [https://www.buzzsprout.com/twilio/text_messages/1738628/open_sms] Jayne Amelia speaks with child advocate and executive director of CASA of the Ninth in Colorado, Traci Gurley-Tomashosky. Traci is a distinguished educational leader and advocate with over 22 years of experience dedicated to the development and success of children and youth. Currently serving as the Executive Director for CASA of the Ninth, Traci combines a deep clinical background in special education with a visionary approach to community-based advocacy. Her career is defined by the unwavering conviction that every young person, regardless of their starting point, can achieve significant growth when met with evidence-based support and authentic human connection. She also recently became a CASA as well, and has gained a better understanding of what it means to advocate for a children in need.  Traci’s professional foundation is built upon academic training and a multidisciplinary suite of licensures including a Master of Arts in Educational Psychology (2007), Specialist Endorsement in Early Childhood Special Education (2012), and a Bachelor of Arts in Speech-Language and Hearing Sciences (2005). As well as professional licensure as an Elementary and Early Childhood Educator, Special Educator, and Speech-Language Pathology Assistant, providing her with a holistic understanding of the developmental spectrum from infancy through adolescence. Throughout her 18-year tenure as a Director and Special Educator, Traci has mastered the complexities special education and trauma informed educational practices. Additionally, she ensures that the organizations she leads remain in strict compliance with evaluative timelines and documentation standards, while never losing sight of the individual child. Traci's vision for community impact and leadership philosophy is rooted in transparency, authenticity, and cultural humility. She actively fosters environments that celebrate diversity and invite family partnership, believing that learning is most impactful when it is centered on the student’s unique interests and lived experiences. Under her direction, the focus of CASA of the Ninth is on building robust, trusting relationships—not only with the families served but across multidisciplinary teams—to ensure that the systems supporting our youth are as resilient and compassionate as the children themselves. https://www.ileadwithlove.org/care-for-the-caregivers-program [https://www.ileadwithlove.org/care-for-the-caregivers-program] CASA of the Ninth [https://casaoftheninth.org/941-2/] See bonusbabies.org [https://www.bonusbabiespodcast.org] to learn more about what we are doing and please donate to support us by making a 100% tax-deductible contribution. EVERY PENNY OF YOUR CONTRIBUTION GOES TO RECORDING AND PLATFORMING THESE STORIES. Yeah! IG@bonusbabiespodcast TW@BonusBabiesPod FB@BonusBabiesPodcast

Dana Hargus: And Nobody Is Bothered By This But Me?

Send a text [https://www.buzzsprout.com/twilio/text_messages/1738628/open_sms] Jayne Amelia speaks with therapist and founder of Restore Of Ada, Dana Hargus, M.Ed., LPC. Dana is a foster mom and adoptive mom, and now a grandmother of many children. Dana was raised in the Ada area and has a bachelor's in education and special education and a master's degree in school counseling. After successfully working with students with behavioral and developmental issues, she returned to earn her degree in counseling. She has been working as a counselor for over twenty years.  Dana owns Biofeedback and Counseling Inc. of Ada which serves the Central Oklahoma area with twelve counselors. Restore utilizes biofeedback, relational coaching, and nutritional therapy as an adjunct to (or independently of) traditional talk therapy. When talk therapy is not enough, Restore may help. Restore of Ada [https://restoreofada.com/about-restore] is a wellness company offering innovative programs and well-researched therapies, dedicated to renewing hope by healing the mind, body and spirit. These programs were designed to jumpstart the healing process by promoting a calm, regulated nervous system, training clients to better care for themselves and their relationships. Restore of Ada was formed in 2024 in Ada, Oklahoma and is unique in its application of several healing interventions: trauma and resiliency science through life coaching, nutritional interventions, and other additional modalities of healing. Founder Dana Hargus, a counselor with over twenty years of experience, was inspired to start Restore Of Ada when she acknowledged that once-a-week talk therapy sometimes isn’t enough to treat those suffering from persistent emotional, physical and relational traumas. While traditional counseling can provide powerful outcomes, she recognized the need for an accelerated healing program for those struggling with addictions, attachment disorders, autoimmune disease, anxiety, PTSD, depression, ADD, chronic pain, behavioral issues and many more. This led to the creation of the innovative healing program Restore House, an accelerated 9-week healing program, designed to address physical, emotional, and neurological traumas through both virtual and in-person experiences, as well as ongoing coaching and community support. Restore Of Ada [https://restoreofada.com/about-restore]is a place to heal the body, soul and spirit. See bonusbabies.org [https://www.bonusbabiespodcast.org] to learn more about what we are doing and please donate to support us by making a 100% tax-deductible contribution. EVERY PENNY OF YOUR CONTRIBUTION GOES TO RECORDING AND PLATFORMING THESE STORIES. Yeah! IG@bonusbabiespodcast TW@BonusBabiesPod FB@BonusBabiesPodcast

Jenny Serrano - My Family Needed Intervention

Send a text [https://www.buzzsprout.com/twilio/text_messages/1738628/open_sms] Jayne Amelia speaks with Jenny Serrano, a former foster youth  and now administrator at DCFS. Exiting foster care in the 1990s after spending six years in the child welfare system left an indelible mark on Jenny Serrano. Ill-prepared for the responsibilities that came with living on her own, she struggled. “After I left care, I was homeless, lived in a shelter and remained precariously housed until I finished graduate school,” Jenny said. “When I exited care, there weren’t a lot of opportunities available or even a broad awareness of what youth needed.” Since that time, however, assistance for youth exiting care has evolved significantly, in large part due to input from Jenny and others with lived experience. Now a children services administrator with the Los Angeles County Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS), Jenny works tirelessly to support older youth and prepare them for the transition into adulthood. Jenny and her dedicated team of nine staff members in the Youth Development Services (YDS) Division manage a number of workforce initiatives through partnerships with other agencies that aim to help current and former foster youth gain job experience through subsidized employment and internships. For example, Jenny recalls a young mother who completed 400 hours of work experience as a recreation leader at a local city park through the Bridge to Work program. She was later hired full time by the program, allowing her to get her own apartment and purchase her first car. “Many of our youth are entirely responsible for their own financial well-being as soon as they exit care,” Jenny said. “Employment preparation and career exposure are essential to ensuring the success of young adults.” Although research shows that work experience prior to age 18 dramatically improves later employment outcomes, nearly 90 percent of foster youth in California do not have a job at age 17, according to the National Youth in Transition Database. Data further reveals that more than 40 percent of these young people are still unemployed when they turn 21. To address this issue, YDS employment programs provide youth with pre-work training in various soft skills, such as communication, attitude, teamwork and critical thinking, followed by paid work experience supervised by a case manager and an employer. DCFS also offers paid internships within the department, as well as project-based internships for academic credit. Earlier this year, Jenny and her team received an award from the Los Angeles County Quality and Productivity Commission for developing and implementing an automated referral system that links DCFS to a network of more than 40 job centers. Thanks to the team’s ingenuity, the likelihood of future employment for current and former foster youth has greatly increased. Reflecting on her own experience, Jenny is motivated by the memory of one committed DCFS coordinator who supported her as she struggled to find her footing. “He always took my calls from payphones at odd hours and always had a pocket full of quarters to give me for my laundry,” she said. “I think of him and show up every day the way I wish more people would have showed up for me.” See bonusbabies.org [https://www.bonusbabiespodcast.org] to learn more about what we are doing and please donate to support us by making a 100% tax-deductible contribution. EVERY PENNY OF YOUR CONTRIBUTION GOES TO RECORDING AND PLATFORMING THESE STORIES. Yeah! IG@bonusbabiespodcast TW@BonusBabiesPod FB@BonusBabiesPodcast

Lucretia Taylor: You Don't Have To Change The World In One Day

Send a text [https://www.buzzsprout.com/twilio/text_messages/1738628/open_sms] Jayne Amelia speaks with Dr. Lucretia “Cre” Taylor,  a seasoned strategist and consultant with over two decades of experience leading and supporting organizations across the nonprofit and public sectors. Her expertise spans strategic planning, program design, evaluation, organizational development, and capacity building—particularly for organizations advancing equity, healing, and access for historically marginalized communities. Dr. Cre is the founder of Strategic Choices Consulting, where she works closely with nonprofits, funders, and coalitions to strengthen infrastructure, align programs with outcomes, and move from vision to impact. While deeply committed to youth-serving organizations, Dr. Cre’s portfolio includes a wide range of mission areas—from education and mental health to justice reform, housing, and leadership development. Her consulting work focuses on helping organizations sharpen their strategy, build sustainable programs, design meaningful partnerships, and increase their readiness for funding and growth. She has supported over 200 organizations nationwide through technical assistance, training, and implementation support—facilitating organizational assessments, strategic planning retreats, program audits, and leadership coaching. A former foster youth turned scholar-practitioner, Dr. Cre draws on both personal experience and research expertise to inform her work. She holds a Ph.D. in Education with an emphasis in Policy, Reform, and Evaluation from Claremont Graduate University, a Master’s degree in Urban Affairs & Public Policy with an emphasis in Nonprofit Management and Evaluation from the University of Delaware, and a Bachelor’s degree from Spelman College. Dr. Cre was recognized as an “American Champion” by PBS for her contributions to education and community transformation. She is also a sought-after speaker and facilitator known for her engaging, affirming approach to leading conversations on systems change, trauma-informed practice, and community-led design. Whether helping organizations develop a strategic roadmap, align programs with community needs, or build internal capacity, Dr. Cre brings thought partnership, clarity, and care to every engagement. See bonusbabies.org [https://www.bonusbabiespodcast.org] to learn more about what we are doing and please donate to support us by making a 100% tax-deductible contribution. EVERY PENNY OF YOUR CONTRIBUTION GOES TO RECORDING AND PLATFORMING THESE STORIES. Yeah! IG@bonusbabiespodcast TW@BonusBabiesPod FB@BonusBabiesPodcast

Renee Santos : I Never Unpacked My Bag

Send a text [https://www.buzzsprout.com/twilio/text_messages/1738628/open_sms] Jayne Amelia Larson talks with performer and former foster youth,  Renée Santos. Renée is a fierce multi-hyphenate performer — actor, writer, comedian — whose work lives at the intersection of raw truth and bold humor. In 2025, she’s been touring nationally with her critically-acclaimed one-woman dramatic solo show, CROSSROADS — a gripping, emotionally honest theatrical journey about her experience growing up in the foster care system. Through powerful storytelling and unflinching vulnerability, the show explores identity, survival, and what it means to reclaim your narrative. Best known for her sharp wit and fearless presence, Renée first made her mark in stand-up comedy and continues to bring her signature mix of social commentary and edgy charm to comedy stages nationwide. Whether she’s bringing audiences to tears with deeply human storytelling or tears of laughter with a perfectly timed punchline, Renée is committed to using her voice — and her full artistic range — to spark connection, healing, and hilarity. Visit her website here [https://reneesantos.com]. See bonusbabies.org [https://www.bonusbabiespodcast.org] to learn more about what we are doing and please donate to support us by making a 100% tax-deductible contribution. EVERY PENNY OF YOUR CONTRIBUTION GOES TO RECORDING AND PLATFORMING THESE STORIES. Yeah! IG@bonusbabiespodcast TW@BonusBabiesPod FB@BonusBabiesPodcast