2020 All-In Youth Engagement Team

Ryan Young 4 years in Foster Care He/him/his Ryan Young resides in Phoenix, AZ, has spent five years in Arizona’s foster care and extended foster care systems and was originally an orphan from the Ukraine. He is currently studying at Phoenix College to obtain his Associate’s Degree in Political Science... Read more

Aleks Talsky is a legal assistant at Michael Best & Friedrich. Aleks is a passionate child welfare advocate who serves on the advisory board for the National Association of Counsel for Children as well as the ACF- Youth Engagement Team for the Administration for Children and Families. I’m “ALL-IN” because... Read more

Alex Oleson is currently a member of the Youth Engagement Committee for the Administration for Children and Families (ACF) under Assistant Secretary Johnson and Associate Commissioner Milner. During this time, Alex will help inform the larger community on barriers to permanency under the “ALL-IN Foster Adoption Challenge”. Alex gains knowledge... Read more

Shimaine Quimbley spent time in Georgia foster care until she aged out at 21. Throughout Shimaine’s transition she has worked as a Regional Coordinator, an active member of Policy Council and Elevated Minds. Currently Shimaine is the Regional Impact Liaison for MAAC/GA EmpowerMEnt. Additionally, in 2017, she was given the... Read more

Trent Taylor is honored to be serving as a member of the Youth Engagement Team at the Administration of Children and Families. Trent experienced sexual abuse, extreme neglect, and domestic violence during the first half of his childhood. After he traveled a horrific journey through the Foster Care System that... Read more

Veronica is an enrolled member of the Hopi Tribe of Arizona and also has Jemez and Navajo heritage. Veronica spent several years in the New Mexico foster care system before being adopted at 10 years old, along with her younger sister. After graduating from Fort Lewis College with a Bachelor... Read more

Born and raised in New Jersey, Stephanie has always had a passion for creating change and giving back to her community. Currently enrolled at Rutgers University, Stephanie hopes to become a professional in the field of civil rights. Her passions include advocacy for youth in foster care, disability rights, accessibility... Read more

Recognized as an Outstanding Young Leader by Foster Club in 2019, Courtney has utilized her unique lived experience in Washington State’s foster care to make a positive impact on the system she and her sibling were forced to navigate. She has spent time in employment roles as a Case Manager... Read more

Brittney Lee experienced 17 foster homes in the span of 17 years of her childhood. Brittney’s current aspiration is to utilize her growth and knowledge gained from resilience, community involvement and employment opportunities with youth who have experienced foster care. She consistently involves herself in community conversations on child welfare... Read more

Melissa has dedicated her life and career to empowering foster youth. Years of instability growing up in foster care and bouncing from home to home sparked her passion to reform the child welfare system. After ‘aging out’ of the system, Melissa started collaborating with advocacy groups to empower and lift... Read more