Briannah is Adoption STAR’s MSW Intern for the 2024 – 2025 academic year. Briannah has a Bachelor of Arts Degree with a Major in Psychology and a Minor in Business from State University of New York College at Geneseo. She currently attends the MSW program at University at Buffalo. Briannah is excited to begin her career as a Social Worker and learn more about the field.

Briannah is from Sauquoit, New York but has moved to Darien, New York to continue her education in Social Work. Outside of work, Briannah enjoys crafting, sewing, antiquing, and spending time with family and friends.

Ilona is an Adoption Social Worker for Adoption STAR's A.O.K. Program. She has over a decade of experience working with both older children and families in the field of foster care adoption.

Ilona earned her BA in English, minoring in Women's Studies, from Nazareth College of Rochester. She believes that all children deserve the unconditional love and support that a forever family provides. Ilona loves helping to provide the education and support for families to be successful and happy in their adoption journeys.

Outside of work, Ilona enjoys spending time with her husband and two children. Her favorite things to do are homesteading, crafting, traveling and catching up with friends.

Isabela (Bella) is a Birth Parent Specialist within Adoption STAR's domestic infant program. Isabela works with expectant and birth parents, providing support along their exploration of options and adoption planning. Isabela’s role has an emphasis on pre and post-adoption support for expectant and birth parents. Isabela previously worked as an Adoption Specialist on the adoptive parent side of the infant program. 

Kathy has been affiliated with Adoption STAR since 2002. Throughout the years Kathy has served in the role of per diem social worker, post adoption support and served as the Director of Adoption. Kathy currently provides home study, post placement, and assessment services for the agency within the domestic infant and A-OK programs. In addition to her work with Adoption STAR, Kathy maintains a private practice office where she provides mental health services for clients. In her private practice, she focuses on general mental health concerns such as depression, anxiety, grief and loss, adoption related issues, LGBTQ+ individuals with a focus on adolescents who are managing issues related to gender identity and clients who are diagnosed with HIV/AIDS.

Kayla works for Adoption STAR writing home studies and providing post placement visits for families adopting through the Infant and A-OK program, in the NYC-Long Island area. Kayla received her MSW from University at Buffalo in 2015 and she was licensed in NYS the same year. During her time in Buffalo she volunteered at the front desk for Adoption STAR and at some of their annual events. Adoption STAR made a lasting impression with their positivity, focus on adoption education and inclusivity and she is excited to rejoin the Adoption STAR team! Kayla has a background in healthcare social work and working with children and families in school based settings. She moved back to Long Island not long after graduation and has a passion for helping and empowering families in her local community and is happy to bring that same enthusiasm to her work with Adoptive Families through Adoption STAR.  She loves baking, spending time with her family (Husband and two daughters) and their dog Chance, visiting the ocean, board games, trying different forms of art and laughing as much as possible!

Kelly Clifford is home study social worker who conducts home studies and post placement visits in the Western New York Area. She has a Master's Degree from the University of Buffalo, and is licensed as a clinical social worker by the State of New York.

Kelly is a skilled and experienced social worker, having worked in hospital care management, where she provided guidance and support to birth mothers, and to prospective parents, and as a legal advocate within the Family Court System. After many years of addressing a myriad of the psychosocial issues that impact the physical, mental, emotional, social and spiritual aspects of people's lives, she states that one of her job functions that has brought her much joy is adoption. Kelly is particularly passionate about the agency's A-OK program, helping children find their forever homes.

Outside of work, Kelly enjoys the company of her family and friends, as well traveling and exploring new places. Kelly also takes advantage of everything that Western New York has to offer, enjoying the lake, parks, live music, theater, and the galleries.

Marina is an Adoption Specialist within Adoption STAR’s Domestic Infant Program, working with prospective adoptive parents. Marina obtained her master’s in social work from the University at Buffalo, following the completion of her BA in Psychology and Adult Clinical Counseling from Canisius University.

Marina started with STAR as an intern during her graduate program doing work with the adoption specialists and is ecstatic to be working closely with them. During her time as an intern, Marina had never felt so fulfilled in a role, and is very excited to continue her work with the agency for years to come in a full-time capacity.

Outside of work, Marina enjoys walking around Buffalo with her two dogs, setting up her hammock in Delaware Park, and cozying up with a nice hot Chai Latte.

As A-OK Program Manager, Nicole is responsible for supervision of services within the A-OK program, including the interpretation and assessment of policies and the supervision of personnel assigned to the department. Nicole takes leadership in development and nourishing relationships with public agencies across the country, with whom A-OK contracts with to place youth into forever homes. Nicole shares the Family Advocate role with a team of compassionate, supportive professionals providing support to adoptive families of Adoption STAR from their first steps of the process and throughout their adoption journey.

Nicole received her bachelor’s degree in Psychology from the State University of New York at Fredonia. Nicole started her career in Foster Care and Adoption as a Resource Specialist with Child and Family Services before joining Adoption STAR in 2001 as a Family Advocate. She became the Supervisor of Family Services and worked with expectant parents and adoptive parents throughout the adoption process. Nicole and her family moved to Central PA and she transferred her role to a per diem worker for several years.

Rose Nantongo is a licensed social worker with over 30 years experience. Shortly after graduating from college, Rose began her first career as a foster care caseworker, and later became an adoption coordinator. She continued her education and received her masters in social work. Rose has held supervisory and managerial positions and from 2001 to 2006, she was the director of Direct Care Adoption.

During her child welfare experience, Rose has continuously worked with children who have special needs. Many of these children have emotional and behavioral problems due to trauma, abuse and neglect. Rose has focused much of her time in the field working with adoptive parents and children in the process of being adopted.

Since joining Adoption STAR, Rose been assigned home studies and post placement work. Rose enjoys working with children and adoptive parents and feels that her experience is valuable to the families she works with.

Samantha currently works as a Home Study Social Worker, serving the Rochester, NY area. In addition, she works at Mt. Hope Family Center as a Child and Family Therapist and Clinical Supervisor for interns. Samantha holds a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology from Ithaca College and a Doctorate in Counseling and School Psychology from the University at Buffalo. Samantha’s research and clinical experience thus far has focused primarily on trauma, parent-child attachment, and the child welfare system.

In her various personal and professional roles, Samantha always conducts herself from her core belief in the power and impact of healthy relationships. In her role at Adoption STAR, Samantha enjoys partnering and reflecting with families on their journey to expanding their family through adoption.

Teri provides pre and post adoption services, including home studies and post placement supervision.  Teri earned a Master’s degree in Education, as well as a Certificate of Advanced Study in School Counseling at The State University of New York College at Brockport.  Teri has worked as a School Counselor for many years.

Teri first became connected to Adoption STAR in 2003 when her daughter was born and placed with her.  She became a second time STAR Mom in 2008 with the birth of her second daughter.  Working at STAR feels like coming home to her.  Teri is thrilled to be able to assist others as they begin their own path to building or growing their families.

Teri lives in Brockport with her husband and blended family of 5 children, who have been slowly leaving the nest as they become young adults.  They also have the coolest cat in the world, Eleanor Roosevelt aka Nori, who plays fetch and greets them at the door like a dog.