Our Staff Lives Adoption

Coleen Globke

Executive Director/co-founder and Licensed Social Work Associate

Coleen Globke, has two adopted children.

The Globke’s first adoption plan was to pursue an international adoption because of fear about current adoption practices. After many disappointing experiences, they decided to take the chance for a closed adoption with a South Dakota agency. As the relationship progressed with the birth family, open adoption was the result. This experience has been very positive for the birth family as well as the adoptive family.

The second attempted adoption for the Globke family was also to be an open adoption. After developing a four month relationship with the birthmother, and the Globke’s parenting the baby for one week, the birthmother reclaimed the baby and decided to parent the baby herself. This was a very difficult and emotionally heartbreaking experience. The second adoption for the Globke family was semi-open adoption that has progressed into a comfortable open adoption. Both of the Globke children are biracial.

Barb Pearson-Cramer

Co-founder, Office Manager and Licensed Social Work Associate

Barb Pearson-Cramer has three adopted children and one biological child; she was adopted herself as an infant.

The Cramer’s first adoption was through an agency in South Dakota. This experience included a wonderful open adoption with the birth family. Following the first adoption experience, the Cramer family decided to utilize an out of state adoption agency. The second attempted adoption was unsuccessful due to a birthmother changing her mind because of lack of family support for her decision to place her child for adoption.

The next successful adoption was with a private, out of state adoption agency. This agency made the experience wonderful and easy. The birth mother was treated with dignity and respect, the adoptive family was treated with care and concern. This was to be a closed adoption per the birthmother’s request.

The Cramer's biological child was born between their second and third adoptions.

The Cramer’s third adoption was also with an out of state agency. This baby is a full sibling to their second child. The birth mother wanted the siblings to grow up together and now wished to have a semi-open adoption where she receives pictures and letters about her birth children and their family.

Through these out of state adoption experiences, the design and motivation for a similar South Dakota agency began.

Larissa Anderson

Social Work Supervisor

Larissa Anderson, has two biological children.

Anderson has two biological children with plans to adopt in the near future and has recently been in contact with her birth brother, whom her mom placed for adoption while in college.

Anderson had been exposed to adoption in her high school years as family friends had adopted transracially, which started her passion for adoption. Anderson was invited to travel out of state with the family while they went and brought their infant son home. She also had a friend in high school that had an unplanned pregnancy and was pursuing an adoption plan. This friend ended up parenting because of no support from her adoption agency. From there, Anderson knew that a career in adoption would be her dream. Adoption is one of Anderson's greatest passions. Anderson and her husband have two biological children, but have plans to adopt very soon.