Journey To Me is a group of volunteers that have a passion for adopted children. Our non profit organization, 501(c)3 provides educational resources to help adoptive children and their families.

Journey To Me is founded on the belief that every child deserves a family - and that at the heart of helping the child thrive is the need to support the family when they are preparing for adoption and, equally important, when they arrive home.

Journey To Me has no paid associates and all donation money goes to help adoptive families.

Meet Our Board Members

Bren Wolfe - Founder, President of Board
While Bren and her husband, Tim, were in process to adopt their daughter, Zoe, their hearts were opened to the children waiting for families. So Bren left her career of 18 successful years in telecommunication sales to help spread the word of adoption by co-founding JourneyToMe.com.
 

Bren’s experience at Zoe’s orphanage and her personal experiences in working through Zoe’s trauma led Bren to make a much bigger difference. Bren declined to resume her career and dedicated her time to transform Journey to Me to a non- profit entity offering free resources for all adoptive families.

Bren lives in Denver, Colorado with her husband and their two children, Troy and Zoe.

Gary Clark - Secretary
Gary and his wife, Jennifer, were one of the first families to use JourneyToMe.com to share the experiences of adoption with extended family and friends during their first trip to China in 2004. After repeating the magical journey in 2007, Gary joined JourneyToMe passionate about assisting other adoptees and families with their own journey.

Gary developed his passion while attending the University of Notre Dame followed by experiences abroad as a Naval Officer. He and Jen live in Texas with their two adopted daughters, Josephine and Victoria.

Helen Dickens - Treasurer

Jane Gommermann - Director
Jane Gommermann and her husband, Rich, adopted twin daughters from Hubei, China in 2005. She spent 23 successful years in the telecommunications industry. Jane also used her talents as a semi-professional clown to positively impact the lives of children and put smiles on their faces. As “Taffy, Jane volunteered for Children’s Hospital in Seattle and performed for numerous other non-profit organizations in the Pacific Northwest. She strongly believes that one person can make a significant difference in a child’s life. Jane worked with the fledgling “Journey To Me” and has never lost her desire to positively impact the lives of children. She lives in Denver, Colorado with her husband and daughters and enjoys golfing and skiing.

Armen Khadiwala - Director
Armen Khadiwala is a Field Director and a Financial Adviser with the Northwestern Mutual Financial Network in downtown Denver, where he has been since 1999. Armen grew up in Littleton and is a graduate of the University of Colorado at Boulder. He recently married his beautiful wife, Jameela, in September of 2007. Armen and Jameela currently reside in Denver and have been active in the philanthropic community with several organizations.

Journey To Me was an idea that Bren Wolfe shared with Armen several years ago and he has seen it grow from its infancy to overwhelming success in connecting so many adopting parents. Armen is excited to join Journey To Me as he believes it is a unique and important gateway for those that have adopted or are interested in adopting the ability to educate and communicate and ultimately make the best possible home for adopted children.

Erin Sakryd - Director
Erin Sakryd and her husband Gary adopted their daughter Hanna from China in May of 2007. Erin holds a Masters Degree in Special Education from the University of Colorado, Denver. She has worked in the field of education in both public and private schools for over ten years. Currently, Erin is an Early Intervention Transition Specialist, for the Douglas County School District, providing ongoing special education services to 4 and 5 year old students beginning kindergarten. Erin and her family are a Journey to Me family, using the on-line journal to document their adoption and share their experience with friends and family. They continue to be active in the adoption community and advocate for orphans around the world. Erin and Gary live in Parker, CO with their daughters Hailey and Hanna.

Brad Podhajsky - Director
Brad and his wife, Becky, expanded their family through adoption when Lauren joined big brothers Austin and Grant in 2004 from China. Since then, Brad and Becky have experienced the wonderful joys and unique struggles of adoptive families. Their experiences led them to start an adoption ministry at their church to help support other adoptive families. Brad joins Journey To Me with that same passion to support families on their adoption journey.

Brad and Becky live in Parker, CO where Brad owns a real estate investment company. Brad enjoys competing in triathlons, fishing, and skiing with his kids.

Educational E-Book Committee

Heather Forbes
Heather Forbes, LCSW, is the co-founder of the Beyond Consequences Institute, LLC. Ms. Forbes has been training in the field of attachment and trauma with nationally recognized, first-generation attachment therapists since 1999. She has been active in the field of adoption with experience ranging from pre-adoption to post-adoption work, including domestic and international adoptions. Ms. Forbes is a published author and presents workshops both nationally and throughout the State of Florida. Much of her experience and insight on understanding trauma, disruptive behaviors, and adoption related issues has come from her direct mothering experience of her two adopted children. She has a passion for helping families to find the peace in their homes that they deserve. More information can be found on Ms. Forbes at: www.HeatherForbesFL.com

Janelle Althen
Janelle Althen is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker who has been practicing marriage and family therapy for 14 years and social work with internationally adopting families for 12 years. In her work as clinical director of Red Thread Counseling Center and in her private practice, she specializes in attachment, trauma, family dynamics and couples therapy. She consults and trains with agencies, families, and schools. Janelle has three children, one who was adopted from China.

Rachel Yarbrough
Rachel Yarbrough has a Masters in Social Work from the University of Denver. She is the Adoptive Families Program Coordinator at The Adoption Exchange, which is a post-adoption services program that provides resource and referral services, training assistance and adoptive family mini-grants for families who have adopted outside of the child welfare system. Prior to working for The Adoption Exchange, she was a contract research assistant in child welfare policy for the National Conference of State Legislators. She is the mother of 4 year old twin boys.

Tina Meerschaert
Tina Meerschaert is an adoptive mother of two beautiful girls; both of whom she and her husband adopted from China . Tina’s passion is in helping children and their families. Along with raising her two children, she volunteers her time to helping children and families. Throughout the years, she has worked with inner-city youth and their families with schoolwork and emotional support; volunteered in equine assisted therapy and rehabilitation for children and adults with physical, mental, emotional and learning disabilities and co-managed the children’s ministry at church. In addition, Tina is involved with her adoption agency, Chinese Children Adoption International (CCAI). As a volunteer for CCAI she has coordinated a Midwest Reunion, coordinated an Attachment Parenting Workshop, is a member of CCAI’s Mentoring Program and speaks to families who have recently returned home with their children

Judy Winger
Judy Winger, MSW, is a social worker who has been working in the world of adoption since 1988, both domestically and internationally. She was the director of a domestic adoption agency for 16 years and has worked with families adopting from China since 1995. She currently works as a social worker and parent trainer for Chinese Children Adoption International. She has three children, one of whom she and her husband adopted from China in July 2007!