The Adoption Exchange Association (AEA) announces:
Rachel Pratt
to newly created position of Chief Executive Officer

Barbara Holtan, former Executive Director, continues on in a leadership role as Project Director of AEA's largest initiative, The Collaboration to AdoptUsKids

New York, March 26, 2007
Rachel Pratt has been named to the newly-created position of Chief Executive Officer of the Adoption Exchange Association (AEA), a national not-for-profit membership organization committed to the adoption of waiting children.

According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, there are more than 500,000 children in foster care in the United States. Approximately 114,000 of those children will not be able to return to their parents and are waiting for families to adopt them. Adoption Exchanges across the country, in partnership with local social service departments, recruit, prepare, and match families to these waiting children.

As CEO for AEA, Ms. Pratt's challenge will be to better serve the organization's members so they can help more waiting children be adopted more quickly from foster care. Dr. Dixie van de Flier Davis, President of AEA and Executive Director of The Adoption Exchange, Inc., which is based in Denver, says of the selection of Rachel Pratt, "We are thrilled to have found a child welfare professional with a real commitment to adoption, and the skills and vision to bring AEA to the next level as a non-profit organization."

Rachel Pratt came to AEA from the New York City Administration for Children's Services (ACS), the public agency for foster care and adoptions in the five boroughs of New York City, where she most recently served as Assistant Commissioner for the Office of Case Management. Prior to joining case management, Ms. Pratt served as Director of ACS's Office of Parent Recruitment and Expedited Permanency, a department she created. Before moving to the public sector, Rachel Pratt was a consultant in non-profit management and worked in several non-profit organizations. She has taught Public Policy and Policy Analysis at the New York University and the New School for Social Research. Her publications include SpeedingAdoptions: An Evaluation of the Effects of Judicial Continuity (Social Work Research, 2002), and Retaining Interest: A Look at New York City's Recruitment of Adoptive Parents for Waiting Children (NYC ACS, 2003), both co-authored with Trudy Festinger, D.S.W. Rachel Pratt holds a BA in Communications from Temple University and an MS in Non-Profit Management from the New School for Social Research.

Founded in 1982, AEA promotes and supports interactive relationships among adoption exchanges to:

1) stimulate innovative solutions;
2) eliminate interjurisdictional barriers;
3) advocate;
4) educate; and
5) actively share information, resources and effective practices-all for the benefit of waiting children and families.

In 2002, AEA entered into a cooperative agreement with the Department of Health and Human Services' Children's Bureau to launch The Collaboration to AdoptUsKids in partnership with:

• Child Welfare League of America,

• University of Texas at Austin School of Social Work,

• Northwest Adoption Exchange,

• Holt International Children's Services, and the

• Adoption Exchange.

AEA's other initiatives include AdoptAir, which flies waiting children to meet families or participate in recruitment activities; publication of guidebooks for families and social workers that help eliminate adoption barriers; and bi-annual skills building and networking conferences for members and other professionals.

Ms. Pratt takes over from Barbara Holtan, who served as Executive Director of AEA from 2002 until February 2007. Under Barbara Holtan's leadership, AEA opened its first office, in Baltimore, MD, and simultaneously oversaw the launch of The Collaboration to AdoptUsKids. Ms. Holtan will continue in her role as Project Director of AdoptUsKids.

If you would like additional information about this topic or to schedule an interview, contact: Rachel Pratt, Chief Executive Officer, Adoption Exchange Association, (347) 623-7753 or rpratt@adoptea.org