AAAA's staff is committed to serving and supporting adoptive and foster parents.  The motivating force behind our staff's work is the satisfaction of uniting children with loving, safe and permanent families.

You can reach any member of AAAA's staff by calling 651.659.0460 or toll-free 888.840.4084.  For general inquiries about AAAA, adoption or foster care, contact us.

Marquita Stephens
President & CEO
stephens@afadopt.org
As the executive director of AAAA, Stephens oversees fundraising, manages agency expansion and works to build successful recruitment, Waiting Child adoption, private adoption, foster care and support services.

Stephens has been a community builder for more than 25 years.  Before joining AAAA, she served as a director of the Heart of America United Way in Kansas City, Mo. and for the United Way of Allegheny County.

Stephens holds a master's of public administration degree from the University of Pittsburgh and a bachelor's of arts degree in urban and environmental studies from Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland.  She currently serves on the board of directors for the Our Children Our Future organization and is an advisory board member for the Metro State University School for Social Work, St. Paul, Minn.  She is also active in School District 833.

Renita Wilson, MSW, LGSW
Program Director
rwilson@afadopt.org
Wilson manages AAAA's social work practice.  She oversees adoption and foster care resource workers as well as manages the agency's private adoption practice.  Wilson holds a master's degree of social work and a bachelor's degree from the University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minn.

In 2003 Wilson was promoted to the position of program director.  Prior to becoming the program director, Wilson worked for two years as an adoption resource worker.  Before joining the AAA team, Wilson began her experience in social work with the Amherst Wilder Foundation in St. Paul, Minn.  In addition to working with the children and families served by Wilder's residential facility and Child Guidance Clinic, Wilson participated in collaborative projects with Merck Community Services and Ramsey County Child Protection.

Resource Workers
AAAA adoption and foster care resource workers interview, qualify, train and support families.  These individuals manage day-to-day contact with as many as 20 families and supervise post-adoptive support for many more.  Each is specially trained to match children with permanent families.

Tara Marshall
tmarshall@afadopt.org
Marshall has over 13 years of human service experience.  Prior to accepting the position as Adoption Resource Worker, Marshall was a cultural diversity trainer and advocate with the South Washington County School District.  Her most impressive accomplishments were made over the four years she was employed at Thad Wilderson and Associates, a rule 20 mental health clinic located on University Avenue in St. Paul.  Marshall provided Multi-Systemic Therapy and crisis intervention to families whose children were involved in the juvenile justice system.  During her employment with Thad Wilderson, Marshall developed and facilitated a pilot youth group to help teens build character, community and success. 

Being an adoptee herself, Marshall feels that her position with the African American Adoption Agency has brought her full circle.  She holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Psychology with an emphasis in Social Work from the University of Wisconsin, Eau Claire.

Shanaya Walker
swalker@afadopt.org
Walker has 8 years experience in human services. She previously worked for Ramsey County Department of Public Health with the Teen Parent Home Visiting program prior to accepting the Foster Care Social Worker position at the African American Adoption Agency. Walker worked as a Health Education Program Assistant and as a part of a multi-disciplinary team working with teens that were pregnant or parenting. She provided parenting education, home safety, and car seat training, and advocacy for program participants. She also co-facilitated the weekly group and program overview meetings. Walker created a college preparation group to aid program participants that were high school seniors in accessing resources to assist them in reaching their post secondary goals.

Walker holds a Bachelors of Science degree in Social Work from the college of St. Catherine's.

Administrative  Support

Candace Harpole
charpole@afadopt.org
Harpole is AAAA's executive assistant.  She has fourteen years of administrative experience.

Kenya Day
kday@afadopt.org
Day is AAAA's program assistant.  She has thirteen years of administrative experience.