About Northwest Adoption Exchange

Since 1976, Northwest Adoption Exchange has connected youth in foster care with their potential adoptive families. We bring a fierce optimism and a strength-based approach to adoption recruitment while providing the opportunity to empower, engage, and involve these kids in helping find their adoptive families. We maintain high standards and believe in the importance of respecting the safety, privacy, and dignity of youth in foster care.

In addition to operating the public Northwest Adoption Exchange, we also provide state specific adoption recruitment services for public child welfare agencies.

To learn more about those services, families with a completed adoption home study and social workers in Washington and Oregon can visit our Washington and Oregon specific sites, the Washington Adoption Resource Exchange and the Oregon Adoption Resource Exchange.

Northwest Adoption Exchange is a program of Northwest Resource Associates.

Our Staff

Tyler Helbach (he/him), M.P.A., Director

Brandon Adams (he/him), In-Depth Profiles Project Manager

Nick Baumgartner (he/him), Youth Engagement Specialist

Thea Carter (she/her), Information and Support Specialist

Naomi Kolb-Untinen (they/them), Youth Engagement Specialist

Jessica Tholmer (she/her), Northwest Adoption Exchange Program Manager

Lori Woodbury (she/her), WARE Program Assistant