Meet the Staff

When people ask us, " What makes your agency different than all the other agencies in the phone book?" ,the answer is simple:

"Been there, done that."

Our dedicated staff always conducts themselves in a very business-like manner...well, almost always.    We take our responsibilities seriously and understand fully that our services must be handled in a sensitive and loving manner.  On the other hand, we are " real" people who know how to laugh and have fun.  We are a family that takes the time to cry...and to laugh...with each other.  Each of us bring different attributes to our " family" and we are better for it.

The majority of our staff have been personally touched by adoption....as adoptive parents and/or as biological families who have participated in adoption planning for their child or grandchild.  We are very proud of our staff and their commitment to providing a complete line of services in the way that does not demean nor judge those persons choosing adoption to add to their family or those persons choosing adoption as a way to secure their child's future.  Although our staff are qualified (educationally) to provide these services, we feel that the true value is in their life experiences and how they can relate to the persons that seek services through our agency.  Take a minute to stroll through this section and meet our staff.  Then, if you decide to contact us about services, you will know who you are talking to...and feel less intimidated in the process.  

Jan Deets, Family Services Director/Administrator

Jan came to work for AIM in 1986 as the  adoptive mother of three children, Jeremy, Alana, and Jennifer.  She had a love for families stunted by infertility who sought to build their families through adoption. Jan spent many years developing the Family Services Department program.  Her goal has always been to meet adoptive families where they are at and to help them move toward a feeling of comfort in their choices, to educate them about  the adoption process, and to be there as a source of support and love when it is needed.  Along the way, Jan added Wade and Westin (twins) and Joni to their family.  Jan and her husband Alan are a strong Christian couple who have built their family through adoption.  Except for Alana, their children came to them through "special needs adoptions" specially needing the Deets family.  The family enjoys watching movies together, attending performances of local and national artists, and swimming in the backyard. 

Ron Landry, OPERATIONS DIRECTOR

 Ron is the father of 15 (see Anne Landry, below) and has been actively involved in the adoption field for 26 years...he and his family serving as foster parents for newborns and for teenage expectant mothers.  Later, the Landry's provided a shepherding home for adult mothers planning adoption...hosting approximately 100 mothers over the past 20 years.  Ron is often considered an authority on legal issues surrounding termination of parental rights and diligent searches for absent parents.  He especially enjoys his work with biological fathers.

Malinda Miller, MATERNITY SERVICES DIRECTOR/ACCOUNTING ADMINISTRATOR

Malinda has worked with AIM since the birth of her second child (19 years ago) when she volunteered during her maternity leave from another job. When it came time to “go back to work” Malinda asked to be considered for any position that came available because she didn’t want to work for a paycheck any longer…she wanted to make a difference. Malinda comes with a background in accounting but soon found a love for working with birth mothers. We all smile when she walks into the office from meeting a new client…we know what’s coming next: “I just met so-and-so and she is soooooooooo sweet.

Denise Sowders, FAMILY SERVICES COORDINATOR

Adoption is responsible for the happiness you see on her face! The mother of four children through transracial adoption, twins foreign born and two little balls of dynamite from Texas, Denise had no trouble deciding on her career objective when she decided to finish her degree. As part of her social work studies, she was required to do some in-service work with an agency…lucky us! She loved it…we loved her and everything else is history. Denise worked for several years in the maternity department with young women planning adoption for their children but for the past two years she has been loving adoptive parents as our Family Services Coordinator. She might be the most important staff person, she is responsible for keeping Jan sane. So far…so good. Denise is currently working on her Masters degree.

Toby Coggins, Residential Coordinator from Service Provider

Almost 30 years ago, a teenaged Toby found herself in a position to plan for her unborn daughter. Choosing adoption, she never thought that 20 years later her daughter would invite Toby into her life and that the Lord would use this time in her life to prepare her for a career in the adoption field. Toby provides transportation for young women to services, sets up apartments, does purchasing for office/apartment supplies, and is a labor and delivery coach... oh, and shares grandparenting joys with Jan and Alan (Alana's parents).

Anne Landry, WEBSITE LIASON

Anne began her involvement with AIM in 1984 when she became the proud parent of the first AIM baby. She worked very closely with our founder to develop the Maternity Services Department where she served as director for 22 years. Semi-retired, Anne currently writes our newsletters, coordinates with the webmaster to develop and maintain the website, and works with the development of the AIM board of directors. She is the mother of 15 children, 12 through adoption of special needs. Two of her grandchildren have received loving Christian parents because her daughters chose a plan of adoption.

Soon after joining our staff, Jan enlisted her husband Alan to become a speciality counselor working with clients to help them communicate with the children they are parenting...seeking to help the children understand their mother's plan for the unborn child without threatening the make-up of the established family.  He has also conducted group counseling sessions and monitored and approved all foster care and adoptive placements.  Alan works part time for AIM . Alan also teaches at a local college. Currently, Alan is developing the after-placement support group for birth parents…simply called RAP.

Maggie Castillo, HISPANIC SUPPORT COORDINATOR

With a background in education and being raised to embrace and appreciate her Mexican heritage, Maggie enjoys using varied experiences with different Hispanic cultures to help our Spanish-speaking

clients obtain the services they need and to work through adoption  with a thorough understanding of the process.  Maggie's smile is genuine...you can even hear it in her voice.

Dee Harris, Retired

When Dee applied for a position with AIM, she said that her motivation for working with an adoption agency was that she began parenting at a young age without being offered any other alternative for herself or her child’s future. She said that she wanted to be a positive support for young women who were planning an adoption for their child. We are here to testify that she did just that in the 22 years that she worked with us. In 2009, Dee retired to Florida to live near her two daughters.  

Melody Allington – ACCOUNTING/ADMINISTRATIVE SUPPORT

Before children, Melody worked with AIM providing support to birth mothers.  Taking a few years to get a good hold on parenting, Melody returned to us to provide support to …. Malinda!  Melody is Malinda’s right-hand woman and sometimes she throws in her arm up to the shoulder when the rest of the staff need her help with anything from taking a birth mother to the grocery store to gathering taxable items and food from the pantries.  At the same time, she is responsible for paying the bills, balancing the checkbook, and seeing to it that we bring her all of the receipts.