Being offered this position is an honor of a lifetime.  I am humbled that the Board of Directors would ask me to serve as the next leader of the Coalition, an organization that I have been a part of for more than 30 years. This truly is a dream come true.    I look forward to working with the Board of Directors and the Advisory Committee and leading the staff to fulfill the idea that “Family IS the Most Important Thing”; working together to make sure that every adoptive, foster, guardian, and kinship family knows that the Coalition will be there for them during their life challenges. 

Pat O’Brien

Pat O’Brien has been named Executive Director of the Adoptive and Foster Family Coalition (the “Coalition”), effective December 1, 2019. 

Pat received his master’s degree from Columbia University School of Social Work.  He has extensive experience in the field of foster care and adoption, having started a nationally-known agency, You Gotta Believe, as well as working as a Wendy’s Wonderful Kids Recruiter for the State of Connecticut and serving as an AGAPE lead director for the Coalition’s Long Island post adoption service program.  Pat also served as a consultant on the federally-funded Quality Improvement Center on Adoption and Guardian Support and Preservation post-adoption services grant and is a member of the North American Council on Adoptable Children Board of Directors. 

We met a number of terrific candidates but Pat stood out for his depth of knowledge and proven experience in child welfare, as well as his experience with non-profits.  Pat understands what needs to be done to support parents so that children have families.  We are thrilled to have him as our Executive Director. 

Susanna Furfaro and Jennifer Davis, Search Committee Co-chairs