In May of 2024, Lisa Dominguez became the new CEO of Paths for Families (formerly Adoptions Together and FamilyWorks Together), the leading adoption and family well-being organization in the DMV! Since then, Lisa has continued to build upon her extensive 25+ year career dedicated to serving children and families, seamlessly carrying forward Paths for Families’ mission. Her leadership, rooted in years of experience within the adoption, foster care, and kinship community, has poised the organization to continue expanding its impact and support of every child, every family, every step of the way.
Want to learn more about Lisa, Paths for Families, and the important work they’re doing in our community? Read more below!
What initially drew you to Paths for Families?
I’ve always been drawn to the organization’s mission to offer holistic support to children and families in the adoption, foster care, and kinship community as well as our commitment to ethical adoption practice and inclusivity, especially as a pioneer in welcoming LGBTQ+ families who are interested in adopting.
How does Paths for Families support children and families?
Paths for Families is an adoption and family well-being organization that builds and sustains families and advocates for best practices in the community. Our services are vast, and include:
· All options counseling and education to expectant parents facing an unintended pregnancy.
· Counseling and support to children and families before, during, and after their adoption or reunification journey.
· Finding permanency for children of all ages, from birth to older youth in foster care.
· Recruiting, screening, educating, and preparing families to adopt children recently born and those currently in the public child welfare system.
· Offering counseling, education, and support services to keep families strong and ensure that families thrive.
· Providing specialized training and organizational transformation to support and create trauma-responsive workplaces and resilience building communities.
· Advocating for continued improvements in child welfare and ethical adoption practices, and supporting programs that prioritize family well-being.
What about Paths for Families’ team culture sticks out to you most?
I continue to be struck by how authentically our team cares about the clients whom we serve and about the work we do. Our team is deeply committed to one another as well, ensuring we take care of ourselves along the way.
Is there a personal story or experience that drives your passion for helping children and families?
I’ve had many people over the years say to me: “I don’t know how you can do what you do!” My answer has always been that the work is hard, but I have the privilege and honor of helping children and families heal. Most of my career has involved providing therapy to children and families impacted by trauma. I see kids get better and families grow stronger. Supporting children and families has always been my passion and knowing the impact of my work and the work of my colleagues lasts well beyond our last session/meeting/phone call continues to drive all that I do.
How will Paths for Families translate its commitments into impactful actions and focused priorities as we look to the year ahead?
Paths for Families’ commitments for 2025 include:
Supporting the LGBTQ+ community by remaining an organization that welcomes all who hope to grow their family through adoption, and works to ensure that LGBTQ+ youth, who are overrepresented in foster care, have access to the supports and services they need and deserve.
· Advocating both locally and nationally for ethical adoption practices that honor the choices and needs of expectant parents and birth parents, prioritize the well-being of those who have been adopted, and provide specialized therapeutic support to foster, adoptive, and kinship families.
· Exploring ways to build and enhance programs and services that prioritize family well-being, helping children to be raised in their first families whenever possible, and cultivating a more trauma-responsive and resilience building community.
· Engaging community stakeholders and those with lived experience as we co-create our next strategic plan.
· Working to create a workplace culture where all feel valued, heard, and respected.
Links:
- Visit Paths for Families’ Website
- Connect with Lisa Dominguez on LinkedIn
- Follow Paths for Families on Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn
About Paths for Families
Paths for Families is a nonprofit adoption and family well-being organization that builds and supports healthy lifelong connections for every child and advocates for continuous improvement of the systems that strengthen families. With an ethical and nurturing approach centered on human dignity, we offer trauma-informed, trauma-responsive training, counseling, and placement services. To reduce disparities and lift oppressive structures, we are guided by principles of inclusion, diversity, equity, access and social justice in all that we do. We strive to treat everyone with understanding, kindness, and respect as we work towards a world where every child will grow and thrive within a caring, supportive family and community.
