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Our Staff and Board of Directors consist of adoptive parents, social workers, bi-lingual professionals and those involved in a wide variety of community and child-related professions.

It is our pledge to you to answer all questions openly and honestly and provide you with the most up-to-date information about the adoption process at any given time.  Our goal is to ease your fears and be by your side so that you may enjoy all the wonderful steps along the way of your adoption journey.

Staff

Mary Eikenberry, Post-Adoption Supervisor.

Mary is an adoptive mother from China and has experienced completing the adoption process through Gift of Love. She brings her personal knowledge of the process to the staff part-time and assists with the China and other Asian programs.  Mary coordinates the post adoption report process to the foreign countries for each family in addition to guiding families through obtaining their children’s’ new birth certificates and completing the re-finalization and naturalization processes, if necessary.  Mary is a full-time Realtor and is involved with Families with Children from China.  Mary and her husband, Howard (the Board of Directors President), have 2 daughters adopted from China, ages 15 and 9.

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Beth Schoeppner, Interim Agency Administrator. 

Beth has worked with Gift of Love since January 2004.  After receiving her degree in Family and Child Services in May 2004 she accepted a full time position as Adoption Associate.  Beth was promoted to Adoption Program Manager in May 2005 and currently works with families in all programs.  In addition, Beth also completes home studies and post-adoption reports for Gift of Love families residing in Iowa.  Beth is motivated by her love and compassion for children.  Beth traveled to Vietnam in January 2007 to escort the second family since re-licensure through the adoption experience, first-hand,  the in-country process to be better able to assist with traveling families in all program countries.  Beth’s family includes her parents from Templeton, IA and a sister and brother-in-law who live in Ankeny, Iowa with her three-year-old nephew.

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Deanne Bauserman, MSW, Social Work Supervisor.

As a Social Worker, Deanne has always been directly involved in helping children. She has worked for Gift of Love since 1996. Her desire is to bring children and families together through an adoption process that is both professional and personal. She has tremendous knowledge of both the social work aspect of the adoption process as well as the programs and the requirements of each of the foreign countries. Deanne brings a warmth and compassion to the entire process that enables each client to receive very personal contact through out the entire adoption journey and after you return home with your children.  She and her husband Scott have three girls, in middle school, high school and college.

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Dave Nielsen, Agency Accountant. 

Dave is married to Gail and has 2 grown daughters.  He brings a wealth of knowledge of accounting and tax issues from his 20+ years as a Federal Bank Examiner.  Dave’s wife traveled to China on an adoption trip in 1998 with her sister-in-law who was adopting through Gift of Love.   They now have 2 nieces who were adopted from China.  Dave traveled to Vietnam in November 2005 with his youngest daughter, prior to the re-licensure in July 2006; he had the chance to meet with the new office staff and travel to Hoa Binh to meet the Social Protection Center staff, and interact with the children there. 

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Howard Eikenberry, President.

Howard and his wife Mary are the adoptive parents from China, (through Gift of Love). Howard is an assistant Hospital Administrator in Boone, Iowa. He joined the Board of Directors in 2000. He brings with him the experience of having made an adoption trip to China and his professional experience as leader, initiating many projects and changes in the agency to improve our services and to better the process for our families and children.  Howard is past president of the Parish Council at St. Mary of Nazareth Church in Des Moines.

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Jim Jones, Secretary. 

Jim joined the Board of Directors in 1999.  He is the youngest of five children from an Iowa farm family.  In 1980, Jim received a B.A. in Pastoral Ministries.  Jim and his wife, Marla, have two adopted children.  Their first child is a boy from South Korea and their second is a girl from Iowa, adopted while in foster care in their home.

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James Grant, Treasurer.   

Jim and his wife Christin have four children including two girls adopted from China, (through Gift of Love).  He joined the Board of Directors in 2005.  Jim received his Masters of Business Administration from Drake University in 2004 and is a Senior Financial Accounting Leader at the Principal Financial Group.  He enjoys coaching soccer and baseball as well as spending time with his family.  Jim is very passionate about adoption and volunteering to help orphans.

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Marla Jones, Member.

Marla joined the Board of Directors in 1999. She was adopted as a newborn into a loving family in Billings, Montana. Her younger brother was also adopted. She is a proud and happy mother of two children, both adopted. Jim is her husband. Marla has a B.A. in Sacred Music and has also trained in the health profession as a Certified Medical assistant. She enjoys being part of an organization that helps unite children with loving families.

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Gregg Narber, Member.

Gregg received his MA, JD from Washington University and practiced law for 30 years in military and corporate in-house counsel. Gregg has traveled extensively and lived overseas, most recently in Brazil. Gregg is now retired, is pursing a PhD in History at the University of Iowa, and is a graduate instructor for three grad-level courses. Gregg recently graduated with his Doctorate Degree in History and accepted a professorship at a university in Iowa.  Gregg and his wife have two daughters adopted through Gift of Love from Russia.

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In Memoriam: Calvin (Cal) M. Baker, (October 15, 1952 to January 16, 2004) Vice-President from 2000-2004. Cal adopted his daughter Claire from China through Gift of Love in May 1998. Cal worked for both Principal Financial Group in Des Moines, Iowa and Iowa State University in Ames, Iowa. He was active in many aspects of the agency and Board.  He brought his experience as an adoptive parent to his volunteer position on the Board by supporting Gift of Love and the adoption community as a whole.  Cal will be missed by his family, friends, his China travel group, fellow Board Members and staff, and will always be remembered for how he touched our lives and helped to build his and other families through adoption.