Heather Hussong, LBSW
How many of you have attended an event/training session/program and thought “gee, I sure would like to do that”? Heather Hussong did.While working as a hospital social worker, Heather attended one of Hope Cottage’s Understanding Infant Adoption Training events and was intrigued by the presenter’s ability to provide education on the adoption process. Infant Adoption Awareness Training was the golden opportunity for Heather to combine her skills as a social worker, former adoption caseworker and a certified teacher. She reached out to Hope Cottage and started working part time in the education department. In February 2011, Heather came on staff full time as the Training and Marketing Coordinator and she is busy, busy, busy.
Heather oversees our Teen and Professional Educational programs which include Infant Adoption Awareness Training, Adoption 101, TMAP (Teen Mentoring and Prevention) and ABCs of Adoption. Along with marketing of these educational programs, Heather also is responsible for outreach to area hospitals and other social service agencies. During the past twelve months, Heather and her staff have trained 3,459 teens, social service providers and health care professionals through Hope Cottage Education programs.
In her spare time, Heather likes to run. She ran her first half marathon in 2011 and is training for a second marathon, scheduled for early 2012. She also is a Brownie Troop Leader and loves “Red Dirt” music. You can find Heather at her “happy place” near the water with her family and Stoney Larue or Josh Abbott Band on the radio. At her last job, Heather was voted “Most Inquisitive” by her co-workers. She says “I decided that was their way of telling me I ask too many questions.”
Hope Cottage is the oldest nonprofit, non sectarian adoption agency in Dallas. Since 1918 Hope Cottage has been building and nurturing strong families through counseling, education and adoption services.
If you have questions about adoption, please call Hope Cottage at 214.526.8721.
If you are a woman facing an unplanned pregnancy and would like to talk to someone about adoption, please call Hope Cottage at 1.800.944.4464 or 214.404.4546.
