Katie Biron, Family Connections Program Manager at Amara, has just been named a 2022 Unsung Hero by the Washington State Department of Children, Youth, and Families. She was nominated by her colleagues in the child welfare field, a coworker and Amara leadership. As part of Washington’s annual celebration of Unsung Heroes in February, Seattle’s Child Magazine is featuring the nomination narratives for each hero.
“We nominate Katie Biron to be a DCYF Unsung Hero because she is a phenomenal parent, foster parent and adoptive parent to four children, and she has worked tirelessly for years to build community among parents and caregivers, both in her personal and professional life. Katie’s work embodies all the Strengthening Families Protective Factors, and she helps other families build their strengths too.
Katie is a former pediatric nurse and has worked in the hematology/oncology unit at Seattle Children’s. Her passion for healing transcends the medical community and now drives her commitment to families experiencing the child welfare system. She is an advocate for these families and is passionate about driving systems change.
Katie not only identifies problems and solutions, she works with impacted communities to put solutions into practice. She is the creator of Fostering Connections for Families, a small business that provides family coaching services to help families navigate post-adoption relationships. She also is the creator and Program Manager of Amara’s Family Connections Program, which focuses on helping parents and caregivers build relationships centered on the well-being of children.
Katie participates with and activates communities to accomplish family-centered goals. As an active member of the Keeping Families Together Coalition and the Child Welfare Advocacy Coalition, and others, she works to create and drive legislative policies that benefit all children and families. Since 2018 she has been a 1624 representative for DCYF, and has also been a facilitator of Amara’s Strong, Tough and Resilient (STAR) Adoptive parent supports groups. Additionally, she has trained other STAR facilitators, helping more groups of adoptive parents find and build supportive communities.
Katie does all this and more while modeling humility, compassion, and a willingness to be vulnerable. By sharing her own growth and understanding as a foster and adoptive parent, she makes it possible for others to see in themselves the capacity to put aside their fears and connect.”