MEDIA ADVISORY – DECEMBER 4, 2014 

For more information contact Allison Coble at allison@ccainstitute.org or 202-544-8500

CONGRESSIONAL COALITION ON ADOPTION INSTITUTE NAMES NEW EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

 Becky Weichhand will lead the organization effective immediately

WASHINGTON, DC, Dec. 4, 2014 – The Board of Directors of the Congressional Coalition on Adoption Institute (CCAI) announced after meeting today that they have promoted Becky Weichhand to the position of Executive Director.

“We are very excited that Becky will take over the reins at CCAI. Her experience with the organization’s programs as the Director of Policy, coupled with her personal passion and commitment to our mission of placing children in families, are an asset to CCAI as the organization continues to grow,” said Jack Gerard, CCAI Board Chairman and President and CEO of the American Petroleum Institute. “The Board is thrilled to have her at the helm of the organization moving forward.”

Prior to this role, Becky served since 2009 as CCAI’s Director of Policy, leading the organization in its congressional engagement and advocacy efforts surrounding adoption and permanency for children. She coordinated congressional delegations to Los Angeles, Columbus, the United Kingdom, Ethiopia, Guatemala, Cambodia, Vietnam, South Korea and Haiti and managed The Way Forward Project which focused on the need for family-based care of children in six African nations. She carries expertise in both domestic and global child welfare policy into her role as Executive Director. Becky holds a JD from Regent University and is a licensed attorney in the Commonwealth of Virginia.

 “What a tremendous honor to be handed the torch. I am deeply committed to our mission of raising awareness of the millions of children around the world who are living outside of families,” Becky said. “I look forward to leading the organization and continuing our commitment to bring to our nation’s leaders the voices of children and young people who do not yet know the love and support of a forever family.”

 For thirteen years, CCAI has been an established resource for the bipartisan, bicameral Congressional Coalition on Adoption, the United States Congress’ caucus on adoption and permanency for children. CCAI works to provide federal policymakers with the information and resources needed to make the dream of a family a reality for every child through its core programs, including Angels in Adoption, the Foster Youth Internship and 20/20 Vision Delegations.

 CCAI is governed by a Board of Directors whose members include Jack Gerard of the American Petroleum Institute, Elmer Doty of Accudyne, Tracy Schar of Comstock Homebuilding, Mayor Laura Wheat of Westlake, Texas,  Russ Sullivan of McquireWoods Consulting, and Brad and Tandy Bondi of Cadwalader, Wickersham and Taft LLP and Alcade and Fay LLP, respectively.

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The Congressional Coalition on Adoption Institute is a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization dedicated to raising awareness about the millions of children around the world in need of permanent, safe, and loving homes and to eliminating the barriers that hinder these children from realizing their basic right of a family.

 For more information or to learn more about the work of the Congressional Coalition on Adoption Institute, visit www.ccainstitute.org or contact Allison Coble at allison@ccainstitute.org or 202.544.8500.