Our Team

We are a team dedicated to building relationships. 
We walk with families and share in their real experiences with steadfast support over time.

Staff

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Kelly Raudenbush, MA

Executive Director 

Kelly Raudenbush, MA

Executive Director

Kelly founded The Sparrows along with her husband, Mark, in 2011. She spearheads our Child + Family Services for adopted and foster children and their families, along with Banks, our facility dog/canine cotherapist. Kelly has a particular interest in (a) partnering with parents to help children understand their stories in healing ways; (b) encouraging, equipping, and empowering parents to experience healing relationships as they navigate the effects of trauma; and (c) helping caregivers and teachers of vulnerable children best experience the power of relationship.

Kelly and Mark have been married since 1998 and have 3 biological children and 1 daughter who was adopted as a toddler from China in 2010. You can read more about Kelly's professional background on the Child + Family Services page. You can contact Kelly directly at

kellyraudenbush@thesparrows.place .
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Mark Raudenbush

Director of Operations

Mark Raudenbush

Director of Operations

Mark founded The Sparrows with Kelly in 2011, having been changed by the adoption of their youngest child and desiring to serve adoptive families. While he focuses much of his attention on nonprofit operations and relational leadership, Mark has a particular interest in pursuing transforming relationships with adoptive and foster parents eager to do the right thing for their families. Mark has been trained to encourage and equip parents to understand and implement Trust-Based Relational Intervention® and earned a certificate in nonprofit management from La Salle University. You can contact Mark directly at markraudenbush@thesparrows.place

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Karissa Forino

Child + Family Therapist 

Karissa Forino

Child + Family Therapist

Karissa came to The Sparrows with a decade of experience walking alongside parents and caregivers in settings adjacent to the adoption and foster care communities. Beginning her practice in Philadelphia, her clinical experience strengthening relationships between children and their caregivers has largely taken place in some of Philly’s most under-resourced neighborhoods. This experience uniquely prepared Karissa to support families as they navigate the systemic and relational complexities of adoption and foster care. After earning her Master of Social Work from Campbellsville University, Karissa developed a clinical focus that integrates an understanding of the broader social and systemic forces affecting families with the foundational principles of attachment. Karissa and her husband, Brandon, moved to Phoenixville in 2022, where they are now raising their two children with a heart for community and a desire to serve their neighbors. You can contact Karissa directly at karissaforino@thesparrows.place.

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Abby Anderson

Family Care Program Director

Abby Anderson

Family Care Program Director

Abby and her husband, Bjorn, attended our first Together Called marriage retreat back in 2012, just a few months into a long and arduous international adoption journey, and they have attended every year since. In 2019, they were accepted into our Family Care Program, where they received support until they were home with their daughter from India for a full year. As a long-time recipient of The Sparrows team’s care, Abby knows personally how impactful the support we offer can be. She enjoys serving others by providing that care, coming alongside families through the ups and downs of their adoption journeys. You can contact Abby directly at abbyanderson@thesparrows.place.

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Kristen Pickard  

Family Care Partner

Kristen Pickard

Family Care Partner

Kristen has had a heart for foster care and adoption for as long as she can remember, a heart that grew after a missions trip to Belarus in 1998 to visit children in institutional care. Since then, foster care and adoption have been part of her family’s story. Kristen and her husband Brian have four children between the ages of 12 and 21, two of whom were adopted domestically. They have also provided interim care for a number of children and have served vulnerable families through Safe Families for Children. Through these experiences, she was moved into a posture of significant learning and personal growth that has overflowed into serving other adoptive and foster parents. And Kristen and her family have been served directly by our Child + Family Services, underscoring her role as a helper to other families in our programs. You can contact Kristen directly at kristenpickard@thesparrows.place.

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Michelle Lagola

Team Care Partner

Michelle Lagola

Team Care Partner

Michelle brings professional experience in nonprofit management and research to The Sparrows team. She and her husband, Ryan, are raising three young children right in Phoenixville, where our home base is. She is excited to be supporting the overall organization administratively and our whole team as we do all the things we do day-to-day, month-to-month, and year-to-year. You can contact Michelle directly at michellelagola@thesparrows.place.

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Banks

Facility Dog

Banks

Facility Dog

Banks came to us as a pup from Birmingham, Alabama. Under the expert tutelage of Louie, our first facility dog, and training and care of Kelly, he has grown into his role as our second facility dog. He enjoys full-body wagging, Kelly’s office chair, Kelly herself, and pretty much everyone who pays attention to him. He brings energy, fun, and English golden fur into the clinical space for the good of children and their grownups. Banks is not at all camera-shy and enjoys his online presence on social media, including Facebook and Instagram.

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