Welcome to the dedicated team at Heart for Home, where compassion meets expertise. With a collective wealth of experience spanning decades, our team is committed to providing nurturing environments and stability for children in need. Each member brings a unique set of skills and a deep understanding of the challenges and rewards of foster care.
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Our team's diverse backgrounds encompass social work, psychology, child development, and counseling, ensuring that we approach things with sensitivity and professionalism. We believe in the power of teamwork and collaboration, working closely with foster families, social services, and communities to create positive outcomes for every child in care.
Founders
Michelle Dulaney
Pronouns She/Her
Current Co-CEO of the nonprofit corporation Heart for Home, serving foster families in Southwest Michigan. While the company was created in the fall of 2023 I have been actively doing the work for several years starting in 2010 when my husband Tim and I started fostering. We later adopted a sibling set of three and then worked with refugee children. I was an educator for nineteen years and have since committed to helping foster, adoptive, and kinship families succeed through listening, supporting and training others as we walk this path together. When not working with FAK parents I am an avid traveler.
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Johni Bunch
Pronouns She/Her
Current Co-CEO of the nonprofit corporation Heart For Home, serving foster families in Southwest Michigan. My own journey growing up in care has helped fuel my passion to support foster kids and the families that care for them. I have a degree in human services and I'm committed to making a difference. I understand some of the challenges faced by foster kids and I'm driven to creating positive change, advocating for improved support systems and contributing to the well being of both foster children and the families providing care. I have an amazing husband of 19 years, and have been working to support foster families for the last 6 years.
Team
Chief Administrative officer
Alisa Otto
Pronouns She/Her
Alisa Otto is a dedicated nonprofit professional with over 15 years of experience in child welfare, family preservation, refugee and immigrant services, and behavioral health. She specializes in program growth and development, workforce development, and nonprofit administration. Alisa is passionate about fostering organizational health, creating a positive and inclusive culture, and ensuring a fun, enjoyable, and safe workplace. In her free time, Alisa enjoys camping, working out, coaching soccer, playing volleyball, and spending time with her three kids and partner.
Licensing Supervisor
Stephanie Busscher
Pronouns She/Her
Stephanie Busscher is a child welfare professional with over 13 years of experience. Throughout her career, she has worked as a foster care and adoption specialist and also as a licensing supervisor. Stephanie is passionate about supporting and advocating for children and families throughout their foster care experience. In her free time, Stephanie enjoys camping, reading and spending time with her two children and her husband.
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Northern Recruitment & Family Support Supervisor
Katie Steele
Pronouns She/Her
Katie is a foster and adoptive mom from Muskegon, MI. She is a nonprofit cofounder of Kids Belong and a tireless advocate for the youth in her care as well as the other foster and adoptive families in her community. She has served as a foster parent navigator as well as a family support coordinator, and she and her husband currently operate a housing program for aged out foster youth. Katie enjoys camping, hockey and playing ticket to ride with her husband and children.
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Northern Recruitment & Family Support Coordinator
Amanda Little
Pronouns She/Her
​Hello I am Amanda Little I am a mom to many. I am a foster/adoptive kinship home. My passion is working with children and their families. I love helping the community. My family loves being outdoors camping swimming fishing afternoon at the parks.
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Recruitment & Family Support Coordinator Kalamazoo
Tara Trotter
Pronouns She/Her
Hello! I am an educator of middle schoolers by trade, and recruiter for Heart for Home in my spare time. I am a graduate of Western Michigan University, holding a BA in secondary education, history, and social studies, and a Masters in Educational Leadership. My husband and I have been foster parents for four years, and I want to continue to find ways to support and serve child and families in this community. My family lives in Kalamazoo. My husband and I have one daughter who is almost 4, and 3 pugs who keep us on our toes. I love to read, travel, and watch movies.
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Recruitment & Family Support Coordinator Kalamazoo
Sarah Bonzo-Tunier
Pronouns She/Her
Sarah obtained her bachelor's degree from Western Michigan University in Child and Family Development in 2015. She has always had a passion of working with children, and in 2017 Sarah and her husband became licensed foster parents. They have adopted one child through the foster care and are working to adopt a sibling to this child as well. Sarah has learned so much during the past seven years as a foster and adoptive parent. Sarah knows the incredible difficult and valuable work that goes into raising children that come from hard places and believes having a community of other adoptive and foster parents that "get it" is key in being able to continue this hard work. Previously Sarah worked at Family Enrichment Center in Battle Creek as a Foster Care Navigator Supervisor for region 3. It was in this position that she had the privilege to empower, encourage, and build relationships with current and potential foster families for over three years. Prior to her supervisor position she worked as a case manager at a local crisis pregnancy center. As a case manager she often worked with parents whose children were in the foster care system. During her time here she taught parenting classes, collaborated with agencies in the area to support mothers and children, and set goals with her clients in order to empower them to grow into the best parent and version of themselves. Sarah is excited to be able to empower and support families again in their fostering journey as respite providers.
Sarah and her family enjoy camping, going on vacations together, and being outdoors.
Recruitment & Family Support Coordinator Kent
Alix Wanlass
Pronouns She/Her
Hello, my name is Alix Wanlass, current Foster Care Recruitment Specialist for Heart for Home, serving foster families in Kent County. I have 3 years of experience working in child welfare and 10 + years of experience helping children with different levels of need. I have a lifelong passion for helping children in any way that I can, and am just starting my own journey as a foster mom. In my free time, I enjoy traveling abroad and spending time with my family.