Foster Care Alumni of Texas Chapter and a panel of former foster youth

9:45-11:15 am
Saturday October 15

Track: V,S         Room Name: Veramendi J     CEU .15

Voices of Experience
What does a child in foster care want us to know about the life they have lived in the foster care system? Hear directly from a panel of former foster youth about their experiences and gain tips to better serve children in care now and walk away with first-hand knowledge of how life experiences in foster care can leave an everlasting traumatic impression on alumni of foster care.  Participants will then be able to ask questions of foster care alumni and apply what they have learned in their personal relationships with foster care youth.

Vivian J. Dorsett
Vivian Dorsett combines her life experiences and her education to bring a motivational message of inspiration, perseverance, and endurance to incarcerated youth, foster care youth, foster care alumni, and single mothers obtaining their higher education. Ms Dorsett was raised in the foster care system in the state of Texas.  After graduating from high school, she worked her way through cosmetology school and went through several failed relationships. At the age 32 she found herself homeless jobless and the single mother of 3 boys. With great persistence and a lot of help from God, she enrolled in college and is now completing her PhD in juvenile justice. She has a private practitioner, teaching life skills to incarcerated youth and foster care youth and alumni, a college instructor and advocate for positive foster care change. Lastly, she is the current President of Foster Care Alumni of America-Tx Chapter.

Trista Miller
Trista Miller is currently the Vice President for the Texas Chapter of Foster Care Alumni of America and a full time student pursuing a Bachelor's degree in Criminal Justice at Texas State University. Previously she was a Youth Specialist with Child Protective Service (Region 07) for two years and has volunteered on many committees to assist in improving the Texas foster care system. She currently is a member of the Ready by 21 Coalition and a collaborative member of the Judicial Commission for Children, Youth, and Families. Trista also has personal experience with the foster care system, as she entered care in 1996 and aged out on her 18th birthday in 2003. After completing her Bachelor's degree at Texas State, Trista hopes to be accepted into the dual law/public affairs program at the University of Texas at Austin and to ultimately practice law while continuing to advocate for positive change in the foster care system.

Angie Cross
Angie is the Chapter Engagement Manager for Foster Care Alumni of America (FCAA).  She is also a co-author of Flux and while working on FLUX, she gained an understanding of emotional transition and specific language from the Framework to help her express her feelings and experiences. This allowed her to share her own stories for the book, and to work effectively with the amazing team of alumni from across the country.  The writing for FLUX became a genuine, organic process, which was a powerful personal experience for Angie.

An Alumna of the Canadian Child Welfare system, Angie has supported the development of many networks throughout Canada and the USA for 18 years.  She has been an active and founding member of several youth/alumni networks, including the Federations of BC Youth In Care Networks (FBCYICN) and FCAA. Along with work at a provincial and local level, she served four years as an executive board member of the National Youth In Care and later worked for the NYICN as the Director of Social Engagement and Communications.  

Ashley Gallardo
Ashley Gallardo was in foster care for 7 years, spent that time moving from foster home to foster home, and living apart from her brother, whom were also in foster care. She had over 13 placements and went to over 13 different schools from 6th grade till she graduated in 2006.
She has been apart of the Austin Alumni group since the fall of 2006, and has participated in the last three legislative sessions, advocating on foster care related bills she feels strongly about. Ashley has been apart of the Foster Care of Alumni Group since the Texas Chapter first organized. As well as currently holds the position of Central Region Chair for the texas Chapter. She volunteers her time with other organizations that work with the Foster Care population, speaking at events, panels, workshops,and interviews with the media, as well as many other activities.
Currently at the age of 23, she is attending college part time working on a degree in Law. She is the Consumer Advocate for Foster Care with STAR Health, helping transitioning youth understand their health care, and making sure they take advantage of after care benefits offered to them in their state. She was also this year awarded one of the Top 100 Foster Care Youth Leaders in the Nation, by Foster Club.

Also, Ashley is getting adopted this year by a wonderful family, to her it symbolizes the importance of wanting a forever family at any age, and to not give up hope.