WHO WE ARE
Advisory Board
IFCA-USA
Melissa Raap
Melissa Raap is the Director of the University of Washington Champions Program, serving undergraduate students who have experienced foster care and/or unaccompanied homelessness. As an undergraduate, Melissa was greatly influenced by Jonathan Kozol’s book Amazing Grace and her passion for social justice led her to pursue a career in social work. Melissa began her career working at Wediko Children’s Service’s summer program for youth with serious emotional and behavioral disorders in New Hampshire. Through her experience with several of the youth there, she became interested in working with youth in foster care who were preparing to age out of the system. While working toward her MSW at the University of Washington, Melissa worked with Dr. Mark Courtney on the Midwest Evaluation of the Adult Functioning of Former Foster Youth Outcomes at Age 23 and 24 and with her colleague, Maddy Day, to start the UW Champions Program. Melissa is currently an Advisory Board Member of the International Foster Care Alliance and is an Adult Supporter of Passion to Action, a statewide youth-led advisory board to Washington State’s Department of Children Youth and Families.
Beth Yu Simpson
Beth Yu Simpson is a proud graduate from the University of Washington's Seattle CWTAP program, graduating in 2008. Following graduation Beth worked at the Department of Children Youth and Families with a focus on adolescents and community engagement. In addition to her work at CWTAP, Beth is currently principle and co-founder of AIRE Consulting and Counseling focusing on community and individual healing through the offering of therapy, consulting, and community building for BIPOC adoptees. Some of Beth's previous work includes serving as a board member at the Mockingbird Society, an associate for Lunas Consulting and iNfinitely Well and co-chairing/founding the Adoptee Mentorship Program (AMP) through Asian Adult Adoptees of Washington. In her free time, Beth volunteers and consults with community organizations focusing on foster and homeless youth advocacy and post adoption services including the International Foster Care Alliance (IFCA) and Legal Counsel for Youth and Children (LCYC). Beth is a transracial Korean adoptee, adopted as a baby, and returned and lived in Korea as an adult. Beth is excited to partner with IFCA to expand their mission and reach to South Korea.
