Lynn
Wetterberg
ATTACh's
Executive Director
ATTACh
is fortunate to have found, in the person of Lynn Wetterberg,
an executive director whose background seems tailor made to meet
the organization’s needs. Lynn’s experience, both
professionally and personally, with adopted children and their
families, as well as her background in non-profit administration
and financial management have meant that she has moved mountains
since she began work at the beginning of December. As you get
to know her, we think you will be as pleased as we on the Board
have been with her competence, organizational skills, and pleasant
manner. One of Lynn’s priorities since she has begun has
been to process membership applications and dues, deal with questions
that had been unanswered since Linda’s death, and be sure
the needs of members are attended to. If you have been waiting
for a response and wondering if your questions/letters/checks
had been lost please contact Lynn at and accept our apologies.
Lynn
Wetterberg served as a Co-Director of Uniting Families Foundation
(UFF) from its inception in May 1992 until April 1994 at which
time she was appointed as Executive Director of the foundation.
She has served in this position for 10 years.
Lynn
received a B.A. in Elementary Education from Elmhurst College,
in Elmhurst, Illinois. After working in a school district for
7 years, Lynn returned to school to acquire additional credits
towards a major in Accounting and became a Certified Public Accountant.
She returned to school once again for a Masters of Science degree
in Human Service Administration through National Lewis University
in Chicago, Illinois.
In
1993, Lynn organized and assisted in the development and sponsoring
of a training seminar which was held in Croatia at the request
of the Bosnian Red Cross and Croatian Ministry of Health. The
seminar was designed to train health care workers, social workers
and religious leaders in the traits and treatment of post traumatic
stress syndrome being exhibited by victims of rape. The seminar
was the first of its kind to be held in Croatia/Bosnia and was
funded solely by UFF.
In April 1993, Lynn was invited to testify before the Congressional
Coalition on Adoption in the Senate Building, Washington, D.C.,
concerning international adoption issues.
Lynn
has a 15 year old daughter whom she adopted from Romania in October
1990, a 20 year old son whom she adopted from Russia in March,
1992, a 15 year old daughter whom she adopted from an Institution
for the Irrecuperable in Siret, Romania in December 1999 and an
18 year old Romanian daughter also from Siret who was adopted
in 2003 subsequent to the failure of her first placement. As a
parent, Lynn became an active member of the Parent Network for
the Post Institutionalized Child (PNPIC) in 1994. In May 1995,
February 1997, March 1998, March 1999, and April 2001 UFF sponsored
or co-sponsored regional conferences for families and social workers
in the Midwest area. An additional conference on attachment issues
was held in April 2001. In July 1997 and March 1998, UFF held
seminars designed to assist agency personnel in the development
of pre-adoptive educational training seminars.
On October 16, 1998 Lynn presented at a conference in Washington
D.C. co-sponsored by Children’s National Medical Center,
George Washington University Medical Center and The Parent Network
for the Post-Institutionalized Child regarding the development
of pre-adoptive training programs.
On April 14, 2000 Lynn presented at the Joint Council on International
Children’s Services (JCICS) conference in Washington D.C.
regarding the Romanian adoption process. She presented again at
the JCICS conference in April 2004 concerning the attachment of
adopted children to their new parents.
In June, 2001 Lynn was elected to serve on the Board of Directors
of JCICS and served as Treasurer of this national organization
for three years. She is currently fulfilling a one-year term as
Vice-President of Joint Council and remains devoted to the right
of every child to be raised in a permanent, loving family.
You
can reach Lynn at questions@attach.org
or at 866-453-8224.
