Jeanne T. Tate is an attorney with an extensive and renowned practice in the area of adoption. She has participated in the placement of over 1,000 children in loving homes. Jeanne has been active in Interstate Compact Adoptions, has authored numerous articles on adoption, has appeared on local and national television, is actively involved in the adoption issues before the Florida legislature, and has a comprehensive knowledge of adoption law.

Jeanne received a J.D. degree in 1981 from the University of Florida College of Law, where she graduated with honors, and as an editor of the Law Review. She received a B.S. degree in Journalism and Communications, also with high honors from University of Florida in 1978.

Jeanne is AV rated by Martindale Hubbell and is a member of the prestigious American Academy of Adoption Attorneys and the Florida Adoption Council.

Tammi joined Heart of Adoptions, Inc. as its Executive Director in May 2011. Tammi is a licensed mental health counselor and an attorney with over 20 years of experience working with children and families. As the agency director, Tammi provides program oversight and development to ensure services are delivered in accordance with the agency’s mission to assist birth parents in placing their children in loving and caring homes.

Tammi has been employed as a therapist, clinical supervisor and program administrator for several child welfare and mental health programs. She also owned her own practice where she provided therapy to children in therapeutic foster care, educated and trained foster parents, and counseled birth parents making adoption plans. During law school, Tammi was a Florida Bar Foundation Fellow for the Guardian ad Litem program and an intern with the Unified Family Court of the Sixth Judicial Circuit. After earning her law degree, Tammi served as Director of Legal Services for an adoption agency.

Tammi received her Bachelor of Arts degree in psychology, magna cum laude, from Western Kentucky University in 1988 and her Master’s degree in Educational Psychology with a concentration in Community Counseling in 1989. She earned her J.D. degree with honors from the University of Florida Levin College of Law in 2005. She is a member of the Florida Bar, St. Petersburg Bar, American Bar Association, and the Florida Adoption Council.

Susan Major joined Heart of Adoptions, Inc. as adoption caseworker in September 2003. Susan worked with birth mothers and adoptive parents to establish adoption plans and primarily handled older child adoptions. In December 2005, Susan changed positions to family adoption social worker completing home studies and post-placement supervision.

Previously, Susan worked in a hospital setting with chronically and terminally ill children and also in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit. Susan is very knowledgeable in child development and childhood disorders.

Susan graduated from Mary Baldwin College in Staunton, Virginia, with Bachelor degrees in Sociology and Social Work and minor degrees in religion and human services.

Joy May joined Heart of Adoptions, Inc. as office receptionist in January 2000 and was quickly promoted to adoption coordinator, where she worked closely with birth mothers handling their day-to-day needs and monitoring their medical care.

Joy was then promoted to adoption caseworker where she continues to oversee these needs, as well as coordinate the interaction between adoptive parents and birth parents.

Malinda Mosher joined Heart of Adoptions, Inc. as adoption caseworker in September 2002. Malinda works closely with birth mothers handling their day-to-day needs, monitoring their medical care and overall well-being. Additionally, she coordinates the interaction between adoptive parents and birth parents. Malinda has worked with young females in a social work capacity since 1999.

Malinda graduated from the University of Florida with a Bachelor of Health Science degree with a minor in Sociology and is currently pursuing a Master degree in Bioethics at the University of South Florida.

Emily J. Ramos joined Heart of Adoptions, Inc. in April of 2011. Emily has worked with children and families since 1994 and specifically in the area of adoptions since 2008 as both a case manager and program director.

Previously, Emily’s career as a social worker involved the counseling of abused children and their families, and coordinating efforts between the families, Bay Area schools, the Judiciary, health care organizations, and other social welfare agencies. As a case manager, Emily provided case management for youth in a Department of Juvenile Justice moderate-risk residential program.

Emily graduated from the Universidad del Turabo (Turabo University) in Gurabo, Puerto Rico, with a Bachelor of Arts in Social Science and with a concentration in Criminology. Emily is bilingual in both English and Spanish.

Jessica Smith joined Heart of Adoptions, Inc. as an adoption casework assistant in September 2008. In February 2009, Jessica changed positions to family adoption social worker assisting with home studies and post-placement supervision as well as handling adoptive parent inquiries. Previously, Jessica interned with Early Steps and is very knowledgeable in childhood development.

Jessica graduated from Florida State University with a Bachelor’s degree in Social Work. She is a member of the National Association of Social Workers and plans to pursue her Master’s degree.

Traci Valdes re-joined Heart of Adoptions, Inc. as an adoption caseworker in March 2008. Traci works closely with the birth fathers in an effort to fully involve them in the adoptive process. Heart of Adoptions, Inc. takes great pride in providing both continuity and education to the birth fathers regarding their role in the adoption plan. Traci’s goal is to gather as much social and medical information as possible for the adoptive child as well as bridge the sometimes tenuous relationship between the birth parents. She also prepares and facilitates all ICPC paperwork for Heart of Adoptions, Inc.

Traci has previous experience in the field of adoption in the areas of birth mother casework, home study and post placement services and adoptive parent/birth parent matching. She has more than ten years experience in both public and private adoption and foster care.

Traci graduated from The University of Florida with a BS in Rehabilitation Counseling. She is also an adult adoptee.

Annsley Atkin rejoined Heart of Adoptions, Inc. in January 2012 as an adoption caseworker. She works closely with birth mothers handling their day-to-day needs, monitoring their medical care and overall well-being. Additionally, she coordinates the interaction between adoptive parents and birth parents.

Annsley is an experienced caseworker, having worked in the field of adoptions since June 2003. She has previous experience conducting home studies, post placement services, birth mother case management and adoptive parent/birth parent matching.

Annsley graduated from Virginia Commonwealth University with a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology.

Our bookkeeper, Desiree Lauer, graduated Chamberlain High School in 1984. She is a native Floridian, born and raised in the Tampa Bay area. Desiree joined Jeanne T. Tate, P.A., Law firm in June of 2003. She is responsible for accounts receivables and payables, bank reconcilements, payroll, billing and all other accounting functions for the law firm. She has 12 years experience in banking and many years of experience in accounting.

Rachel Cohen-Stewart joined Heart of Adoptions, Inc. in March 2010 as agency administrative assistant. Rachel provides administrative support to the Tampa office of Heart of Adoptions. Rachel’s primary duty is to ensure the agency’s post-adoption communication process runs smoothly.

Judi Martin joined Heart of Adoptions, Inc. in November 2004 as office manager. Judi ensures the Tampa office of Heart of Adoptions runs smoothly by providing administrative support to all staff. Previously, Judi was the office manager of a local architect firm.

Nicole Ward Moore is the attorney who manages and operates the Orlando and St. Cloud offices of Heart of Adoptions, Inc. Nicole practices exclusively in the area of adoption law throughout the State of Florida and in conjunction with out-of-state placements. Nicole also handles DCF Interventions and often speaks publically on the subject of adoption. Nicole is a member of the prestigious American Academy of Adoption Attorneys, the Florida Adoption Council, the Hillsborough County Bar, the Orange County Bar, and the Florida Bar.

Nicole graduated with high honors from the University of Florida in 2001 with a B.S. degree in Journalism and Communications. Nicole then received her J.D. degree in 2004 from the University of Florida, College of Law, where she graduated with honors. Prior to opening the Orlando office, Nicole worked for the Department of Children and Families as a Juvenile Dependency Attorney.

Carri Jolley joined Heart of Adoptions, Inc. as an adoption social worker in the Orlando office in May 2010. She completes home studies and post-placement supervision.

Carri has been working in the field of adoption and foster care since 1997. She has completed hundreds of adoptions through international, domestic and foster/adopt placements. She is very knowledgeable about bonding and attachment issues, child development and trans-racial adoption.

In 1993, Carri graduated from Bloomsburg University (Pennsylvania) with a Bachelor’s Degree in Sociology and a minor in Cultural Anthropology. She earned her Master’s Degree in Social Work from the University of Pittsburgh (Pennsylvania) in 1995.

Beverly Powell joined Heart of Adoptions, Inc. as an adoption caseworker in September 2011 in order to pursue her passion for adoption. Beverly assists with birth mother care by handling their day-to-day needs, and monitoring their medical care and overall well-being. She also assists with facilitating birth parent and adoptive parent meetings.

Beverly previously worked with birth mothers and adoptive families through her internship in Cocoa Beach, Florida, and found it to be a very rewarding experience. Most recently, Beverly was employed as a social worker with a local hospital in Viera, Florida. Beverly received her Bachelor of Arts Degree in Family Youth and Community Science with a Minor in Education from the University of Florida in 2009 and her Master’s Degree in Social Work from the University of Central Florida in 2011.

Daneille joined Heart of Adoptions, Inc. in 2002. She is both an adoption caseworker and paralegal who works in the Naples office handling the needs of our clients in Southwest Florida. Daneille has been working in the legal system since 1983 and received her paralegal certificate of completion from Florida International University in 1986. She also received her Certified Legal Assistant (CLA) status in 1987 from the National Association of Legal Assistants and in 1988 from the Florida Association of Legal Assistants.

Daneille received an Associate in Arts Degree in Criminology from Edison Community College in 1996 and received a Bachelor's of Science Degree in Criminology from Florida Gulf Coast University in 2006. Daneille is an associate member of the Collier County Bar Association. Daneille was a founding member of the Adoption Task Force of Southwest Florida, Inc. (ATFSF) and held numerous officer positions of the organization over the years. She has been featured in Florida Legal Assistant Today and the Naples Daily News.

Gabriela Bonn joined Heart of Adoptions, Inc. in June 2006 as agency administrative assistant. Gabriela provides administrative support to the Naples office of Heart of Adoptions. She has previous administrative experience, as well as experience working with youth in a parenting program. Additionally, Gabriela has extensive experience with Guatemalan international adoptions.

Gabriela is currently attending Florida Gulf Coast University to obtain a Bachelor of Science degree in Psychology with an emphasis on children's issues.