Fostering Change

As Father's Day approaches, this week's episode of Fostering Change is one of our most personal conversations yet.

For years, listeners have heard Rob Scheer share his family's story through the lens of a former foster youth, adoptive father, advocate, and founder of Comfort Cases. This week, he sits down with his youngest son, Tristan, for an honest and heartfelt conversation about family, foster care, belonging, and the journey they've shared together.

Tristan joined the Scheer family as an infant, alongside his older brother, Greyson, instantly transforming the family from two children to four. Today, at 17 years old, he's a high school junior, an accomplished football and track athlete, and a young man beginning to think about college, adulthood, and the future ahead.

Together, father and son reflect on growing up in a family built through foster care and adoption, what it was like being surrounded by advocacy and public service, and how Tristan defines family, belonging, and home.

More than a Father's Day episode, this is a conversation about love, resilience, healing, and the lasting impact of showing up for one another.

Conversation Highlights

Tristan's perspective on growing up in the Scheer family

What it means to be part of a family formed through foster care and adoption

Growing up around Comfort Cases, advocacy, and public service

The values Rob and Reece worked to instill in their children

How family is built through commitment, consistency, and love

Lessons learned from fatherhood, family, and shared experiences

Athletics, college aspirations, and Tristan's hopes for the future

Why belonging matters at every stage of life

Why This Episode Matters

This conversation reminds us that foster care is not ultimately about systems, policies, or paperwork.

It's about people.

It's about children finding stability, growing into young adults, building relationships, and creating futures for themselves.

As Father's Day arrives, we also recognize that families come in many forms. Some young people have traditional fathers in their lives. Others are guided by foster fathers, adoptive fathers, grandfathers, uncles, brothers, mentors, coaches, teachers, or caregivers who step forward when they're needed most.

And many are still searching for that connection.

To all those who show up, stay present, and help a young person know they matter: Happy Father's Day.

And to every young person experiencing foster care, may this conversation remind you that family is not defined by biology alone. Family is built through love, commitment, and the people who choose to stay.

🎧 Thank you for listening to Fostering Change. Join us next week for another powerful conversation focused on creating brighter futures for youth experiencing foster care.

🎥 Watch the full video episodes on YouTube!

Head over to Comfort Cases on YouTube to catch every inspiring conversation:

👉 youtube.com/@comfortcases

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Who gets to tell the story of adoption?

For generations, adoption narratives have often been shaped by agencies, systems, and families. But increasingly, adoptees themselves are taking ownership of those stories and offering perspectives that are more complex, nuanced, and deeply personal.

This week on Fostering Change, Rob Scheer is joined by acclaimed author, educator, and activist Shannon Gibney, whose award-winning memoir, The Girl I Am, Was, and Never Will Be, explores transracial adoption, identity, race, belonging, and the lifelong process of understanding where we come from.

As an adoptee, Shannon brings lived experience to a conversation that challenges assumptions and invites listeners to think more deeply about identity, voice, and perspective. Together, Rob and Shannon explore how adoption stories evolve over time, why adoptee voices matter, and what it means to reclaim ownership of one's own narrative.

This is not a conversation about simple answers. It's a conversation about listening, understanding, and making space for experiences that have too often been left out of the discussion.

Conversation Highlights

How adoption narratives are evolving to include more adoptee-centered perspectives

The unique complexities of transracial adoption and identity formation

Why race, culture, and belonging remain important parts of the adoption conversation

How Shannon uses "speculative memoir" to explore memory, identity, and possibility

What it means for adoptees to reclaim and tell their own stories

Why listening to lived experience strengthens conversations about adoption and foster care

About Shannon Gibney

Shannon Gibney is an award-winning writer, educator, and activist whose work explores race, identity, family, and adoption. She is the author of several acclaimed books, including The Girl I Am, Was, and Never Will Be: A Speculative Memoir of Transracial Adoption, which received a Michael L. Printz Honor and a Minnesota Book Award.

In addition to her writing, Shannon teaches at Minneapolis College and was named Educator of the Year in 2023. Her work encourages readers and audiences to engage thoughtfully with questions of identity, belonging, and social justice.

Connect with Shannon Gibney

🌐 Website: Shannon Gibney

📧 Email: [email protected]

Closing Thought

Identity is not a destination. It is a lifelong journey.

This conversation reminds us that adoption is not a single event but an experience that continues to shape people across a lifetime. By listening to adoptee voices, we deepen our understanding of belonging, family, and the many ways people make sense of their own stories.

🎧 Join us next week for another powerful conversation as Fostering Change continues to explore the people, ideas, and experiences shaping the future of foster care and adoption.https://youtu.be/k8YuD5iw_uE

🎥 Watch the full video episodes on YouTube!

Head over to Comfort Cases on YouTube to catch every inspiring conversation:

👉 youtube.com/@comfortcases

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What happens to a child when they grow up in foster care… and no one ever comes for them?

Not when they’re five.

Not when they’re ten.

Not even when they’re fifteen.

This week on Fostering Change, Rob Scheer is joined by Jennifer Pinder, Executive Director of You Gotta Believe!, an organization that has spent the last 30 years proving that it is never too late for a young person in foster care to have a permanent, loving family.

As an adoptee herself, Jennifer brings both lived experience and professional leadership to this conversation — helping challenge the harmful belief that older youth are “too old” for adoption or permanency.

Together, Rob and Jennifer discuss why older youth are so often overlooked, the emotional realities of aging out of foster care alone, and how You Gotta Believe! is redefining what family can look like for teenagers and young adults in care.

At the center of this conversation is a simple but powerful truth: every child deserves belonging, commitment, and someone who will show up for them — no matter their age.

Conversation Highlights

Why do thousands of youth age out of foster care each year without permanent family connections

The misconceptions and fears that prevent many families from considering older youth adoption

How You Gotta Believe! focuses exclusively on permanency for older youth in foster care

Why lived experience matters in leadership, advocacy, and building trust with young people

What permanency and belonging truly mean for youth who have spent years in the system

About Jennifer Pinder

Jennifer Pinder is the Executive Director of You Gotta Believe!, a nonprofit dedicated to finding permanent families for older youth in foster care. Since joining the organization in 2020, she has led efforts in advocacy, communications, fundraising, and strategic growth as the organization celebrates its 30th anniversary.

An adoptee herself, Jennifer brings a deeply personal connection to the organization’s mission and works alongside a team that includes many individuals with lived experience in child welfare.

Connect with Jennifer & You Gotta Believe!

🌐 Website: You Gotta Believe!

📸 Instagram: @jennifer_yougottabelieve

💼 LinkedIn: Jennifer Pinder LinkedIn

Closing Thought

Family is not about perfection.

It is about commitment. Consistency. Showing up.

This conversation is a reminder that no young person should leave foster care believing they are unwanted or forgotten — and that it is never too late for someone to belong.

🎥 Watch the full video episodes on YouTube!

Head over to Comfort Cases on YouTube to catch every inspiring conversation:

👉 youtube.com/@comfortcases

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

As National Foster Care Awareness Month comes to a close, this episode of Fostering Change focuses on something deeply important: what happens when organizations stop working in silos and start working together for young people.

This week, Rob Scheer is joined by two Los Angeles-based leaders making a meaningful impact in the lives of youth connected to foster care: Beth Ryan, Executive Director & Founder of Stepping Forward LA, and Jorie Das, Executive Director of Friends of the Children Los Angeles.

Together, their organizations are helping young people navigate some of the most difficult transitions imaginable — aging out of foster care, finding stability, building community, and creating long-term support systems rooted in consistency and trust.

Beth Ryan’s work through Stepping Forward LA focuses on youth transitioning out of foster care, with programs centered around mentorship, housing support, internships, workforce readiness, and a first-of-its-kind app designed by and for foster youth.

Jorie Das leads Friends of the Children Los Angeles, which provides long-term professional mentorship to youth facing systemic barriers through a unique 12+ year commitment model focused on stability, prevention, and long-term success.

Throughout the conversation, Rob, Beth, and Jorie explore how collaboration between nonprofits can strengthen outcomes for youth — and why consistent relationships remain one of the most powerful tools for healing and success.

Episode Highlights

Why aging out of foster care remains one of the biggest challenges facing young adults

How mentorship and long-term relationships improve outcomes for youth

The importance of nonprofit collaboration instead of competition

How Los Angeles reflects both the scale of the foster care crisis and the opportunity for innovation

Why Foster Care Awareness Month must lead to meaningful action and engagement

About the Guests

Beth Ryan is the Executive Director & Founder of Stepping Forward LA, a nonprofit supporting youth aging out of foster care through mentorship, housing support, workforce development, and community-based solutions. As the organization approaches its 10-year anniversary, Stepping Forward LA continues expanding its impact across Los Angeles.

Jorie Das is the Executive Director of Friends of the Children Los Angeles, an organization providing long-term professional mentorship to youth facing systemic barriers. Under her leadership, the organization has expanded across Los Angeles County, helping youth and caregivers through a prevention-focused model built on consistency and trust.

Key Questions from This Episode

What prompted the creation of Stepping Forward LA and Friends of the Children Los Angeles?

What are the biggest challenges youth face when aging out of foster care?

Why does long-term mentorship matter so much?

How can nonprofits collaborate more effectively to support youth?

What role do community, housing, and workforce development play in long-term stability?

How can people move beyond awareness and take meaningful action?

Connect with the Guests

Stepping Forward LA

🌐 Website: Stepping Forward LA

📸 Instagram: @steppingforwardla

Friends of the Children Los Angeles

🌐 Website: Friends of the Children Los Angeles

📸 Instagram: @friendsla

Closing Thought

Real change rarely happens alone.

This conversation is a reminder that when organizations, mentors, communities, and advocates work together, young people experience something powerful: consistency, connection, and the belief that they are not navigating life alone.

🎥 Watch the full video episodes on YouTube!

Head over to Comfort Cases on YouTube to catch every inspiring conversation:

👉 youtube.com/@comfortcases

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On this episode of Fostering Change, Rob Scheer is joined by Christie Werts, a former foster youth, Army veteran, author, and adoptive mother whose life has come full circle through foster care.

Christie shares her journey in her book, Life’s Sad Story, God’s Love Story, tracing a path from childhood trauma and separation to healing, compassion, and building a family of her own.

This is an especially emotional conversation for Rob, who reflects openly on the painful experience of his own mother leaving him and his siblings — and the lasting impact that loss has had throughout his life.

Together, Rob and Christie explore how childhood trauma shapes identity, how healing can emerge in unexpected ways, and what it means to return to the foster care system — not as a child, but as a parent determined to create something different.

At the center of Christie’s story is compassion: a decision to foster and later adopt her husband’s ex-wife’s child in order to keep siblings connected and together.

And by the end of the conversation, Christie leaves listeners with a message that becomes the emotional heartbeat of the episode: this is ultimately a love story — about God, healing, and hope.

As Christie shares:

“There’s a love story ahead of you. And it’s gonna be ok.”

Episode Highlights

Christie’s journey from foster youth to foster and adoptive parent

The emotional impact of childhood separation and abandonment

How trauma and healing can exist side by side

A remarkable decision to keep siblings together through adoption

The role of faith, compassion, and second chances in rebuilding family

About the Guest

Christie Werts is a former foster youth, Army veteran, author, speaker, and mother of five whose life has come full circle through foster care and adoption. After experiencing trauma in the system as a child, she later returned to foster care as a parent, ultimately adopting a child connected to her own family.

Through her book, Life’s Sad Story, God’s Love Story, Christie shares a deeply personal journey of resilience, faith, healing, and compassion.

Key Questions from This Episode

What inspired you to write Life’s Sad Story, God’s Love Story?

How did your childhood experiences in foster care shape your life?

What led you to step back into foster care as a parent?

How did the decision to adopt your husband’s ex-wife’s child come about?

What did healing look like for you over time?

How have kindness and compassion shaped your family today?

What message do you hope listeners take from your story?

Connect with Christie

📱 TikTok:

@Cjthemom5

📘 Facebook / Instagram:

Christie Werts

🎥 Watch the full video episodes on YouTube!

Head over to Comfort Cases on YouTube to catch every inspiring conversation:

👉 youtube.com/@comfortcases

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On this episode of Fostering Change, Rob Scheer is joined by David Sussillo, a neuroscientist, author, and former youth who experienced a childhood marked by instability, poverty, and time in group homes.

His story begins in environments many children in foster care and group settings know all too well — uncertainty, trauma, and systems that don’t always provide the support they should. But his story doesn’t end there.

Through a combination of resilience, critical intervention, and moments where someone stepped in, David found a path forward. Today, he is a leading neuroscientist who has worked at Stanford, Google, and Meta, studying the very thing that shaped his life: the human brain.

His memoir, Emergence, is not just a story of survival — it is a powerful reminder of what can happen when even one opportunity changes the trajectory of a child’s life.

This conversation challenges us to ask a difficult but necessary question: how many children are out there right now, just one moment away from a different future?

Episode Highlights

Growing up in instability, poverty, and group home environments

How trauma shapes memory, identity, and development

The role of mentors, teachers, and small interventions

From survival to success in neuroscience and research

Reflecting on resilience, loss, and the paths not taken

About the Guest

David Sussillo is a neuroscientist, author, and adjunct professor at Stanford University. After a childhood marked by instability and time in group homes, he earned a PhD in computational neuroscience from Columbia University and has worked at leading institutions, including Google Brain and Meta.

His memoir, Emergence: A Memoir of Boyhood, Computation, and the Mysteries of Mind, tells the story of his journey from trauma to transformation.

Key Questions from This Episode

What led you to write Emergence now?

What was it like to revisit your childhood experiences through writing?

How did you navigate growing up in group homes and unstable environments?

Who were the people who helped change your path?

What role did small moments or opportunities play in your journey?

How do you reflect on your success alongside those who didn’t have the same outcome?

What would you say to a young person facing similar challenges today?

Closing Thought

Sometimes it doesn’t take everything changing — it takes one moment, one person, one opportunity.

And for a child navigating instability, that can be the difference between surviving and becoming something far beyond anyone's expectations.

Connect with David

🌐 Website:

https://www.davidsussillo.com

🐦 Twitter/X:

https://x.com/SussilloDavid

🔗 LinkedIn:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/david-sussillo-736a1290/

🎥 Watch the full video episodes on YouTube!

Head over to Comfort Cases on YouTube to catch every inspiring conversation:

👉 youtube.com/@comfortcases

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This episode kicks off National Foster Care Awareness Month — a time not just to reflect, but to act.

On today’s Fostering Change, Rob Scheer welcomes back Laura, The Foster Parent Partner, a therapeutic foster parent, mentor, and now author of First-Time Fostering, releasing May 12.

This conversation focuses on a question many people ask, but far fewer answer: what does it actually take to become a foster parent?

Not the idea of it — the reality.

Laura brings practical, real-world insight into what fostering looks like day to day, what new foster parents need to understand, and how to move from thinking about it to stepping into it. As a returning guest, she builds on her previous conversation with Rob to go deeper into the emotional, logistical, and human side of fostering.

As we begin National Foster Care Awareness Month, this episode serves as a starting point for those considering how they can be part of the solution.

Episode Highlights

Why National Foster Care Awareness Month should lead to action, not just recognition

The gap between thinking about fostering and actually saying yes

What foster parenting really looks like day to day

Common fears and misconceptions that hold people back

How support, mentorship, and community make fostering possible

About Laura

Known as The Foster Parent Partner, Laura is a therapeutic foster parent, content creator, and mentor who supports individuals navigating the foster care journey. Through her platform, she helps new foster parents move through the licensing process and prepare for their first placement with confidence.

Her new book, First-Time Fostering, is a practical, honest guide designed to equip future foster parents with the tools, expectations, and clarity needed to take that first step.

Key Questions from This Episode

What inspired you to write First-Time Fostering — and who is it for?

What makes this book different from others about foster care?

Why does Foster Care Awareness Month matter, and how should people respond?

What are the biggest fears that stop people from fostering?

What does fostering really look like on a daily basis?

What role does community play in helping foster parents succeed?

What should someone do if they’re on the fence right now?

Closing Thought

Awareness is only the beginning. What matters is what comes next.

Foster care doesn’t need more observers — it needs more people willing to step in, show up, and say yes.

🎥 Watch the full video episodes on YouTube!

Head over to Comfort Cases on YouTube to catch every inspiring conversation:

👉 youtube.com/@comfortcases

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On this episode of Fostering Change, Rob Scheer is joined by Jennifer Griffith, author of Both Sides of Then: Finding Love After Abandonment and host of the About Your Mother podcast.

This conversation centers on a deeply personal and universal question: how much of who we become is shaped by the relationship we have—or don’t have—with our mother?

Jennifer’s memoir explores abandonment, generational trauma, and the search for understanding and connection. While her story is not rooted in foster care, the themes resonate deeply. Many children in foster care experience separation from their biological parents, particularly their mothers, making this conversation especially relevant to identity, belonging, and emotional development.

Together, Rob and Jennifer explore how early relationships shape us, how patterns are passed down, and how telling the truth about our stories can open the door to healing and transformation.

Episode Highlights

How maternal relationships influence identity and self-worth

The lasting emotional impact of abandonment and separation

Understanding and breaking cycles of generational trauma

Why storytelling can be a powerful tool for healing

How these themes connect to the experiences of youth in foster care

About the Guest

Jennifer Griffith is an author, speaker, and host of the About Your Mother podcast, where she explores the stories that shape identity and relationships. Her debut memoir, Both Sides of Then: Finding Love After Abandonment, examines generational trauma, resilience, and the lasting influence of family history. Through her work, she encourages others to better understand their past and find meaning in the connections that define them.

Key Questions from This Episode

What did writing your story teach you about understanding where we come from?

Why is the “mother story” such a powerful lens for identity?

What does healing look like when relationships are complicated or absent?

How do early experiences of separation shape a child’s sense of self?

Where does healing begin for someone carrying a difficult family story?

Connect with Jennifer

🌐 Website: https://byjennifergriffith.com/

📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/byjennifergriffith/

🔗 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/byjennifergriffith/

Closing Thought

Understanding where we come from doesn’t always give us easy answers — but it can give us clarity. And sometimes, that clarity is the first step toward healing, growth, and a different path forward.

🎥 Watch the full video episodes on YouTube!

Head over to Comfort Cases on YouTube to catch every inspiring conversation:

👉 youtube.com/@comfortcases

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On this episode of Fostering Change, Rob Scheer welcomes back Jodi Grinwald, founder of Today is the Day, co-founder of Applaud Our Kids Foundation, and author of the new book Today is the Day: LIVE IT!.

Jodi is a returning guest to the podcast, and we’re excited to continue this important conversation around opportunity, connection, and impact.

Jodi’s work is grounded in a simple but powerful idea: if the table doesn’t exist, build it — and make sure others have a seat.

Her new book, Today is the Day: LIVE IT!, expands on that philosophy, encouraging readers to take action, lead with purpose, and create meaningful impact in their own lives and communities.

👉 Learn more and purchase the book: https://todayisthedayliveit.com/live-it

This episode also builds on a recent crossover conversation — Rob was a guest on Jodi’s podcast, Today is the Day Changemakers.

🎧 Watch Rob’s episode here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l1rN8EtfTJM&t=501s

Through Applaud Our Kids, Jodi is helping children gain access to music, dance, and acting programs that might otherwise be out of reach. While her work is not exclusively focused on foster care, the connection is clear. Children experiencing instability or hardship often miss out on opportunities that build confidence, identity, and a sense of belonging.

This conversation explores what it means to create those opportunities — and why access, connection, and creative expression can change the trajectory of a child’s life.

Episode Highlights

What it means to “build the table” and create opportunities for others

Why access to the arts can be transformational for children

The role of connection in building confidence and long-term impact

How purpose can drive action, even when the path is unclear

Why opportunity and exposure matter for youth facing hardship

About the Guest

Jodi Grinwald is a leadership and connection strategist, speaker, and founder of Today is the Day Changemakers—a global platform and podcast that reaches listeners in more than 135 countries. She helps organizations strengthen the connections that power performance, shape culture, and accelerate growth.

She is also the co-founder and CEO of the Applaud Our Kids Foundation, expanding access to performing arts education for children ages 7–18.

Jodi is the author of Today is the Day: LIVE IT! along with 30 other leadership voices. The book is a powerful reflection on courage, leadership, resilience, and connection—calling individuals to step into purpose, create opportunity, and lead with intention.

Key Questions from This Episode

What does “build the table” mean, and how can people apply it in their own lives?

Why is access to the arts so important for children and youth?

How can programs like Applaud Our Kids support children experiencing instability?

What role does creative expression play in identity and confidence?

How can someone take the first step toward making a difference?

About Applaud Our Kids Foundation

The Applaud Our Kids Foundation provides access to performing arts education for children ages 7–18, helping them build confidence, discipline, and a sense of identity through creative expression.

Connect with Jodi

🌐 Websites:

TodayistheDayLiveIt.com

ApplaudOurKids.org

📸 Instagram:

@todayisthedayliveit

@applaudourkids

🔗 LinkedIn:

Jodi Grinwald

📘 Facebook:

Today is the Day Live It

Applaud Our Kids

Closing Thought

Creating change doesn’t always require building something new — sometimes it means opening a door that should have been open all along. This episode is a reminder that when we create space for young people to explore who they are, we help shape who they can become.

🎥 Watch the full video episodes on YouTube!

Head over to Comfort Cases on YouTube to catch every inspiring conversation:

👉 youtube.com/@comfortcases

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On this episode of Fostering Change, Rob Scheer is joined by Katy Encalade, President and CEO of Egg Donor & Surrogate Solutions, who has spent more than two decades helping to create and support families.

Katy brings a unique and deeply personal perspective to this conversation. She has been a foster parent, an egg donor, and a surrogate — offering a rare view across multiple paths of supporting children and building families. Her experience as a foster mom serves as a meaningful bridge, grounding this conversation in the realities of child welfare while expanding the lens to include other ways people can step in to help.

While Fostering Change often focuses on foster care, adoption, and permanency, this episode broadens that perspective. Katy encourages listeners to consider that there are many ways to support children and families — whether by opening your home, helping someone become a parent by choosing to be a surrogate or egg donor, or finding other ways to show up with compassion and responsibility.

Episode Highlights

How foster care, surrogacy, and egg donation connect through a shared purpose of supporting children and families

The importance of lived experience, including Katy’s time as a foster parent

Why stability, care, and belonging remain central across all family-building paths

The role of ethics, transparency, and trust in family-building work

Encouraging people to explore different ways they can help support children and families

About the Guest

Katy Encalade is the President and CEO of Egg Donor & Surrogate Solutions, an organization that has helped create more than 2,000 families worldwide. A former foster parent, egg donor, and surrogate, she brings both personal experience and professional expertise to her work. Katy has spent more than two decades advocating for ethical, transparent, and relationship-driven approaches to family-building, previously served as Board Chair of the Society for Ethics in Egg Donation and Surrogacy, and now serves as Board Chair of Families Out Loud.

Connect with Katy

🌐 Website: www.CreateAHappyFamily.com

📘 Facebook: Egg Donor & Surrogate Solutions

📸 Instagram: @createahappyfamily

🎵 TikTok: @createahappyfamily

🔗 LinkedIn: Katy Encalade

🎥 Watch the full video episodes on YouTube!

Head over to Comfort Cases on YouTube to catch every inspiring conversation:

👉 youtube.com/@comfortcases

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.