Amanda Metivier, an alumna of Alaska's foster care system, has dedicated her career and personal life to child welfare reform. She earned a bachelor's Degree in Social Work in 2008 and a Masters in Social Work in 2012. Both from the University of Alaska Anchorage. She spent 13 years as a foster parent to teens along with her husband and recently adopted. Amanda along with a dedicated group of foster youth and alumni co-founded the non-profit Facing Foster Care in Alaska (FFCA) in 2003, where she currently serves as a member of the Board of Directors. Through her advocacy with FFCA, Amanda has led efforts to expand services and support for foster youth across Alaska. She is the Interim Director of the Child Welfare Academy and oversees the Office of Youth Empowerment (OYE), a partnership of the Child Welfare Academy and Facing Foster Care in Alaska, offering opportunities for foster youth to pursue higher education and training, provides training for child welfare staff and allies, and to engage in leadership and empowerment activities. Amanda has received state and national recognition for her work. She received the Casey Excellence for Children Award in 2013, was named one of Alaska's Top 40 Under 40 in 2014, was recognized by Alaska Children's Trust as a Champion for Kids in 2016, and by the YWCA as a Woman of Achievement in 2017.
Sarah Redmon is the Project Coordinator for the Office of Youth Empowerment, a partnership of the Child Welfare Academy and Facing Foster Care in Alaska. Sarah is a former foster youth and is currently a foster parent to her younger siblings. Sarah joined Facing Foster Care in Alaska as a youth advocate and member and was elected to the Youth Leadership Board, before joining the Board of Directors as the Deputy Treasurer. She also served as an All-Star, with the national non-profit Fosterclub, training child welfare staff and allies across the country and giving input into federal legislation. In her current role, Sarah works with foster youth across the state to draw on their own lived expertise to participate in advocacy, training, and peer support activities.