2023 Annual Report: Tiffanie’s Story
Tiffanie's education and career journey began right after high school at Rhode Island College. The events of 9/11 heightened her anxiety, making the transition to college and independent living challenging. "The transition was rough," she recalls. Nearing graduation, Tiffanie took a break due to anxiety about living independently after aging out of foster care. She worked and saved money, intending to return, but many years passed before she did.
She then embarked on a career in foster care recruitment. After working at Foster Forward’s ASPIRE Program and taking a break to raise her twins, she returned as a foster care recruiter. Leveraging her storytelling skills, Tiffanie was hired by DCYF for nearly three years. "Recruitment is tough, but knowing that I can make a difference in a child’s life keeps me going." She emphasized the need for homes for older children and teens. "We need more families willing to take in older kids and teens. They deserve a chance, too."
Tiffanie’s personal experiences motivate her work. She knows firsthand how foster youth outcomes can diverge dramatically, often hinging on supportive adults. Positive influences helped her overcome imposter syndrome and persist in her education and career. Tiffanie now aims to encourage foster youth, teaching them resilience and self-reliance. "Sometimes, all it takes is one person to believe in you. I want to be that person."
She believes representation in leadership is crucial. Foster youth benefit from role models who genuinely understand their experiences. She aims to ensure foster youth voices are included in decision-making, leveraging state-funded youth boards for informed policies. "Foster youth need to be heard. They should have a say in decisions that affect their lives."
During the COVID-19 pandemic, Tiffanie felt ready to return to school. With extensive experience in foster care, she realized she needed a degree for leadership roles.
In 2021, she contacted Foster Forward’s Lisa Guillette about scholarships. Long-time donors Carol and Leon LaPlante had previously set up a post-secondary scholarship fund for Foster Forward youth and had previously funded education expenses for a couple of young people. Lisa encouraged Tiffanie to apply for the scholarship. To her surprise, Carol and Leon LaPlante chose to award her with the scholarship. "When I found out that the LaPlante family would support my education, I cried. I couldn’t believe it."
Meeting the LaPlantes in her second semester further motivated Tiffanie, who had already applied for the accelerated Master in Social Work (MSW) program at RIC. The family generously supported her pursuit of a master’s degree, an opportunity she hadn’t anticipated. "Their support has been life-changing," she says.
Balancing education and family, she managed a full-time job at the Groden Center, raised her children, and completed a 20-hour weekly internship. She earned her MSW in the spring of 2024 and just recently accepted a position as the Program Director at Massachusetts Network of Foster Care Alumni.
She also hopes to pursue a doctorate. As a Black woman in a predominantly white field, she not only emphasizes the importance of diverse representation in leadership but also embodies it. "Representation matters. Foster youth must see people who look like them in leadership positions."
Reflecting on her journey, Tiffanie recognizes the potential of former foster youth to become leaders. Her story is a testament to support, resilience, and belief in one’s ability to succeed, inspiring all foster youth striving for a better future. "If I can make it, so can they. We just need to believe in ourselves and support each other."
Read More of our annual report at https://www.fosterforward.net/2023-annual-report
