There are some exciting changes occurring within the leadership structure of MLJ Adoptions this month. Effective September 1st, I have stepped aside from my role as Chief Executive Officer and have begun serving as President and Chairman of the MLJ Adoptions’ Advisory Board. Also effective September 1st, Nicole Skellenger, Chief Operating Officer and our primary Adoption Attorney, began serving as our Chief Executive Officer.
Nicole has been with MLJ Adoptions since 2008 when she successfully led the effort to obtain our Hague Approval licensure. Since that time Nicole has been an integral contributor to our success as we have grown. She has managed our daily operations for the past four years, first as our Director of Operations and then as our Chief Operating Officer. She has become a recognized expert in the ever-changing requirements involved in international adoption under The Hague Convention and now the Universal Accreditation Act. I know that her excellence and expertise will allow us to continue to successfully pursue our mission of providing attentive, compassionate and ethical adoption services to each and every one of you.
While Nicole brings both a keen knowledge of international adoption and strong management skills to MLJ Adoptions, I believe her heart for the children we serve is equally important to why she will be successful in her new role. I have known Nicole both personally and professionally over the course of more than six years and have seen her continued commitment to the children we serve. I know that her heart is burdened for children in need of families and that she is strongly committed to fighting for the right of a child to have a family. This is an important combination of attributes in international adoption because while many have a burdened heart for children in need, not all can create plans of action and successfully execute those plans. This is where Nicole shines and I believe that her heart and her experience are a perfect match for leading MLJ Adoptions.
As the founder of MLJ Adoptions, I have felt the responsibility of ensuring continued strong leadership at the helm of MLJ Adoptions should I choose to step aside as CEO. It has been my hope and my plan to see Nicole named as CEO for some time now. It has been my pleasure to work by Nicole’s side over these past six years and share my knowledge and experience with her. I have taken immense pride in watching her grow as an adoption attorney and gain knowledge and confidence. I wish her all the best in her new role.
I am excited to serve MLJ Adoptions in my new role as a member of the Advisory Board. International adoption and international child welfare is my personal and professional passion. I believe firmly in MLJ’s mission to serve the best interests of children in need of families through international adoption. As an adoptive mother myself, I know the joys of adoption first hand and am personally blessed by adoption every day. I look forward to continuing to provide guidance and counsel to Nicole and her staff in my new role as Chairman of MLJ’s Advisory Board.
Michele Jackson, JD
Michele L. Jackson, JD taught the Hague Convention for five years as an adjunct professor at IU School of Law – Indianapolis in an advanced international family law course, She is the founder of MLJ Adoptions and frequent presenter on international adoption process, law and other related issues.
Michele Jackson, JD
Michele L. Jackson, JD taught the Hague Convention for five years as an adjunct professor at IU School of Law – Indianapolis in an advanced international family law course, She is the founder of MLJ Adoptions and frequent presenter on international adoption process, law and other related issues.