About

Our goal is to provide you with accurate information, excellent service and support throughout the process. 

Young woman enjoying puzzle game at home

founded in 1992
We are a not-for-profit organization providing a wide range of services to children, adults and families touched by foster care and adoption.

Whether you are calling for the first time, waiting for your closed file information, searching for a birth relative, or have been contacted by us on behalf of a relative who wants a connection, we want to support you.

The programs of Midwest Adoption Center focus on helping each member of the adoption circle meet these new challenges.

There is no fee for MAC services. 

Our Mission

SERVE the adoption and foster care community by providing pathways to information and connection.

SUPPORT and empower individuals impacted by adoption to access information about themselves and establish connections while respecting the rights and privacy of all members of the adoption triad.

Our Staff

Dawn Saphir-Pruett, LCSW – Executive Director

Dawn has been with MAC since 2004. Dawn began at MAC as a caseworker and enjoyed that work for several years before becoming the DCFS Program Coordinator and eventually the…

Elisabeth R. – Caseworker

Elisabeth has been working for MAC since June of 2019 as a DCFS Program Caseworker. She graduated with a degree in Psychology from Illinois Wesleyan University.

LaKisha W. – Program Specialist/Intake Coordinator

LaKisha joined the MAC staff as a Program Specialist/Intake Coordinator in 2004. She has 20 years experience in the social service field with 18 of those years specializing in permanency…

Sue F. – Staff Genealogist/File Retrieval Specialist

Sue has been with MAC since 1996. She works as both our staff genealogist and file retrieval specialist.

Jessica B. – Caseworker

Jessica joined MAC in 2016 as a Post Adoption Guardianship Caseworker in the DCFS Program. Jessica completed her undergraduate degree in Social Work at Concordia University Chicago and her Master’s…

Laura Q. – Confidential Intermediary/Caseworker

Laura has been with MAC since 2016 and began at MAC as a caseworker in the DCFS Program. She then added the role of Confidential Intermediary in the Confidential Intermediary…

Denise V. – Confidential Intermediary/Caseworker

Denise has been with MAC since 2014. She received her Master’s degree in Social Work from the Jane Addams College of Social Work at the University of Illinois at Chicago.…

Kathryn Marker, LCSW – Direct Service Coordinator, DCFS Program

Kathryn joined MAC in 2012, first as a caseworker in the DCFS Program and then also as a Confidential Intermediary in the Confidential Intermediary Service of Illinois Program (CISI). She…

Emily Archer – Confidential Intermediary Program Coordinator

Emily joined the MAC staff in 2013 as a caseworker in the DCFS Program and quickly became a Certified Confidential Intermediary in 2014. She became the Confidential Intermediary Program Coordinator…

Grace K. – Caseworker

Grace has been working at MAC as a DCFS Program Caseworker since August of 2023. She received her bachelors degree in Social Work from the University of Illinois at Urban-Champaign.

Madeline M. – Caseworker

Madeline joined MAC in 2023 as a caseworker in the DCFS Program. Madeline completed her bachelors degree in Applied Behavioral Sciences from National Lewis University.