About Us Mary My name is Mary Guiseley. I am a 52-year-old mother of two adopted children. Like many of you, I have struggled through infertility, not once, but twice. I know well the heartbreak and physical pain of the process. In 1992, my husband and I decided adoption was our answer, and in August of that year our daughter, Jackie, was born - with my husband in the delivery room. Just after her birth, with a good comfort level, we totally opened the contact with her birthmother, Amy. In October of 1994, after going through more rounds of infertility treatment, and days short of IVF, my husband and I chose to adopt again. After waiting ten months for a Caucasian infant, we realized all we wanted to do was to complete our family. It was at this time that we decided we would adopt trans-racially. In of 1995, our son, Aaron, was born, a beautiful boy of African-American, Hispanic and Irish descent. Since our open adoption experience with Amy was so successful, we decided to open Aaron’s adoption as well. This relationship has been mutually rewarding and now, at age 12, Aaron takes yearly visits to spend time with his birth family in another state. In February of 1997, Amy gave birth to another daughter, and due her financial situation at the time, again she had to make the heart-wrenching decision to place her daughter for adoption. I was there to help her select a family, in the delivery room when she gave birth, and there for emotional support before and after she had the baby. After these life-changing events, I decided that I would start an adoption agency on my own. In 1998, Connections Adoption Services, Inc., was established. Since I am an adoptive parent, I wanted to use my own experience to design an agency that was professional, understanding of people struggling to have a family, and had short waiting periods for placement. I always said that if God would grant me the children I desired, I would give back the knowledge I gained through my adoptions to help others find their dream families. I am thrilled to be able to do this via Connections Adoption Services, Inc. Sharon Caulfield, MDiv, LSW - Casework Supervisor/Social Worker
I took a rather winding road to social work, spending time as a hospital and prison chaplain, managing a Ronald McDonald House for seriously ill children and their families, and working as a director of a homeless shelter for women. In 1999, I began working as a birthparent counselor at another adoption agency, and realized that I had found my perfect niche. It has become a passion for me to provide quality information and support to others during their adoption process. I have been working with Connections Adoption Services since the spring of 2007, and love the chance to work with birthparents, adoptive parents, other adoption professionals, and yes, even adoption attorneys! I am fortunate to have both a stepdaughter and an adopted daughter (adopted as a teen), as well as a grandchild, to fill my free time and drain my pockets. My partner, Jim, and I live on a beautiful lake in Maine, where I can most often be found looking at wildlife, playing on the water, or with my nose deep in some novel. Terry Dubois - Administrative Assistant/Profile Specialist
Although I have been doing office work for the past six years, this is my first job in the adoption field. I came to Connections Adoption Services, Inc. in March of 2008. I have found it to be very interesting as well as rewarding. I am a single mother. I have two sons and one grandson. I live in Buxton, Maine and have lived in the same area my entire life. Rusty is my oldest son. He is married and has a son (Brody). Dylan is my other son. He lives at home with me and our gray tiger cat, Walker. In my free time I enjoy cooking and spending time with family and friends. Laurie
My name is Laurie. I am a single mother of two teenagers. My daughter, Kate, is currently studying business at the University of Maine. My son, Mike, is a junior in high school. I have a college degree in Early Childhood and spent several years teaching at the elementary school level before staying home to raise my own children. I spent a lot of time volunteering in my children’s classrooms and coordinating volunteer events in their schools. As my children grew it seemed natural for me to enter the work force again as an educator. I worked for several years as the Coordinator of Volunteers in the Gorham Schools. This past year, after some personal life changes, I made a career change as well. I am working as the Office Manager/ICPC Coordinator at Connections. I find working in the field of adoption to be extremely rewarding. When I am not at work I enjoy spending time with my family and friends and running.
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