Our passion for adoption runs deep.

Adoption & Beyond is a 501(c)(3) non-profit child placement agency licensed in both Kansas and Missouri.

We’re so glad YOU’VE FOUND US.

No matter which role you have in an adoption, we believe you deserve a compassionate guide and a crystal-clear process. That’s why at Adoption & Beyond, we dedicate ourselves to building meaningful relationships by educating, guiding, and advocating for all touched by adoption, every step of the adoption journey and beyond.

We believe every child should grow up feeling loved, and we’re on a mission to build healthy families through child-centered adoptions. For more than 25 years, we’ve been listening first, responding with empathy, and helping families navigate a life-changing process with confidence.

 Rest assured our services are available to all and the agency prohibits discrimination based on race, color, ethnicity, national origin, religion, disability, marital status, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, or gender expression.

IT’S AN HONOR TO SERVE YOU.

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OUR ROOTS

After four years in the adoption field, Steffany Aye found herself choosing to leave her place of employment as the Child Placement Supervisor for a local adoption agency in order to finish her second master’s degree. (Steffany’s first master’s is in Family Life Education & Consultation and the second master’s is in Social Work). As Steffany was finishing her degree requirements, she began exploring the idea of starting an adoption agency, as she saw a need for good, ethical, and affordable adoption services, and Adoption & Beyond became a reality in the Summer of 1998.

Though the agency originated from a, one-person, home-based office, it eventually outgrew the house and was relocated to Overland Park, Kansas, near 435 and Metcalf. Steffany soon discovered that the agency needed still more space and it was again moved, to the current location at the corner of 162nd Street and Metcalf Avenue. 

Adoption & Beyond is a non-profit child placing agency licensed in the states of Kansas and Missouri. It has a board of directors who oversees the operation of the agency, and it is run on a daily basis by its Founder and Director, Steffany Aye, along with the assistance of a wonderful team of adoption professionals.

OUR VALUES

We value:

 

    • Empathy – We offer compassionate resources and services that recognize and respect each family’s unique adoption journey.
    • Education – We make adoption easier and more accessible by equipping families with knowledge so they can make the best decisions for themselves and their child.
    • Inclusivity – We understand that families can take many different forms and that a child feeling loved is universally needed.
    • Honesty – We invest our energy into transparent operations and open conversations so that our families know they can trust us to guide them.
    • Commitment – We promise to be with you every step of the way and expect your complete dedication to putting your child first.
OUR LICENSES

We Are A Licensed Non-Profit Child-Placing Agency in Kansas & Missouri

Kansas Adoption License #36622-4

Kansas Licensing Entity:
Kansas Department for Children and Families
CPA and Residential Facility Division
500 SW Van Buren
P.O. Box 1424
Topeka, KS 66601

Missouri Adoption License #00124113

Missouri Licensing Entity:
Missouri Division of Social Services
Children’s Division
Residential Program Unit
615 Howerton Court
P.O. Box 88
Jefferson City, MO 65103-0088

Adoption & Beyond, Inc. does not endorse any particular candidate for public office or corporate sponsor, and Adoption & Beyond, Inc. has no agency relationship with organizations to which it may be linked.

OUR CLIENTS SAY THE NICEST THINGS:

I want to thank you and Shawna for all you have done for us throughout this portion of our journey. I appreciate all you have done for us and helping us get through this crazy time! Thanks again! You all have been so wonderful to work with!

Nicole

We really enjoyed our workshop with your agency. It’s what we missed when trying to learn about adoption from the Kansas Department of Children and Families. Your adoption education is excellent…

Melissa

Shawna and Julie have both been fantastic. Shawna was incredibly accommodating in getting this last visit and report wrapped up efficiently so we can expedite getting our court date. I’m grateful to have your team available to us as we continue on this journey.

Rachel

I LOVED being a part of A & B. While I wish my time following my passion for adoption had been longer lived, I am SO grateful that I was able to follow my dream for even a few short years. You are a very special person and the agency you have created is top notch. You should feel very, very proud! Let’s keep in touch via Facebook and otherwise.

Love,

Cindy

Thank you so much! We are so excited and will reach out with any questions…as you all have been so very helpful through the process.

Trevor and Amanda

…AHH THANK YOU!! You all have been so wonderful to work with!

Tracy

You guys are amazing! We are so thankful for all of your help and how quickly you take care of stuff for us 🙂

Elizabeth

I want to send you our most sincere thanks for all of your help in the home study process. There are so many moving parts and you’ve been there every step of the way! Wishing you and your loved ones a very happy new year!

Jake & Steffeny

Thank you for everything you’ve done for us. Adoption and Beyond has been nothing but awesome to work with these past years. You’ve made the paperwork portion of this journey super easy and we are extremely grateful for all the work you do.

Josh

— We Can’t Wait to Meet You! —

Our knowledgeable and committed staff members have been both personally and professionally touched by adoption. 

STEFFANY AYE

LSCSW, LCSW

Founder and Director

Hi, I’m Steffany Aye. I have been a part of the adoption field since 1993 and found it to be very rewarding. I was introduced to the field of adoption in college while obtaining my first master’s degree in Family Life Education and Consultation. I had always had an interest in unplanned pregnancy and infertility, but it was not until this point that I began to see how it all fit together.

While obtaining my second master’s degree in Social Work, I had the opportunity to also study Hospital and School Social Work. I thoroughly enjoyed learning about these other fields; however, I knew that my heart’s desire was to be involved in adoption. Within a few short months, doors began to open and starting an adoption agency became a reality.

Since 1998, Adoption & Beyond has grown from a one-person home-based agency to an agency with several dedicated adoption professionals covering two states. I am so thankful and blessed to have had the opportunity to work with hundreds of wonderful birth parents, adoptive families and their children. In addition, I am the proud mother of five children, one having joined our family through adoption.

Warmest Wishes,

Steffany A. Aye

Olivia Grelle

Office Coordinator

I am so excited to be the Office Coordinator! I graduated from Benedictine College in 2014 with my Bachelor’s in Psychology and Criminology and from Missouri State University in 2018 with my Master’s in Social Work. I have worked with children and families since 2015. Since I was young, I have always had an interest in adoption and am excited to be working in this field! My husband and I hope to adopt in the future.

In my free time, I love to do all things outdoors including hiking, biking, and camping. I also enjoying reading historical fiction, working on various craft activities, and spending time with friends and family. I am excited to be working here at Adoption & Beyond and look forward to working with you!

Sincerely,

Olivia Grelle

REGIONAL ADOPTION TEAM

JENNY JONES

LMSW

Wichita, Central and Western Kansas

Hello, my name is Jennifer Jones. With a 5 year break, I am very excited to be back doing home studies with Adoption & Beyond. I graduated from Wichita State University in 2001 and I received my master’s in social work from Newman University in 2008. Professionally, I have a lot of experience in the medical and education field of social work and currently work full time at Newman University in the school of social work. I also work prn at Wesley Hospital in Wichita mainly working in the Women’s and Children’s Hospitals.

In my free time, I love spending time with family and friends. I love to travel, hike 14ers in Colorado and run to take care of myself. I am grateful that my path has led me back to Adoption & Beyond and look forward to working with you.

Sincerely,

Jenny Jones

Closeup picture of team member Kelly Kiolbasa

Kelly Kiolbasa

St. Louis & Eastern Missouri

Hi, I am Kelly Kiolbasa and I am honored to be an adoption caseworker with Adoption and
Beyond! I attended St. Louis University, graduating there with my Bachelor’s degree in 2018
and Master’s degree in 2019. I currently work at St. Louis Children’s Hospital in the Neonatal
Intensive Care Unit (NICU) providing supportive services to families with critically ill infants. I
am so humbled and excited to now also support families throughout their adoption journey. On a
personal level, adoption has a special place in my heart. My mother adopted my sister due to
issues of fertility, and later conceived me through in vitro fertilization. I also have two cherished
cousins that were adopted. Adoption and the ability to build and grow beautiful bonds,
connections, and families through this process is something that has always been highly valued
to me.

When I am not working to support families, in my free time I enjoy spending time with my
family and friends, doing yoga, reading, and traveling. I am grateful that my personal and
professional experience has led me to Adoption & Beyond and look forward to working with
you.

Sincerely,

Kelly Kiolbasa, LMSW

BRITTANY SHEETS

LMSW

Kansas City Metro Area 

I joined the Adoption & Beyond team in February 2018. I attended the University of Missouri- Kansas City, where I received my Bachelor’s in Psychology in 2012. After taking a few years off from school I decided to continue my education, and obtained my Master’s in Social Work from the University of Kansas in 2017. During graduate school I completed two internships, each lasting one school year. My first internship was at KVC, where I worked on the re-integration team serving both the children and their biological parents. I completed my second internship at the Salvation Army Children’s Shelter, where I provided case management and therapeutic services to the clients living at the shelter.

I have always been passionate about adoption, and I believe this stems from the way in which I was raised. My family provided foster care for approximately 12 years and adopted my eldest brother during this time. I can’t imagine my life without my brother, or without all of the children that we had the joy of loving over those 12 years. My husband and I are foster parents ourselves! We currently have two sweet girls, one who joined our family through foster care adoption. Read Brittany’s full adoption story here.

I feel honored to work at Adoption & Beyond, and especially honored to play a small part in your adoption story!

Sincerely,

Brittany Sheets, LMSW

SHAWNA SUPER

LBSW

Kansas City Metro Area

I was honored to become a part of the Adoption & Beyond team in 2015! I received my bachelor’s degree in Social Work from Avila University in Kansas City, Missouri in 2014. I completed my internship with Sunflower House in Shawnee, Kansas as a Family Advocate. After graduating, I worked with families in the Head Start Program in the Kansas City, Kansas public school district. I greatly enjoy working with families and look forward to working with Adoption & Beyond’s families.

I have a personal connection to adoption as I was adopted by my father around the age of 13 years old. Some might say that it was an adoption by my stepfather, but he is my dad. I am married and have a young child. I know the joy that comes along with becoming a parent and want to help others experience that joy as well.

In my free time, I like to read, run, spend time with my family, and be outdoors. I am excited to work for Adoption & Beyond and look forward to working with you!

Sincerely,

Shawna Super

KELLY WARE

Kansas City Metro Area 

Hi, my name is Kelly Ware and I live in Olathe, Kansas. I graduated from the University of Kansas with a Bachelor’s Degree in Social Work in 1992. I have worked for the Department for Children and Families, Johnson County Court Services, and am currently a Family Advocate at Sunflower House which is a Child Advocacy Center that serves Johnson and Wyandotte Counties in Kansas. When children come for forensic interviews due to allegations of physical or sexual abuse, I provide resources and support to the non-offending caregiver(s). I enjoy working with children and families and am very excited to begin working as an adoption case worker at Adoption & Beyond! The field of adoption has always held a special interest for me as I was adopted as a baby. I have been raised by wonderful parents and have a younger sister who was also adopted. I look forward to working with expecting parents and hopeful adoptive parents.

My husband and I are parents to a daughter and twin sons. I enjoy traveling, watching KU basketball, reading, and bargain shopping. I have been an active member in my Beta Sigma Phi sorority since 1993 where service is a top priority and enjoy spending time with my sorority sisters.

I am thankful for getting the opportunity to work in the field of adoption and am ready to begin this new step in life with you.

Sincerely,

Kelly Ware

SHANNON WILSON

LCSW

Southwestern Missouri 

Hi, my name is Shannon Wilson and I live in Springfield, Missouri. I graduated from Evangel University with a bachelor’s degree in Social Work in 2000 and from Missouri State University with a master’s degree in Social Work in 2003. I received my clinical social work license in 2007.

I have been working with an agency that facilitates Adoptions and Foster Care since the spring of 2003. I received my clinical social work license in 2007. I enjoy my job, and I enjoy developing relationships with my foster families and investing in the lives of the children that I work with.

I have been working with Adoption & Beyond as one of their Home Study Caseworkers since the fall of 2004 and have thoroughly enjoyed meeting so many new people. It is so rewarding to be a part of children and adoptive parents coming together and becoming a family. There are so many children that need families, and I love sharing in the process of these families being created. I enjoy working with families from the beginning of the home study process all the way through getting to meet their children during the post-adoptive visits. I believe that God has opened this door for me, and I am excited for the opportunity to be a part of bringing children who need a family to a family that is waiting for them.

I am married and have been blessed to be the mother to two little girls, Reagan and Riley. Both of my jobs allow me the flexibility to stay home with them most of the time. I love being a mom, and I love helping people become parents through adoption.

Sincerely,

Shannon Wilson

We’d love to help you reach your goals.

WHERE ARE YOU IN YOUR JOURNEY?

I am Pregnant.

I want to Adopt.

Ways You Can Support Adoption & Beyond's Vision