LAURA AXTETTER
Celina
Summary
Highly effective and goal-oriented professional seeking a meaningful position that will fulfill my strong desire to utilize my skills and passion to aide in advocacy, support, and education of vulnerable populations.
Equipped with strong problem-solving abilities, willingness to learn, and excellent communication skills. Poised to contribute to team success and achieve positive results. Ready to tackle new challenges and advance organizational objectives with dedication and enthusiasm.
Overview
13
13
years of professional experience
Work History
Foster Parent Recruiter
The Bair Foundation
Carrollton, TX
10.2025 - Current
- Established positive relationships with families, promoting effective communication and support networks.
- Participated in ongoing training opportunities to stay current on best practices in foster care provision, trauma-informed care, and minimum standards.
- Led individualized and group information and training session sessions with children and families.
- Built solid and trusting rapport with potential families, fostering trust and communication to develop and maintain home licensing requirements.
- Assisted families in navigating the social services system, including applying for benefits, accessing resources and connecting with other family support services.
- Conducted thorough interviews and assessments to evaluate candidate suitability.
- Conducted reference checks, background screening, thorough interviews, home assessments and other pre-licensing checks to verify information on applicant qualifications and preparedness.
- Managed high-volume inquiries in a timely manner to meet agency, child, and family needs efficiently.
Matched Adoption Specialist
CK Family Services
09.2024 - 03.2025
- Developed and implemented program structure and design for the matched adoption program
- Supervised adoptive families to ensure compliance with state licensing and monitoring standards, adoption contract terms, and CK Family Services mission and policies
- Led and assisted the adoptive parents and their potential adoptive child through the adoption process.
- Provided continued case management support to families waiting for placement, including ongoing contact, home visits, home study updates, staffings, presentations, and training.
- Documented and tracked all interactions, communication, submissions, and progress in Salesforce in a timely and thorough manner.
Elementary Teacher
Celina ISD/Saint Louis County Public Schools
12.2016 - 06.2024
- Collaborated in weekly meetings to identify, develop, and address patterns and trends of key performance indicators
- Established an environment to meet and enhance students' needs of emotional, intellectual, social, and creative strengths
- Developed core objectives to establish equity, diversity, mindfulness, and a growth mindset to foster a positive working environment
- Onboarded stakeholders with technology training
- Specialized in conflict resolution, emotional management, and client de-escalation
- Implemented trauma-informed setting through implementation of connection, empathy, and acceptance of diverse lived experiences
- Drove digital content and learning systems innovations informed by data measurement and analytics
- Collaborated with key stakeholders and across multiple departments for project management and goal attainment
- Achieved quarterly growth goals through implementation of developed plan and modification of content in order to reach all clients consistently over 8-week cycles.
Psychological Examiner
Independent Consultant
Saint Louis, MO
01.2013 - 01.2016
- Administered and interpreted extensive diagnostic assessments in the areas of intelligence, cognition, academics, social, emotional, and behavior
- Conducted evaluation consults with stakeholders to design a plan for support
- Wrote thorough evaluation reports with detailed information and explicit recommendations based upon assessment results
- Led and conducted professional meetings to determine next steps based upon evaluation results.
Education
Advanced Graduate Certificate - Assessment of Learning and Cognitive Development
Webster University
Master of Arts - Applied Educational Psychology
Webster University
Webster Groves, MOBachelor of Science - Early Childhood Education
Webster University
Skills
- Management Skills
- Communication
- Emotional Intelligence
- Immigrant/Refugee Support
- Presentation Skills
- Problem-Solving
- Time Management
- Social Emotional Support
- Collaboration
- Self-Motivation
- Adaptability
- Organization
- Multi-tasking
- Trauma-Informed
- Non-profit volunteer
- Ability to Work Under Pressure
- Active Listening
- Research
- Editing
- Composition
- Creative lesson planning
- Explicit instruction
- Teaching material development
- Child psychology
- Teaching techniques
- Documentation development
- Program development and management
- Written and verbal communication
- Multicultural sensitivity
- Safety planning
- Child development
- Patience and tact
- Educational support
- First aid and CPR
- Client advocacy
- Family support
- Trauma-informed care
- Teamwork
- Problem-solving
- Time management
- Problem-solving abilities
- Multitasking Abilities
- Reliability
- Organizational skills
- Active listening
- Effective communication
- Adaptability and flexibility
- Relationship building
- Client documentation
- Task prioritization
- Self motivation
- Analytical thinking
- Goal setting
- Professionalism
- Family services
- Time management abilities
Accomplishments
- Symposium Chair Society for Cross Cultural Research Annual International Conference
- International Conference Research Presenter - Self-Concept Development in Female Chinese Adoptees
- Guest Speaker Webster University School of Education - War and Superhero Play in Early Childhood
- Webster University School of Education Invited Speaker- Applied Research
- China Orphanage Education and Support Team
- Collaborative Researcher International Conference of Psychologists
- President – Families with Children From China Non-Profit Organization
Timeline
Foster Parent Recruiter
The Bair Foundation
10.2025 - Current
Matched Adoption Specialist
CK Family Services
09.2024 - 03.2025
Elementary Teacher
Celina ISD/Saint Louis County Public Schools
12.2016 - 06.2024
Psychological Examiner
Independent Consultant
01.2013 - 01.2016
Bachelor of Science - Early Childhood Education
Webster University
Advanced Graduate Certificate - Assessment of Learning and Cognitive Development
Webster University
Master of Arts - Applied Educational Psychology
Webster University