FAC Annual Event
October 6 – 8, 2026
The 2026 Florida Adoption Council Annual Conference is sure to deliver! We hope you will join us at Dune House Hotel & Spa in Atlantic Beach October 6-8, 2026, for spectacular sessions catering to attorneys and agency staff alike. We specifically are working to provide quality CLE/CEU credits for you that meet the requirements for ethics, tech, and other needed topics.
FAC members and non-members alike may register for the conference but remember, there are significant discounts for being a member and the unique opportunity to participate in the add-on session as well. Sessions are available to assist the newest worker in the adoption area up to experienced professionals seeking advanced training.
Beyond the educational aspect, the conference offers networking opportunities, social events, and a vendor showcase highlighting adoption-related products and services.
Beachfront retreat meets barefoot indulgence at Dune House Hotel & Spa. Discover a sanctuary of barefoot indulgence, with the sun on your skin & waves rolling in. Gather with other adoption professionals where ocean views replace white walls and fresh air fuels creativity. Coastal inspired rooms, the sound of the waves, and smell of the salty air is a recipe for success and a fabulous learning environment! You won’t want to miss this beautiful conference location.
Conference Dates:
October 6-8, 2026
Additional Add-On Session will be on October 6th in the morning- Join us for an exclusive FAC Conference add-on session designed to provide practical insight and essential continuing education. Attendees can participate in a four-hour session with a focus on contested litigation and the evolving use of AI in legal practice, exploring real-world applications, challenges, and emerging considerations. The program also includes ethics training, offering valuable guidance on professional responsibility and ethical issues impacting today’s practitioners. This add-on session is a valuable opportunity to expand your knowledge and stay current on critical topics shaping the field.
In addition, Join us for the first ever FAC Gala as we celebrate 25 years of making a difference in the lives of children and families. Enjoy an unforgettable evening featuring a silent auction, wine and whiskey pulls, and plenty of exciting surprises, all while supporting a meaningful cause. Dress to impress in your finest silver attire and help us commemorate this incredible milestone in style. Seperate ticket reauired for this event which will be Tuesday, October 6, 2026, 7-10pm.
ADOPTION ATTORNEYS
Adoption is entirely state law, so Florida licensed attorneys who are members are FAC can provide legal advice regarding Florida’s adoption… Read more.
ADOPTION PROFESSIONALS
Some FAC members work in the field of adoption but are not licensed attorneys or agencies. They may be licensed social workers, mental… Read more.
ADOPTION AGENCIES
Agencies licensed by the State of Florida to provide adoption services may also be members of FAC. Agencies may provide home study services… Read more.
FEATURED BLOG ARTICLES
BlogHow Recent Legislation Changes The Adoption Tax Credit
Federal legislation signed into law on July 4th alters how the adoption tax credit works. Specifically, the newly enacted law makes the adoption tax credit refundable up to $5,000. Not previously refundable, this tax credit will allow everyday families more access to adoption in light of the rising cost of living. The National Council For Adoption (NCFA) has publicly praised this […]
ArticleAll Home Studies Are Not Created Equal—Should They Be?
In the Declaration of Independence penned by Founding Father Thomas Jefferson, the bold statement is made that “all men are created equal.” While that may be the case for humans, the same thing cannot be said for adoption home studies. In fact, the home study process varies greatly from home study provider to home study […]
ArticleI’ve Got A Secret! – Belatedly Telling A Child They’re Adopted
For parents, having “the talk” with their child is a challenge that is often put off because it is an awkward topic. Adoptive parents have an even more daunting task. For them, “the talk” is not about the birds and the bees but about how their child came to be their child.
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Mary K. Wimsett
President, Board of Directors
Mary K. Wimsett has assisted thousands of families with their adoptions and is honored to have the opportunity to use her legal skills... Read more.
Steve Price
Treasurer, Board of Directors
Steve Price is a past president of the Florida Adoption Council and currently the board treasurer. Read more.
Amy Imber
Board Member at Large
Amy Imber is the Executive Director of Connecting Hearts Adoption Services and has worked in the adoption field for more than 20 years... Read More
Robert C. Lamarche
Vice President, Board of Directors
Rob has been in the adoption field since 1996. He has worked in both the public and private sectors in child welfare and has experience in both intercountry and domestic adoption ... Read more.
Robert L. Webster III, Esq.
Legislative Chair, Board of Directors
Rob is a board-certified adoption attorney with Jeanne T. Tate, P.A. Rob’s practice focuses almost solely on...Read more.
Linda Rotz
Board Member at Large
Linda Rotz is Director of Adoptive Services for Lifetime Adoption. Since 2001 ... Read more.
Alice H. Murray, Esq.
Secretary, Board of Directors
Alice H. Murray has been handling domestic, non-relative infant adoptive placements for over 30 years as an attorney... Read more.
Mark Livings
Board Member at Large
Mark Livings is the CEO and Founder CAIRS SOLUTIONS LLC / CAIRS SOLUTIONS PVT. INDIA, Mark is a seasoned IT executive with a strong strategy and technical orientation. He demonstrated... Read more.
Meredith Shepard
Board Member at Large
Meredith Shepard joined Heart of Adoptions in August 2013 as the Adoptive Parent Coordinator. Read more.
President on the Board of Directors
Attorney at Law, Law Offices of Elizabeth R. Berkowitz
Elizabeth R. Berkowitz, Esquire is an attorney with an extensive and exclusive practice in the area of adoption law, based in Palm Beach County, Florida. Besides her duties as the President, Ms. Berkowitz is the committee head chair for the Mentoring Committee and sits on the Legislative Committee. Her memberships include the Palm Beach County Bar Association, Cuban Bar Association, Florida Association of Woman Lawyers, Craig S. Barnard Inns of Court and The Federalist Society. She is certified as a Guardian Ad Litem and a certified Justice Teacher for the Fifteenth Judicial Circuit. She was admitted to the Federal Bar which allows her to practice before the U.S. Supreme Court. Ms. Berkowitz was honored in 2011 as Woman of the Year for the National Association of Professional Women. She was also awarded the Adoption Star Award in 2019 by the Florida Adoption Council.
Ms. Berkowitz owns her own practice and provides representation to adoptive families in domestic private placement adoptions. Her practice is dedicated to adoption of children of all ages. She also provides representation in step-parent adoptions, relative adoptions, adoptions that involve intervention in the dependency jurisdiction, and contested adoption litigation. She has been honored to be the keynote speaker at several hospitals, pregnancy clinics, health departments and organizations. Ms. Berkowitz has been the keynote speaker for multiple adoption courses offered throughout the state of Florida to adoption professionals. She has been involved on a legislative level by assisting with revisions of the Florida Adoption Statute in 2018.
Ms. Berkowitz earned her Doctor of Jurisprudence from St. Thomas University. Her undergraduate studies were at Michigan State University, earning a B.S. in International Relations. Ms. Berkowitz is very involved in her community and proactive in servicing organizations that promote permanency and stability for children. Ms. Berkowitz is married and has two sons. Her family is her greatest accomplishment.
Amy Imber is the Executive Director of Connecting Hearts Adoption Services and has worked in the adoption field for more than 20 years. Amy has been the Director of Connecting Hearts Adoption Services since its inception in 2008, and has been helping people become parents in Florida ever since! She has been honored to be a small part of countless adoption journeys.
Connecting Hearts Adoption Services is a licensed adoption agency in the State of Florida, focusing solely on the adoption home study for private adoption as well as adoption from foster care. Amy and her team of Social Workers serve families across the State of Florida. Connecting Hearts Adoption understands the home study process can be an overwhelming experience, but it doesn’t have to be!
Amy grew up in the Atlanta suburbs and attended Georgia College and State University, majoring in Psychology. She later returned to school to pursue her Master’s degree in Social Work at the University of Georgia. Amy moved to Orlando in 2002, and has called Orlando home ever since. Amy is married with two sons. In her free time, Amy enjoys attempting new recipes, pickleball, and boating.
Mark Livings is a seasoned IT executive with a strong strategy and technical orientation. He demonstrated global expertise in strategy and operations. Mark has been involved with several successful startups in the Financial Services, IT Services, and Child Adoption, and Digital Marketing industries. Mark has been on the executive team responsible for the successful IPO of a Global Consulting organization. Mark is an adoptive father of two boys.
Mark's prior experience includes serving as CIO/CTO for PMSI responsible for PMSI's Worker Comp systems; Vice President, E-Business for Tech Data, responsible for executing Tech Data's e-business strategy; Vice President of Cash Access at Fidelity National Information Services; Vice President of Global Information Systems at ASAP Software/License Technologies Group; Chief Information and Technology Officer for Kanbay, a global IT services firm; and other IT positions at CitiCorp, Sara Lee Corporation, and The Quaker Oats Company.
Mark has a Bachelor of Science degree in Computer Science from Ball State University.
Ellen Kaplan has been a practicing attorney since 1991 and is a member in good standing with the Florida Bar. Ms. Kaplan is an expert in the field of adoption law and is currently chairs the Florida Bar Board Certification Committee on Adoption Law. She is also a fellow of the prestigious Quad A (Academy of Adoption and Assisted Reproductive Attorneys) and sits as a board member of the Florida Adoption Council.
In private practice, Ms. Kaplan serves as an adoption intermediary helping families to match with hopeful adoptive parents and serves as the adoption entity representing hopeful adoptive parents throughout the private placement domestic adoption proceedings. Her adoption services include domestic private placement adoptions (newborns, infants, toddlers, older children, siblings, multiples), step-parent and relative adoptions, adult adoptions, individual birth mother representation, domestication of foreign judgments of adoption, litigation of contested adoption, Department of Children and Families (DCF) interventions, and agency and intermediary legal defense representation.
In addition to being an attorney, Ms. Kaplan is also a registered nurse who has worked extensively in the field of labor and delivery.
Stephen H. Price ("Steve") joined his friend Charles W. Cramer to found the firm in 1997, and supports business and individual clients in both litigation and transactional matters. Because he also holds a license as a Real Estate Broker and is a former Mortgage Broker, he understands the often complex needs of business clients.
Mr. Price works closely with owners of family-operated businesses, and understands their periodic need for rapid response and aggressive representation, as well as diligence and creativity in day-to-day matters.
With a major personal and professional commitment in the area of adoption, Steve takes deep pride in helping families and adoptive children come together to create happier and more fulfilled lives.
For his agricultural and family-owned business clients, Mr. Price brings both a personal family background and extensive education. Mr. Price's family has long been part of the agricultural backbone of Florida, which led him to earn a B.S. in Agriculture from the University of Florida prior to earning his law degree.
Mr. Price is married with three sons. He and his family are active members of the First Baptist Church/Orlando, where he serves in the church's college ministry. He also serves on the Board of Directors for House of Hope, Global Church Alliance and First Baptist Church/Orlando Budget Planning and Personnel Committees. In his free time Steve enjoys hunting, water sports, and other outdoor activities.
Areas of Practice
- Real Estate, Landlord/Tenant and Consumer Protection
- Personal and Business Debt Collection
- Commercial Litigation
- Corporate Transactions
- Real Estate
- Adoption
Mary K. Wimsett has assisted thousands of families with their adoptions and is honored to have the opportunity to use her legal skills to help make families whole. After graduating cum laude from Vanderbilt University, Mary K. obtained her J.D., with Honors, from the University of Florida. While at the University of Florida, Mary K. served as a Florida Bar Legal Services Fellow and a Center for Governmental Responsibility Public Service Fellow. Mary K. also serves as Special Counsel to the Statewide Guardian ad Litem Program. In this capacity, Mary K. trains child advocates and assists with special projects regarding the best interests of children. Mary K. presents frequently statewide on topics related to adoption, dependency, child advocacy and guardianships.
Mary K. has served as Vice-Chair of the Florida Bar Family Law Rules Committee, Chair and Vice-Chair of the Florida Bar Juvenile Rules Committee and Chair and Vice-Chair of the Eighth Judicial Circuit Grievance Committee. Mary K. is a past President of The Bennett Inn of Court and has served as a Board Member of this Inn for many years as a founding member. Mary K. is also on several Boards including the Eighth Judicial Circuit Bar Association and PACE Center for Girls where she currently serves as President-Elect.
Mary K. has three daughters with her husband Gary Wimsett, Jr., who is an attorney at the University of Florida.
Angela Quick, MPA is the Executive Director of Adoption & Family Support Center, LLC. The Center, with locations in Volusia and Orange Counties, has been serving the adoption needs of Floridians since 1992. This Licensed Child Placing Agency’s mission is to encourage an environment of trust and respect in which each member of the adoption triad can define their journey and fulfill their adoption goals. In this position she has participated in excess of 2000 adoptions, partnering with over 90 different agencies and private attorneys throughout the world.
Ms. Quick has been a Board Member of the Florida Adoption Council for over 10 years. She is a Certified Adoption Mental Health Professional, through the Rutgers University School of Social Work, as well as a Certified Child Custody and Family Assessment Evaluator through the Nova Southeastern University Center for Psychological Studies. Ms. Quick is also a Certified Family Mediator and Expert Witness in matters including adoption and custody in the State of Florida.
She began her career in social work with the Department of Children and Families in 1988. Ms. Quick provided MAPP, pre-placement training and was a Child Protective Investigator. It was during this time that Ms. Quick developed a deep respect for the families that she served. This lead her to establish one of the only active birth parent support groups in the state of Florida, Placement From the Heart. It is through this support group that Ms. Quick is able to honor the courageous and often selfless birth parents who are its members.
Rob is a board-certified adoption attorney with Jeanne T. Tate, P.A. Rob’s practice focuses almost solely on litigation & appeals arising from contested adoptions, and includes the representation of adoption agencies and other adoption attorneys in termination of parental rights proceedings and DCF interventions. Rob has also filed briefs in each district court of appeal in Florida, the Florida Supreme Court, and the United States Supreme Court.
Rob received a B.A. degree in Government & World Affairs with a minor in Law & Justice from the University of Tampa, where he graduated magna cum laude and first in his major. Rob was also selected by the Faculty Honors Committee to study European Union Law and The Intelligence Services at New College, Oxford University for the Hilary Term, where he earned the U.S. equivalent of a 4.0 GPA. Rob then received his J.D. with an emphasis in Advocacy and Dispute Resolution from the Chapman University School of Law in Orange County, California, where he was an executive member of the Moot Court Board and won an ABA Moot Court Regional Championship, eventually placing in the top ten nationwide. Rob received book awards in Trial Advocacy and the Appellate Law Clinic and was also the first law student in school history to argue before the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit as part of a pro bono clinic.
Rob is on the Board of Directors for the Florida Adoption Council (FAC) and in October 2015, was elected as Vice-President of the organization. Rob also chairs the FAC's Amicus Brief Committee. Rob became board-certified in adoption law in 2016, and was subsequently appointed to serve on the Adoption Law Certification Committee through June 2021. Rob enjoys hockey and bourbon, and he and his wife Chelsea are the parents to a dog named Woodford and an 21 month old honorary FAC board member named Rip (a/k/a Robert L Webster IV).
Board Certified in adoption law by The Florida Bar and a Fellow of the prestigious Academy of Adoption & Assisted Reproduction Attorneys.
Meredith Shepard joined Heart of Adoptions in August 2013 as the Adoptive Parent Coordinator. She works closely with waiting adoptive families handling day-to-day needs and assisting with matching adoptive families to birth families. In July of 2020 Meredith became the Director of Programs for the agency. As of April of 2022 Meredith is the Executive Director for Heart of Adoptions. She is responsible to coordinate and supervise agency staff, volunteers, and handle day-to-day operational duties. Meredith has worked in the area of social work for over 20 years and has experience working within the fields of child development, adoption, foster care, and developmental disabilities.
Meredith graduated with honors from Eckerd College with a Bachelor of Arts in Human Development and Walden University with a Master of Science in Non-Profit Management & Leadership. She was also a Licensed Massage Therapist prior to obtaining her degree. While born in Ohio, which will always be home, she is also a die-hard hot weather fan and loves nothing more than cruising in her Jeep with the top down and the music loud! She has a son in college and has recently added a new fur-baby “Voodoo” to her home. Meredith can typically be found at Disney on the weekend or enjoying a camping trip and a nice kayak trip down a river when the weather is nice.
Linda Rotz is Director of Adoptive Services for Lifetime Adoption. Since 2001, she has devoted herself to helping people through the adoption process. Linda has used her knowledge gained through her vast experience and degrees in Human Development, Management and Mass Communications to help develop adoption best practices while working for the State of Florida ,and currently with Lifetime Adoption. Linda went on to grad school and focused on Marketing and Social Work. She is a Certified Child Welfare Case Manager Supervisor, Certified Child Welfare Trainer, and is fully trained in the field of Adoption Competency.
Linda is an expert in adoption policies and procedures of Florida laws. In addition, connecting to the community through educational outreach is of great importance to Linda. She continues to stay in touch with her social work passion by training families and performing adoption home studies and post-placement supervision reports.
Linda also volunteers in addiction and recovery programs, where she provides counseling, support, and coaching to individuals who struggle with addiction issues and serves as a board member for the Florida Adoption Council.
Rob has been in the adoption field since 1996. He has worked in both the public and private sectors in child welfare and has experience in both intercountry and domestic adoption. Rob earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology from Wheaton College, MA (1994). He has a Master’s Degree in Social work from Salem State College (1999) and was admitted to the Florida Bar in 2012 after graduating from Nova Southeastern University Shepard Broad Law School in 2011.
Rob is the Executive Director/Attorney for ACF Adoptions, a private non–profit adoption agency that has been providing services since 1992. Rob is a former foster parent and the proud adoptive parent of two sons and a daughter. He resides in South Florida with his husband, children, 3 dogs and 9 chickens. Rob is an active volunteer in his community and an advocate for ethical adoption reform. He is a member of the Florida Adoption Council, the National Council for Adoption and a Fellow in the American Academy of Adoption and Assisted Reproductive Attorneys where he serves on the Agency and Ethics Committees.
Recently, Florida Childrens First honored Robert as its 2023 Outstanding Foster & Adoptive Parent.
He is responsible for all phases of legal work on behalf of agency including pleadings, hearings and taking consents. He oversees the agency’s financial management, budget, audit, supervises the agency’s administrative staff, annual state licensure as well as cooperation with Board of Directors. He ensures that the agency services reflect mission.
Amy Imber is the Executive Director of Connecting Hearts Adoption Services and has worked in the adoption field for more than 20 years. Amy has been the Director of Connecting Hearts Adoption Services since its inception in 2008, and has been helping people become parents in Florida ever since! She has been honored to be a small part of countless adoption journeys.
Connecting Hearts Adoption Services is a licensed adoption agency in the State of Florida, focusing solely on the adoption home study for private adoption as well as adoption from foster care. Amy and her team of Social Workers serve families across the State of Florida. Connecting Hearts Adoption understands the home study process can be an overwhelming experience, but it doesn’t have to be!
Amy grew up in the Atlanta suburbs and attended Georgia College and State University, majoring in Psychology. She later returned to school to pursue her Master’s degree in Social Work at the University of Georgia. Amy moved to Orlando in 2002, and has called Orlando home ever since. Amy is married with two sons. In her free time, Amy enjoys attempting new recipes, pickleball, and boating.