Midwest Adoption Center (MAC) specializes in services to people affected by adoption or DCFS guardianship care. 

MAC is a not-for-profit organization founded in 1992 to provide a wide range of services to children, adults and families touched by foster care and adoption. Before founding MAC, co-directors Nancy Golden and Gretchen Schulert worked with adoptive families and adopted individuals in a variety of settings. Gretchen and Nancy recognized that adoption was changing and that the individuals and families touched by adoption are thinking about their relationships in many new ways. The programs of the Center focus on helping each member of the adoption triad meet these new challenges.

The Illinois DCFS Closed File Information and Search Service

The Confidential Intermediary Service of Illinois

MAC also offers support and counseling to people considering adoption or struggling with issues related to adoption.

Training and consultation is available for individual social workers and agencies regarding post-adoption service.

About MAC staff

Nancy Golden, MSW, LCSW has worked for more than 20 years in adoption and foster care services in an agency setting and in private practice and serves as Clinical Director of MAC. The focus of Nancy's clinical work has been in promoting healthy growth and development for children and their birth, foster and adoptive families. In addition, she presents workshops and seminars at local as well as national conferences and is a regular contributor to local adoptive family newsletters.

Gretchen Schulert, BA has more than 35 years of experience in adoption in Illinois, working primarily with adoptive families, both pre and post adoption. In 1993, Ms. Schulert, along with Nancy Golden, founded Midwest Adoption Center. She shares responsibility for the delivery of both the DCFS Post Adoption and Guardianship program and the Confidential Intermediary program. These two services focus on the provision of information from closed adoption and foster care files and search and reunion. She has also served as consultant to IDCFS and various private agencies on a variety of post-adoption service issues and delivers workshops and seminars for professionals and families.

Dawn graduated with an undergraduate degree from Columbia College Chicago and received a Master’s degree in social work from Loyola University. She is a licensed clinical social worker. Dawn joined our staff as a caseworker in 2004 and currently serves as a member of the Confidential Intermediary Advisory Council. Dawn is the Post Adoption and Guardianship Program Supervisor

Deanna graduated from Northern Illinois University with a bachelor’s degree in psychology. She joined the MAC staff as a caseworker in 2007.

Glenda has over seven years of child welfare experience. She has a Master of Arts degree from Chicago State University and is a national certified counselor. She joined our staff as a caseworker in 2011.

LaKisha is currently pursuing her undergraduate degree in Applied Sociology at Lewis University. LaKisha joined our staff as a program specialist in 2004. She has 10 years experience in the social service field with 7 of those years specializing in permanency and post-adoption work.

Linda completed her undergraduate degree from the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater and her Masters of Art from DePaul University. Linda joined the MAC staff as a caseworker in 2005. She is currently the Program Coordinator of the Confidential Intermediary program.

Mary Pat graduated from Northern Illinois University with a bachelor’s degree in psychology. She joined our staff as a caseworker in 2007.

Mike is a graduate of Michigan State University and The University of Illinois with Bachelor of Science and Juris Doctor degrees. He is a program specialist and has been with MAC for two years.

Rosalynn graduated with an undergraduate degree from University of Wisconsin - Madison and received a Master's degree in social work from Loyola University. She is a licensed social worker. She joined our staff as a caseworker in 2011.

Sue F graduated from Northern Illinois University with a Bachelor’s degree. Sue was the first Mac worker hired, in 1996, and continues to provide search related services to MAC clients. She has 30 years of genealogical research experience and along with her husband, has two adopted sons.

Sue W graduated with a Bachelor’s degree from Illinois College. Sue joined MAC as a caseworker in 2000. Sue and her husband adopted two sons and have also fostered children.