Rita Soronen is inspired by the hundreds of thousands of children and youth in this country who overcome some of the most challenging odds – abuse, homelessness, hunger, family violence – and yet find a way to navigate systems and obstacles without the safety net of a family that most of us take for granted. And that’s why we’re inspired by Rita Soronen.
Rita is the President & CEO of the Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption, a national non-profit public charity located right here in central Ohio, dedicated to dramatically increasing the adoptions of the 154,000 children in North America’s foster care systems who have been permanently freed for adoption. She takes very seriously her commitment to the highest quality of service, evidence-based activities and programs, and aggressive accountability and voice for some of the nation’s most vulnerable children.
Even though the list of national boards & committees on which Rita serves as a volunteer is extensive (from the Congressional Coalition of Adoption Institute in Washington D.C. to the Ohio Attorney General Foster Care Task Force right here in Columbus) she’s most proud of her four kids; Jordan, Chelsea, Alisha, and Steven, “who are amazing, talented, smart, thoughtful, funny, service-dedicated individuals.” Rita’s passion and energy are clear. How does she find the time to do it all? “I am so blessed to do the work I do…the balancing act is mental – how to rejuvenate and stay fresh. So I turn to music, literature and meditation, all activities that can be done easily in a hotel room or on an airplane. Oh, and an annual trip to the beach!”
Rita travels extensively. Someone who was once paralyzed with fear by the thought of public speaking now travels across North America for speaking engagements, keynotes, and presentations. Rita says, now “it’s hard to get the microphone away from me! It is essential in my work that I truly understand the voices and experiential and developmental needs of children, and when I truly listen to their stories, than I can more effectively speak and advocate on their behalf.”
Rita lives by an ancient philosopher’s advice – “We were given two ears and one mouth so that we will listen twice as much as we speak.” So she says that we should first listen and observe others around us, then be passionate about what we do, and finally, have the courage of our convictions to speak up!
Rita looks forward to connecting with the many wonderful women who have previously received this honor, leveraging the award to help further the cause of foster care adoption, and celebrating the current and past “Outstanding Women!”
To find information on the Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption, visit www.davethomasfoundation.org.