Meet Our Current Fellows

2007 Fellows

Laura Austen is a graduate of Wittenberg University, where she received a Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology. Laura spent the past three years as a mental health case manager for South Community Behavioral Healthcare of Dayton, Ohio, where she worked with children and families to develop treatment plans, provide crisis intervention, and conduct home and school visits. She also served as a Youth Leader at Oesterlen Services for Youth, which is a mental health treatment facility in Springfield, Ohio, where she continues to be involved in their foster care program.

“The National Center for Adoption Law and Policy is what drew me to Capital. I am extremely honored and grateful to have been chosen as a Fellow and look forward to the numerous opportunities available to me to learn from the Center’s knowledgeable staff.” - Laura Austen

Amanda Azon is a graduate of Tulane University, where she double majored in Spanish and Psychology and also received her Master’s degree in Spanish. Amanda has experience as a Spanish teacher and also studied abroad in Madrid, Spain. While at Tulane, Amanda volunteered for CASA New Orleans and was involved in a variety of extracurricular activities such as tutoring, Pre-Law Society, and Kappa Alpha Theta sorority. Following Hurricane Katrina, Amanda spent a semester at Northwestern University where she also interned at the Cook County Public Defender Juvenile Justice Division.

“I was very excited to be named an Adoption Law Fellow because it grants me the opportunity to work with an institute devoted to the same goal that I want to pursue after my completion of law school: bettering the lives of children in need.”  — Amanda Azon

2006 Fellows

Lucy Chandler graduated magna cum laude from Syracuse University where she was a research assistant for Ph.D. candidates in psychology helping with experiments, research, and collection of data. Lucy also studied abroad in Australia and was a part of DanceWorks, a Syracuse University performing dance organization. Prior to beginning law school, Lucy was a child welfare caseworker for Franklin County Children Services, where she worked with abused, neglected, and dependent children and their families to ensure their safety and healthy development.

“The Adoption Law Fellowship has given me a real sense of direction during my course of study at Capital University Law School. My close contact with the National Center for Adoption Law and Policy has been invaluable, and a great support as I pursue my interest in child welfare and adoption law.” – Lucy Chandler

Benjamin Jerome, an adoptee from Seoul, Korea, graduated from Olivet Nazarene University with a Bachelor of Science in Business Management. While in college, Ben founded a chapter of the International Justice Mission, a human rights organization that rescues victims of violence, sexual exploitation, slavery, and oppression. In addition to his personal experience as an adoptee, his interest and passion for helping children and families who are victims of oppression has inspired him to pursue legal training in child and family advocacy.

"The Adoption Law Fellowship has been an integral part of my experience at Capital University Law School. The benefits have included the opportunity to contribute to the work of the National Center for Adoption Law and Policy and the support provided by those associated with the fellowship. It has been a privilege to serve as a fellow." – Ben Jerome