Meet The Cradled in Grace Team
Kim Smith
Founder and Executive Director
I live in South Carolina with my husband, Scott, and 3 boys, 2 dogs, and a big fat cat. For more than 12 years, I worked as a full-time social worker. During this time, I struggled through years of pregnancy loss and infertility, before having the privilege of becoming mom to my son, Micah.
With his adoption in 2012, a seed was planted. I began to view adoption in a different way. As I later returned to work, helping both adoptive families and adult adoptees, my interest in adoption continued to grow. As an open advocate for adoption, I had often been approached by friends and acquaintances and asked to help guide them through the difficult and emotional process of domestic adoption. I began to see how rewarding it was to walk with others throughout the adoption process.
These experiences, as well as the adoption of two more sons in 2015 and 2019, only made stronger the passion and desire to help and advocate for all members of the adoption triad. I began to see my heart for adoption and my ability to help others through the adoption process as a God-given calling. I was able to look back and see how God had been preparing me for this for more than a decade. As I prayed for wisdom and direction, Cradled in Grace was born in my heart. With God’s guidance and the encouragement and support of my incredible husband, in 2017 my dream became a reality.
Fun Facts
* I homeschool my two oldest boys.
* We moved from Texas to the coast of South Carolina in 2021 when we bought our new house while on our 20th anniversary trip and decided to make our dream of living near the beach a reality!!
Heather Stacy
Consultant
I live in Ohio with my family and our dog Buddy. My husband, Ben, and I have been married for almost 24 years and are college sweethearts. We have five kids: Lily (23), Maddie (21), Micah (19), Natalie (16), and Sam (10).
I’ve always had a heart for adoption and knew I wanted to adopt. Ben and I talked about adoption even when we were dating, but at that time we weren’t sure how it would look.
After having our four biological children, we knew our family wasn’t complete. We felt God calling us to domestic adoption. We looked into different options and ended up choosing an adoption consultant. Having a consultant really helped us through the highs and lows of adoption, helping things go smoothly.
We began the adoption process and adopted Sam at birth in 2012 through an open adoption. Sam loves having a relationship with his birth grandparents. He brings much joy to our family and keeps me on my toes!
We learned so much through our adoption. process, that I knew I wanted to be a consultant one day. For a while the timing wasn’t right due to homeschooling our kids and all their sports and activities. Now that three of my children are now adults, I have so excited to be an adoption consultant and walk other families through the process.
Fun Facts
*I grew up in Michigan and moved to Ohio when I got married.
*I love traveling to watch my college-aged kids compete in sports and lead AWANA.
*I love the beach and sunshine.
Jessie Mattos
Profile Designer
Hi, I am Jessie, a birth mom in an open adoption. I also serve as the Director of Birth Mother Programs at Abiding Love Charities. I have been supporting adoptive families during the profile building process since 2020, and as a graduate of the University of Florida, I bring strong technical writing skills combined with the lived perspective of a birth mom.
When I was choosing a family for my daughter, I had the longest list of requirements my agency had ever seen. I spent countless hours reading through as many profiles as I could. It was an overwhelming process until I came across the couple who would ultimately become my daughter’s parents. I knew almost instantly that they were the right fit, and everything fell into place.
Because of that experience, I know how important this stage of the journey is. I understand that for adoptive parents, writing about themselves for someone they’ve never met and who may be navigating one of the most challenging times of their life can feel intimidating. My goal is not to polish families into something they’re not, but to help their true personality and hearts come through the pages of their profile. For me and many other birth mothers, it’s less about the words being said and more about how accurately a profile represents a couple hoping to adopt. I pay close attention not just to the words on the page, but to the tone, warmth, and personality that shines through, ensuring the most authentic version of the couple behind the pages comes through.
I am from Orlando, Florida. I have a passion for people, really good chicken wings, and will be the first to tell you if you have something in your teeth (in the nicest way possible!). I married to my best friend, Gabe, and parents their two sons, Gabriel and Micah. I love to explore my hometown and immerse myself in the flavors of the city.
How Jessie Helps Cradled in Grace Clients:
- Guides clients during the profile writing process, helping them gain a birth mother’s point of view as they navigate the nuanced challenges of presenting an authentic profile while keeping in mind the lens in which the reader will view the contents of their book.
Rebecca Quinn
Profile Designer
Hi, I am Rebecca, a professional graphic designer with over a decade of experience as a business owner and collaborator with major cultural arts institutions. I am also a Certified Christian Life and Leadership Coach, bringing each conversation to life with collaborative dialogue.
After several years of infertility, my husband, Sean, and I welcomed our first child, Micah, through adoption with Cradled in Grace in December 2025. Micah is a delight, and you might get to meet him on your call with me.
I’m so excited to put my years of experience and training into helping other couples grow their families through adoption. This journey is beautiful and messy, and I feel blessed to pray for and cheer on other families walking the path we’ve just completed.
I will meet with you over Zoom for a brief introductory call. I value the connection Zoom offers, allowing me to get to know you so I can thoughtfully infuse your story and personality into your customized profile book design. I will guide you through photography tips and visual storytelling, then design a beautiful profile book you will confidently present to expectant moms, showing her who you are, what it’s like to be part of your family, and how you will care for her child and support her.
Cradled in Grace renewed our faith in the blessing of adoption
“Our family is overwhelmed with gratitude for Cradled in Grace and specifically for Kim. Cradled in Grace operates with the highest of ethical standards within the adoption industry. They care deeply for their clients. Kim has become family to us.
Our family initially came to Cradled in Grace after being contracted for 18 months with a larger, nationwide adoption agency. We discovered, after a painful loss of time and money, that our previous agency did not operate in an ethical way as falsely advertised. Cradled in Grace renewed our faith in the blessing of adoption and our precious baby boy came home to our family within 6 months of working with Cradled in Grace. We are currently working with Kim through Cradled in Grace again as we hopefully await the opportunity to adopt for a second time. Our family is forever grateful for the privilege of having Cradled in Grace in our life!“
~ Tracy Lewis
Lydia
Educational Consultant for Transracial Adoption and Adoptee Perspective
My name is Lydia and I am an adult transracial adoptee, former adoption professional, social worker, and speaker.
I was born and raised in Michigan. Throughout my childhood, I struggled to navigate my racial identity, as well as the grief and loss associated with my adoption. I have spent time over the past ten years navigating the lifelong impact of adoption and reclaiming my racial identity. My personal journey was the catalyst for my advocacy work personally and professionally.
I have over 5 years of experience working as a permanency and adoption caseworker, as well as a supervisor at a group home for teen moms.
I am passionate about giving language to adoptees that may struggle to articulate their feelings regarding their adoption, as well as engaging adoptive parents in acknowledging the emotional and racial gaps between them and their adoptees.
I created my Instagram page, Becoming Lydia Faye, to connect with adoptees in hopes to empower adoptees to share the quiet parts of adoption out loud while calling adoptive parents in to sit with the hard truths of adopted individuals experiences.
Fun Facts
- My husband and I became first time parents to a beautiful baby girl in late 2025.
- I enjoy traveling and cooking.
Kim is the only consultant in the nation that I do exclusive work for
“When Kim reached out to me 5+ years ago to see if I would sit knee to knee with her clients to help prepare them for some of the realities of adoption, bring a birth mother perspective to the table and to make sure that we moved forward in healthier and safer spaces for the adopted children, I was thrilled.
I knew that families needed it and it is rare that professionals provide it. Kim is the only consultant in the nation that I do exclusive work for and she has become one of my closest friends and greatest supporters.“
~ Ashley Mitchell
Learn More
No Hidden Fees
We want to be completely up front with our fees. All of the support and education services listed on our website are included in your contract fee.
Have A Question?
Check out our frequently asked questions to learn more about Cradled in Grace and our unique approach to domestic adoption.
