Meet Our Staff
Tami Jo Watson
Executive Director
Tami Jo is a wife and mother of four. She attended the University of Alaska Anchorage and graduated with her bachelor’s degree in Human Services in 2007 and then went on to Southern New Hampshire University and graduated with her Master in Community Mental Health Counseling. She worked in the mental health field for four and a half years at a local children’s mental health agency before going to Catholic Social Services in 2011 to work in their Pregnancy Support and Adoption Services. She was the director of the program for 9 years before they closed their program. She co-founded AAS in 2019 and has a passion for adoption and working with birth/expectant parents and adoptive parents through their adoption journey. She is an adoptive mom of two through the foster care system and is an advocate for older youth finding permanency and their forever family. She is a strong believer every child deserves a home regardless of age. Tami is excited to continue her work in the adoption field and provide education and support to birth families and adoptive families in our community.
Contact Tami:
Victoria Ross
Deputy Director
Victoria was born and raised in Anchorage, Alaska. She is a wife and a mother of six children, four of which she adopted through the foster care system. She received her bachelor’s degree in Counseling at Grace College in Winona Lake, Indiana and her Master of Social Work Degree from the University of Southern California. She received her LCSW in 2015. Victoria has experience working with various demographic populations including, adults in substance abuse treatment, children and preteens in a local mental health hospital, new mothers in a hospital setting in the NICU and Maternity Center, and special needs infants and toddlers in a local Infant Learning Program. Victoria has worked with families pursuing adoption since 2016. When she’s not working, she enjoys spending time with her family, camping, gardening, and exploring Alaska. Victoria is passionate about adoption and enjoys her work through Alaska Adoption Services.
Contact Victoria:
Luke Vermillion
Administrative Assistant
Luke is a husband and a veteran of the United States Air Force. He grew up in Southern California where he joined the military at the age of 17. He served in the Air Force for six years as a Firefighter in Anchorage, Alaska and Del Rio, Texas. After he separated from the Air Force in 2022, he began looking for a job where he could pursue his dream of helping children in adoption services. That is when he joined our team at Alaska Adoption Services! When Luke is not at work he likes to read books, hike, kayak, and spend time with his wife and dog.
Contact Luke:
Laney Tatom
WWK® Recruiter (contractor for aas)
Laney was born and raised in Anchorage, Alaska. She received her Bachelor of Science in Family & Consumer Sciences with a minor in Psychology from Montana State University in 2017. After college she returned to her home state and began her career working in a behavioral health role with teen boys diagnosed with Autism and FASD at AK Child & Family and eventually became a Case Manager for children in Therapeutic Foster Care. She then took on the role of Family Engagement Specialist at a local Head Start program working with preschool aged children and their families before joining Alaska Adoption Services. Laney found her passion for working with children and families through her own experience at the Alaska Military Youth Academy when she was a teenager. Laney was married in 2019 and has a dog and a cat with her husband. Laney hopes to be able to adopt foster children eventually and has a special spot in her heart for teenagers in foster care. She hopes to be a foster teenagers when she is older. When she is not working, Laney enjoys skiing at Alyeska, hiking and camping in the summers, traveling and trying foods from all over the world and enjoys hot yoga with her husband on the weekends. Laney is passionate about adoption and is excited to assist with finding forever homes for children in foster care.
Contact Laney:
Faaleu Faumuina
Diaper Pantry Coordinator
Faaleu Faumuina started employment with Alaska Adoption Services in the fall of 2022. She graduated in 2003 with an AA in Medical Assisting from Remington College, but her heart took a different direction when she moved to Los Angeles and became a preschool teacher. She is married with three children. Upon moving to Alaska, she became the Afterschool Director for a local youth program. She has always been heavily involved in youth community programs. In 2018, Faaleu and her sisters, opened a Community Closet providing clothing for children at no cost. She still operates the Community Closet in her free time. Also in her free time, she enjoys watching movies with her family, eating bar-b-q, rearranging her furniture at home, and thrift shopping is her therapy.
Contact Faaleu:
Kristin O'Meara
Permanency Coordinator/Expectant Parent Advocate
Kristin is originally from Des Moines, Iowa and graduated with a Bachelor’s degree in Journalism. She came to Anchorage, Alaska in 2015 to complete a volunteer program serving houseless young adults at a drop-in center. She then spent time traveling to Ireland to work on organic farms and then later worked for a wilderness therapy program in Utah as a Lead Field Guide. In 2020 she returned to Anchorage, Alaska and worked as the Sync Program Coordinator for Big Brothers Big Sisters and later as a case manager for Covenant House. Kristin started with AAS at the start of 2024. She thoroughly enjoys making an impact with children and youth by providing them the necessary support to have the space to thrive. Kristin is also an avid adventurer, biking to glaciers and hiking mountains in her free time. She enjoys calling or facetiming her family, spending time with friends, and using art or writing as a creative outlet.
Contact Kristin: