Foster Care Staff

Ashley Kaelin joins the team as the Foster Care and Adoption Program Supervisor, bringing over 15 years of experience in child welfare at both state and federal levels. With a Master of Social Work from Indiana University, Ashley has dedicated her career to strengthening systems that serve children and families, with a particular focus on permanency, safety, and systemic improvement. She is passionate about fostering a culture where every team member feels safe, valued, and empowered to contribute to continuous quality improvement and strategic innovation. Ashley believes that meaningful change happens when diverse voices are heard and collaborative solutions are embraced.

Bellamy received her BS in Biblical Counseling at Boyce college in Louisville, KY. Bellamy has experience through various opportunities serving children and families at different capacities. Bellamy provides case management support children and foster families.

Collin graduated with his Bachelor of Science in Organizational Communication and Leadership from Murray State University and joined the Childplace team in January of 2025. He is currently pursuing his Masters of Divinity from the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary and is working on his certificate and license for Biblical Counseling through Southern Seminary as well. He is a member of the Kentucky Army National Guard and has served on staff with the First Baptist Church of Murray, KY, primarily working with the Youth and Children’s Ministries. Collin provides case management support for foster children and their foster families. He also has experience working in elementary schools with gifted children.

Ellen received her Bachelor of Science in Strategic Communications from Boyce College in Louisville, KY. She has several years of formal and informal experience in childcare and is excited to continue caring for the needs of children and their families in a new capacity. Ellen joined the Childplace team in January of 2025 and aids the foster care department in foster family recruitment as well as assisting with agency wide marketing efforts.

A’mya Simpson earned her Master of Social Work with a concentration in mental health from the Kent School of Social Work and her Bachelor of Social Work from Kentucky State University. She joined Childplace in February as a licensing specialist, where she partners with families who are opening their hearts and homes to children in need.

A’mya values connection and works to ensure families feel supported throughout the licensing process. She is committed to helping families create safe, loving, and stable environments, with the goal of creating safe homes and brighter futures for the children Childplace serves.

Courtney holds a Bachelors in Social Work from Western Kentucky University, with a minor in criminology, and is currently pursuing her MSSW at the University of Louisville’s Kent School of Social Work. She previously worked part-time in Childplace’s residential program and completed a semester-long internship in the counseling department before joining the foster care program. In her current role, Courtney focuses on licensing potential foster parents and providing ongoing support to them. She is passionate about ensuring foster families feel supported and helping children in care find permanency.