Staff
One Heart Family Ministries feels it is no coincidence that our staff have been through the trenches of foster care and adoption and are uniquely equipped to come along One Heart families as the embark on this lifelong journey. Each staff member brings an unique set of gifts and talents to our ministry.
Emily Nienhuis-Executive Director
Emily began working for One Heart in 2004. God created a passion in her heart for foster care and adoption as a young child. Emily's parents were a foster family while she was growing up and she has 4 adopted siblings. As a young adult, Emily became a foster mom. She has fostered many children and was blessed to adopt six daughters. Emily says, "The journey through foster care and adoption has not always been easy, but God has met my needs and my children's needs each and every step of the way. The blessings have greatly surpassed the challenges. It brings me great joy to walk alongside One Heart families also on this journey."
Theresa Williams-Director of Operations
Theresa and her husband, Bruce, have been married for more than 37 years. Their family began with three biological children, and then God called them to bring more children into their home via foster care and adoption. Their family grew with the adoption of two sons in 2000 and 2004. They continued as foster parents for almost 10 years, caring for 22 children over this time. Each child's foster journey has been different. Some children returned to their biological families, while two foster children were adopted into their forever families. God's plan has unfolded one day at a time. In 2009, Theresa began working for One Heart. With a small staff at One Heart, the job is multifaceted. Theresa focuses on the operations of the ministry: maintaining databases, financials, marketing, and donor management. Theresa says, "God has put on my heart to care for hurting children in our community and to love others as He loves."
Dacia Heaton-Family Connections Specialist
Dacia Heaton is a single adoptive mom who is passionate about walking alongside foster and adoptive families. After spending over 15 years as a teacher and advocate for children with unique needs, she now loves encouraging families with practical tools, faith, and hope. Dacia believes deeply in God's redeeming work in our lives and feels honored to be part of the journey with others. When she's not supporting families, you can usually find her spending time with her daughters, writing, or soaking up the sun at the beach — her favorite place to recharge and reflect.