Original air date: May 2, 2023

Laura L. Engel likes to say she is late to the game as a budding new author. Originally from Biloxi, Mississippi, Laura has lived in Southern California for over 50 years. She and her husband, Gene are the proud parents of six grown children along with their significant others. They are delighted to be Grammy and PaPa to ten grandchildren. Recently retired after 30 plus years as a regional sales representative for an international title insurance company, Laura left the corporate world and plunged headlong into her second career as a writer in 2017.

Laura has had two scenes from her memoir chosen for the San Diego Memoir Showcase. Her scene, 'Secret Son' is published in the award winning anthology 'Shaking the Tree'. Her scene 'Do They Know?' was selected as one of the ten winners for the San Diego Memoir Showcase in 2018. It was published in 2019 in Amazon Best Seller and Award winning Shaking The Tree 2 and Shaking The Tree 3. She is a current member of the International Women Writers Guild and President of the San Diego Memoir Writers Association. Laura's memoir is 'You’ll Forget This Ever Happened'. Check out her website for more information regarding her memoir.

https://lauralengel.com/

Music by Corey Quinn

Rosalyn “Roz" Carter is the co-host of the I Found Her podcast and Taya's birthmother. At the age of 16, Roz became pregnant and placed Deana, now Taya for adoption.

She earned her Bachelor of Science degree from University of Phoenix and is a Distinguished Toastmaster (DTM). She was a member of Toastmistress in the early 1970’s before women could join Toastmasters.

In 2005, she joined Toastmasters while employed at the City of Moreno Valley, and has served in many leadership positions, including District Governor in 2012-2013 and Region Advisor in 2017-2019. Roz has presented workshops and keynote speeches on corporate relations, leadership, marketing, mentorship, coaching, program quality, club growth and retention, public relations, staff development and team building for Toastmasters, Chambers of Commerce and other community organizations.

She received Humanitarian of the Year from Moreno Valley Black Chamber of Commerce in 2011 and awards for marketing, education and training. Please contact Roz Carter to share her expertise, the benefits and value of Toastmasters, and lessons learned with your organization's employees and members.

https://ifoundherpodcast.com/

Music by Corey Quinn

Taya Reed is a Licensed Professional Counselor and Supervisor with over 15 years of therapeutic experience. She established her private practice, Sound House Therapy, 5 years ago. Adopted in 1970 during the Baby Scoop Era through the LA County Adoption Agency, Taya's personal experience within a closed same-race domestic adoption has profoundly shaped her professional journey. Taya is a US Armed Forces veteran and served in the Gulf War.

Taya presented at the Adoption Knowledge Affiliates conference and participated in an Adoption Mosaic panel discussion. She has participated in multiple writing groups such as Migrating Towards Wholeness: Rewriting Adoption Narratives in the Constellation with Dr. Liz DeBetta and Adoptee Voices Cohort 14 with Sara Easterly. Reuniting with both of her birth parents has provided first-hand experience of adoption's complexities.

ifoundherpodcast.com

https://www.soundhousetherapy.com/

Taya shares her journey openly having co-hosted the podcast "I Found Her" with her birth mother and is writing an adoptee-guided journal, also titled ‘’I Found Her,’’ planned for 2025 publication. Her mission is to provide compassionate and effective support to fellow adoptees as they navigate their adoption identity.

Music by Corey Quinn