About Us
Mary Guiseley, President/CEO/Owner
My name is Mary Guiseley. I am a 52-year-old mother of two adopted children. Like many of you, I have struggled through infertility, not once, but twice. I know well the heartbreak and physical pain of the process.
In 1992, my husband and I decided adoption was our answer, and in August of that year our daughter, Jackie, was born - with my husband in the delivery room. Just after her birth, with a good comfort level, we totally opened the contact with her birthmother, Amy.
In October of 1994, after going through more rounds of infertility treatment, and days short of IVF, my husband and I chose to adopt again. After waiting ten months for a Caucasian infant, we realized all we wanted to do was to complete our family. It was at this time that we decided we would adopt trans-racially. In of 1995, our son, Aaron, was born, a beautiful boy of African-American, Hispanic and Irish descent. Since our open adoption experience with Amy was so successful, we decided to open Aaron’s adoption as well. This relationship has been mutually rewarding and now, at age 12, Aaron takes yearly visits to spend time with his birth family in another state.
In February of 1997, Amy gave birth to another daughter, and due her financial situation at the time, again she had to make the heart-wrenching decision to place her daughter for adoption. I was there to help her select a family, in the delivery room when she gave birth, and there for emotional support before and after she had the baby.
After these life-changing events, I decided that I would start an adoption agency on my own. In 1998, Connections Adoption Services, Inc., was established. Since I am an adoptive parent, I wanted to use my own experience to design an agency that was professional, understanding of people struggling to have a family, and had short waiting periods for placement. I always said that if God would grant me the children I desired, I would give back the knowledge I gained through my adoptions to help others find their dream families. I am thrilled to be able to do this via Connections Adoption Services, Inc.
Janet Knights, Administrative Assistant
I have been an Executive Assistant/Administrative Assistant for almost 20 years. I grew up in Maine, moved away to Virginia for a decade, then moved back home to Naples, Maine in 2002. I wanted to raise my boys in the country, not the big city. Working at Connections and seeing adoptions take place is very rewarding.
Nate is my teenager who has to straighten his hair because he hates the curls that he got from me. Joel is a preteen and he loves to beat me in Trivial Persuit. I never leave home without a bunch of cards in my purse so we don't get bored waiting anywhere. My boys are the most important thing to me. I have six siblings including an identical twin sister who I get mistaken for all the time.
Laurie Scott, Office Manager/ICPC Coordinator
My name is Laurie. I am a single mom. My daughter, Kate, is 20 and attends college in Maine studying Financial Economics. My son, Mike is 17 and graduates high school this year. He will attend college in Maine in the fall studying Chemical Engineering.
My college degree is in Early Childhood and I spent several years teaching elementary school before staying home to raise my own children. As my children grew older, it seemed natural for me to enter the work force again as an educator. I worked for several years as the Coordinator for Volunteers in the Gorham Schools.
After some personal life changes, I made a career change as well. For the past two years I have been working at Connections as the Office Manager/ICPC Coordinator and a Caseworker with birthmothers. I find this work to be extremely rewarding.
When I am not at work I enjoy spending my time with family and friends and running.
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