The Adoption Journal: About Vicki

Vicki Peterson has been with Wide Horizons since 1979. She began as a clinical social worker, was the Director of Programs from 1984 to 1989 and served as CEO & President from 1989 to 2006. Currently she is the Executive Director of External Affairs. Ms. Peterson received her MSW degree from Smith College School for Social Work in 1969 and for the past three decades has devoted her professional life to child welfare.

Ms. Peterson has traveled to orphanages around the world, developing both humanitarian aid and adoption programs in 15 countries. Under her leadership, Wide Horizons For Children donated more than nine million dollars to institutions that care for children. In addition, she has worked closely on the development of a financial subsidy program which enables prospective parents to afford the cost of adoption. In 2005, over $111,000 in adoption grants were awarded to families who needed help with the cost of the adoption process. The grants enabled each family to adopt a child.

Vicki Peterson has personally assisted hundreds of families with their adoption plans. She strongly believes that adoptive families need to have special services available for years after placement. The agency offers a wide variety of cultural and educational programs to adopted children and adoptive parents. In addition, long-term counseling is a service that she feels is crucial to issues of adoption that often develop years after a child is placed with a family.

As Executive Director of External Affairs, Ms. Peterson focuses her work on the agency’s mission, the visibility of Wide Horizons in the adoption community and advocacy for children in need of care.

Ms. Peterson has four grown children. She resides in Waltham, Massachusetts.

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