Svetlana Ivashchenko
As the Executive Director of Children’s Guardian Fund, Svetlana’s responsibilities include working closely with the board of directors on governance and strategic planning, donor and foundation research, and managing the day-to-day organizational processes. She ensures the successful execution of annual events, coordinates marketing campaigns, and maintains regular contact with community stakeholders.
Having served as a Guardian ad Litem volunteer for two years, Svetlana has first-hand knowledge of a child’s long and perilous journey when thrown into the Juvenile Dependency system. She is passionate about connecting community members with opportunities to serve and give in ways that best reflect their personal values and grow their sense of purpose and belonging.
She is a University of Washington graduate and holds a B.A. degree in Communication.
Kristin Poolman
Kristin is the Children’s Guardian Fund’s Program Director. She was an Operations and Human Resources executive for a Fortune 100 retailer. She resided throughout the United States as a FVP on a New Market entry team for a global Fortune 10 financial services firm. As Director of Community Based Programs for a non-profit, she directed a Federal Competitive PREP grant under the HHS department.
Kristin has served as a Guardian ad Litem for many years. Most recently she has worked for the State of Florida 12th Circuit Court in Sarasota County for the Guardian ad Litem program as a Child Advocate Manager.
Kristin brings her passion for serving children and families in the Juvenile Dependency system to the Children’s Guardian Fund.
Rachel Besaw
Rachel has 11 years of teaching experience, mainly focused on elementary and middle school education. She has homeschooled her children as well as taught at a homeschool co-op. She became passionate about homeschooling because she saw how it developed the confidence that her students needed to pursue their personal and educational goals and become independent learners. She has witnessed firsthand the significant impact one-on-one attention can have on a child’s academic development, especially when working with challenging students. As the part-time office assistant at the Children’s Guardian Fund, she gets to apply her organizational skills while also supporting the community’s most vulnerable children.