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Name: Sara Ulish
Role at Auberle: Foster Care and SWAN (Statewide Adoption and Permanency Network) Manager
Tenure at Auberle: 10 Years

Q: What experience do you bring to this role?
A: I majored in Criminology at Indiana University of Pennsylvania (IUP), and upon graduation I went to work for a group home in Cambria County that housed youth who were either adjudicated, dependent, or delinquent. I chose to work at this group home because I was interested in going into juvenile probation work.

I quickly learned that there was a lot of need on the dependency side, so when I moved to Allegheny County after about two years, I found an open position as a Case Manager within the Foster Care Department at Auberle. I've spent the last ten years in the Foster Care Department and moved up to the role of Younger Foster Care Manager when the programs were split. We then merged management together to share responsibilities over all ages of foster care. I temporarily oversaw GATE/Bloom and the Female Ward Home Supervised Independent Living Program (SIL) in addition to Foster Care. I am currently overseeing the SWAN team within the Foster Care department.


Q: Describe your role. 
A: Since Auberle started the process of becoming a SWAN (Statewide Adoption and Permanency Network) affiliate agency, I have overseen each step in the process. After a few years of writing proposals for the programs, shadowing other affiliate agencies, and getting the program up and running, we are now fully independent and provide all the units of services offered through SWAN. I oversee a team of four Permanency Specialists that provide the front-line services, as well as one Intake Coordinator for SWAN, one Intake Coordinator for Foster Care, one  Administrative Assistant for SWAN, and one Administrative Assistant for Foster Care.

My role is to process and assign referrals, ensure all reports are turned in timely, proofread all documents before submission, and invoice at the conclusion of services. Additionally I ensure all my staff remain in compliance with their training hours, documents, etc.

Q: How do you impact the community through your work?
A:  I have had the opportunity to share my knowledge on topics such as Therapuetic Foster Parenting, SWAN Services and the collaboration with Independent Living Workers, and the Prevention of Commercial Sexual Exploitation of Children by offering trainings for foster parents and other child welfare staff. The work that my team and I provide to families helps youth in tough situations process their trauma, grief and loss, issues with attachment, shame, and identity. This helps strengthen the possibility of a stable and permanent family situation.

Q: What do you hope to accomplish in this role?
A: My goal for the SWAN program at Auberle is to ensure families have the opportunity to remain supported at every step in their foster care journey. We recruit families to start the foster care and adoption process, train them to be successful, support them while they have youth placed, and we can now offer formal ongoing support following permanency (adoption or permanent legal custodianship).

SWAN services allow us to give families an additional worker in their home to focus on processing trauma and the permanency journey with the child, rather than just focusing on the court process and meeting regulatory requirements. I also want to continue growing the support groups we can offer families as respite opportunities, to ensure families practice self-care and keep themselves healthy enough to positively parent.

Q: Why is this work important to you?
A: I have always had a strong sense of leadership and a desire to help others, so social service work fits. I find the psychology and trauma response that is woven into every aspect of this job fascinating and enjoy continuing to learn new skills every day that can be shared in both my personal and professional life.

Throughout 2026, we’re shining a light on the people behind the mission at Auberle: teams whose dedication, expertise, and collaboration make our life-changing work possible. Join us at www.auberle.org/careers.

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