About ARC
The Adoptee Rights Coalition (ARC) is an adoptee-led 501(c)(4) all-volunteer grassroots organization. Formed in 2005, our passionate supporters include adult adoptees, families by birth and adoption, and others who share our mission to promote policies and practices rooted in truth and transparency rather than shame and secrecy. Our signature program includes sponsoring a booth each year at the National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL) where we educate state legislators directly about the importance of restoring rights to adult adoptees to be able to request their original birth certificates.
President: Lynn Grubb
Lynn is both a domestic adoptee and a kinship adoptive parent. She has been active in the adoptee rights community since 2010 where she met adoptees from all over the country at the Louisville NCSL. Lynn was fortunate to receive her original birth certificate via Illinois' adoption registry after requesting her birth mother sign up. Lynn grew up not knowing she had Peruvian heritage and found her biological father in 2020 using genetic genealogy.
Treasurer: Gaye Sherman Tannenbaum
Gaye is a late discovery adoptee and DNA search angel who first learned of her adoption in her 30's. Gaye has been an advocate with ARC since her first NCSL in Philadelphia in 2009. Much has happened since then with 20 plus U.S. states having restored access to original (pre-adoption) birth records for most of the adoptees born within their borders. Her work isn't finished yet as there are still many adoptees left without access due to outdated laws and policies.
Board Member: Kara Albano
