Meet the Third Option Coalition
We are a coalition of passionate adoption professionals & leaders who linked arms in 2024 to advance adoption as a Third Option. Our Coalition is dedicated to the ideas of increasing awareness about adoption as an option for unplanned pregnancy and improving care & support for the “birth mothers” who choose adoption for their babies. We offer model legislation from the SIX new adoption laws that Unplanned Good got passed in Idaho. Our hope is that many states will become “Third Option” states, introduce these bills and implement programs to increase adoption awareness and improve birth mother care.
Founding Team:
Julie VanOrden, Britt Boice, Mary Browning, Pamela Stenzel, Anne Steeley, Debi Tengler,
Janelle Basham, Ryan Bomberger, Allan Parker, Brad Imler, Britt Paladino and Terri Marcroft.
Founding Story:
In 2024, there was talk about defunding abortion. We thought, “That money really should be invested in adoption!” Before the election of 2024, Terri gathered a coalition of adoption professionals who are passionate about doing adoption well. They believe that we need to increase education about open adoption today, and improve care and support for the birth mothers who choose it. That two-pronged strategy will elevate this option for all women facing unplanned pregnancy. This is the mission of The Third Option.
Any State can become a Third Option State, defining and implementing programs that will aide in adoption awareness and birth parent care & support. We believe that sharing complete information about current, open adoption will “grow the 1%”. In 2026, we hope to see more States focus on both increasing adoption education and improving care & support of the women who choose parents for their babies — the birth mothers.
Terri Marcroft
Terri enjoyed a career in technology marketing, working as a VP Global Marketing when her daughter was born. Terri and her husband became parents when they were blessed by a pregnant teenager who placed her baby for adoption. That same year, Terri started consulting so she could have a more flexible work and travel schedule.
With her own beautiful adoption story, Terri wanted to raise awareness about open adoption as a viable option for those facing unplanned pregnancy. In 2009, she founded Unplanned Good. She has written two books on the topic, Pro-Choice, Pro-Adoption. It’s Time for a Loving, Positive Response to Unplanned Pregnancy and Pro-Family, Pro-Adoption. A Christian’s Guide to Unplanned Pregnancy. Both are available on Amazon.
Terri’s first adoption book led to her involvement in State legislation. She worked with the Idaho Legislature to get three bills passed in the 2024 Session, increasing awareness about, and improving, adoption. In the 2025 Session, three more of her bills passed in Idaho. All six bills (listed here: https://www.unplannedgood.org/policy) are now being offered to other States as model bill templates for introduction across the country.
Mary J. Browning, JD
Mary is licensed to practice law in Missouri and the US Supreme Court and had a private family law practice for many years. Adoption was a regular part of her practice and she has represented prospective adoptive parents, birth mothers and children. Mary has practiced in many circuit courts and in the Missouri Court of Appeals and has a heart for abused and neglected children. Mary is a former assistant prosecutor and former general counsel for the Missouri Department of Social Services. She currently works for The Justice Foundation and files and assists with briefs, advocating for life. She is the Legal Advisor to Operation Outcry Witnesses, people who have first-hand experience of abortion. Mary was recently recognized as a “She Leads Missouri” honoree for her many accomplishments both in the state of Missouri, and as a part of the broader “She Leads America” movement.
Britt Ivy Boice
Britt Ivy Boice is Chief of Staff in the Oregon House of Representatives, where she leads on constitutional rights, pro-life advocacy, anti-trafficking, and adoption reform. With a journalism background at CNN News Radio and CBS Television, she also hosted her own TV show for 15 years, interviewing global figures.
Through her online PATH2Thrive program, Britt offers healing, hope, and transformation to women who have ended a pregnancy. She’s earned national recognition, including a Lifetime Presidential Achievement Award, and has been featured on NBC, CBS, ABC, FOX News, The CW, and Texas Daily News. Her advocacy has reached major platforms like the United Nations and the U.S. Supreme Court, where she shares her story to elevate the voices of women impacted by abortion.
Allan E. Parker, Jr
Allan Parker, President of The Justice Foundation, was lead counsel for Norma McCorvey, formerly “Roe” of Roe v. Wade, from 2000 to 2012, and Sandra Cano, the “Doe” of Doe v. Bolton, until 2014 in their efforts to overturn the two landmark cases that brought legalized abortion on demand to America.
The Justice Foundation’s Center Against Forced Abortion (CAFA) provides free legal resources and training for lawyers, police, school counselors, and pregnancy resource centers and direct legal help to mothers who are being unduly pressured, forced or coerced into an unwanted abortion. We estimate the Center’s training, assistance and legal tools save between 1000-2000 mothers and babies annually from forced abortion.
Allan Parker is a former Professor of Law at St. Mary’s University in San Antonio, Texas, where he taught Education Law and Civil Procedure. He was a Visiting Professor at the University of Texas and studied International Human Rights at the International Human Rights Institute in Strasbourg, France. He taught International Human Rights at the St. Mary’s Institute on World Legal Problems in Innsbruck, Austria in 1992.
Mr. Parker received his J.D. degree with high honors from the University of Texas School of Law in 1979. He was an Associate Editor of the Texas Law Review, a Chancellor, Order of the Coif, and Order of Barristers for his outstanding advocacy skills. He graduated Phi Beta Kappa from the University of Oklahoma with a B.A. in Economics in 1974.
Deb Tilden
Deborah is a champion for women’s health. She is a keynote speaker, author, life coach and active citizen lobbyist in Montana, Oregon and DC. She is passionate about transforming our culture through better public policy in women’s holistic science-based healthcare. She advocates for policy that protects babies and builds marriages, families and society. Deborah stands for truth and says, “We need bridging dialogue that removes the labels and divisive language, and focuses on holistic, science-based narratives.”
As a warrior for life, Deb generously shares her own personal abortion experience. “Sadly, in our own hour of decision facing an unexpected pregnancy during our engagement, we did not have vital, complete information. We are the perfect example of why we need The Third Option and Unplanned Good”. This led to her life-long advocacy work.
“Like millions who thought their options were either parenting or ending the life of our first child through abortion", she says, “that seems so absurd to think of now, knowing the lived experience of that tragically uninformed decision. Deb sees adoption stories woven through her life and is committed to empowering more women to consider adoption as a beautiful, healthier, viable option for their own unplanned pregnancies.
Deb Tilden is co-founder of S.M.A.R.T. Women’s Healthcare – Science Matters in Abortion Related Trauma as well as LifeVictory Coaching & Consulting, and Guinevere Rose Foundation.
Deborah and her husband, Michael of 44+ years live in Montana. She’s mom of 4; her angel baby and 3 young adults, including a United States Marine!
Anne Steeley
Anne has been an advocate for protecting the hearts and minds of children/teens by volunteering on her local school district’s Family Life Advisory Committee. She worked at a non-profit organization that wrote a risk-avoidance curriculum for 7th grade science classes in the district.
As a Board Chair of Pregnancy Choices Clinic in Union City (now part of Real Options), Anne oversaw the management of the medical clinic. She observed as hearts and minds were changed when seeing the ultrasound of their baby, by compassionate counseling and ongoing support. Anne is committed to promoting adoption as a positive alternative for women with an unplanned pregnancy.
Anne is happily married to her husband, Bill. They have two children and five precious grandchildren that she loves spending time with. She enjoys playing tennis, golf and walking the surrounding nature trails.
Pam Stenzel, MFT
Pam has spent her life serving women in crisis pregnancies, advocating for life, and encouraging students to save sex for marriage. Conceived in rape and adopted into a loving home, Pam’s personal story fuels her passion to affirm the value of every human life. She believes every person is created in God’s image, with purpose and dignity.
Pam serves as Development Director for Safe Haven Baby Boxes, supervising the National Safe Haven Crisis Hotline (1-866-99BABY1). She is a national board member of Infinite Worth, supporting women in crisis across the U.S., and is the Executive Producer of BrightCourse, developing training and curriculum for life-affirming pregnancy centers. Pam also travels nationwide to train and support staff, volunteers, and donors in the pro-life movement.
Brad Imler, Ph.D.
Brad Imler, Ph.D. is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker serving as the President of the Christian Adoptions Alliance.
The Christian Adoptions Alliance is a network of accredited Christian adoption agencies.
Brad trains pregnancy centers and others on how to effectively talk about adoption, even with the abortion-minded individuals. He has an additional Master of Arts in Marriage and Family Counseling and a Ph.D. in Psychology and Counseling from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. He has been working in pregnancy help and adoption for 28 years. He is adopted, has been married for 34 years, and has two children through the blessings of adoption, Grant (25), and Lauren (24).
Britt Paladino
Britt is a former Executive with a 15 year successful sales career. Now an Author, Speaker, and dynamic Blogger, Britt dedicates her life to the case for adoption and teaching women about their value in God's economy. Britt has experienced the trial of an unintended pregnancy firsthand, and has seen the redeeming grace of God through the adoption plan she made for her younger daughter, known as "Alex." Brittany's passion is the promotion of adoption in the Pro-life movement, purely from the birthmother's perspective, in a way that has never been before.
Britt Paladino's story has been featured in many Pro-life and Adoption magazines as well as radio programs. Her speaking resume includes such widely known conferences as CareNet, HeartBeat International, Together for Adoption, and Soulfest, New England's largest Christian music festival.
You can learn more about Britt Paladino's story by reading her book or by visiting her website at: brittpaladino.com