Ozark County native, retired superintendent now leading FosterAdopt Connect to advocate for 'most vulnerable'

Editor’s note: This article is being reprinted with permission from the Springfield News-Leader. 

After nearly three decades working on behalf of children as a Missouri teacher and superintendent, Chris Berger has taken on a new role.

Berger became executive director of FosterAdopt Connect, working out of the Springfield office, on Aug. 12. It is a job inspired by his own life experience.

Raised in Gainesville by his aunt and uncle, Bob and Peg Robbins, Berger and wife, Amanda, have welcomed eight children into their home.

The couple have been foster parents for more than two decades. They have biological children, two adopted daughters and permanent guardianship of two more daughters. An older son, Christopher, is a teacher in Springfield.

"Our experiences in the foster/adopt community is what drew me to this position," said Berger, 52.

Started in 1998, the mission of the nonprofit organization is to provide foster and adoptive children a stable, loving and nurturing family environment through support and advocacy for abused and neglected children and the families caring for them.

"I've inherited an unbelievable opportunity," he said, noting the previous leadership of Brandi VanAntwerp and Allison Gregory, among others.

As executive director, Berger will oversee community development initiatives in the Springfield and Branson areas, raise funds and spread the word about programs and services.

"I've been advocating for children my entire career, but I really like the idea of advocating for those most vulnerable," he said. "That's our mission."

Berger said a major part of the work is making sure families have the resources and training they need to provide the stable, loving homes that children need so they can flourish. The nonprofit has an operating budget of $21 million and 300 employees.

"With my background, I wanted to honor my aunt and uncle who took me in," he said.

Over the years, Berger said he and wife, Amanda — a hands-on mother he credits with doing "most of the heavy lifting" while he worked outside the home — have been asked how their biological children reacted to the addition of foster and adopted children.

"It has become apparent that it was a gift for our children, the importance of community and serving," he said. "That is a gift. It served our biological children as much as it served all the children through our home."

Berger said he and his wife have long been deeply involved in the foster and adoption network, which has provided resources for the family. But, when they started, there was less support available.

"We did have to figure out a lot of it on our own," he said.

'Different and yet the same'

Nearly three decades ago, Berger started his education career in Gainesville. He was a teacher and coached varsity boys basketball. He became K-8 principal and superintendent in Thornfield and then superintendent in Dora, both of which are located in Ozark County.

He has spent much of his career in rural areas where families sometimes struggle to make ends meet.

"My time as a superintendent in my home county was both formative and meaningful," he said, in a release. "I found great fulfillment in working with students and families who faced challenges similar to those I experienced growing up."

As superintendent in the Laclede County district located in Conway, the Bergers decided to make that their home and remained in the area.

Following five years in Conway, Berger took a job as assistant superintendent on Waynesville and commuted to that job for seven years. He said working with military families was eye-opening.

Berger has a bachelor's degree from College of the Ozarks, a master's degree from Missouri State University and an educational doctorate from Saint Louis University.

He spent the past four years as superintendent in Wright City near St. Louis. He retired this summer.

"As I had the opportunity to consider retirement, I knew it was going to be out of public education but my heart still wanted to advocate for children," he said. "I was looking for positions that were different and yet the same."