Meryssa Baker spent 6 years in New Hampshire's foster care system.

Meryssa has been in foster care for six years; she exited foster care in July of 2011 and is currently living on her own. She was placed in care as a young child and again as a teenager. She has lived many foster homes and one group home.

Meryssa aims to become a social worker and a foster parent. She presently is enrolled in college and is employed by the New Hampshire DCYF. She is a part of the Youth Leadership Board Advisory Council, New Hampshire Youth Voices. A great contributor to New Hampshire’s DCYF’s effort to improve practices with adolescents, Meryssa has been involved in training foster care youth on future planning, presenting numerous panels, and serving as a guest speaker. She has also written various articles and has been involved with blogging about her experiences transitioning from foster care to college.

More recently she has been hired as a youth consultant for DCYF which allows her to utilize her many talents to an even greater effect. In 2012 Meryssa received the DCYF Youth Alumni Award for her positive impact on the lives of current and former youth in foster care.

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2014 Outstanding Young Leaders
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