Buckner President/CEO Albert Reyes and Buckner Senior Director of Domestic Foster Care and Adoption Samela Macon were among a diverse group of foster care and adoption experts gathered by the White House to help solve the foster care crisis in the nation.

The number of children who cannot grow up in their families has been on the rise,” Reyes told The Stream following the meeting. “Having the White House convene this roundtable was a good first step. We listened, we talked — it was productive.”

Reyes sat down for an extended conversation with The Stream about the gathering and issues surrounding foster care and adoption. Read the Q&A here.