Lydia Gessner 

Joyful, Creative, Faith-filled, Extrovert, Dreamer

Likes: Family time, friends, everyday miracles, music, running, deep conversations, coffee, and storytelling
Dislikes: Exclusion, selfishness, greed, and loneliness

​​​Lydia grew up in New Hampton, Iowa and graduated from New Hampton High School. She moved up to the Twin Cities after high school to attend Bethel University in St. Paul, where she graduated with a bachelor's degree in English with a concentration in creative writing. She competed in cross country and track for ten years between middle school and college, and loved the sense of community she found and curated within her teams. She longs to bring that same level of belonging and support to children and families in the foster care system.

Lydia grew up as an only child to two wonderful and faith-filled parents. Her dad passed away from cancer when she was 14 years old and she has experienced numerous other losses before and since then. Her view of life has shifted because of this grief, and taught her to value her relationships with greater appreciation. She and her mom have felt the arms of support from their family, friends, church, and community in the years since her dad's passing. Lydia is passionate about helping grieving people find community, healthy coping mechanisms, and paths to further hope and healing. She is a writer and speaker and much of her work centers around finding beauty and meaning in the midst of the difficult and ordinary.

Lydia first heard about Cedar Valley Angels through a family friend and was excited to find a place where her storytelling, community-building, and creative skills could find a home. Two of her college coaches had fostered and adopted children and watching their journey and growing family inspired Lydia's interest in foster care and her deep sense of compassion toward foster care families. She loves bringing light to dark places and seeing how hope, love, and community can transform lives.