About Us
Custody X Change makes life a little easier and less painful for divorced and separated parents and legal professionals. We provide software that helps parents to:
History
We've made regular progress to Custody X Change since work began in 2003. We are currently working on exciting new improvements.
Team
We're a small, fully-remote team, committed to creating great experiences for parents and professionals facing difficult situations.
Ben Coltrin: Co-founder and PresidentJoined June 2004
Ben was 21 years old when he quit his job to create the Custody X Change software. He loves building this software because it positively impacts real people's lives.
Ben lives with his wife and four children in Riverton, Utah. He spends most of his free time with his family.
Ben has an MBA from MIT Sloan and a Computer Science degree from California State University, Sacramento.
Auro Mota: Software DeveloperJoined July 2016
Auro is a software developer who loves to master new technologies. He strives to write code that's easy to understand.
He is the lead guitarist of his band, Ávila. When he's not working or jamming out, he likes to go sightseeing or play video games.
Auro is currently earning a Systems Analyst degree at UNIVÁS. He lives in Pouso Alegre, a city located in Minas Gerais, in southeast Brazil.
Sandro Bonagura: Software DeveloperJoined June 2017
Sandro is a software developer who stays on the lookout for ways to prevent bugs and problems before they happen.
When he is not working, he is either playing video games or spending time with his wife. He loves all kinds of learning, not just technology.
Sandro has a Bachelor of System Analysis and Information Technology from FATEC-SCS. He lives with his wife in São Paulo, the largest city in Brazil.
Shea Drefs: Managing EditorJoined July 2018
Shea makes complex topics easy to read. She began her career as a news reporter and has since written for travel websites, an Ivy League school, a Silicon Valley start-up and more.
She caught the travel bug after graduating from Arizona State University. She has since lived in England, Colombia, Guatemala and Mexico.
When not writing, Shea is likely doing yoga or running — or dreaming of where she'll move next.
Marcela Silva: Customer SuccessJoined January 2019
Marcela grew up in Mexico but has been living in the US for the last 11 years, having worked in hospitality, fashion and IT. She enjoys connecting with new people and learning from them.
In her free time, she likes reading, going on long walks, hiking, paddle boarding, kayaking, traveling to different countries, listening to music, and visiting museums.
She earned a Bachelor's degree in International Relations from Tecnológico de Monterrey.
Zarira Love: Writer / ResearcherJoined March 2019
Zarira is a writer from western New York. She has published work online, in-print, and served as a fiction editor for her alma mater's literary journal.
Although primarily a fiction writer, she enjoys writing journalistic and informative pieces. Her hobbies include reading, listening to music, and watching mixed martial arts and professional wrestling.
She has a Bachelor of Arts degree in Creative Writing from SUNY Purchase College.
Taylor Boulware, PhD: Writer / ResearcherJoined May 2019
Taylor loves using the power of words to help people. She left university teaching to pursue a career in public writing in 2017.
She is also a fiction writer and media scholar. When not writing and analyzing TV and movies, she loves to cook and bake, and is currently on a quest to make the perfect loaf of homemade bread.
Taylor has a Doctorate in English from the University of Washington, and a MA and BA of English from Oregon State. She lives with her partner and their two cats in Tucson, Arizona.
Sam Farley: Writer / ResearcherJoined May 2019
Sam has a passion for writing, both fiction and journalism. He has written for his college newspaper and maintained a movie review blog. He is from Seattle, Washington.
His hobbies include reading, watching movies and television, as well as playing and designing modern board games. Sam and his wife love to travel, both for her job and for leisure.
Sam has a Bachelor of Arts degree in Creative Writing from Western Washington University.
Samara Rothchild: Writer / ResearcherJoined May 2019
Samara's always had a passion for writing. She once aspired to be a novelist, but chose law school instead. She has worked as a contracts attorney and also for a major legal publishing company.
When not working, she enjoys exercising, reading, and spending time with her two awesome kids.
Samara earned a Juris Doctor from New York Law School, and double-majored in Administration of Justice and English at Rutgers University. She lives in Northern New Jersey.
Research methods
We strive for the utmost accuracy, with the goal of helping parents ensure the best possible future for their children.
Here's how we do it:
- We research across national, state and county borders to understand the local custody processes.
- We discuss and fact-check with professionals in varied roles: attorneys, judges, mediators, evaluators, parenting coordinators, family law facilitators, parenting educators, etc.
- We dig through websites and documents from governments, courts and legal aid societies to extract the most important information.
- We sit in on public custody hearings to observe procedures firsthand.
I found the software very easy to use. It’s flexible, making a tough job with a tricky schedule easier to work out.
Russ Hayes
Franklin, OH