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Winnebago County CASA’s History and Mission
In 1987, Judge Bradner Riggs, then presiding judge over Juvenile Court in Winnebago County, met with the Junior League of Rockford to bring CASA to the children of Winnebago County. Today, more than 30 years later, Winnebago County CASA is a nonprofit, volunteer-based organization whose mission is to support and advocate for the best interests of children within the juvenile abuse and neglect court system. Since 1987, we have trained more than 700 volunteers and served more than 3,600 children in Winnebago County.
Our Values
We believe...
- We believe that every child has the right to thrive in a safe and permanent home.
- We believe that all advocates, members of the Board of Directors, and friends of CASA should be welcomed, trained appropriately, appreciated, and supported by the staff and provided with a healthy environment in which to gather, work, and volunteer.
- We believe that our staff deserves a collaborative and conducive atmosphere that allows them to fulfill the organization’s mission, one that demonstrates respect and value for each individual’s talents and gifts as they enhance the leadership of the team; promotes respect for each individual’s role, opinions, time, and space; focuses on hiring competent people suited to each position in the organization; and provides continuing education opportunities.
- We believe that our donors deserve to be educated and informed of CASA’s mission and goals, to see evidence of financial responsibility, to be inspired to invest in our longevity, to be recognized with respect and confidentiality for their gifts and generosity, and to have questions on how their dollars are spent answered in a timely and transparent manner.
- We believe we have an obligation to our community to elevate awareness of our program and the broader child welfare concerns including poverty, diversity, mental health, substance abuse, domestic violence, and other issues impacting families and to continually expand collaborative efforts with other community agencies and court partners to achieve common goals.
- We believe that our goals and objectives must always be aligned with our mission, vision, and values. We take great pride in being an organization that is united with our legal partners to ensure that all maltreated children have the right to competent, well-trained CASA/GAL volunteers who will positively impact their lives and future outcomes.
Our Team
CASA Board members, executives, and staff have three main responsibilities:
To train and inspire members of our community to become leaders in advocating for abused and neglected children
To act as support staff for CASA volunteers as they manage caseloads, attend scheduled court dates, and train new volunteers
To provide for equipment, purchases, and technology upgrades
Executive Committee
Leslie Erickson
Chairperson
Ron Clewer
Vice Chairperson
Jennifer Muraski
Immediate Past-Chairsperson
Michelle Conti
Treasurer
Eric Wilson
Secretary
Taryn Marko
Deputy Director
Board of Directors
Jessica Cheney-Nelson
Mari Mattocks
Advocate Representative
Fred Muehlfelder
Fran Rossate
Sue Gorski
Rosana Gregg
Michael Ramos
Michelle Vella
Patricia Diduch
Beth Holmertz
Hon. Mary Linn Green
Staff Members
James Hutson
Executive Director
Jennifer Montoya
Program Director
Karen Schiller
Administrative Assistant to the Board of Directors
Amber Johnson
Advocate Facilitator
Maureen Morrissey
Training & Retention Coordinator
Torri Mathieu
Training & Retention Coordinator
Johnnie Pentenburg
Advocate Supervisor
Renee Pierce
Advocate Supervisor
Ashley Moore
Advocate Supervisor
Harold Sweeney
Education Advocate