Advocate Spotlight: Cheri Hill

For Cheri Hill, a CASA volunteer helps ensure a child’s experiences and needs are heard in court. By building relationships and connecting with those involved in a case, Cheri believes CASA volunteers can provide judges with a fuller picture of a child’s experience. Cheri was sworn in as a Columbia Gorge CASA volunteer in December 2025.

Cheri believes CASA volunteers can give judges a more thorough picture of a child’s experiences through CASA reports, which are developed by reviewing background information and contacting the people and professionals involved in the case.

“The CASA program is such an added bonus for children in the foster care system. It can be hard but is so worth the chance to advocate and speak up for those that can’t or may not want to speak up for themselves.”

Being a CASA volunteer has also given Cheri a deeper appreciation for the many people involved in the foster care system.

“Being a CASA volunteer has really opened my eyes to how complicated and needed the foster care system is. I have so much respect for the families that open their homes to kids in need. The families I have met are amazing. And also, for the professionals. There are so many working parts and people involved in a case, I have so much respect for what they do.”

Cheri’s own path to becoming a Columbia Gorge CASA volunteer began after reading stories from other advocates in a CASA newsletter. She found their stories heartwarming and inspiring. The opportunity to connect with a child, build a relationship, and help make sure their voice was heard sounded both needed and rewarding—but, most importantly, deserved by children in foster care.

Looking back on her training, Cheri says it helped prepare her for the work ahead.

“The training we received before being sworn in was so thorough and informative; it really helped me feel more prepared for the work as a CASA. The guest speakers that the staff brought in were especially interesting and amazing sources to learn from. Their firsthand experiences gave a clearer vision of what being a CASA entails and the bigger picture of children and families’ experiences in the foster care/DHS system. And the CASA staff are so supportive and wonderful!”

Cheri has lived in the Gorge since 1996, where she and her husband raised their two children. She brings years of experience working with children in a variety of settings, including a child advocacy daycare, 4H, martial arts classes, and an after-school program. Cheri feels these experiences have helped her approach her CASA role with objectivity and consideration.