Advocate Spotlight: Theo Parkison

Theo Parkison was sworn in as an advocate in Spring of 2023, after living in the Gorge more than twenty years. Her inspiration for becoming a CASA advocate came from wanting a volunteer position focusing on children. Having worked in the high school ASPIRE program for ten years assisting children in the college application process, and with a total of twenty-one years volunteering in the school district, after her own children graduated, she felt ready for a change.

Along with all her volunteer experience, Theo’s training as a nurse helped her be aware of developmental milestones and the challenges that kids face. Owning a business with her husband for 23 years and working with many different employees led her to understand her own biases and how important it is to stay open to different ways of thinking and living.

During her training to be a CASA volunteer, Theo felt that CASA's program coordinator supported her every step of the way and helped her to feel guided and encouraged which allowed her to see how interesting and rewarding the work actually was.

Theo really appreciates understanding what is happening in a case and what the needs of the children are. Writing a court report that feels valuable to the judge in considering their decision is very rewarding. During her last case, she felt that the very young child who was not talking yet, did not have a professional adult addressing their developmental needs in this area. Theo’s input was valuable during the court case, where she advocated for this specific service for the child.

When it was time for reunification, the resource parent/family remained involved in the child's life and served as a support to the mother. Everyone on the case felt very good about the mother’s success, as she had taken advantage of available resources and support to address her challenges and build a stable home for her the child to return to. Being a part of the reunification of the young child and their parent was very rewarding for Theo.

Theo says she has been “overwhelmingly happy to meet so many professionals involved with the foster care system who care so much for the kids and their families. From the judges, to the case workers, to the resource families, they impressively work against stereotypes. I know not all are perfect, but we have a community that cares about our kids. Being a CASA allows me to participate in my community for a population of people at risk in a way that is interesting, challenging and very rewarding. I could easily ignore this part of society, but in facing their challenges, I continually reckon with my own biases, values, and way of thinking. It makes me feel like a more aware person. And it feels good to help others.”

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