CASA Welcomes a New Cohort of Volunteers!

On Friday, April 11, we had the honor of swearing in seven new CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocate) volunteers who are now officially part of our team at Columbia Gorge CASA. Judge John Olson led the ceremony, and these new volunteers will now be appointed to advocate for children who have experienced abuse or neglect. We are excited to welcome to Katja LaPierre, Jordan Clymer, Jennifer Nydahl, Angella Heiber, Liz Hartge, Autumn Brodie, and Katia Rodriguez, our new bilingual advocate supervisor.

Each of these individuals comes from a different background, but they all share a common passion for helping children in the child welfare system. Katja LaPierre shared with us why she decided to join our CASA family:

“I chose to become a CASA because I see the need in our community. I want to support kiddos who are going through some challenging times.”

As CASA volunteers, they will be advocating for the best interests of children who have been affected by abuse or neglect. To prepare for this vital role, our volunteers undergo extensive screening and training, ensuring they are well-equipped to represent children in court and make sure their voices are heard.

“We are excited to welcome this new cohort of volunteers to our growing team of advocates. I’m confident they will do an excellent job at advocating for our community’s children,” said our Executive Director, Christopher Janetzko. “Right now, we have a waitlist of about 30 children who need advocates. We’re working hard to ensure that every child who needs a volunteer has one.”

At Columbia Gorge CASA, we serve children in Hood River, Sherman, and Wasco counties. Our team is growing, and with each new volunteer, we are one step closer to ensuring every child has the support they deserve. If you’re interested in becoming a CASA, our next volunteer training series begins on May 15 at our office in Hood River. The training will consist of six classes, held on consecutive Thursdays from 12:30 to 4:00 p.m.

We are so grateful for our dedicated volunteers, and we are thrilled to welcome this group to our CASA team. I know that together, we’ll continue to make a lasting impact in the lives of the children we serve.

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