About CASA

CASA of Fresno and Madera Counties  supports the efforts of over 250 volunteer advocates as they annually advocate on behalf of more than 300 children in foster care.

Our History

In 1976, Superior Court Judge David Soukup of Seattle, WA, observed a recurring problem in his courtroom.

“In criminal and civil cases, even though there were always many different points of view, you walked out of the courthouse at the end of the day and you said, ‘I’ve done my best; I can live with this decision,’” he explains. “But when you’re involved with a child and you’re trying to decide what to do to facilitate that child’s growth into a mature and happy adult, you don’t feel like you have sufficient information to allow you to make the right decision. You can’t walk away and leave them at the courthouse at 4 o’clock. You wonder, Do I really know everything I should? Have I really been told all of the different things? Is this really right?’”

To ensure the best interest of each child was being represented, the Seattle judge came up with an idea that would change America’s judicial procedure and the lives of over a million children. He obtained funding to recruit and train community volunteers to step into courtrooms on behalf of the children: Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA) volunteers.

This unique concept was implemented in Seattle as a pilot program in January 1977. During that first year, the program provided 110 trained CASA volunteers for 498 children in 376 dependency cases. Today, more than 85,000 CASA volunteers make a difference for foster youth nationwide.

Our Local Story

CASA of Fresno County was established in late 1996 with only one full-time staff member and a mere handful of volunteers. In 2006, CASA was granted the opportunity to serve the foster youth of Madera County as well.

Since our inception in 1996, CASA of Fresno and Madera Counties has served foster youth in our region with Judge Soukup’s original goal in mind: to be a voice for our community’s most at-risk children. This has been tirelessly executed with the help of dedicated men and women, from advocates to social workers, attorneys, foster parents, therapists, doctors, teachers, and the myriad of other individuals responsible for the care of our foster youth.

Today, CASA of Fresno and Madera Counties employs a full-time staff and is supporting and equipping more than 250 volunteer advocates as they annually serve more than 300 of the 3,000 abused and neglected children in Fresno and Madera Counties’ foster care system.

CASA Board of Directors

Ivonne Der Torosian

President
Vice President Community Health & Well-Being, St. Agnes Medical Center

Roxanne Braswell

Vice President
Chief Human Resources Officer, Clovis Unified School District

Paulo A. Soares, MHA

Treasurer
Chief Executive Officer, Camarena Health

Jeff Dal Cerro

Secretary
Attorney and Legal Consultant

Board Members

Ben Torchia

Senior Vice President, Citi Commercial & Agricultural Bank

Andrea Benson

President, CORE Spaces + Design

Dr. Daniel Griffin

Associate Director, Retired, Office of Research and Sponsored Programs, Fresno State University

Greg Miskulin

Chief Practice Group Officer Fennemore Dowling Aaron

Lori Ong

Investment Advisor, Whelan Financial

Rob Poythress

Madera County Board of Supervisor and Owner, Teco Hardware

Richard Wendt

Chief Operations Officer, Noble Credit Union

Daniel Scroggins, RN, BSN, MHA/INF

Clinical Adult Services Director, Kaiser Fresno Medical Center

Staff Members

Wilma Tom Hashimoto

Executive Director

Lisa RochaDanks

Associate Director

Angelica Romero

Finance and Operations Manager

Amanda Rosales

Program Advocate Coordinator

Analicia Garcia

Program Administrative Assistant

Angi Martinez

Program Supervisor

Carmina Ramos

Program Supervisor

Erika Aguilar

Program Advocate Coordinator

Diane O’Canto

Marketing and Outreach Coordinator

Denise O’Canto

Resource Development Manager

Francisco Pelayo

Program Supervisor @ City Center

Hayley Vuola

Program Administrative Assistant

Iris Her

Administrative Assistant

Kerry McGuire

Accounting Specialist

Karen Rhoades

Program Administrative Assistant

Lupita Chavez

Program Advocate Coordinator

Korey Keith

Program Advocate Coordinator

Lorin Dias

Program Advocate Coordinator

Marilu Garcia-Leal

Program Advocate Coordinator

Natalie Feil

Executive Assistant

Raquel Garcia

ASQ Facilitator, Madera
Join CASA’s growing team

Career Opportunities

Have you been looking for an organization with a great culture and meaningful mission? Look no further! Join our team and be a part of something special. Here you will find a supportive and collaborative environment where your strengths are celebrated and your ideas are heard. Our mission is to make a positive impact in our community and we invite you to be a part of it. We offer great benefits, competitive salaries, and the opportunity to make a difference. Apply today and get ready for an amazing journey!