After being a CASA volunteer for six years herself, Hunter decided to shift gears with her career to further help Voices for CASA Children’s cause. Her new role will focus on the distribution and organization of Hope Bags, child enrichment items and other essential needs for foster youth.
Name: Tiffany Hunter
Current city of residence: Scottsdale
What is your role at Voices for CASA Children?
My role at VOICES is Child Enrichment Specialist. I help distribute Hope Bags and tickets for activities to the CASA volunteers for their CASA children.
How long have you been with the organization?
Just over 2 months
What brought you to work in the child welfare field?
I have been a CASA for 6 years and graduated from Arizona State University with a degree in social work. I see the true value in being a CASA to help better foster children’s lives.
What’s your “Why” in “Why CASA”?
My “Why” is for bettering the lives of those who were given an unfair and unfortunate start to their own life, but then being able to help them succeed and become their true self without being defined by their past.
What’s the best part of your job? Why?
I get to have fun providing things like Hope Bags, activities, and essential needs to the hard working CASA volunteers who ultimately provide their CASA children with a sense of normalcy.
What was your first job?
I was the neighborhood babysitter at age 9.
Dogs or cats? Coffee or Tea? Mountains or Beach?
I love all animals and I have both dogs and a cat. I don’t like coffee or tea. And I love the beach (especially to play volleyball).
In what cities have you lived? Which one do you consider “home”?
I have lived in a lot of cities in my life. In Arizona: Paige, Williams, Phoenix, Cottonwood, Cornville, Scottsdale; in California: Malibu, Woodland Hills, Canoga Park, North Hollywood, Venice, Brentwood, Hermosa Beach. . “Home” is Scottsdale with my family.
What is your favorite movie?
Sweet Home Alabama
Who inspires you?
Throughout my life I have been most inspired by Ladmo and my mom. Ladmo taught me to be more confident and to believe in myself. And my mom has taught me how to accomplish so many amazing things in my life. She still is a true inspiration everyday.
Would you consider yourself an introvert or an extrovert? Extrovert
What is your favorite guilty pleasure? Chocolate!
What is the best advice you have ever received? Treat others the way you wish to be treated & Smile at everyone, it could turn someone’s day around.
Name: Austin Truitt
Current city of residence: Scottsdale
What is your role at Voices for CASA Children?
I am the Development Specialist
How long have you been with the organization?
Coming up on 3 months
What brought you to work in the child welfare field?
I have been very involved in volunteer work since high school. Throughout college at Arizona State University, I was part of an on-campus organization called Camp Kesem that supports children who have had a parent with cancer. This furthered my passion for helping children, and being able to continue this into my professional life is wonderful!
What’s your “Why” in “Why CASA”?
My “Why” is for bettering the lives of those who were given an unfair and unfortunate start to their own life, but then being able to help them succeed and become their true self without being defined by their past.
What’s the best part of your job? Why?
I say the variety of people I get to interact with. From meeting with potential donors and sponsors, to meeting with CASA’s and hearing their stories of how much being a CASA means to them. It is all very enjoyable and quite rewarding. Within the first month I started working here, I was already on the field meeting Arizona Cardinals players which was amazing!
What was your first job?
I was a baseball umpire at the age of 14! I did that for about two years and then worked as a legal assistant until I left Colorado to attend Arizona State.
Dogs or cats? Coffee or Tea? Mountains or Beach?
Why not both for each?! I love corgis and cats, coffee in the morning and tea in the afternoon, mountains in the winter and beach in the summer!
In what cities have you lived? Which one do you consider “home”?
I grew up in Littleton, Colorado, a suburb of Denver 20 minutes west. I have also lived in Prague, Czech Republic, for three months during my study abroad! It is tough which one to call home because I have so many fond memories at each place, though I would still have to say Colorado is my true home.
What is your favorite movie?
Before Sunset by Richard Linklater. I love the fluidity of the movie along with its representation of Paris!
Who inspires you?
My friends and family without a doubt.
Meet Christine, VOICES’ Marketing & Fund Development Manager.
Name: Christine Slomski
Current city of residence: Scottsdale
What is your role at Voices for CASA Children?
I am the Marketing & Fund Development Manager. I’m involved in several aspects of VOICES: Recruitment/Outreach, Marketing/Media Relations, and Fundraising. Mainly, my role is heavily centered on establishing and strengthening the VOICES presence throughout the Valley, and creating broader awareness of the CASA mission. I don’t do it alone, though — there’s a strong, skillful team that works beside me!
How long have you been with the organization?
3 years.
What brought you to work in the child welfare field?
It found me! When I lived in Colorado, I fell into a role at a nonprofit that supports leadership programming for female youth. I was “wowed” by the potential in youth when given tools, support, and opportunities. After moving to Arizona, well, let’s say that VOICES just found me 🙂 I started as a volunteer.
What’s your “Why” in “Why CASA”?
As said, I find it necessary to surround our youth with education, opportunities, a growing toolbox, and support from “the Village”. When these things are in place, children thrive, and in turn our neighborhoods and communities thrive. Translsating this into “Why CASA?”, I believe that a vulnerable child living in foster care can have the course of his or her life change just by having one caring, dependable person — a CASA volunteer.
What’s the best part of your job? Why?
I love strategy and I love creativity! I love creating the annual blueprint for VOICES and then coming up with creative ways to fill in the details. I especially love doing social media and working with media and news stations as part of our public relations initiatives. When on camera, there’s nothing like feeling like your life is flashing before your eyes with a rush of adrenaline when the cameras and lights are on you! This all takes place in a steady, 3-minute interview, but it feels like a blink of an eye!
Dogs or cats? Coffee or Tea? Mountains or Beach?
Dogs! I had them as a kid and I am now a Mama to a bundle of fur-joy named Anna. Coffee in the morning, tea in the evening. Mountains – preferably in Colorado or Montana.
In what cities have you lived? Which one do you consider “home”?
I’ve lived in a few different places, but call Phoenix, Spokane, and especially Denver ‘home’. I’ve experienced major milestones of my life in each city.
What is the best advice you have ever received?
Let life unfold. Everything is working out as it should.
What is your favorite guilty pleasure?
Watching “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel” or “Modern Love” on Amazon Prime 🙂 And, a glass of (good) wine with friends on patios.
Who inspires you?
My late grandmother, who taught me so much about life. She was the first female college professor in the East Valley in the 1960’s, forging the way for women’s education. She helped a lot of people find their way.
Meet Diane Gardner, VOICES’ Child Enrichment Specialist.
Name: Diane Gardner
Current city of residence: Gilbert
What is your role at Voices for CASA Children?
The BEST role – Child Enrichment Specialist! I get to find ways for CASA volunteers and their children to connect through simple fun, doing something new or sharing a memorable time. Our community (and weather) provides so many opportunities for activities of all kinds for all ages and I love finding ways for our amazing CASAs to share their time and their life with these children.
How long have you been with the organization?
A very quick one year and two months!
What brought you to work in the child welfare field?
After a long, rewarding career in information technology, I am blessed to be able to spend more time serving our community – and love being able to focus on the children helping them find ways to thrive despite the challenges. It truly does take a village.
What’s your “Why” in “Why CASA”?
I am impressed by the impact that a CASA can make in a child’s life; through their consistent presence in the quietest of times or in sharing some of the biggest moments of their lives. The key is the combination of legal strength and amazing heart that CASA volunteers have. They are truly providing a voice so these children can be heard.
What’s the best part of your job? Why?
Finding the perfect “fit” for a child who likes art, loves the zoo or has never been to a baseball game. It’s so much fun to assemble a wide variety of experiences or help them find a partner who can serve them. CASA volunteers are so grateful and appreciative, and we love finding whatever they are looking for! I am also excited about new programs we are developing for youth empowerment and meeting needs that are life impacting.
Dogs or cats? Coffee or Tea? Mountains or Beach?
Definitely dogs – we are dog people! I have two Beagliers that are so much fun. Loved the mountains in my youth, but beaches are getting my vote the older I get.
In what cities have you lived? Which one do you consider “home”?
I grew up in Wyoming, plus lived in Oregon and New Mexico before Gilbert. Home is where family is, and Arizona has truly become our home.
What is the best advice you have ever received?
I love a saying that we have on our home office wall: “Follow your heart… but take your brain with you!”
What is the best compliment you’ve ever received?
In my former career in IT, when my department (of 100+ members) surprised me one morning wearing t-shirts they had each individually bought that said “Diane’s Work Family” and we posed for a big picture. Information Technology is a demanding and time-intensive career, and that morning I felt my message of “Life balance” and “We’re family” had come home.
What is your favorite guilty pleasure?
Putting together that next party or event: planning, creating and crafting!
What’s something you’ve done, but will never do again?
Rent a six-person quadricycle to “bicycle” through the mountains. With each hill, the bicycle cart weighed even more and only two of us had pedals to move it along. It’s hard to pedal when you are laughing so hard!
Name: Rosie Ronnow
Current city of residence: Phoenix
What is your role at Voices for CASA Children?
My role at VOICES is CASA Training & Program Manager. I have the pleasure of managing ongoing training opportunities for CASAs, working on retention initiatives and trying to make CASAs feel as amazing, important and appreciated as they are!
How long have you been with the organization?
I have been with VOICES for about a year and a half.
What brought you to work in the child welfare field?
My background is in public health, and before CASA I had mostly worked on global health initiatives in developing settings. When I finished my MPH and moved back to Arizona, I started hearing more and more about foster care, which started my interest in the links between foster care and health outcomes later in life, which led me to apply with CASA. And the rest is history!
What’s your “Why” in “Why CASA?”
Children are the most important members of our society, and every child deserves safety, love and consistency.
What’s the best part of your job? Why?
Since I became involved with CASA, I have always said that they best part of my job is that I get to interact with the best part of our community every day. I believe that everything in life has balance, and that CASA volunteers balance the terrible parts of this system by bringing light and hope not only to children but to the whole child welfare field.
Dogs or cats? Coffee or Tea? Mountains or Beach?
All the animals, coffee, mountains.
In what cities have you lived? Which one do you consider “home”?
Phoenix, Tucson, Cuernavaca, Copenhagen and Melbourne. “Home” is where my family is, which is currently Phoenix!
What is the best advice you have ever received?
The way people treat you is a statement about who they, not about who you are.
Being authentic and genuine is way more important than being liked – you’ll never be able to please everyone, and that is OK! As Dr. Seuss says, “Be who you are and say what you feel because those who mind don’t matter, and those who matter don’t mind.”
Always be kind!!
What is the best compliment you’ve ever received?
A colleague told me once that she hoped her daughter would be like me when she grew up. Having a daughter of my own now, I feel like that is such an honor.
What is your favorite guilty pleasure?
Watching the Bachelor/Bachelorette.
What’s something you’ve done, but will never do again?
I ate tarantulas in Cambodia. Though they didn’t taste terrible, I don’t plan on trying them again!
With 2018 starting out with a big, CASA BANG!, there’s great need to expand programs and CASA support in Maricopa County. VOICES is thrilled to announce the growth of its team with the addition of dynamic staff members and one new Board member. Each individual brings talent, insight, and gusto for carrying out the VOICES mission of providing a voice for every child in Maricopa County’s foster care system. Meet the crew below!
Amanda McNally Koeller oversees the accounting function for Voices for CASA Children. Amanda is passionate about educating and improving the lives of children. In her previous positions, she has worked for both the private and non-profit sectors in financial leadership roles. She has served as Treasurer on several non-profit Boards over the past ten years, as both a staff member and a volunteer. Amanda has a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Communications and Marketing from Eastern Michigan University, and holds a Master of Business Administration degree from the University of Phoenix. She currently serves as Secretary/Treasurer of the Aztec Wrestling Booster Club, Science Chair for the Aprende Parent Teacher Student Organization and Scholarship Chair for Help-Dream Organization.
Diane Gardner joins the Voices for CASA Children team with great enthusiasm, filling the role of Child Enrichment Specialist. Diane retired from a 34-year career in technology, most recently serving as the Chief Information (Technology) Officer for the City of Mesa. Having volunteered for a variety of non-profit organizations during her career, she is delighted to be able to focus her time on VOICES’ critical mission in support of Arizona’s children. Her family holds a healthy non-profit track record and sense of altruism as well: Diane’s husband of 35 years and her oldest daughter each serve in non-profit organizations, and her youngest daughter currently practices veterinary medicine in the Valley. Diane loves planning traveling adventures for the family and holds the title of Chief Party Planner (CPP)! Outside of coordinating child enrichment opportunities with the community and CASA volunteers, Diane spends time with her four-year-old granddaughter and creatively “attempts” in all things crafting. Originally raised in Wyoming, Diane and her family happily call Arizona home.
Dylan Marks joins the Voices for CASA Children staff as a Family Finding Specialist. In his role, Dylan works in collaboration with multiple agencies to identify, locate, and engage with dependent children’s existing relatives and other supportive adults with the goal of creating new life-long connections and establishing permanency for those children. Dylan has experience working with law firms specializing in family law, and licensing agencies in the foster care system. He an active member of various grassroots organizations in his community and has a passion for advocacy and volunteerism. In his free time, Dylan enjoys reading, playing music and brewing coffee. He’s somewhat of a connoisseur of coffee.
George Turner joined the VOICES board in 2018 after learning about the organization and meeting Board members at Statewide CASA Support Council meetings. He currently also serves as Governing Board President for Navajo County Friends of CASA and divides his time between his Pinetop and Scottsdale homes. George and his family retired to the Pinetop area after a 33-year career with Motorola Inc., which included assignments in the Phoenix area, Chicago, and Seoul, South Korea. He has always been interested in the education and welfare of children, and served on the Board for Blue Ridge Unified School District for ten years, including seven years as its President. George and his wife, Liz, have two grown daughters both living and working in the Phoenix area. George enjoys most sports, is a semi-serious golfer, an avid reader, loves cars and motorcycles, and enjoys traveling.
Rosie Ronnow brings great energy to the Voices for CASA Children team as its Training and Program Coordinator. Rosie has a background in community development, health education and volunteer management, and received her Master’s in Public Health in 2015 in Australia. She is passionate about creating healthy communities where children can thrive, and supporting the many amazing volunteers who work with children in Maricopa County’s foster care system. Rosie is an Arizona native, yet spent four of the last six years expanding her horizons abroad, having lived in Denmark and Australia. She enjoys traveling and hiking, and spending time with her husband, David, and new baby girl, Sienna. Rosie is also the proud mother to one “fur baby”, Gunner.
After completing this form you will be directed to the CASA volunteer application which is located on the CASA of Maricopa County website. If you have any questions please contact us at info@voicesforcasachildren.org.
After completing this form you will be directed to the CASA volunteer application which is located on the CASA of Maricopa County website. If you have any questions please contact us at info@voicesforcasachildren.org.