A New Chapter for Our CEO
CASA President & CEO, Marina Gonzales, Named New President & CEO of San Antonio Hispanic Chamber of Commerce.
Written By: CASA Board Chair, Juanita Peláez-Prada
It was recently announced that CASA President and CEO Marina Gonzales will be taking over leadership of the
San Antonio Hispanic Chamber of Commerce starting August 17.
During her time with CASA, Marina has tirelessly committed herself to CASA's mission and in doing so has helped serve thousands of neglected and abused children in our community. I have no doubt that in her new role with the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, Marina will continue to support CASA and its mission.
San Antonio and its community partners, like the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, recognize that the services our volunteer advocates so selflessly provide are essential to the wellbeing and health of our children. As such, CASA must and shall continue to stay focused on its mission to recruit, train and support volunteer Advocates to serve abused and neglected children. With the unwavering support of our community and the enthusiastic and dedicated staff and Board of Directors, CASA will continue to act as the voice for these children.
We wish Marina the absolute best in this next chapter, and are grateful for her service over these past three years as well as her continued support for CASA as President & CEO of the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce.
The CASA Board of Directors will commence a search for the next President and CEO in the weeks to come, and more information will be announced soon.
Congratulations Marina!
In March 2025, Child Protective Services removed four young children, just 7, 4, 2, and 3 months old, from their mother’s care. This difficult step followed ongoing concerns about neglect, largely connected to the mother’s struggle with substance use, even during her most recent pregnancy. Although CPS offered support through Family Based Safety Services, the mother was unable to engage in the help provided. The children’s father was also unable to support them due to his own substance abuse and his incarceration in Bexar County Jail. Before removal, the children’s basic medical and educational needs were going unmet. They had been moved repeatedly between their mother and other relatives, leaving them without the stability, routine, and nurturing supervision every child deserves. When CASA Staff Advocate, JoAnn Herring, was assigned the case in April 2025, she immediately reached out to both kinship caregivers to understand the children’s needs and how to best support the families stepping in to care for them. JoAnn quickly learned that the paternal grandmother, who lovingly took in some of the children, was struggling financially and facing barriers due to limited English proficiency. To ensure she wasn’t facing these challenges alone, JoAnn submitted a CFE (Collaborative Family Engagement) referral and personally provided translation support so the grandmother could access services with dignity and understanding. Throughout the case, JoAnn has witnessed moments where cultural sensitivity was lacking, and personal biases influenced important decisions; often at the expense of what was best for the children. Despite these obstacles, she continues to advocate steadfastly and compassionately for the children to remain with the kinship caregivers who have opened their homes and hearts to provide safety, consistency, and love. Although the case is not yet over, Joann’s story demonstrates that CASA’s advocacy reaches beyond the children themselves, strengthening the village of care and support surrounding them, because CASA wants children to be safe, to thrive, and to have their overall well-being protected.
Johnathan Cobb
