August Staff Recognition
Monthly Highlights of our CASA Community
Every month we recognize a few of our staff members for different achievements and milestones they've reached. This month we highlighted three individuals and invite you to read below to get to know them.
Kim Unger
Advocate Supervisor
How long have you been with CASA?
I've been with CASA 9 years.
Fun Fact:
I took two years of culinary arts in high school, worked as a cook in a restaurant all through college and I dislike cooking.
Kim has always proved her caring and helpful spirit as an Advocate Supervisor, and is recognized this month for stepping up to fill in for her fellow employees when the need was voiced.
Ashley Stutes
Advocate Supervisor
How long have you been with CASA?
I've been with CASA 3.5 years.
Fun Fact:
Random fact is that I was in 4-h as a child.
Ashley's work as an Advocate Supervisor speaks for itself as she is readily available for her Advocates and peers. She is also recognized this month for stepping up and covering the front desk when the need arose.
Janna Andrews
Brand Manager
How long have you been with CASA?
I've been with CASA since April.
Fun Fact:
I am an avid painter and sketch artist currently prepping for an art show this spring.
Janna is recognized for all the hard work she put towards redesigning CASA's new website and for always being on the ball when it comes to social media posts and design requests.
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
