Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) of Berks County is excited to announce the hiring of Ms. Ashley Frank as Executive Director. CASA’s mission is to support and promote court-appointed volunteer advocacy so that every abused and neglected child can be safe, establish permanence and have the opportunity to thrive.
Nationally, CASA was founded in 1977 by Superior Court Judge David Soukup of Seattle, Washington. CASA now has grown to a network of nearly 1,000 programs in 49 states and the District of Columbia. CASA Volunteer Advocates are trained community volunteers who are appointed by a judge to represent the best interests of children who have been removed from their homes due to abuse and/or neglect. Volunteer advocates remain with each case until it is closed, and the child or children have been placed in a safe, permanent home. In 2014, 968 children in Berks County were placed into foster care waiting for permanent homes.
Ms. Frank brings to CASA a strong history of working with various human service organizations, with a focus on children and youth.
After graduating from Messiah College in 2012 with her bachelor’s degree in Social Work, Ms. Frank worked as a foster care caseworker for COBYS Family Services for two years. Moved by the significant resilience children and youth placed in foster care demonstrated when educated, supported and empowered to reach their full potential, Ms. Frank was inspired to study human science, exploring human phenomena from a critical, cross-cultural, and transdisciplinary perspective. In January 2015, Ms. Frank completed her graduate school program in fulfillment of her master’s degree in Human Science from Saybrook University.
Before joining CASA of Berks County, Ms. Frank provided intensive individual and/or family therapy services to both children and their families in both home and community settings as a mobile therapist for CONCERN.
However, Ms. Frank states that what has held the most meaning throughout all of her experiences, including her time spent studying abroad in Barcelona, Spain, is “the power exhibited when both human kindness and compassion are extended to one another.”
PA CASA’s Executive Director Suzanne Flinn states, “I feel fortunate to have worked with a passionate and committed Steering Committee that worked for months to bring CASA to Berks County. I am so excited to turn this project over to Ms. Frank.”
CASA of Berks County has existed in various capacities/organizations since its inception in 1993. Ms. Frank will be heading CASA as it is rebuilt for the first time as an independent non-profit organization. Ms. Frank is excited to begin this new endeavor and is looking forward to working with a committed team to establish this non-profit in Berks County. If you are interested in learning more about becoming involved with CASA, please email Ashley Frank at Ashley@CASABerks.org.
Ms. Frank comments, “I am fortunate to be joining such a remarkable network of community-based programs focused on standing up for the rights of abused and neglected children in our communities.”
