Get in touch!
Thank you for your support of CASA of Portage County.
Call or email us!
Interested in having the CASA of Portage County team speak at an event? Want to learn more about CASA volunteer work? Get in touch:
Meet our team:
-
Executive Director
Ann has worked with children and families for 20 years. Her career began as a behavioral specialist in a residential treatment facility, after completing her education at Bowling Green State University. Since that time, she has supervised an intensive treatment residential unit and a transitional living program for youth aging out of foster care. Ann has assisted families through her work as a child and adult protective services case worker and supervisor. She was instrumental in developing a Resource Center for Geauga County Juvenile Court to better assist families navigating the juvenile court system. Ann enjoys taking on new projects and initiatives. Her experience in mental health, residential treatment, child welfare and juvenile court allows her to better understand the experiences of children and families involved in the juvenile court and child welfare systems. Most recently, she has spearheaded an initiative to develop a formal communication plan between Portage County Juvenile Court and the community partners who work with the court on abuse/neglect/dependency cases to improve the handling of those cases and the outcomes for children. Ann also serves on the Reasonable Efforts Workgroup through the Supreme Court of Ohio, chaired by Portage County Juvenile Court Judge Patricia Smith.
-
Volunteer Coordinator
Erin was born and raised in Aurora, Ohio. Erin has worked part time for CASA of Portage County since moving to Cleveland from NYC in August of 2022: supervising CASA volunteers and coordinating all PreService and InService training opportunities. She holds a Bachelor’s of Science in Human Development from Cornell University where she minored in Dance and Anthropology. As of May 2024, she obtained her two Master’s Degrees in Social Work and Nonprofit Organizations Leadership from Case Western Reserve’s Mandel School of Applied and Social Sciences where she was one of seven full-tuition Leadership Fellows. Erin is a Master’s Level Licensed Social Worker (LSW) in the state of Ohio. Erin has dedicated her career to advocating for the best interests of children. She has worked throughout the continuum of child welfare and family court cases as both a Foster Care Case Planner and Child Protective Specialist (CPS) in New York City. Through her graduate studies, Erin interned at Windsor Laurelwood Center for Behavioral Medicine as an Inpatient Therapist and Rainbow Babies & Children’s Hospital Angie Flower Adolescent & Young Adult Cancer Institute as an Inpatient Social Worker in Pediatric Hematology/Oncology. As of June 2024, Erin was hired by the Department of Academic Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine at University Hospitals Rainbow Babies & Children’s in Cleveland to originate the part time role of Adolescent Medicine Social Worker. Erin has developed and implemented all aspects of mental health treatment for this population, inpatient and outpatient. When not working, Erin enjoys running marathons, salsa dancing, world traveling, and exploring Cleveland. Though her favorite food is her grandfather’s homemade perogies, she always loves a good meal out!
-
Professional CASA/Volunteer Coordinator
Over the past 25+ years, Jennifer’s journey as a Social Worker has allowed me to engage with children and their families in a variety of roles and capacities. Jennifer’s experience spans across various facets, including Child Protection (Intake Investigations and Ongoing Family Services), Early Childhood Mental Health, Parent and Co-parent Education, Guardian ad Litem, Mediation, Parent Coordination, Adoption Assessment, and Probate Investigator. Beyond her role as a Social Worker, she is also a published author of over 80 books. Her books have found a global audience, translated into more than 15 languages, and focus on family dynamics, childhood disorders, and nurturing the social and emotional development of young children. On a personal note, she is from Canada, married and has three adult children. She and her family have been residing in Ohio for the last 12 years.
-
Staff Attorney
Janice began her career as a special education teacher working with students with a variety of special needs in junior high and high school. Many of those students were “court involved” for a variety of reasons. Janice entered law school with the dream of representing those “court involved” families and students. Upon graduation from law school, she learned there were very limited opportunities available that would allow her to pursue that passion – and make a living at it. Janice ended up working in a law firm in downtown Cleveland representing nonprofit corporations (homeowner and condominium owners associations) in the firm’s litigation section. Thirty years later, Janice jumped at the opportunity to join CASA of Portage County as staff attorney. Janice feels it is a privilege to represent the volunteers who serve as CASAs advocating for the best interest of the children they serve. She feels it is even more of a privilege to work alongside CASA volunteers who never cease to impress her. Personally, she has two daughters and three bonus children of whom she is exceptionally proud.
-
Volunteer Coordinator
Crystal has been serving in the nonprofit sector with Family & Community Services for nearly 20 years and has been overseeing the AmeriCorps Seniors RSVP Program for 13 of those years. However, her journey with the agency started much earlier as she was a volunteer with the local clothing center in Ravenna by the age of 14 and the rest is history. While with RSVP, Crystal has been able to build on her community relationships and expand the connections with local organizations having been born and raised here in Portage County. Crystal has a heart for service and contributes as a member of the Brimfield Lions Club since 2014, holding officer positions and supporting the newly established "Community Outreach Program" through the club. Crystal is a longstanding member of the Kent United Church of Christ, serving as the stewardship ministry chair and supporting the good work of the congregation through opportunities for lay leadership. In addition, Crystal graduated from Leadership Portage County in 2020, she serves as a liaison with the Areawide Council on Aging through Direction Home Akron Canton, and volunteers with several area organizations. In her downtime, she enjoys spending it with her closest family and friends; partaking in community events, visiting farmers markets and/or enjoying a nice weekend away visiting loved ones in Marblehead on Lake Erie. Her personal motto is "Do what you love, love what you do" and she strives to live out that mission every single day.