Makayla Nusbaum came to Lexington to study law at the University of Kentucky Rosenberg College of Law. She expected to gain experience and a good start to her legal career. But she didn’t expect to discover a meaningful way to help children in family court — as a CASA volunteer.
“I learned about CASA when they came to the law school and were looking for volunteers,” Nusbaum said. “As someone new to the area and wanting to make the most of my time in my new community, I immediately expressed interest.”
That was in April 2025. In the year and a half since, Nusbaum has advocated for five abused and neglected children in the family court system. This October, her dedication has earned her the title of CASA Volunteer of the Month.
“I’m truly honored,” she said.
CASA volunteers do not need to be attorneys or law students. After completing a 30-hour training class, each CASA volunteer is matched with an abused or neglected child who is stuck in the family court system.
The volunteer visits their child each month and gathers information about the child’s life. Then, the volunteer compiles what they learn into a report for the judge, and advocates from a regular person’s perspective for whatever would be in the best interest of the child.
Nusbaum said the best part of the volunteer role has been advocating for her CASA children. It’s experience she values as a future attorney.
“Serving as a CASA is worth my time because I’m gaining valuable courtroom experience and learning how to be a great advocate,” she said. “If you truly want to make a difference in others’ lives, this is the way to do it.”
Dennis Stutsman, Nusbaum’s Volunteer Manager, said she has handled some of the most challenging kinds of cases a CASA volunteer can take on — and excelled at it every time.
On her first case, Nusbaum advocated for a newborn with drug-dependent parents. She advocated for the court to provide resources to a relative who was caring for the child, and for supports to be given to the parents as they worked to overcome their drug use.
On her second case, Nusbaum advocated for a child with special needs who had been exposed to domestic violence. Stutsman said Nusbaum’s attention to the child’s situation and reporting to the court ensured the child’s educational and medical needs were met.
Nusbaum graduates from law school in May, but loves serving as a CASA volunteer so much that she has agreed to take on a third case.
“Makayla is an outstanding advocate,” Stutsman said. “She takes on difficult cases and sees them through, always keeping the child’s best interests at the center of everything she does.”
Nusbaum said Stutsman’s support has made all the difference.
“Dennis is amazing — he was an attorney, so he knows the struggles of law school and everything else,” she said. “Any time I have a question, he’s there to help me think it through.”
Outside of her CASA work, Nusbaum serves on the American Bar Association Law Student Division as the Delegate of Mental Health and Wellness, promoting peer support and active lawyer assistance programs. She is also recruiting fellow law students to become CASA volunteers.
It takes about 5 to 10 hours a month to serve as a CASA volunteer. To learn more or complete a volunteer application, visit www.casaoflexington.org.