CASA Board Spotlight: Kay Yates

Kay Yates is CASA of Lexington's Board Chair. She has served on the board since November 2015, helping lead the organization during many years of growth.

Yates is Associate Vice President of Philanthropy for the Kentucky Community and Technical College System, which includes 16 separate colleges with 70 campuses across the state. She worked at four-year universities earlier in her career, but has been with KCTCS since 1989.

Yates learned about CASA programs when she was working in Henderson, Kentucky. After she moved to Lexington, she connected with CASA of Lexington Executive Director Melynda Jamison.

Yates was interested in being a CASA volunteer advocate, but told Jamison she would do better as a volunteer on the board right now, due to her work schedule.

"I can still play a role in improving things for abused and neglected children," even if advocating directly for children isn't the right fit right now, she explained.

Yates said she does plan to become a volunteer advocate in the future, once she reaches retirement.

"I really do think that what we do matters," she said. "It bothers me that Kentucky has such a high rate of child abuse and neglect."

Yates' family includes one daughter, two granddaughters and two sisters, as well as some nieces and nephews.

To all of CASA of Lexington's volunteers, Yates had this to say: "Thank you, thank you, thank you! You perform a tremendous service. Without our dedicated volunteers, there would be no CASA. I have the utmost respect for the staff, as well as all of our volunteers."