Meet Our Volunteers
CASA of Lexington has hundreds of volunteers who invest their time in advocating for children in the family court system. They can come from every background and every community. They have a wide variety of income levels and educational attainment. The common thread among all of them is having a heart for helping children. Here are just a few of the amazing, everyday people who are making a difference as CASA volunteers.
Kevin Eby is a professor at the University of Kentucky. He also provides parenting training for young fathers through the Fatherhood Initiative. Eby became a CASA volunteer after learning how Kentucky has one of the worst rates of child abuse and neglect in the nation.
"Talk to a CASA volunteer and try it. It's worth it," he said. "The need will always be there. The numbers are pretty amazing."
Jackie Washburn and Susan Isaacs are a CASA team working on a case together. They play to each other’s strengths and support each other as they work. And they have become best friends while serving as advocates.
Taylor Clark began serving as a CASA volunteer while completing law school.
“I absolutely love CASA and I’m grateful to be a volunteer,” Clark said. “I say to everyone in school that there is no better way to work your advocate muscle than to become a CASA. I wish more people would become a volunteer so every child has a CASA.”
John Mullins is a natural at coaching and helping kids. He has been a Court-Appointed Special Advocate in Louisville and now Bourbon County.
“All these children ever want is two things: They want to be loved and they want to have hope,” Mullins said. “If you’re looking for a way to make a difference in a kid’s life — and I mean a real difference — this is it.”
Kelly Pack experienced the family court system as a child. Now, she is serving as a CASA volunteer to help make things better for kids like her.
“The kids you encounter during your cases are incredible. The resilience in some children just amazes me every day,” Pack said.
Terry Huffman is a volunteer in Garrard County. He sees his contributions as a CASA volunteer as his way of giving back to his community and making it a better place.
“I wish there was a CASA for every kid out there,” he said. “I think this is the grandest thing that ever was.”
Charlene Floyd serves as a CASA volunteer in Jessamine County. She is one 67 CASA volunteers who received the President’s Volunteer Service Award for the number of hours she volunteered in 2022.
“I heard about CASA through a volunteer a number of years ago and have always been interested in volunteering,” she said. “Since my family and I moved frequently, I wasn’t able to make the time commitment needed. Now that I am settled, I decided to investigate the volunteer opportunities more seriously.”
Fred Thomas volunteers in Woodford County. He is serving as a CASA volunteer while working on his social work degree.
“I have deep concern for making the world better than I found it,” Thomas said. “CASA has been a huge step forward in that direction.”
Barbie Carter has volunteered for close to five years while she also works full-time at Lexmark. She can do both because much of the work CASA volunteers do can be done on their own time, when it fits with their schedule. Employers are also often eager to support their employees when they learn how important the work is.
“As a CASA volunteer, you are the person who can focus on one case and really get to know the people involved,” Barbie said. “This helps you get a better view of what the child needs, so you can be a voice for that child.”