As I write this, it is the end of week four as the new Executive Director of CASA of the South Plains. It has been an exciting and hectic four weeks! I have already begun advocate training, visited court in Lubbock, and attended a United Way review session.
I am originally from Nebraska and recently moved to Lubbock last August. I was brought here through my husband's employment at Texas Tech as an Assistant Professor in the History Department. I previously obtained my Master's in Social Work from the University of Illinois in 2006 and then served as the Program Director for a local community rape crisis program for two years. Last year, we resided in Iowa, where I served as a Violence Prevention Educator working with schools in seven counties to implement bullying, sexual harassment, and sexual assault prevention curricula. It was fun to be in the classroom working directly with kids ages 4 to 22.
It is through these previous experiences that I was drawn to CASA. Hearing the stories of abuse has always impacted me to act and advocate on behalf of children. I went in to social work wanting to empower and advocate on behalf of those who had experienced trauma. My favorite moments in my professional career have always revolved around advocacy whether it be walking through the streets shouting "No means No!" during a Take Back the Night Rally or assisting a sexual assault survivor in obtaining a protection order from their perpetrator. I am excited about this new role as a CASA advocate and staff member. I look forward to raising my voice and advocating on behalf of the children of the South Plains.
No comments:
Post a Comment