Program Staff

Joy has been involved with CASA since 2003. After earning her BA in Sociology at Vanguard University, she became a CASA volunteer with Orange County CASA in Santa Ana, CA.

 

During her seven years as a CASA volunteer, she worked as an event planner, program coordinator, and academic advisor at her alma mater.

 

In 2012, Joy relocated to Alaska and became the local program coordinator for Kenai Peninsula CASA, a partnership program between the Kenaitze Indian Tribe and Alaska CASA. Joy subsequently served as a Guardian ad Litem (GAL), advocating for children and youth in the Kenai court system. In 2018, Joy became the State Director of Alaska CASA. Her vision as a State Director is to see more children and youth served throughout Alaska by a CASA volunteer.

Amanda has 17 years' experience in social work including 6 years as an advocacy coordinator for a sexual assault and child advocacy center. While in this role, she served on a child death investigation unit, was a trained forensic interviewer, and as a multidisciplinary team member. Amanda co-facilitated CASA Pre-Service training and delivered monthly CE classes to advocates.

 

Since moving to Alaska in 2019, Amanda has worked as an investigation & assessment worker with Alaska OCS, in CPS, and as a Homelessness Response Coordinator with the Muni of Anchorage.

 

A true advocate for diversity, equality, and inclusion for all children and families, Amanda received her BSW degree at Albany State University and will earn an MSW Degree from USC in the fall of 2022.

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Kaelan joined the CASA team in June 2022. Kaelan attended university in New York and received a bachelor’s degree in Intercultural Studies in 2019, originally intending to work with refugees in New York City. However, in a surprising turn of events, Kaelan and her husband moved to Fairbanks in early 2020.

 

Kaelan has worked in the child welfare field for the past several years, initially as a worker through a Foster Care Prevention program at a local foster care agency in New York, and then as a Family Services caseworker with the Office of Children's Services (OCS) here in Alaska.

 

She looks forward to advocating for kids involved with the foster care system through this position.

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Dee grew up in Northern California but has been living in Alaska for more than 27 years. She has 25 years of experience working with multiple Social Services programs, including the Santa Clara County Housing Authority and Division of Public Assistance.  For the last 12 years she was the Provider Payments Manager and Independent Living Program Coordinator at the Office of Children’s Services. She also worked with the Department of Labor in Workforce Investment Youth Programs in both Nevada and Alaska.

 

Dee studied Social Work at the University of Alaska, Fairbanks.

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Robin was born in Dallas, Texas but grew up in Palmer, Alaska. As a passionate advocate for marginalized and at-risk communities, she has both personal and professional knowledge of the continued strain on children in adverse conditions. She graduated Dean’s List from Charter College with a Certificate of Paralegal Studies and has previously worked at The Seldovia Village Tribe in Seldovia, Alaska as their lead Marketing associate. Robin came to Valley CASA after working at the Palmer Courthouse as a Courtroom Judicial Assistant. From her experience in the Alaska Court System, she is familiar with CINA and other complex courtroom rules and procedures. 

 

Robin and her husband have four children, two dogs, a cat, a turtle, and big open hearts to champion for systemic equity and community engagement.