1. How long have you been a CASA volunteer?
I have been a CASA since October 2022. It’s been a short but very busy time!
2. What brought you to apply to become a CASA volunteer?
Before coming to Bloomington I worked in mental health at a family counseling center that essentially served as a private alternative to the Utah DCFS. I came to Indiana for law school, intending to practice family law. I got a little sidetracked after graduating with starting a mental healthcare software company, but once that was up and going I decided to get back into family law. I saw a billboard near Ellettsville advertising CASA and thought that would be a good way to get back into the family law realm. So I sent an email, and here we are!
3. Besides being a CASA volunteer, what do you like to do in your spare time?
I spend my spare time with my wife and kids, baking, playing games, LEGO, and on the rarest occasions, I might be found reading a book (sci-fi only!).
4. What do you love the most about being a CASA?
The best part of being a CASA is when you walk away from a situation knowing someone’s life is even a tiny bit better than it was before. Sometimes you’re the direct cause of that better life, and sometimes you’re just there as a witness, but either way, it’s amazing!
5. What’s a hidden talent or unusual fact that most people don’t know about you?
Since joining the Be the Match registry in 2014, I have donated bone marrow twice through the National Marrow Donor Program. I have almost donated 4 other times—gotten all the way up to scheduling the donation, but the patients either ended up finding their own donors or canceled their requests. The NMDP says I have unusual bone marrow that matches a lot more than normal. Who knew!
Click HERE to learn more about becoming a CASA volunteer.