Great Rivers CASA/GAL = Court Appointed Special Advocate
The mission of CASA is to advocate for children who have been removed from the home due to neglect and abuse, and for all children to thrive in a safe and loving home. It is also our mission to make sure every child brought into the foster care system has a CASA. As of recently, Great Rivers also serves as a Guardian ad Litem (GAL) organization, giving us even greater capacity to advocate for children’s best interests in court proceedings.
What can a GAL do? A Guardian ad Litem (GAL) is appointed by the court to represent a child’s best interests, with added legal authority. GALs can speak in court, access case files, and file motions to protect the child’s well-being. While a CASA focuses on building a personal connection and offering insight, a GAL helps turn that insight into action. Together, CASAs and GALs give each child a stronger voice in the system.
What does a CASA do? We advocate for children in court. Let’s face it, the welfare and court systems can be pretty scary to navigate—even as an adult. Imagine it as a child. You’ve been taken away from the only life you’ve ever known and placed with relatives or even strangers in a foster home. Pretty frightening, wouldn’t you say?
When a child has been removed from their home, a judge appoints a CASA to the case. The CASA visits the child regularly, spending time reading, playing, and talking to them. They write reports to the court, telling the judge what the child thinks and wants, and make recommendations based on the child’s best interest.
Sometimes, in the DCFS system, caseworkers must be reassigned. Many children go through several different caseworkers during their time in care. CASAs serve as an extra set of eyes and ears for DCFS and the courts—and often, a consistent presence when everything else is changing.
At Great Rivers CASA/GAL, we strive to keep the same advocate on each case from start to finish. Sometimes, we’re the only constant in that child’s life. Most of these kids are used to adults coming and going—but we don’t leave. In fact, many CASA Volunteers stay in touch with their kids well into adulthood.
Does this sound interesting to you? Do you have just a few hours a month to give to a child in need? Your time could make a lifelong impact.
Advocate Highlight
Sponsored by the Lori Summers Fund
Meet Tracy Fox-Clarkson, a dedicated mother of six daughters and wife to Larry. With a passion for advocating for those in need, Tracy has been a Casa volunteer for just over a year, providing support & advocating for children in the foster care system. She has served six children, offering them a voice and a sense of stability.
Alyssa is proud to have been born and raised in Jerseyville. She graduated from JCHS in 2013, went onto The University of Illinois to study Political Science and Communications, and finished her schooling at The Southern Illinois University School of Law. After law school, Alyssa joined CASA as a way to give back to her community and work with kids. During her time in CASA, she has advocated for multiple children and runs our social media pages. When Alyssa isn't working or being a CASA advocate, she fills her time with other fun things such as: being a Big Sister with Big Brothers Big Sisters, monthly Sunday School volunteering, administrating the Larry Joe and Julie Ann Alexander Memorial Scholarship, hanging out with her two dogs: Mabel and Henry, running various races, and planning a wedding with her fiancé Tyler. Alyssa has been an advocate since May 2021. She has been assigned to two cases and has worked with four children.
A lifelong resident of Jersey County, Stacy and her husband, Donald, have two children. Stacy obtained an associate and bachelor’s degree from Hickey College and has worked for CNB Bank & Trust for nearly 10 years in the Mortgage Department. Her interests include attending her children’s sporting events, spending beautiful days outdoors and being surrounded by family and friends. Stacy has been a CASA since July of 2022 and an advocate to two children. I am so proud to be a part of CASA, knowing we are all here for the same mission “being a voice for children” is truly inspiring.
Krista Flatt is a wife to a farmer, a mother to two beautiful girls, and a Family Liaison for the Carrollton Families First Birth-3 Program. She enjoys being a CASA Advocate for many reasons, but her main "go to" of why she’s an advocate is because she knows she is helping a foster child have a voice and friend by their side...even during the scary times. Krista began as a CASA Advocate in June of 2019 where she was sworn in Jersey County. She has been assigned four cases and advocated for nine children. She believes that CASA is one resource that every county should invest in!
Lisa is a retired Registered Nurse from Jerseyville. She enjoys reading psychological thrillers. Her background in healthcare motivated her to volunteer for CASA. Lisa is making a difference as an advocate for CASA since July of 2022. She was assigned one case and advocated for two children. Lisa is also one of our advocates who is sworn in to both Jersey & Greene counties. “The children are our future.”
After graduating from SIU, Pat got his first teaching job in Jerseyville, and spent 35 years in District 100, all at JCHS. During his career he taught English and history, served as athletic director and coached the boys' and girls' tennis teams. Pat and his wife Ginni have two children, Megan and Matthew, both of whom attended JCHS, and both now reside in St. Louis. Megan and her husband, Alex Goetten, have one son, Sebastian. 
Brenda Skinner, a devoted Office Manager at Marshall Chevrolet GMC in Jerseyville, has been a dedicated CASA volunteer since 2019. Inspired by her twin sister Glenda, she quickly realized the urgent need for child advocacy in her county. Now approaching her 45th year in her professional role, Brenda applies the same dedication to her volunteer work, seeing it as a calling rather than just a duty.
Meet Terry Presley! Terry is married with four children and five grand children.
Glenda Gray is a lifelong resident of Jersey County. She has 2 daughters and is "Gram" to six! She enjoys painting, stenciling, scrapbooking, and flowers.
Lisa & her husband Jeff have 5 grown daughters & seven grandchildren! She has always worked with children at a Children’s Hospital, the Health Dept. & now as a school nurse in Calhoun County for the past 18 years. She & her husband went to foster parenting classes & after that felt the need to somehow help children in the foster system in another way. She joined CASA over 7 years ago & the rest is history!
Jen was born and raised in Jerseyville & believe it when we say-knows everyone! She worked at the JCH Wellness Center for 15 years and was an active member of the CASA board before moving away in 2014. While living in other states, Jen became involved with Big Brothers/Big Sisters, went on two mission trips to Honduras and Kenya where she worked with orphaned children and in 2021 decided to take in a teenage friend of her children. These experiences left a lasting impact on her, and she felt called to do more with the children in her own community.
Everyone meet Sue Fitzgerald. Sue comes from the Kansas City area, the middle of 5 children. She attended Notre Dame where she met her husband Mike, then graduated & moved to Godfrey. She worked in hospice & later for LCCC as a advisor. They have 4 grown children & 10 grandkids (hinting there's always room for more), spread out into Colorado, North Carolina, Indiana, and as close as Edwardsville! She enjoys reading, quilting, gardening & baking as just a few of her hobbies that keeps her very busy in addition to her volunteer work with CASA.
A lifelong Jersey County resident, Brittany and her husband Jerrad have 4 children. She states that most days are spent at their kids sporting events or on their farm. She likes to hunt, fish, ride ATVs, and go camping. In addition to her busy family life, she also works full-time as an office administrator for a construction company. Where does she find the time?!
Many of you probably know Bob or your child might since he was a teacher in the Jersey School District for 25 years & coached multiple sports. He sponsored several organization during his career, retiring in 2018. He was married for 33 years & is a father of 3 grownup girls who also live far away in Chicago & Tennessee. He still enjoys sporting events & goes to games frequently. This man stays busy!
Kim Schroeder-Davis was born in Jerseyville, graduated from JCHS, then Truman State University and became a High School Biology and Chemistry teacher for about 15 years. She completed her Masters degree from Lindenwood University in School Counseling. Kim has been a counselor at JCHS for 20 years and became a CASA Volunteer Advocate 5 years ago in 2018, after raising her 3 children who had graduated and moved off to college. Kim is the last of 11 children. She has experieced losing her biological mother when she was 2 years old and gaining a step mother at the age of 5. She also experienced a divorce 15 years ago.
Becky & her husband Joe are lifelong residents of Jersey County. They have a daughter, Cas, who now lives in St Louis. Becky has worked at the Health Dept for almost 30yrs & is currently the Director of Public Health Nursing, as well as being on the Board of Directors of the Illinois Public Health Nurse Administrators group AND on the Governing Board for the Illinois Valley Economic Development Corporation. She has been a CASA for 9+years & has recently taken on the role of Training Coordinator. Her love for the children of Jersey County & all of its residents is evident.
My name is Mary-Karen Wittman. I've lived most of my life in Jerseyville. I'm a tax accountant and I teach Spanish at St. Francis school. I enjoy spending my free time volunteering with kids though CASA, giving the teachers a break during recess at St. Francis/Holy Ghost School and helping with my kids' sports teams. I spend most of my time with my two kids, Quinn and Hudson. They are very active in music and sports. My husband, Nathan, works in Jerseyville at Country Financial. I love to travel, scuba dive, go boating and learn new things. I joined CASA in 2023 and I've seen the positive impact it has on our community. I'm very proud to be part of this organization.
I grew up in Jersey County, but now live in Godfrey with my husband Thomas and our two children, Tommy and Cecelia, our cat, and two bernedoodles. In my spare time I like spending time with my family, reading, drinking coffee in my sunroom, shopping, organizing, and decorating my home especially for the holidays.Our Board of Directors
Thank you to these community leaders who advise and support us in our mission to help children find safe, permanent homes.
President – Kevin Ayres
Secretary – Megan Longmeyer
Treasurer – Stephanie Ash
Compliance Officer – Mary Kirbach
Board Member – Jennifer Bowman
Board Member – Carla Brady
Board Member – Sharon Cameron
Board Member – Ruth Miller
Board Member – Ruth Rogers
Board Member – Dawn Wittman
Board Member – Ben Stinnett
Board Member – Jeremy Sagez
Board Member – Tabitha Barrow
Our Staff
Program Director – Stacy Burney
Administrative Asst. – Michelle Brown
Advocate Coordinator – Julie Goetten
Greene County Advocate Coordinator – Nicole Wolfley
Outreach Coordinator – Bob Siemer
Training Facilitator – Becky Shipley
Provide Life-Saving Advocacy for Local Foster Children
To impact the life of an abused or neglected child and give them a brighter future, donate to Great Rivers CASA/GAL. Your generous support will help us to recruit and train more volunteers to meet the growing demand for our services.
Your gift ensures that children who have experienced abuse or neglect have a dedicated CASA Advocate who will elevate their voice and make their needs known while they are in foster care.
