CASA of Jefferson County Attends 30th Annual Indiana GAL/CASA Conference

CASA of Jefferson County joined GAL/CASA volunteers, staff, judicial officers, and child welfare professionals from across the state on September 26, 2026 for the 30th Annual Indiana GAL/CASA Conference at the Grand Wayne Convention Center in Fort Wayne.

The annual conference brings Indiana’s local GAL/CASA programs together for a full day of training, conversation, and learning centered on the children and families served throughout the state. This year, Jefferson County was represented not only among those attending, but also in the conference program, on a statewide volunteer panel, and during the annual awards presentation.

Jefferson County Represented on Statewide Volunteer Panel

Jefferson County was represented during the afternoon breakout sessions when longtime CASA volunteer, Sara Scroggins, participated in “Together, We Can—A Volunteer Panel Discussion.” Scroggins has served as a CASA volunteer in Jefferson County for ten years. She joined experienced volunteers from Morgan, St. Joseph, Montgomery, Wells, and Grant counties to answer questions and share what they have learned through years of working directly with children and families.

Sara was also recognized during this year's conference as a Top 9 Finalist for the 2026 Indiana GAL/CASA Volunteer of the Year Award. With more than 2,500 CASA volunteers serving across Indiana, being named among the final nine was an incredible recognition of her ten years of advocacy and commitment to the children she has served. The panel gave attendees an opportunity to hear directly from the people doing this work in communities across Indiana.

Learning from Those with Lived Experience

The conference opened with keynote speaker Ashley Rhodes-Courter, author of Three Little Words. Rhodes-Courter spent nearly a decade in the foster care system and moved through 14 homes before becoming part of a permanent family. She later became a social worker, author, foster and adoptive parent, and advocate for children and families. Her experience brought a perspective to the conference that is especially important in child welfare: the perspective of someone who was once the child at the center of the system.

The luncheon keynote was presented by Joshua Wayne, a nationally certified counselor who has spent more than 25 years working with youth and families. His presentation, “One Caring Adult,” focused on the difference one consistent adult can make in the life of a young person.

That message is one CASA volunteers know well. For many children involved in the child welfare system, adults, homes, schools, providers, and circumstances can change throughout the life of a case. A CASA volunteer can be one of the people who remains consistent through those changes.

Taking a View from the Bench

One of the morning breakout sessions, “A View from the Bench—A Judicial Panel Discussion,” brought together judicial officers to discuss the information courts need from GAL/CASA volunteers when making decisions involving children and families. The panel addressed what is most helpful when judges receive CASA reports, testimony, observations, and recommendations. For advocates whose responsibility is to gather information and provide independent recommendations to the court, hearing directly from judicial officers offered practical information that can be taken back into local courtrooms.

Understanding What Behavior is Telling Us

Another morning session, “Wired to Thrive: Understanding What Foster Youth Behavior is Telling You and How to Help Them Thrive,” focused on looking beyond a young person’s behavior to better understand the need behind it. The session explored how behaviors that adults may find difficult or concerning can sometimes be attempts by young people to meet needs they do not yet know how to communicate in another way. For CASA volunteers working with children who have experienced abuse, neglect, instability, separation, and trauma, understanding the reason behind behavior can change the way an advocate responds to a child.

Family Engagement, Trust, and Connection

Several conference sessions focused on relationships with children and families. “Family Engagement” examined barriers that can make it difficult for advocates to build supportive relationships with families and offered strategies for improving communication, building trust, encouraging inclusion, and strengthening collaboration.

The afternoon session “Trust and Being Worthy of It” continued that conversation with a focus on trust, connection, healthy boundaries, difficult conversations, and remaining grounded during conflict.

These are everyday parts of CASA work. Advocates regularly enter situations where families may be overwhelmed, frustrated, frightened, or uncertain about the people involved in their case. Building trust does not mean avoiding difficult conversations. It means learning how to have those conversations while remaining respectful, consistent, and focused on the child.

Turning Crisis Into Opportunity

The conference also recognized the impact this work can have on the people doing it. “Transforming Crisis Into Opportunity” focused on the crisis culture that often surrounds child advocacy and how those pressures affect not only children and families, but also the professionals and volunteers working alongside them. The session gave attendees practical strategies for building resilience, staying actively engaged, and continuing to grow through challenging work.

Other sessions looked beyond individual cases to larger issues affecting families and communities. “Here, There, and Everywhere—How Harm in the Home Impacts the Entire Community” explored the relationship between family violence and community violence.

The afternoon session “‘Someday’ Never Comes—Breaking Generational Cycles of Familial Abuse” examined ways communities and professionals can work toward ending cycles of family violence, including the need for intervention and services that address both victims and those causing harm.

2026 Director of the Year

The conference also included recognition of the Indiana GAL/CASA Network’s 2026 award recipients.

CASA of Jefferson County Executive Director, Whitney Pennington, was named the 2026 Director of the Year after ten years as part of the Indiana GAL/CASA Network. The conference program recognized Pennington for her leadership, innovation, support of volunteers and staff, continued focus on strengthening partnerships and training, and willingness to look for new solutions when traditional approaches are no longer enough.

Elizabeth Dunlap of the Tippecanoe County CASA Program was named 2026 Staff Member of the Year, and longtime St. Joseph County CASA volunteer Thomas “Tom” Brown was named 2026 Volunteer of the Year. Brown has advocated for 101 children during his years of volunteer service.

The awards provided an opportunity to recognize different parts of the GAL/CASA network—leadership, staff support, and the volunteers who work directly with children and families.

Jefferson County Youth Recognized for their Talents

One of the most special parts of the conference was the Elizabeth Gail Tegarden Voice of the Children Award, which gives children and youth an opportunity to share their creativity and talents with the Indiana GAL/CASA Network. This year, two children from Jefferson County participated and were recognized for their incredible talents. Each received a sculpture and medal in recognition of their work. For an organization built around making sure children are heard, this recognition holds a special meaning. The Voice of the Children Award gives young people a space to express themselves through their creativity.

Thank You to the People Behind the Conference

An event of this size does not happen without an incredible amount of work behind the scenes. CASA of Jefferson County extends a sincere thank you to the Indiana GAL/CASA State Office staff and the 30th Annual Conference Committee for the time, planning, and care that went into bringing programs from across Indiana together. From selecting speakers and developing meaningful training opportunities to coordinating the countless details required to host a statewide conference, their work created a day where advocates could learn from one another, reconnect, share ideas, and return to their communities better prepared for the work ahead.

We are grateful for the Indiana GAL/CASA State Office staff who support local GAL/CASA programs throughout the year and for the conference committee members who gave their time to make this year's gathering possible. Thirty years of this conference is something worth celebrating. Thank you to everyone who helped make the 30th Annual Indiana GAL/CASA Conference a meaningful day for Indiana's GAL/CASA network and, ultimately, for the children and families we all serve.