The new CASA of Montana state board includes,from left, back row; members Roxana Colman-Herak, Confederated Salish Kootenai Tribe; Warren Wright, CASA of Missoula program director; Kayla Clark of Missoula; Shirley Folkwein, Yellowstone CASA Executive Director; Sarah Corbelly of Great Falls; Vivian Taylor of Saco; Bill Collins, Helena CASA program director. Front row; Kelly Klem of Miles City; Alayne Nichol of Red Lodge; Alexis Powell of Helena and Connie Leistiko of Kalispell. Board members are holding a symbolic check for $192,000 representing the 16,000 hours volunteers worked representing children in cases of abuse and neglect. Not pictured are members Barry McNamera of Helena, Gary Branae of Billings and Judge John Robinson of the Northern Cheyenne Tribe.

CASA of Montana state board elects executive officers, greets legislators

CASA of Montana board members, program directors and volunteers gathered in Helena for a legislative reception and meetings in January. The state board elected a slate of new officers as it began work to make CASA better known and better funded across the state of Montana.

About 280 Court Appointed Special Advocate volunteers currently advocate for more than 860 abused and neglected children in the state's courts. Judges appoint specially trained CASAs to represent the best interest of a child. Judges work with 17 non-profit CASA programs around the state that operate on a total budget of about $500,000. At the January meeting, a special check for $192,000 was given to the board as a visual means of representing the more than 16,000 hours volunteers have worked representing children involved in cases of abuse and neglect.

The board of directors elected Kayla Clark, an attorney from Missoula, as the president of CASA of Montana along with Vice President Alexis Powell, legal nurse consultant from Helena. Secretary is Vivian Taylor, Phillips County School Superintendent, and Treasurer is Kelly Klem, CPA and Stockman Bank vice president in Miles City.

New committee chairs include Connie Leistiko, nominations; Sarah Corbelly, legislative committee; Barry McNamera, public relations; and Kelly Klem and Alexis Powell for the finance/fundraising committee.

New CASA of Montana board and officers

CASA of Montana board members met in Helena in January to elect officers and begin work on a plan to make CASA of Montana better known. The new officers include, from left, President Kayla Clark, Treasurer Kelly Klem and Vice President Alexis Powell. Not in the photo is Secretary Vivian Taylor.

CASA of Montana board members met in Helena in January to elect officers and begin work on a plan to make CASA of Montana better known. New officers include, from left, President Kayla Clark, Treasurer Kelly Klem and Vice President Alexis Powell. Not in the photo is Secretary Vivian Taylor.

CASA reception for legislators held in January

Great Falls attendees at Legislative reception

Court Appointed Special Advocate volunteers, directors and board members gathered for a legislative reception in late January in Helena. Pictured are Alayne Nichol, former program director and now a state board member from Red Lodge; Lisa Goff, Great Falls CASA CAN program director and Judy Pylar, Great Falls CASA CAN executive director.

Great Falls CASA CAN shows off its program in a display for legislators, program directors and volunteers attending a reception at Jorgenson's Restaurant in Helena in January. More than 280 CASA volunteers advocate for 860 children in the state's abuse and neglect system.

Gary Matthews, Speaker of the House and a board member of Eastern Montana CASA/GAL, talks with Ellen Bush, state coordinator of CASA of Montana, and Lynn Giles, 5th Judicial District Voice for Children program director. Legislators, program directors and volunteers gathered to share information about CASA and children at the educational event in January.

Representative Bill Jones of Big Fork gathers with Representative Gary Branae, a CASA of Montana board member from Billings and CASA of Montana President Kayla Clark of Missoula.