Each month, CASA of East Tennessee shines a spotlight on a particular volunteer who has gone above and beyond in their service of Knox County children. This month, we have selected two volunteers who do incredible work as a team on some really tough cases. We would like to offer a round of applause to Judy Miller and Susan Meehan!
Judy shared her story of how she got involved with CASA, "I spent my career with Knox County Schools working with preschool age children with special educational needs. During those years I worked with many young students who were in the foster care system. I did not want to leave that community behind when I retired and was drawn to CASA because of their mission to advocate for children who were in difficult family situations. I was also eager to learn more about the legal process which addressed the needs of these children."
Judy told us she has enjoyed meeting and interacting with the people who provide the support system for these children, including foster parents and all the people working within the court system.
We asked Susan how she got involved with advocacy and she said, "I have always been interested in becoming a CASA, because I truly do see a need in our community. I hesitated because I was concerned about the personal emotional impact of this kind of work. I am happy to say that this has not been an issue for me. I think when you are actively involved in advocating for children in court, as well as their sometimes complicated lives, the worry and concern is alleviated."
Susan shared her feelings about serving as a CASA alongside Judy, "I had no experience in child advocacy when I became a CASA, and for this reason, it was decided that I would be paired with Judy Miller, who spent her career working with children with special needs. We worked well together on our first case, and decided to become CASA partners on a permanent basis. We have worked many cases together and I have to say that in each case, I believe we made a positive difference in the lives of the child, the foster family, and the biological parents."
In addition to their casework, Judy and Susan share a love for travel and are both looking forward to future trips all over the world.
Thank you Judy and Susan!