A New Chapter for Our CEO
CASA President & CEO, Marina Gonzales, Named New President & CEO of San Antonio Hispanic Chamber of Commerce.
Written By: CASA Board Chair, Juanita Peláez-Prada
It was recently announced that CASA President and CEO Marina Gonzales will be taking over leadership of the
San Antonio Hispanic Chamber of Commerce starting August 17.
During her time with CASA, Marina has tirelessly committed herself to CASA's mission and in doing so has helped serve thousands of neglected and abused children in our community. I have no doubt that in her new role with the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, Marina will continue to support CASA and its mission.
San Antonio and its community partners, like the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, recognize that the services our volunteer advocates so selflessly provide are essential to the wellbeing and health of our children. As such, CASA must and shall continue to stay focused on its mission to recruit, train and support volunteer Advocates to serve abused and neglected children. With the unwavering support of our community and the enthusiastic and dedicated staff and Board of Directors, CASA will continue to act as the voice for these children.
We wish Marina the absolute best in this next chapter, and are grateful for her service over these past three years as well as her continued support for CASA as President & CEO of the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce.
The CASA Board of Directors will commence a search for the next President and CEO in the weeks to come, and more information will be announced soon.
Congratulations Marina!
Brennan Holland was assigned to Sarah in December 2022. Sarah entered foster care with a history of abuse, neglect, and exploitation, yet she remains incredibly resilient. Throughout her time in care, she has experienced multiple placements. Brennan quickly learned that Sarah has a strong passion for neuroscience and dreams of becoming a neurosurgeon. Determined to pursue her goal, she graduated early from high school and is now enrolled in the College Bound Docket program, attending her school of choice—UTSA. However, the path to achieving her dream has not been without challenges.\ Sarah received a discharge notice from her current placement and was denied Supervised Independent Living (SIL) until she turned 18. It felt as though no one was giving her a real chance. CASA stepped in to advocate for Sarah’s independence, pushing for her to live in a dorm on her own. Not everyone on her team supported this idea due to concerns about her age, limited independent living experience, and fears that she might run away, be influenced by older peers, or engage in risky behavior. CASA, however, continued to stand by Sarah, even offering financial assistance to help her move into a dorm until she became eligible for SIL. At Sarah’s next court hearing on January 24, 2025, her attorney ad litem filed a motion for her to live in a dorm at UTSA. CASA once again advocated for the court to approve this plan. The judge, quoting Brennan’s court report, stated, “Brennan said it correctly: You are going to succeed or fail based on your decisions.” Ultimately, the judge authorized Sarah to live in the dorms on campus and ordered CPS to cover the cost of SIL. CASA recently assisted Sarah in moving into her very first dorm room, and we are excited to see what the future holds for her. Since being placed on campus, she has built a strong network of supportive adults to help her thrive. The impact of CASA facilitating these vital connections is crucial in ensuring that young adults like Sarah have the support they need to successfully transition into adulthood.
Emily White
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