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!
A Message from Child Advocates San Antonio on National CASA/GAL Funding Termination On April 24, 2025, the National CASA/GAL Association announced that its federal funding through the U.S. Department of Justice has been terminated. As a result, National CASA is suspending subaward disbursements, training programs, and technical assistance. The organization is actively appealing the decision and assessing what services it can continue to provide during this transition. Info from National CASA can be found here. We understand that this announcement may raise concerns in the community, and we want to provide reassurance and clarity regarding how this news affects Child Advocates San Antonio. First and foremost: There is no impact to our organization or our services. We are fully operational and remain committed to serving the children and families in our community with the same excellence, integrity, compassion, and commitment we have always shown. Here are key facts we want our supporters and the public to know: Our funding remains secure. Child Advocates San Antonio has a diverse and stable funding base that includes a healthy mix of public and private funding. No one funding stream exceeds 50% of our budget. You can access our recent financials HERE. Our stability comes from strong state support and our dedicated Bexar County community, which keeps Child Advocates San Antonio resilient and focused on serving children. We do not receive subawards from National CASA. The suspension of subaward disbursements has no bearing on our funding or ability to operate. Our training programs continue without interruption. Our comprehensive and high-quality Advocate training programs are fully intact. We do not require technical assistance from National CASA. Our team is experienced, well-resourced, and prepared to continue all programming. No cuts, no hiring freezes, no changes to our operations. We remain fully staffed and actively engaged in our mission to advocate for children in foster care. Our commitment to advocating for children in foster care is unwavering, and our services continue as usual. We want to be clear: Child Advocates San Antonio is strong, stable, and here to stay. CASA programs in Texas are strong, independent, and fully committed to children in foster care. While we’re aware of the situation with National CASA/GAL, it doesn’t impact the critical advocacy happening here. Our commitment is clear: we will stand with the children we serve—until they are safe, their voices are heard, and their futures are secure. Our focus, as always, is on advocating for the best interests of children and ensuring they have a voice in court. Public support at all levels, including individuals, ensures we remain strong, regardless of national developments. No matter what, our mission stays the same – every child deserves to be safe, cared for, and have their voice heard. CASA’s mission is as important as ever— children in foster care need advocates who will stand by them. Start your Advocate Journey today!
Brittany Coppage
