July Staff Recognition
Monthly Highlights of our CASA Community
Every month we recognize a few of our staff members for different achievements and milestones they've reached. This month we highlighted three individuals and invite you to read below to get to know them.
Sarah Guerra
Advocate Supervisor
How long have you been with CASA?
I've been with CASA since June 2019.
Fun Fact:
I've skydived three times.
Sarah is recognized this month for opening the most kids during the month of June! Sarah worked tirelessly to help ensure that CASA closed out the year surpassing our fiscal year goal of 1875 children in need. Thank you Sarah!
Dennis Ramsey
Advocate Supervisor
How long have you been with CASA?
I have been with CASA since 2002.
Fun Fact:
I enjoy facilitating New Volunteer training with Sarah Guerra, and preaching every Sunday on Zoom.
Dennis is recognized this month for having done a phenomenal job with applicant interviews! He is very respectful, thoughtful and compassionate. Dennis is very detailed and organized with his documents and notes, which is a huge help to the R/T department! Thank you Dennis!
Jose Guevara
Recruitment Coordinator
How long have you been with CASA?
I have been with CASA for 4 years.
Fun Fact:
I've been involved with nonprofits from the age of 14, working at a grassroots nonprofit organization run by my best friend's mother. CASA's message means a lot to me as we have adopted in my family. Also, I'm a pretty big movie buff going down different wormholes of genres and timeframes in film.
Jose is recognized this month for going above and beyond to ensure out of state background checks for new volunteers were finalized before end of year! He successfully managed a heavy workload while traveling to and from the office to retrieve BC results. Thank you Jose!
In March 2025, Child Protective Services removed four young children, just 7, 4, 2, and 3 months old, from their mother’s care. This difficult step followed ongoing concerns about neglect, largely connected to the mother’s struggle with substance use, even during her most recent pregnancy. Although CPS offered support through Family Based Safety Services, the mother was unable to engage in the help provided. The children’s father was also unable to support them due to his own substance abuse and his incarceration in Bexar County Jail. Before removal, the children’s basic medical and educational needs were going unmet. They had been moved repeatedly between their mother and other relatives, leaving them without the stability, routine, and nurturing supervision every child deserves. When CASA Staff Advocate, JoAnn Herring, was assigned the case in April 2025, she immediately reached out to both kinship caregivers to understand the children’s needs and how to best support the families stepping in to care for them. JoAnn quickly learned that the paternal grandmother, who lovingly took in some of the children, was struggling financially and facing barriers due to limited English proficiency. To ensure she wasn’t facing these challenges alone, JoAnn submitted a CFE (Collaborative Family Engagement) referral and personally provided translation support so the grandmother could access services with dignity and understanding. Throughout the case, JoAnn has witnessed moments where cultural sensitivity was lacking, and personal biases influenced important decisions; often at the expense of what was best for the children. Despite these obstacles, she continues to advocate steadfastly and compassionately for the children to remain with the kinship caregivers who have opened their homes and hearts to provide safety, consistency, and love. Although the case is not yet over, Joann’s story demonstrates that CASA’s advocacy reaches beyond the children themselves, strengthening the village of care and support surrounding them, because CASA wants children to be safe, to thrive, and to have their overall well-being protected.
Johnathan Cobb
