Rising Stars: Meet Ann Walden of Ohio

Today we’d like to introduce you to Ann Walden.

Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
CASA originated in 1977 with Judge David Soukup who had the idea to have trained volunteers advocate in court for the best interest of abused and neglected children.

CASA of Portage County was launched by Portage County Juvenile/Probate Court Judge Patricia Smith in 2021.

CASA stands for Court Appointed Special Advocates. It is a program that recruits and trains community members to be volunteer advocates for children who are victims of abuse and/or neglect. CASA volunteers are appointed by judges to advocate for children’s best interest. They stay with each case until it is closed, and the child is in a safe, permanent home. We serve children of all ages. Volunteers work with legal and child welfare professionals, educators and service providers to ensure that judges have all the information they need to make the most well-informed decisions for each child. Our best-interest advocacy is driven by the guiding principle that children grow and develop best with their family of origin, if that can be safely achieved. Most of the children we work with are in foster care, but some are with their family of origin.

In December 2021, CASA of Portage County received National CASA membership. On March 11, 2022, the inaugural class of 11 CASA volunteers was sworn in and began taking cases.

Since beginning, CASA of Portage County has served 296 children, and the program continues to grow every year.

The heart and compassion of a CASA volunteer is like nothing else. The volunteers who give their time to advocate for the children of Portage County do so only because they care. They are not compensated in any way and give thousands of hours every year to advocating. CASA volunteers are the soul of this program and we would not have the impact we have without their time and dedication.

I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
The Portage County community has embraced the CASA program since its inception. Community members have come out with overwhelming support to volunteer with the program and advocate for children.

One of our biggest obstacles was educating the community and agencies in the community about the role of a CASA volunteer, as the program had never existed in Portage County before.

As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
I am the Executive Director of CASA of Portage County. With the vision and support of Judge Patricia Smith, we launched the CASA of Portage County program in 2021.

I have worked with children and families for over 20 years. My career began as a behavioral specialist in a residential treatment facility, after completing my education at Bowling Green State University. Since that time, I supervised an intensive treatment residential unit and a transitional living program for youth aging out of foster care. I assisted families through my work as a child and adult protective services case worker and supervisor. I assisted in developing a Resource Center for Geauga County Juvenile Court to better assist families navigating the juvenile court system. I enjoy taking on new projects and initiatives. My experience in mental health, residential treatment, child welfare and juvenile court allows me to better understand the experiences of children and families involved in the juvenile court and child welfare systems. I also serve on the Reasonable Efforts Workgroup through the Supreme Court of Ohio, chaired by Portage County Juvenile Court Judge Patricia Smith.

I am most proud of being part of the Implementation Sites team at Portage County Juvenile Court through the National Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges. This judicially-led collaborative seeks to implement system change efforts to improve the child abuse and neglect case process with the goal of improving safety, permanency, and well-being outcomes for children. The focus is on integrating the Enhanced Resource Guidelines to promote timely permanency and better outcomes for children in the child welfare system.

What sets me apart from others is my ability to arrange all the pieces and resources for a program to have maximum productivity. I continue to work through challenges and problem solve to ensure a program runs successfully.

We’d be interested to hear your thoughts on luck and what role, if any, you feel it’s played for you?
Luck has absolutely played a role in forming my career. Without luck, and keeping your eye open for opportunities, great things can pass you by. I was fortunate enough to be offered my current position without even looking for a new job. After meeting Judge Smith in another setting, it opened the door for me to lead the CASA of Portage County program.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.portagecountycasa.org/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CASAofPortageCounty