News

CASA Volunteer Spotlight: Meet Lani Fisher

“I felt like I needed to take some kind of action instead of just feeling sad.” Lani Fisher joined the CASA program in the fall of 2021. When she isn’t busy with her job as an executive assistant at a local church, she really enjoys staying active. Hiking at the Dunes is one of...

CASA Volunteer Spotlight: Meet Duane Dibble

“The CASA program is a great fit and perfectly aligns with my character.” Duane Dibble joined the CASA program in January 2022. Outside his CASA life, he is an independent consultant working with investment companies, primarily family offices, to improve their back-office operations.  He has worked in the operations area of multiple investment companies for...

CASA Volunteer Spotlight: Meet Whitney Trimble

“I have learned so much…and I continue to learn.” Whitney Trimble has been part of the CASA family since May 2022. In her professional life, she works in the financial world; she is a Central Midwest Consumer Investment Market Leader for Bank of America/Merrill. Her main objective is to help people from all walks of...

CASA Volunteer Spotlight: Meet Robin Biggs

"As a CASA, it is your heart and soul." Robin worked for a law firm in Chicago for many years before starting work in the corporate office of NiSource. She has been part of Porter County CASA since 2011. She came on as a staff advocate in 2013, and although she is now retired, she...

CASA Volunteer Spotlight: Meet Wendy Frump

“Every child deserves to be fought for and to have a voice.” Wendy has been a volunteer with Porter County CASA for almost two years. She is a stay-at-home mom who does a lot of volunteer mission work in addition to her work as a CASA. Wendy and her husband have seven children, three of...

CASA Volunteer Spotlight: Meet Larry and Diane Jortner

“The children matter to us.” Being part of the CASA program means meeting great people from all occupations, callings, and walks of life. Many CASA’s come to us individually, but here in Porter County, we are lucky to have some married couples as part of our volunteer network. One of those couples is Larry...

CASA Volunteer Spotlight: Meet Christina Klespies

Christina Klespies is the Senior Director of Human Resources at the University of Chicago and an Adjunct Professor of Psychology at Ivy Tech in Valparaiso. When she isn’t working or volunteering, Christina likes to travel to Mexico and the Caribbean each year, and she also enjoys exploring National Parks. Christina will celebrate her one...

CASA Volunteer Spotlight: Meet Ann Buhner

“I like having a personal connection with the children, who see me as a consistent person in their lives and someone whom they can trust.” Ann Buhner completed her CASA training in December 2020, and was sworn-in the same month. Shortly thereafter she took her first case. Once the first case resolved, Ann took...

CASA Volunteer Wins Kiwanis Volunteer of the Year

This week Jody Lyp, one of our Porter County CASA Volunteers, was recognized as the Valparaiso Noon Kiwanis Club's Volunteer of the Year! The thoughtfulness, creativity, dependability, and thoroughness she brings to her cases is outstanding. She is highly attentive to her CASA children's needs and is able to translate that into powerful advocacy....