Category: Press & Media

 CASA of Monterey County Names Gilda Gonzales as New Executive Director Following Beth Wilbur’s Retirement. 

Salinas, CA. CASA of Monterey County announces the retirement of Executive Director Beth Wilbur after six years of dedicated service and the appointment of Gilda Gonzales as the organization’s next executive director, effective January 2026. 

Throughout Wilbur’s tenure, CASA achieved remarkable growth and impact. Under her leadership, the organization served more than 500 children and youth, recruited and trained hundreds of volunteers, launched its Juvenile Justice Program, conducted three significant research studies, significantly expanded community partnerships, and consistently met its budgetary goals, even in challenging financial environments. 

Reflecting on her time at CASA, Wilbur shared, “Leading CASA of Monterey County has been the highlight of my career. Every day, I witnessed the extraordinary commitment of our volunteers and staff and held compassion for the young people we serve. I leave feeling grateful and confident that CASA is in a strong position for its next chapter.” 

Board Chair Juliet Del Rosario expressed gratitude for Wilbur’s leadership, stating, “Beth leaves CASA stronger, more stable, and more mission-driven than ever. Her leadership built momentum that will carry the organization forward for years to come.” 

 CASA’s Board of Directors unanimously selected Gilda Gonzales as the incoming executive director following a national search. Gonzales brings extensive nonprofit and public sector leadership experience to the role, having served as CEO of Planned Parenthood Northern California and CEO of The Unity Council in Oakland. Her accomplishments include overseeing substantial budgets, expanding programs, spearheading community initiatives, and advancing equity-focused services. Ms. Gonzales and her spouse, Ken Wysocki, Ph.D. became Monterey residents in 2022. Dr. Wysocki currently serves as the Director of Public Works for Carmel-by-the-Sea. 

Gonzales shared her enthusiasm for joining CASA, “It is with great honor that I assume the position of executive director for CASA of Monterey County. I am ready to serve our children in foster care and juvenile justice with fierce determination that ensures their well-being and safety are always the top priority.” 

Del Rosario added, “We are thrilled to welcome Gilda, a seasoned and visionary leader who will guide CASA with strength and compassion.” 

CASA of Monterey County remains committed to ensuring every child and youth in foster care or juvenile justice has a dedicated advocate and a voice. 

About CASA of Monterey County 

Since its inception, CASA of Monterey County has trained over 1,300 volunteers and helped thousands of children and youth in foster care navigate their path to safety and stability. The organization is committed to ensuring that every child has a voice in decisions that affect them and has access to the support and resources they need to build a brighter future. For more information about CASA of Monterey County’s 30th anniversary celebrations, how to become a CASA volunteer, or how to support the organization’s mission, please visit casaofmonterey.org or reach out to [email protected]. 

Mission: To recruit, train, and support community volunteers who advocate for children and youth in foster care and the juvenile justice system. To uphold children and youths’ rights and pursue a safe and permanent home while providing the support, empowerment, and resources needed to heal and flourish into adulthood. 

Salinas, CA – Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) of Monterey County is proud to announce that Amy Gibson, Clement Miller, and Dr. Kirk Mulgrew have joined the Board of Directors as of January 1, 2025. 

In her first career, Amy Gibson dedicated 38 years to hospitality at the Portola Hotel and Spa. She began as the evening hostess at the Plaza Tree Restaurant and, after several years and various positions, landed her dream role as the Director of Catering and Conference Services. Post-COVID, Amy embarked on a new career as the accounting manager at Central Coast Federal Credit Union (CCFCU). In June 2024, CCFCU merged with Wescom Central Credit Union, leading Amy’s career toward another turn as the director of events. An active community member, Amy has served on the board of directors of the Monterey Peninsula Chamber of Commerce and is currently on the boards of the Salinas Valley Chamber of Commerce and IMPOWER, a group that seeks to inspire, motivate, prepare, and organize women to engage and reinvest in their local community. Passionate about volunteering for causes supporting animals and children, Amy dedicates her time and energy to making a difference in their lives. She shared, “I am honored to be a part of such a dedicated organization and board, and I am eager to support CASA’s mission to ensure that every child in foster care has a voice.” 

Clement Miller is the Chief Operating Officer at Salinas Valley Health. He holds a Nurse Executive, Advanced board certification from the American Nurses Credentialing Center and completed his MSN in Leadership and Healthcare Systems Management from Drexel University and a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Pacific Union College. Clement has lived on the Central Coast for the past 10 years with his wife and three children. He is involved with various community organizations and joined CASA to help ensure that local foster children receive the same level of community support that was so impactful in his own upbringing. He reflected, “Joining the board of CASA is an incredible opportunity to give back to our local community and its foster children. I’m inspired to use my voice to raise awareness about CASA’s mission and its life-changing work.” 

Dr. Kirk Mulgrew is a pediatrician with Stanford Medicine Children’s Health Pediatric Group of Monterey. Born and raised in California, he studied at UC Berkeley, attended UC Davis School of Medicine, and completed his residency in pediatrics at Children’s Hospital of Orange County. After a one-year fellowship in sports medicine at the University of Washington in Seattle, he returned to California, where he has been a practicing pediatrician for more than 10 years. He lives in Monterey with his wife and three children. Dr. Mulgrew feels drawn to work with CASA because he admires the organization’s mission and the support CASA provides to foster children in Monterey County. He commented, “CASA’s dedication to serving children resonates deeply with me, and I’m committed to helping them continue improving the lives of children and youth in foster care throughout our county.” 

CASA Board Chair Danny Little echoed their enthusiasm, saying, “Amy, Clement, and Kirk are invaluable additions to our board, each bringing a unique blend of commitment to CASA’s mission, extensive professional expertise, valuable local connections, and infectious positive energy. We are certain that their contributions will greatly benefit our organization, and we are grateful to have them join us in this crucial work.” 

About CASA of Monterey County 

Since its inception, CASA of Monterey County has trained over 1,300 volunteers and helped thousands of children and youth in foster care navigate their path to safety and stability. The organization is committed to ensuring that every child has a voice in decisions that affect them and has access to the support and resources they need to build a brighter future. For more information about CASA of Monterey County’s 30th anniversary celebrations, how to become a CASA volunteer, or how to support the organization’s mission, please visit casaofmonterey.org. 

Mission: To recruit, train, and support community volunteers who advocate for children and youth in foster care and the juvenile justice system. To uphold children and youths’ rights and pursue a safe and permanent home while providing the support, empowerment, and resources needed to heal and flourish into adulthood. 

from KSBW by Paul Dudley

SALINAS, Calif. — A local non-profit, aimed at helping kids in foster care and the juvenile justice system, is celebrating 30 years. Since 1995, CASA of Monterey County has been advocating for children, who can often feel forgotten.

As a child, navigating the challenges of these complex legal systems can seem like an insurmountable task.

“There were times I didn’t feel seen or heard,” said Jessica Maciel, a CASA volunteer and former foster kid. “It is so important because you are changing a child’s life.”

Because Maciel understands the difficulties firsthand, she volunteered with CASA or court-appointed special advocates.

“CASA is huge. I was a foster kid from age 5 to 18. And growing up, I didn’t have a CASA so just having that special person, that role model, that leader, that mentor really makes an impact,” said Maciel.

The group is celebrating 30 years in Monterey County, working one-on-one with children, providing them with a caring adult to help them through legal systems and to assist them with educational, medical, and therapeutic services.

“They are very complex systems, and we don’t want children to ever feel like they are slipping through the cracks or being forgotten,” said Titiana Ayala, an advocate supervisor with CASA. “Having someone in their corner can make a world of a difference.”

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By KELLY NIX of The Carmel Pine Cone

AN ORGANIZATION that advocates for children is celebrating three decades of serving Monterey County.

In 2025, CASA, or Court Appointed Special Advo- cates, of Monterey County will mark its 30th year of “improving the lives of children and youth in foster care throughout the county.” The nonprofit trains residents to serve as advocates for children who have been neglected and abused.

Multiple services

Since 1995, the volunteers for CASA have worked one-on-one with children and young people in foster care, providing them with a “consistent and caring adult presence, navigating complex legal systems, ensuring that educational, medical, and therapeutic services are provided,” the group said.

CASA of Monterey County executive director Beth Wilbur said the anniversary marks a “critical milestone in our mission as we continue to expand our services and now also support youth in juvenile justice and truancy.”

“As we look back on our journey, we celebrate the thousands of children and youth we’ve served and the countless volunteers who have given their time, energy, and compassion to ensure that these children and youth have a brighter future,” Wilbur went on to say.

To address the increasing need for volunteers, she said CASA is launching a campaign on Jan. 1, 2025, dubbed “30 in 30” with the goal of recruiting 30 volunteers in 30 days for each training cohort. The initiative aims at trimming the waiting list and ensuring that children in foster care get the advocacy they need.

“While we have accomplished so much in 30 years, there is still much work to be done,” said Danny Little, chair of the CASA of Monterey County’s board of directors. Being a member of CASA will not only help a child or young person who needs help but will also make a “lasting difference in their life,” Little added.

CASA has trained more than 1,300 volunteers and “helped thousands of children and youth in foster care navigate their path to safety and stability,” the group says.

Volunteers and supporters

CASA will host events this year to recognize its anniversary and highlight its impact on the community and raise awareness about the needs of foster children.

The kickoff event is Jan. 23, and is in coordination with the Salinas Valley Chamber of Commerce, with a community celebration set for April 30, when the nonprofit said it will bring “together volunteers, supporters, and local leaders to reflect on CASA’s achievements and look ahead to the future.”

Last year, CASA helped 148 young people, the majority of whom are Latino/x and live in Salinas and South Monterey County, the group said.

To volunteer, or for more information about CASA’s anniversary events, visit casaofmonterey.org.

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SAN DIEGO, California, December 2, 2020—Nicholas Kristof, New York Times columnist and two-time Pulitzer Prize winner, announced his 2020 “Holiday Impact Prize” awards in his column on November 21, 2020.  In addition to three impactful international nonprofits receiving contributions, for the first time he also added two U.S. nonprofit volunteer activities that he recommends to his readers.  Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) supports and promotes court-appointed volunteer advocacy so every child who has experienced abuse or neglect can have the opportunity to thrive in a safe and loving home; Reading Partners matches elementary school students who are behind grade level in reading with trained volunteers who deliver personalized tutoring sessions twice a week for 45 minutes.

Since 2009, Kristof has written an annual “holiday gift guide” column in the New York Times, to highlight little-known organizations working to make the world a better place. He began writing the gift guide to bridge a philanthropic gap:  readers who wanted to help but didn’t know how, and heroic individuals and organizations who desperately needed resources but were off donors’ radar. The column has helped raise the profiles of organizations that work on the very issues he covers in his journalism—health, education, human rights, and women’s rights, both domestically and abroad. For the second year in a row, the 2020 guide comes with an exciting twist: a $150,000 Holiday Impact Prize that Kristof awards to the three nonprofits he showcases. Kristof’s 2020 column highlights the $100,000 grand prize winner and two runners-up receiving $25,000 each.  In addition, for the first time, he has recommended two volunteer opportunities with organizations that are changing their communities through service, Court Appointed Special Advocates and Reading Partners.

Nicholas Kristof worked with Focusing Philanthropy—a 501(c)3 nonprofit that finds and funds high-impact, scalable programs here and around the world—in providing the platform for this initiative by processing readers’ contributions, monitoring and reporting on results, and replenishing credit card transaction costs of donations made on KristofImpact.org.  In this way, 100 cents on the dollar will support the winning organizations.  “We launched this initiative last year and were amazed by its success. Last year, my readers donated more than $3 million to support the winning organizations,” said Kristof, in describing the partnership with Focusing Philanthropy. “I have found that so many people want to make a difference but don’t always know where to look. Particularly as organizations face new challenges during the pandemic, I hope that this prize sheds light on five organizations working every day to create a better world.”

California CASA has had an association with Focusing Philanthropy for many years and Focusing Philanthropy has supported a number of major CASA organizations, including Voices for Children in San Diego and Riverside.  In highlighting the CASA opportunity in his 2020 Holiday Impact Prize column, Kristof encourages his readers to become a CASA volunteer with one of the 948 programs located nationwide. The goal is to help CASA programs recruit more volunteers to support the children in foster care who need a volunteer advocate.  Tara Perry, CEO of the National Court Appointed Special Advocate/Guardian ad Litem (CASA/GAL) Association for Children, said: “The value of a CASA/GAL volunteer cannot be overstated. We often hear from children that these highly trained volunteers are the only consistent adult in their lives. CASA/GAL volunteers make a life-changing difference for children who have experienced abuse or neglect.”

Sharon M. Lawrence, Esq., Chief Executive Officer, California CASA Association, acknowledged the importance of the inclusion of CASA this year.  “We are honored and humbled that the CASA volunteer opportunity is featured by Nicholas Kristof in his Holiday Impact Prize column. One of our greatest challenges is making the public aware of how hard it is for children in foster care to get the support and services they need and deserve. When a child is assigned a Court Appointed Special Advocate, or CASA volunteer, they are more likely to gain access to important resources that benefit their health and well-being. In 2019, almost 700,000 children spent some time in foster care in the United States, with 83,000 of them in California alone. By sharing the CASA story with the world, Nicholas Kristof has raised the visibility of our important mission to promote court-appointed volunteer advocacy so every child who has experienced abuse or neglect can be safe, have a permanent home, and the opportunity to thrive. We hope this will inspire the many caring members of our local communities to discover for themselves how rewarding it is to be a CASA volunteer.”

The three nonprofits that received the 2020 Holiday Impact awards are:

• CAMFED’s pan-African movement is educating girls through a grassroots-led model that radically improves their prospects of becoming independent, influential women who in turn join CAMFED to keep even more girls in school and accelerate their path to livelihoods and leadership.
• Himalayan Cataract Project cures unnecessary cataract blindness with high-quality, cost-effective eyecare in underserved areas of the world through a surgical procedure that takes as little as 10 minutes and $25 in materials.
• OneGoal is working to create a world where all students can earn a college degree and define their future by partnering with high schools in low-income communities to bridge the postsecondary degree divide.

More information about Nicholas Kristof’s Holiday Impact Prize, this year’s winners, and Focusing Philanthropy can be found here: KristofImpact.org.

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About California CASA

California CASA was founded in 1987 to serve the individual local CASA programs throughout the state.  The mission is to ensure that children in the foster care system have both a voice and the services they need for a stable future. There are currently over 80,000 children in California foster care—the largest foster population of any state in the nation.  California CASA strengthens the state network of 44 local CASA programs and advocates for child welfare policy and practices that will improve the lives of all foster children.  CASA volunteers are a crucial intervention to help ensure safety, speed up permanent placement, help children and youth thrive in school, and support positive health outcomes.  A CASA volunteer is often the only consistent adult in a child or youth’s life who is not paid to support and advocate for them. The CEO of California CASA since 2017 is Sharon M. Lawrence, Esq., who served for 20 years as CEO of Voices for Children (San Diego and Riverside Counties), one of the nation’s largest and most successful CASA programs.  Chair of the Board of Directors is Kevin Gardner; he leads a statewide Board of 18 individuals representing all regions of California.  California CASA is a private, nonprofit organization supported by individuals, foundations, corporations, and government agencies. It is a member of the National CASA/GAL Association for Children, and one of 49 state CASA associations in the United States.  Learn more at www.californiacasa.org.

Following a six (6) month search, the Board of Directors for Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) of Monterey County has named Ms. Beth Wilbur as the nonprofit’s new executive director. Ms. Wilbur’s appointment takes effect June 15th.

Ms. Wilbur’s most recent experience has been as the Director of Courseware Portfolio Management at Pearson Education, the world’s largest educational publisher where she directed a team of editors, built an international network of science educators, and created, managed and sustained a national conference devoted to promoting innovation in undergraduate biology instruction.

A long-time resident of Monterey County, Beth founded the Linda Davis Society and was an executive sponsor of the San Francisco Women in Learning and Leadership program. She also served as the publicist for Performance Carmel at the Sunset Center in Carmel, California.

Beth’s earlier career was in non-profit arts management in Boston, where she was Executive Director for Boston’s Baroque Orchestra, and served as President of the Board of Directors for the Jamaica Plain Arts Council. Before moving to California, as Director of Special Programs at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Beth launched an Institute-wide Artist in Residency program while serving in the Office of the Provost.

CASA Board Chair, Jennifer Rosenthal, Esquire stated: “We are thrilled to welcome Beth to the CASA organization as our new Executive Director. She brings with her a wealth of knowledge and has the leadership qualities necessary to navigate us through these evolving and trying times while keeping focus on our mission of improving the lives of children in the foster care system by pairing them with trained volunteers who advocate for them and stand by their side as stable adults they can count on.”

CASA of Monterey County recruits, trains, and supports community volunteers to advocate for foster children and youth. To find out more about becoming a CASA, or to make a tax-deductible contribution to support Monterey County foster children, please visit CASA’s website at www.casaofmonterey.org.