Voices for Children (VFC), is the only local nonprofit organization certified by the courts in San Diego and Riverside Counties to recruit and train Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA) volunteers. CASAs serve as consistent, caring adults for vulnerable children who are in foster care after experiencing abuse or neglect. CASAs advocate by providing critical information to judges making decisions about the children’s futures.
Voices for Children’s (VFC) board is comprised of community and business leaders responsible for financial oversight, goal setting, policy development, and a heart to invest in our community’s children in foster care. Members of the board meet regularly and dedicate additional time to participating in fundraising, community outreach, and CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocate) graduation celebrations. The organization is pleased to have appointed four new members to its Board of Directors.
New board members:
- Amy Eybsen, CPA – Amy Eybsen has over 10 years of public accounting experience and is a Managing Director within GHJ’s Audit and Assurance Practice. She resides in Murrieta with her husband and daughter.
- Sarah Houghton – Sarah Houghton is a Senior Marketing Manager at Sony Electronics; she currently lives in the Rancho Santa Fe area.
- Jennifer Kropko – Jennifer Kropko is a mother of two, Air Force Veteran, and former tech executive who lives in the Rancho Santa Fe area.
- Edward Patrick “Pat” Swan, Jr. – Pat Swan is a trial attorney with Jones Day. He is a resident of Point Loma, and is married to the Honorable Nita Stormes (Ret.).
Board officers for the 2023-2024 fiscal year include:
- Annette Bradbury – Chair
- Kristi E. Pfister, Esq. – Vice Chair
- AnneElise Goetz, Esq. – Immediate Past Chair
- George Lai – Secretary
- Andy Christopher – Treasurer
Voices for Children’s President & CEO, Jessica Muñoz, Esq., MFS said, “Voices for Children is pleased to welcome our new board members alongside Annette’s leadership during her second-year term as we continue our mission to provide Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA) volunteers who speak up for the needs and well-being of children in foster care.”
For more information on VFC, its programs that support youth in foster care, and ways to get involved, visit speakupnow.org.
ABOUT VOICES FOR CHILDREN
Founded in 1980, Voices for Children (VFC) transforms the lives of abused, neglected, and abandoned children in foster care in San Diego and Riverside Counties by providing them with trained, volunteer Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASAs). CASA volunteers advocate for a child or sibling group in foster care in court, school, and the community to ensure their needs are met. VFC believes every child deserves a safe and permanent home and strives to provide a CASA volunteer to every child in the foster care system who needs one. Last year, VFC CASAs and staff provided direct advocacy to nearly 2,300 youth in foster care across San Diego and Riverside Counties as well as case monitoring services to hundreds of other children in foster care who might need an advocate in the future. For more information, visit speakupnow.org.
