Name: Davetta Ford
Title: Advocacy Supervisor
CASA Employee Since: January 2018
1) What did you do before you worked at CASA?
I was working two jobs, one as a waitress at the Grand Lux Cafe in Paramus and the other as a Customer Service Representative at Bed Bath & Beyond. Skills from both of those jobs were definitely transferrable to my job at CASA because both required effective communication and people skills.
2) Describe your job in five words.
Fun, Inspiring, Challenging, Heartbreaking (at times) and Steady.
3) Can you describe what a typical day looks like for you?
Depending on whether I’m in court, my day can look very different. But in general it includes responding to emails, talking to volunteers, writing and editing court reports, making phone calls, and counseling colleagues.
4) What is the best part about working for CASA?
I love working with teenagers, especially teens in the process of aging out of the foster care system. I love helping them find resources and scholarships like those that I was able to take advantage of, as well as those that I wish I’d known about! Particularly teens facing that critical transition from high school to whatever comes next. Basically doing for others what I wish I had been done for me when I was in that position.
5) What is the craziest/most unusual thing you’ve done in the name of serving children in foster care?
I was with one teenager at her court hearing, and she was feeling self-conscious about her hair. It had been pretty neglected, so I went with her into the bathroom and re-braided it for her. Her confidence and demeanor instantly changed.
6) When you were a kid, what did you want to be when you grew up?
I wanted to be a teacher because I had a wonderful second grade teacher. She was really there for me during my mom’s addiction. She fed me, and would knock on my window in the morning to make sure I woke up in time for school. She was awesome and I loved her.
7) What is your go-to comfort food?
Baked macaroni and cheese, the kind I make myself.
8) What personality trait has gotten you in the most trouble?
I can be overly friendly, which can sometimes backfire.
9) What celebrity have people said you resemble or remind them of?
My coworker Sarah’s daughter said I remind her of Beyoncé.
10) If you were stranded on a deserted island, what three items would you bring?
A mirror, my makeup, and a picture of my daughter.