Our Volunteers
Meet a few of our volunteers!
Dana lee Chapman
Dana Lee Chapman has been a CASA since 2018. She is a personal trainer and Diet Recovery Coach who is passionate about helping individuals achieve wellness. When she isn’t coaching clients or serving children in foster care as a CASA, Dana enjoys riding her motorcycle and practicing yoga.
To learn more about Dana and her experience as a CASA, click HERE to read a blog post she wrote, entitled Making a Significant Difference for Children in Foster Care is More Feasible Than You Think.
Sharon Brown
Sharon has been a CASA volunteer since 2015, and in that time, she’s been an advocate for six children on six cases. Sharon’s service to children in foster care follows a nearly forty-two year career in pharmaceuticals. Now retired, Sharon loves to travel and is a member of Toastmasters.
Sharon was recognized as Passaic County CASA’s May 2019 CASA Volunteer of the Month, and a blog post on her experience as a CASA can be read HERE.
Lisa Ingersoll
Lisa Ingersoll is a busy mother of three from Upper Montclair. She currently serves as the Co-Director of Marketing for the Montclair Film Festival in addition to volunteering as a Court Appointed Special Advocate. Of her experience as a CASA, Lisa sums it up by saying, “It is rewarding to be able to say I changed a child’s life for the better. It is the best feeling in the world.”
You can read more about Lisa in a blog post HERE.
Julie McGraw
A busy working mother of two, Julie has been a CASA volunteer advocate since May 2018 and has served as an advocate for three children in foster care. Julie was recognized as Passaic County CASA’s Volunteer of the Month in April 2019. When she isn’t volunteering as a CASA, Julie can be found running her photography business.
You can read more about Julie HERE.
Andrea Nieves
Andrea has been a CASA volunteer advocate since May 2009, and in that time has served as advocate for twenty children. This Paterson native oversees Passaic County CASA’s annual Tricky Tray Fundraiser and was honored in September 2018 with Passaic County CASA’s “Voices for Children Award” in recognition of her exceptional service. Andrea was voted Most Talkative student in her high school class, and she believes that “being a CASA is why God gave her the gift of gab.”
To read more about Andrea, click HERE.
Alexandra Rivas-Smith
Alexandra Rivas-Smith is a busy mother and works full-time as the Senior Vice President of William H. Sadlier, Inc. A Cuban-American raised in Miami, Alexandra is fluent in Spanish and enjoys using her language skills to help Hispanic children and families.
You can read more about Alexandra HERE.
Jim Segarra
A retired husband and father, Jim has been a CASA volunteer advocate since April 2016. Since then he has served as an advocate for eight children in foster care and was recognized as Passaic County CASA’s Volunteer of the Month in August 2018. Jim says he sees his role as a CASA to be “that one anchor” for a child. Jim is also a huge animal lover and skilled craftsman.
To read more about Jim, click HERE.
Desi Stefanova
Desi is a native of Bulgaria who now lives in Hackensack. After attending law school, she learned about CASA’s volunteer program during her time working as a family court clerk. She completed her CASA training in 2017 and has since taken four cases, serving a total of five children.
Desi was recognized as Passaic County CASA’s Volunteer of the Month in October 2018, and the blog post on her and her experience as a CASA can be read HERE.