Please note: Session titles and descriptions are subject to change; additional details will be added to this page as they are confirmed.
Monday, November 17
Volunteer Appreciation Dinner and Awards Ceremony Keynote with Kentucky Supreme Court Justice Pamela R. Goodwine
Justice Goodwine's message of resilience and determination in pursuit of excellence will inspire CASA volunteers in their work on behalf of abused and neglected children and shine a light on the impact they can have in court and in the life of a child.
Judges Panel: Q&A on Court Trends and Best Practices with Family Court Judges
This session will allow CASA volunteers, staff, and board members the opportunity to hear from a panel of Family Court Judges from throughout the state. Judges will discuss trends and issues currently present in their dependency, neglect, and abuse dockets and factors that affect permanency for children involved in the child welfare system. Judges will also offer their insights on how child welfare advocates can have an impact on the cases in their courtrooms.
Resilient Advocates: Staying Grounded While Lifting Others
Advocacy work is deeply meaningful—but it can also be emotionally taxing, especially over the long haul. This session explores the critical role resilience plays in sustaining effective advocacy efforts over time. Participants will learn to recognize common signs of burnout and emotional depletion and explore three proven strategies to regulate emotions, protect personal energy, and stay grounded in their mission. Whether you're a seasoned advocate or new to the field, this session will offer practical tools to help you thrive while continuing to drive change.
Building a Strong Financial Foundation for Growth and Impact
This session teaches on software and tools to increase efficiency with financial management, understanding the different finance roles an organization might need and building a best in class finance team with limited resources, and building a finance routine for monthly, quarterly, and annual financial management tasks.
From Financial Freakout to Prosperous Nonprofit
This session teaches the most important financial statements you should be reviewing, how to calculate key metrics to understand the financial health of your organization and tell your financial story, and the key elements of building a useful and accurate budget and incorporating forecasting into your monthly routine.
Volunteer Networking Circles
An interactive, peer-driven session designed to spark conversations and practical problem-solving across the CASA network. In this structured yet informal setting, participants will connect in small groups to share experiences, brainstorm solutions to common challenges, and celebrate program successes that can inspire others. Topics may include volunteer recruitment and retention, fundraising, relationships with DCBS and court stakeholders, continuing education, handling complex cases, and more. Come ready to talk, listen, and leave with fresh ideas—and new connections—you can take back to your program.
Tuesday, November 18
Keynote Address by Gaelin Elmore - Be The Difference: Belonging is the Support We Need
What determines if an individual is a “success” story or a “cautionary” tale? Is it talent? Is it resilience or grit? Is it simply luck? Gaelin Elmore knows that stories of caution and success have more things in common than we’d care to admit. He knows because he lived it. Mr. Elmore’s powerful story has motivated and inspired thousands, but instead of using his story to focus on “success,” he uses it to shed light on the importance of belonging and “support.” Throughout this keynote, attendees will be challenged and inspired to be individuals who CARE about belonging, because belonging is ‘the difference’ between a story of success and a tale of caution.
Attendees will learn:
- The fundamental difference between stories of “success” vs tales of “caution”
- The transformational power of belonging
- How to support others using the CARE model
Luncheon Plenary with Shimaine Holley - Leading with Purpose: Reigniting the CASA Mission Through Lived Experience
This keynote presentation is designed to empower CASA volunteers by sharing Shimaine’s lived experience and professional expertise. It will inspire advocates to continue their important work and provide actionable insights to help them navigate the next steps in supporting youth. Attendees will leave feeling re-energized and equipped to guide youth toward stability and success.
The Belonging Need: Understanding Belonging to Go from Surviving to Thriving
Belonging is a crucial, innate need that influences our daily decisions, motivation, problem-solving, and overall well-being. Genuine belonging fosters resilience and positive health outcomes in us, and those that we serve. This workshop addresses the
power of belonging through the 4-directional model; internal, horizontal, vertical, and external. This workshop will empower participants to embrace belonging and bridge the gap for others while offering a fresh perspective and intention for impactful work.
Attendees will learn:
- Why belonging is a fundamental need for everyone
- How belonging impacts development
- Why belonging matters in the workplace
- And how belonging allows us to successfully serve in our roles
Head, Heart, and Action: A CASA Guide to Trauma-Informed Youth Advocacy
This session will cover the “head, heart, and feet” of advocating for adolescent youth:
- Head: CASA volunteers will deepen their understanding of adolescent brain development, with a focus on how access to resources and fair treatment influence a young person’s growth, behavior, and individual needs. This insight will enhance their ability to identify and recommend supports that are tailored to each child’s unique life experiences.
- Heart: Advocates will gain personal insight into how data, lived experience, and trauma intersect to shape a child’s journey. This deeper understanding will support their ability to engage with empathy and collaborate effectively with professionals and caregivers in the child welfare system.
- Feet: Volunteers will walk away with clear strategies to report observations and recommendations through a trauma-informed lens. They will also be more confident in recognizing key developmental milestones and advocating for services that align with a young person’s individual needs and strengths.
Stronger Families, Stronger Futures: Child-Centered Strategies for Engaging Birth Parents
This session will examine how CASA volunteers and child advocates can prioritize children’s best interests by building respectful, empathetic, and collaborative relationships with their biological families. A diverse panel—including parents with lived experience and professionals addressing systemic challenges—will offer insights into how trauma, stigma, and service barriers affect families working toward safe reunification. Participants will gain practical strategies for fostering trust, making informed recommendations that support both children and families, and navigating these relationships effectively within the boundaries of the CASA role.
KY RISE: Resources for Current and Former Foster Youth
This workshop will review the benefits, qualification requirements, and process for accessing benefits available to Kentucky transition age foster youth, including access to cell phones, funds for extracurricular activities, supports for obtaining driver's license and car insurance, career preparation, tuition benefits, and even how foster youth can get paid to pursue their GED or a vocational certificate.
Key Principles of Court Report Writing
Court reports are a critical tool for CASA volunteers to share case updates and make best interest recommendations to the court. In this interactive session, participants will explore best practices for court report writing and develop skills to clearly and concisely summarize case information and volunteer activities. Attendees will learn how to craft reports that are informative, neutral in tone, and aligned with judicial expectations. The session will also highlight common pitfalls—such as vague statements, biased language, or unsupported conclusions—and offer strategies to avoid them. Whether you're a new volunteer or looking to sharpen your court report writing, this workshop will help you write stronger, more effective court reports.
Stronger Together: Building Effective Partnerships Between CASA and Key Stakeholders
Strong, collaborative relationships between CASA programs, DCBS, and GALs are essential to improving outcomes for children and families. In this panel discussion, CASA, DCBS, and GAL representatives will share key characteristics of effective partnerships, strategies they've used to strengthen working relationships, and examples of collaboration in action. Panelists will highlight real-world experiences and lessons learned to illustrate how strong cross-agency partnerships can improve outcomes for children. Through real-world case studies and regional team insights, attendees will gain practical tools to enhance communication, build trust, and work more effectively across roles.
Peer-to-Peer Learning: Lessons and Tools from the Field
This interactive session invites nonprofit board members from local CASA programs to engage in dynamic peer-to-peer learning focused on practical tools, templates, and governance practices that drive effectiveness and accountability. Drawing from the themes of the past year’s board governance webinar series, participants will share and explore resources that have supported their boards in areas such as strategic planning, board and executive director evaluations, mission-focused risk management, and board member education. Whether it's a board self-assessment tool, a dashboard for tracking strategic metrics, or a practical checklist for onboarding new board members, this session will surface what’s working in the field—and why.
AI and Board Governance
In this session, you will learn why nonprofit boards should care about Artificial Intelligence (AI), the common uses of AI in the nonprofit sector, and ethical considerations for nonprofits using AI.
Beyond ACEs: The Power of Positive Childhood Experiences to Enhance Resilience
Although adversity and trauma in childhood can have lasting deleterious impacts, positive childhood experiences have been found to be associated with better long-term outcomes, even in people with high levels of childhood adversity. This session will describe the research related to the protective, promotive and healing impacts of positive childhood experiences for mental health, educational achievement and employment and income stability. The four building blocks of HOPE (Healthy Outcomes from Positive Experiences) will be presented and participants will identify practical strategies to promote positive experiences and build resilience in individuals, families and communities.
Lean on Me Kentucky
Do you feel like the system of supporting kids is just too overwhelming and do not know where to start? This workshop is the place to start your journey in changing our mindset to be community supporters. You will learn how the use of primary prevention in connecting with struggling families will allow you to make a huge difference in preventing child abuse and neglect. Child protection services are often the first thought of intervention when you witness a child with needs. The system is very overwhelmed and often reports are not considered due to not meeting criteria. We aim to change the lens of how you can make an impact on your community. This workshop is interactive. You will leave with your own personal plan to go back to your community and begin your role as a community supporter.
Voices of Experience: Wisdom and Inspiration from Veteran CASA Volunteers
Join us for a panel discussion filled with insight, encouragement, and practical guidance from veteran CASA volunteers. These experienced advocates, each of whom have been recognized with special honors for their service, will share the lessons they've learned, the strategies that have helped them navigate challenges, and the moments that have fueled their passion to continue serving. Whether you're new to CASA or a long-time volunteer yourself, this session offers a unique opportunity to gain practical advocacy tips, build resilience, and be inspired by powerful stories from the field. Come prepared to ask questions, connect, and walk away with renewed motivation to make a difference—one child at a time.
The CASA Volunteer and Friend of the Court Model: What CASA Volunteers Need to Know about Testifying and Participating in Court Proceedings
This session will provide background on the CASA/ KRS Statute and specifically address what a CASA volunteer needs to know about being called to testify in a TPR and DNA Court proceeding. How often and what reasons are CASA volunteers called to testify? What types of preparation and support are given to CASA volunteers who are called to testify?
