CASA Welcomes New Advocates

On Aug. 10, Santa Cruz County Superior Court Judge Timothy Schmal swore in 9 community members as Court Appointed Special Advocates for children in foster care.

They all completed a 35-hour training program.

CASA of Santa Cruz County recruits, trains, and supervises volunteer Advocates who are matched one on one with a child in the county’s dependency (foster care) court system advocating for them the entire time they have a case open with the Court.

As officers of the court, CASA volunteers ensure that the children’s needs are recognized and their best interests are

“Kristen Brown” from page 9

A year after being elected to City Council, she worked to organize a Capitola Women’s Leadership mixer to encourage other women to run for office.

“Young women are often told not to be bossy or cause trouble,” she said, “but we need to change that narrative to remind them that they have leadership considered in the courtroom, school, and in the community.

Although there is a great need for bilingual and male volunteers, CASA always encourages people from all cultures and professions and of all ethnic and educational backgrounds to learn more. n

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For information on how to become a CASA volunteer advocate, contact Clarita Cortes at (831) 761-2956, ext. 102, or visit www.casaofsantacruz.org/volunteer skills and their advocacy can make a difference. I would be interested in holding additional events that help to educate, train, and encourage young women to take on leadership positions within their community.”

In Capitola, which has about 7,000 voters, elections tend to be low-budget affairs, with $3,700 enough to run a successful campaign. In contrast, the 2nd

Supervisorial District has 36,000 voters, and in 2020 Friend spent about $25,000.

Asked about campaign finances, Brown said, “We are still in the early stages of our campaign and will be working with a consultant to determine our fundraising goals and budget.”

When Brown ran for office in 2016 and 2020, she was Kristen Pedersen.

“I have been married to my husband,

Nick Brown, for a year and a half,” she said.

“We have a deaf Jack Russell terrier named Fender and a grey tabby cat named Wally. We spend our free time playing music (we are both musicians), going on road trips, beachcombing, cooking, and relaxing with our friends and neighbors.” n

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For more info: www.votekristenbrown.com or email info@votekristenbrown.com