Our children need to do more than just survive. They need to thrive, in the safety and love of a family throughout their chidlhood and into adulthood.

At its heart, this is not merely an issue of abuse, or neglect, or a broken system, or overburdened workers, but of the unalienable rights of a child. This is a human rights issue. This is about ensuring that every child has the right to learn, and grow, and be treated with diginty and respect.

Society has a moral obligation to assure the basic rights and needs of every child are met. CASA volunteers are a formidable force that fights for these rights. There is nothing else like a CASA volunteer.

It is our duty to spread the word until every American understands that the lives and wellbeing of children are hanging in the balance. So that every child who cannot live safely at home has a CASA volunteer who will help assure their safe passage out of foster care. So they and eventually their children can thrive. Building a stronger community for all.

A Voice for All Children

Who is CASA?

CASA in Davidson County consists of a small dedicated staff and about 280 volunteers. Staff members include:

Jane Andrews, Executive Director jandrews@casa-nashville.org

Hire date:  November 2005 Celebrating 6 years with CASA!
Jane Andrews, Nashville business executive and community leader, serves as Executive Director. Ms. Andrews was CEO of Nashville Rehabilitation Hospital for eight years and has held numerous community leadership positions including founding President of Rediscover East – an important and ongoing community development program created in the aftermath of the East Nashville tornados.

Ms. Andrews, an alumnus of Leadership Nashville and has been particularly active in community issues of importance to the Edgefield area in which she lives and in which the CASA offices are located. She brings proven management skills and experience to CASA along with her passion for public service. Ms. Andrews holds a BA Degree from Scarritt College in Behavioral Science.

Beth Frankenberg, Program Director - bfrankenberg@casa-nashville.org

Hire Date:  October 2001 Celebrating 11 years with CASA!

Beth joined CASA as an advocate supervisor in 2001. She previously worked for Davidson County Juvenile Court as a probation officer in the Family Services Division. She received her undergraduate degree in Sociology from The University of Tennessee, Knoxville.

Cindy Johnson, Volunteer Coordinator - cindyjohnson@casa-nashville.org

Hire Date:  May 2001 Celebrating 11 years with CASA!

Cindy accepted the position of Volunteer Coordinator in August of 2005 after serving as an Advocate Supervisor since 2001. She has a Bachelor of Science degree from David Lipscomb University and previously worked for the Department of Children’s Services as a social counselor in foster care and adoptions. She also worked as a probation officer with the Davidson County Juvenile Court in the area of neglect/dependency.

Brenda Thompson, Advocate Supervisor - bthompson@casa-nashville.org

Hire Date: January 1996 Celebrating 16 years with CASA!

Brenda earned a Bachelor of Social Welfare degree from East Tennessee State University and was employed as a case worker at the Department of Human Services from 1975 to 1982. She worked in the private sector for approximately 14 years and returned to the work she loves at the Davidson County CASA in January of 1996.

Suzanne Harrison, Advocate Supervisor - sharrison@casa-nashville.org

Hire Date:  August 2006  Celebrating 6 years as Advocate Supervisor!

Suzanne joined CASA in August 2006 as an Advocate Supervisor but she has been a Volunteer Advocate since 1996. Suzanne was voted Court Appointed Special Advocate of the Year by the Young Lawyer's Division of The Tennessee State Bar Association in 2006. 

Courtney Thompson, Advocate Supervisor - cthompson@casa-nashville.org

Hire Date:  September 2007 Celebrating 4 years as Advocate Supervisor!

Courtney joined CASA as an Advocate Supervisor in September of 2007. She previously worked as a case manager for Department of Child Protective Services in Weatherford, Texas. She earned her Bachelor of Science degree in Social Work from Texas Christian University.

Stephanie Mullins, Advocate Supervisor - smullins@casa-nashville.org

Hire Date: May 2010 Celebrating 2 years as Advocate Supervisor!

Stephanie joined CASA after working with Prospect, Inc. as a Residential Manpower Planning Coordinator. Prior to that position, she spent five years with the Department of Children's Services in Wilson County, TN, where she served as a Case Manager in the social services, juvenile justice, resource placement, and foster parent support unit. Stephanie graduated from Cumberland University in 2000 B.A. in Criminal Justice.

Vernel Mitchell, Advocate Supervisor - vmitchell@casa-nashville.org

Hire Date: August 2010 Celebrating 2 years as Advocate Supervisor!

Vernel previously worked as the Volunteer Coordinator/Advocate Supervisor at the CASA/CAJA agency in Huntsville, Alabama.  She earned her Bachelor of Science degree in Psychology from Oakwood University in Huntsville, Alabama.

Tove Wright, Development Events Coordinator - tgunnarson@casa-nashville.org

Hire Date: August 2009 Celebrating 3 years with CASA

Tove joined CASA in August 2009 as Office Manager after 10 years in commercial and residential real estate as an Affiliate Broker and Office Manager. Tove earned her B.A. in Physical Therapy at University of Lund, Sweden, where she grew up. Tove is fluent in Swedish. Loves to travel with her husband and children.

Tammy Hammond-Loth, Administrative Assistant  -  tloth@casa-nashville.org

Hire Date: September 2011

Tammy has spent over 20 years in the retail industry with concentrations in Human Resources and Data Management. She enjoys painting, gardening, cooking, and hanging out with her family. She is currently pursuing a degree in Para-Legal Studies.