“It has been my privilege as Presiding Judge of the Sonoma County Juvenile Court over the past 9 years to train, swear in and work closely with the Sonoma County Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA) program. The individuals that volunteer their time to the program are profession, dedicated and caring and make a great difference in the lives of the youth they serve by presenting a positive role model. As a Juvenile Court judge, I could not begin to do my job and make decisions about what is in the best interest of the youth I see, without a CASA’s input and their perspectives. CASAs are and will always remain an important part of the Juvenile System.”