February Reflection: Five Years of Growth, Partnership, and Purpose

On February 16, I will celebrate five years with the Louisiana CASA Association. What began as a new professional chapter has become one of the most meaningful journeys of my career.

But my connection to this work began long before I ever joined Louisiana CASA.

About twelve years ago, I walked past a wall of photographs that ultimately changed the trajectory of my life. The Louisiana Heart Gallery was hosting a display of children in foster care who were available for adoption. I stopped in my tracks. I remember staring at their faces, feeling completely heartbroken. At the time, I was a mother of three very young children, and all I could think was, what if these were my babies?

That moment stayed with me. It led me to begin volunteering and serving with ministries and organizations that supported children in foster care. Eventually, it led me to apply for a position with an organization I did not yet fully understand but felt drawn toward. Professionally, I was in a season of thoughtful transition, carefully discerning what my next step would be. Some doors had closed that I once believed were the right path, and I was weighing new opportunities with intention.

I will never forget one afternoon, sitting on the sofa in my late grandmother’s living room. I was sharing my uncertainty about where I was supposed to be. With her steady wisdom, she said, “When the Lord closes one door, He will open another and show you the way.” I responded, half joking and half weary, “I wish He would just show me a window at this point.” At that very moment, my phone rang. It was Louisiana CASA offering me the position.

And as they say, the rest is history.

I joined Louisiana CASA as Director of Member Services just as our state was emerging from the challenges of COVID. Programs were rebuilding, adapting, and reimagining how to serve children and volunteers in a changed world. I had the privilege of traveling across our state, sitting in offices large and small, listening to executive directors, staff, volunteers, and board members share both their challenges and their victories.

I learned quickly that while each local program has its own unique culture and community, they are united by the same steady commitment: to ensure that children in foster care have a trained advocate who will stand with them. Those early months were formative. They allowed me to build genuine relationships, to understand the operational realities our programs navigate every day, and to see clearly both the strengths of our network and the areas where we could grow stronger. By the time I was asked to step into statewide leadership, I already understood what that responsibility required.

As I approach three years as State Director, I remain deeply aware that this work is never accomplished alone. Together, we have strengthened infrastructure and accountability across the network. We have implemented more consistent quality assurance processes, enhanced training and technical assistance, and worked diligently to align our practices with evolving state and national standards. We have built stronger relationships with the judiciary and state partners, ensuring CASA remains a trusted and credible voice in child advocacy conversations.

The work has not been without challenges. Funding landscapes shift. Policies evolve. Expectations grow. There have been moments that required patience, clarity, and resilience. Growth often stretches us, but it is through that process that we build long term stability and meaningful impact for children.

What I am most proud of is not a single initiative, but the culture we continue to cultivate: one grounded in professionalism, mutual respect, collaboration, and shared accountability. We have been intentional about strengthening communication across programs. Collaboration has increased. Information flows more freely. Programs are reaching out to one another, sharing ideas and solutions, and working together in ways that reflect a unified statewide network rather than isolated efforts. That spirit of partnership strengthens us all and ultimately benefits the children we serve.

None of this progress would be possible without the strength of our network. Our local executive directors and their teams carry the daily responsibility of recruiting, training, and supporting volunteers with professionalism and care. Our Louisiana CASA staff bring dedication, passion, and a high standard of excellence to every project, training, and partnership, ensuring the state office serves as a steady and reliable resource. Across programs, there is a spirit of trust, shared problem solving, and collective vision that continues to position our network for stability and growth. At the center of it all are our volunteers, whose consistent presence in the lives of children is the reason we build stronger systems and refine our practices. Every improvement we make ultimately exists to better equip them in advocating for children who need a voice.

Five years ago, I knew I cared deeply about children in foster care. What I did not yet understand was how much this work would shape me as a leader. What I know even more clearly today is that sustainable change requires vision, patience, discipline, and partnership. It requires building strong systems while never losing sight of the individual child at the center of every case.

As we move into the year ahead, my commitment remains steady: to continue strengthening this network, to lead with clarity and integrity, and to ensure Louisiana CASA remains a model of excellence in service to children.

This work is challenging. It is complex. It asks much of us. But it is deeply meaningful, and the impact reaches far beyond what we see.

Amanda Moody

Louisiana CASA Association Executive Director

Louisiana CASA State Director

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