Anne Gordon

Anne Gordon is the Executive Director of a local non-profit organization, CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocates) for Kids. Anne joined the CASA team back in 2022 as a Program Coordinator and then later, the Program Director prior to becoming the Executive Director when the organization achieved 501c3 in November of 2023. Before CASA, Anne came from healthcare and higher education positions finetuning her skills in human services, development and advancement, board and foundation logistics, and federally funded programs serving low-income, first generation, and persons with disabilities. Anne has always had a passion for child advocacy as someone who comes with many lived experiences. The CASA for Kids program roots were established in the La Crosse community in 1999 by a local judge and a steering committee. They identified the need for court appointed child advocacy in open CHIPS (Children in Need of Protection/Services). The program was placed under YWCA La Crosse and remained there until October 2023. As local CASA programs within the state grew, the national reach was over 340 programs, and the best practice was to be an independent organization to have the greatest impact in our communities. CASA for Kids began serving Monroe and Vernon counties in its most recent years and its need for growth in our communities became a priority to serve more children in our surrounding areas with a waitlist of over 100 children. CASA for Kids primarily recruits, trains, screens, and oversees volunteers assigned in open child abuse cases. This process of consistent volunteer advocacy provides effective and accurate reporting to our local judges in order to make the best determinations in the child(ren)'s outcomes, giving these children a voice in their case and advocating for their best interests.