PRESS RELEASE
Contact:
Matthew Wadlinger
Chief Brand Officer
714-619-0646
mwadlinger@casaoc.org
CASA of Orange County Celebrates 40 Years of Advocacy for Children in Foster Care
Community gathers to honor four decades of impact at milestone anniversary celebration in Irvine
IRVINE, Calif. (September 16, 2025) — Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) of Orange County marked its 40th anniversary with a celebratory event on Sunday, September 14, 2025, at Oak Creek Golf Club in Irvine. More than 150 guests—including current and former CASA volunteers, staff, board members, and community supporters—gathered to honor the organization’s legacy of service to children in foster care.
CASA OC Staff
The afternoon celebration featured a special timeline exhibit, CASA OC | Moments of Impact, tracing the history of the CASA movement from its beginnings in 1976 in Seattle, Washington, where the first CASA program was established, to the founding of CASA of Orange County in 1985 by the Junior League of Orange County. The timeline also showcased major milestones over the past four decades, including CASA OC’s launch of the nation’s first CASA Family Connections program in 2007, CASA’s involvement with the GRACE Court program for youth impacted by trafficking established in 2014, and its most recent initiatives launching in 2025—such as the creation of the Young Professional CASAs group and the introduction of the HELP Model, a framework that equips advocates to better support youth across health, education, life skills, and permanency.
CASA OC Board members, Padideh Jafari, David Nusz, Michael Wong, Regan Dean Phillips, Courtney Wittkop, Sarah Minakary, Lindsey Poker, Jeff Roedersheimer
In her remarks, CASA OC Chief Executive Officer Regan Dean Phillips reflected on the organization’s four decades of impact:
“For 40 years, CASA OC has walked alongside children in foster care, providing advocacy and mentorship through the dedication of community volunteers—everyday citizens who step into extraordinary roles. CASA is a work of heart, and all of you are the lifeblood that make this mission possible.”
CASA CEO, Regan Dean Phillips
Since its founding, CASA OC has trained more than 4,500 volunteers who have devoted nearly 2 million hours to serve close to 12,000 youth in foster care throughout Orange County. Today, with more than 2,900 children in foster care locally, CASA OC provides consistent, one-on-one advocacy for over a third of them—helping ensure their voices are heard in court and in the community.
Joe Perring, Former CASA CEO and Chief Program Officer, Lynda Perring & Current Chief Program Officer, Jenny Leon
The event also honored the partnerships that make CASA’s mission possible, including the Orange County Juvenile Court, Social Services, the legal community, Friends of CASA, and countless donors and volunteers. Guests recognized long-serving advocates, celebrated the contributions of past leaders, and expressed their commitment to carrying CASA’s mission forward.
Former CASA CEO, Greg Bradbard, CASA’s longest serving CASA volunteer, Pat Cahill, Founding Board Member to CASA OC, Fred Port, and Regan Dean Phillips, CASA CEO
The 40th Anniversary Celebration closed with a collective call to action for continued community support of CASA: to ensure that every child in foster care in Orange County has a dedicated advocate by their side.
CASA OC Executive Team, Damon Iammarino, Jenny Leon, Regan Dean Phillips, Erika Pedersen, Matthew Wadlinger
View all event photographs HERE.
About Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) of Orange County
A 501(c)3 nonprofit organization founded in 1985, Court Appointed Special Advocates of Orange County (CASA OC) provides a powerful voice and a meaningful connection for children who have experienced abuse, neglect and abandonment. CASA volunteers are a crucial intervention to help ensure safety, speed up permanent placement, help children and youth thrive in school, and support positive health outcomes. A CASA volunteer is often the only consistent adult in a child or youth’s life who is not paid to support and advocate for them. The CEO of CASA OC since 2017 is Regan Dean Phillips, Esq., MSW. Chair of the Board of Directors is Michael Wong, President & CEO, Genea. CASA is a private, nonprofit organization supported by individuals, foundations, corporations, and government agencies. It is a member of the National CASA/GAL Association for Children. Please visit casaoc.org to learn more.
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