BARBARA BENEDICT: MANY HATS AND A LASTING IMPACT

By Barbara Morgen, Esq.

JANUARY 2020: Barbara Benedict, MSW, has worn many hats at CASA. After graduate school at the University of Pennsylvania, Barbara worked in the healthcare arena, including in hospital settings. She and her family were living in Syracuse in 1997 when a friend told Barbara about the creation of a new CASA Program, and encouraged her to apply for the coordinator position. Barbara ended up starting and running the Onondaga CASA Program from 1997 until 2007, when she and her family moved to Rochester. During her tenure at Onondaga, they received the first National CASA Award for Diversity, and the Liberty Award from the Onondaga Bar Association for child advocacy.

After moving to Rochester, Barbara worked as a Volunteer Supervisor for CASA of Rochester/Monroe County. She also joined the Board of Court Appointed Special Advocates of New York State (CASANYS). When CASANYS experienced its cataclysmic events in 2012 (the loss of its primary funding sources, the departure of all paid staff and the departure of half of its Board), Art Siegel, another Board Member, assumed the role of Board President and many of the administrative tasks. Art, however, did not have programmatic experience. Barbara bravely raised her hand and offered to fill the void while CASANYS, the state association, regained its footing. While Barbara initially thought that she would be the person answering questions and addressing concerns raised by the network for a few hours each week, that job grew and grew. Barbara just kept saying yes. She shortly became a part-time, then a full-time unpaid Interim Program Coordinator for CASANYS. Barbara worked out of her home, doing an incredible juggling act without any staff. She rolled up her sleeves, wrote grants and got critical funding from National CASA Association for four consecutive years. When financial situation of CASANYS began to stabilize, Barbara assumed the role of Executive Director of CASANYS, although she still had no staff and no office.

Barbara worked closely with National CASA, reached out to many other CASA State Directors for ideas and guidance and broadened the reach of CASANYS in so many directions, including technology, training, lobbying and collaborations with other advocacy organizations. She worked tirelessly for four years with the Board and the local CASA programs throughout the state to lobby the pass codifying legislation for CASA. This came to fruition in 2018, when the legislation passed both the Assembly and Senate and was signed by the Governor. Barbara also carefully cultivated a relationship with the New York State Office of Victims Services, which ultimately translated into a substantial and game-changing grant for CASANYS and additional funding for local CASA programs.

Anyone who has worked with Barbara knows that she is incredibly humble. Barbara never misses an opportunity to thank those around her for the incredible work they do on behalf of vulnerable children. Her attention to detail is paramount, and she made certain that Board Meetings, Program Director trainings and phone conferences were well organized and efficient. The CASANYS Board, Program Directors, and CASA Advocates will miss her tireless energy, her thoughtfulness in everything she did and her commitment and dedication to the CASA mission, demonstrated by the many roles she has taken on and the years devoted to these roles. While Barbara retired from her role as Executive Director in June 2019, she continues to support CASA through her work as a CASA Advocate/Volunteer and by her continued service on a Board Committee.