Through the years working as a counselor, Alison Baughman encountered many CASA volunteer advocates who were appointed to the children in her counsel.  Through this experience, she hoped to become a CASA Advocate some day.   After moving to Wheaton in 2019, she decided to take some time away from her career as a professional  counselor, which gave her the opportunity to become a CASA volunteer advocate. 

Alison was a member of the first online training class.  It was a little more challenging than usual, as these new advocates were unable to meet the CASA staff or other advocates in person.  However, she was sworn in and quickly appointed to her first case.  She was still involved with that case a few months ago, when she saw the opening for a part time advocate supervisor posiition at DuPage CASA.  She is now the newest staff member at CASA DuPage, supervising advocates and supporting the program team by developing weekly advocate alerts, along with training and continuing education support activities.

Alison is pleased to be continuing her career in child welfare, but in a different capacity, and she is enjoying the change from counselor to advocate supervisor.  She appreciates the variety of her daily responsibilities and feels her background in mental health and experience working with children has helped her in guiding volunteer advocates through the challenges of navigating family dynamics. Alison shared this quote by Helen Keller, “Although the world is full of suffering, it is also full of the overcoming of it.”

Alison’s favorite hobby is traveling and experiencing new things.  While her husband was in the military, she had the opportunity to travel to many different countries.  Now that travel is back open she and her family are happy to get back out there.  She received her master’s degree from Truman State University in Missouri and her undergraduate degree from Augustana.  Alison lives in Wheaton with her husband and three sons.