Spriggs Named CEO of Texas Court Appointed Special Advocates®
AUSTIN, Texas, Dec. 16, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Vicki Spriggs, executive director of the Texas Juvenile Probation Commission for 16 years, has been named chief executive officer of Texas CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocates®), the statewide association for 69 local programs that advocate through volunteers for children in the foster care system.
Spriggs replaces Joe Gagen, who is retiring after five and half years as CEO of the agency which through its member programs supervised over 7,000 volunteer advocates last year and served over 22,000 foster children. Spriggs begins the new position on Jan. 2, 2012.
"Ms. Spriggs has demonstrated a lifetime commitment to improving the lives of children," said Debbie Ferguson, president of the Texas CASA Board of Directors. "When you combine that with her extensive experience in growing and building an effective statewide program that serves children and youth, one can see why Texas CASA is fortunate to have her as our new CEO."
"It is my great honor to accept this position," said Spriggs. "My passion for the wellbeing of children makes the opportunity to serve as CEO of Texas CASA a perfect fit for me. I look forward to continuing the CASA community's efforts to provide a CASA volunteer for every child that needs one."
Austin-based Texas CASA provides funding and technical assistance to local CASA programs that recruit, train and supervise volunteers who are appointed by the courts to advocate for children in foster care. Texas CASA works at the state and national levels to improve the child welfare system so foster children receive the services they need and move through the foster care system as quickly as possible into safe, permanent homes.
Spriggs has served as executive director of the Texas Juvenile Probation Commission since 1995. She served as management auditor for the agency from 1983-1987. Following that, she worked two years as a casework manager for the juvenile prevention division of the Travis County Juvenile Court. She returned to the TJPC in 1989 as director of training and staff development and rose through the ranks before being named interim executive director, then executive director in 1995.
The TJPC recently was merged with the Texas Youth Commission to form the Texas Department of Juvenile Justice.
For more information about CASA, visit www.BecomeACASA.org.
Contact: Katherine Kerr, Communications/Public Relations Manager
Phone: (512) 610-6120
Cell: (512) 705-7696
Email: [email protected]
SOURCE Texas CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocates)
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