CASA Volunteer Jennifer Gauble’s Pawesome Advocacy!

While Jennifer Gauble finds excitement and fulfillment in her work as a Conservation Audience Researcher at the St. Louis Zoo, she felt a deeper calling to serve as a CASA advocate.

Jennifer has made quite an impact in just over three years as a CASA volunteer. Her second case since 2021 has closed with positive outcomes for a teen girl. As Brian, Jennifer’s Case Advocacy Supervisor, remarks, “In both cases, Jennifer was often the catalyst in getting needed services put in place for these children.”

Jennifer’s first case was advocating for four- and five-year-old brothers who suffered abuse at their father’s hands. The boys were placed with their maternal grandmother and their father was incarcerated. “The older boy has some learning challenges and the school near his grandma’s house has great services for him,” Jennifer shared. She was able to aid in the education plan and advocate for the older boy in school. The mother was able to satisfy the court’s requirements, and the family was reunited. “The mother ended up moving in with grandma,” Jennifer explained.

Jennifer took a couple of months off before taking on another case, then was appointed to advocate for fifteen-year-old Kelsey (not her real name). “I was completely intimidated by teenagers. I’ve taught all ages of kids, but I just really expected a teenager to want nothing to do with me”, Jennifer shared. Her Case Advocacy Supervisor, Brian, assured Jennifer of his support and she jumped in.

Kelsey lost her mother at a young age and her father did not want to take care of her. She was living with her adult half-brother and enrolled in high school. Kelsey got involved in band, track and field, and was getting good grades. Jennifer and the support team were in the process of filing guardianship paperwork when Kelsey and her brother had a dispute, leading her to move out. Soon after, her father became terminally ill. Jennifer and the team successfully advocated for Kelsey to see her father and say goodbye before he passed. Shortly after, she moved back in with her brother.

When Kelsey turned eighteen the first week of February, “she decided, after we very thoroughly reviewed the pros and cons, that she wanted to leave the system,” Jennifer shared. “She’s worn out from it and I understand.” Jennifer was able to see Kelsey on her birthday and connect her with a program that provides prom dresses for teens in foster care. “Kelsey went through many trials and tribulations, and Jennifer was always there to support her,” Brian shared. Kelsey is set to graduate in May and Jennifer hopes to be there to support her.

Jennifer is motivated to continue her advocacy, even as her position at the zoo keeps her on her toes. She explains, “I see the lack of consistency in children’s lives. In my first case, the children were on their seventh or eighth caseworker by the time I met them and had several more before the case was closed.” Thank you, Jennifer, for your incredible advocacy and dedication!