MEET OUR TEAM
Stephanie Sheler
Executive Director
As a teacher and social worker by trade, Stephanie brings her knowledge and expertise to the CASA team as their fearless leader! Her favorite part of the job is interacting with people: staff, judges, volunteers, and donors. When she’s not at work, you will find Stephanie reading, knitting, practicing Spanish, and spending time with her family.
Daliecia Conkle
Program Manager
Daliecia is an experienced and dedicated advocate for children and families. She believes in the power of connection, consistency, and compassion to help people feel seen, heard, and safe. What excites her about working at CASA is being part of a team that stands up for children when they need it most. She enjoys building strong connections and improving systems to work better for those they serve. Daliecia enjoys spending quality time with her family, reading a good book, or soaking up any sunshine she can find.
Kaylee McElrath
Advocate Supervisor
Kaylee brings to CASA her background in social work and a wealth of experience in case management. She is passionate about empowering children and families through best-interest advocacy. She looks forward to supporting CASA volunteers as they create stability and consistency for children in foster care. Kaylee enjoys live music, playing recreational sports, exploring new cities, and spending time with friends and family.
Carrie Shoesmith
Administrative Manager
Helping and supporting people is important to Carrie, and she’s excited to serve children through her work at CASA. Her attention to detail and love of organization are key to her role here. When not working, Carrie enjoys reading, cooking, attending her daughters’ choir performances, and taking walks with her husband.
Leah Rettig
Advocacy Manager
Leah has dedicated her career to walking alongside children and families in the child welfare system and is excited to be back in Kent County after five years at a neighboring CASA program. The important work CASA volunteers do is at the heart of Leah’s belief in connection and making room at the table for everyone’s voice. She believes this is essential to a healthy community. When not working, Leah enjoys reading, trying new bakeries, walks with her dog and learning about the natural world.
Jeff Stob
Advocate Supervisor
Jeff is excited to return to the nonprofit sector where he can fulfill his passion for making a significant contribution to the community through the wonderful volunteers at CASA. In his spare time, Jeff enjoys spending time with his family, learning new technology, and traveling to Cedar Point!
Samantha Johnson
Development & Marketing Specialist
Samantha (Sam) loves that her job allows her to do tasks she enjoys: writing, event planning, and making her coworkers pose for social media posts! She is passionate about CASA’s role in creating generational change in our community. After work, Sam can be found walking her dog, Elton, reading a book, or baking cookies.
Amanda Brader
Advocate Supervisor
Bringing her passion for children’s rights, Amanda wants to make meaningful connections with her CASA volunteers as an advocate supervisor. Knowing the importance of community outreach, Amanda recognizes just how important her volunteers are to making a change. Amanda is a cat-lover and enjoys experimenting in the kitchen with new recipes.
Maya Sutton-Jackson
Advocate Supervisor
Originally from New York City, Maya brings experience as a Crime Victim Advocate, where she partnered with the NYPD to support survivors through advocacy and service referrals. She holds a master’s in criminal justice from John Jay College, with a focus on the development of criminal behavior. Her early experience as a summer camp counselor sparked a lifelong dedication to youth, and she’s excited to merge that passion with her advocacy work at CASA. In her free time, she enjoys reading and spending time with her cats.
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Derek Aten
Chair
Key Bank
Vice President
Senior Relationship Manager – Business Banking
Tara Kiely
Vice Chair
HR Collaborative
Vice President of Client Services
Christina Burr
Treasurer
YPTC
Manager
Nancy Brozek
Secretary
North Country Trail Association
Director of Development and Communications
Geoffrey Boutelier
Markem-Imaje
Account Manager
Claire Guisfredi
North Kent Connect
Executive Director
Heidi Hendricks
Creston Industrial Sales
Bill Holmes
Disability Advocates of Kent County
Associate Director
Angie Mason-Maranda
Counseling Center of West Michigan
Assistant Clinical Director/Outpatient Therapist
Kathy Mullen
Former CASA volunteer
Kevin Nelson
Heart of West Michigan United Way
Senior Donor Development Manager
Kristen Snyder
Corewell Health
Physician Assistant | Assoc. Chief Medical Informatics Officer
Amanda Witte
Kent School Services Network
Team Lead
