News Release
Contact: Amanda Schaap, 858-598-2213, amandas@speakupnow.org
(July 31, 2020) SAN DIEGO—AnneElise Goetz, Esq., was elected chair of the board of directors for Voices for Children (VFC), the local nonprofit organization certified by the court in San Diego and Riverside Counties to recruit and train Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA) volunteers. CASAs serve as consistent, caring adults for children who are in foster care after experiencing abuse or neglect. In addition, CASAs have the opportunity to advocate on behalf of foster children by providing critical information to judges making decisions about the children’s futures.
VFC president & chief executive officer, Kelly Capen Douglas, Esq., said, “Voices for Children is honored to have AnneElise lead our board of directors in our mission of advocating on behalf of children in foster care. We are very fortunate to have such generous and accomplished members of our community, like AnneElise, to support and guide our work. As we welcome her, I would also like to express our sincere gratitude to Bill Sailer for serving as board chair for the past two years, and for his continued service to the organization as past chair.”
Goetz, a partner at Higgs Fletcher & Mack LLP, specializes in real estate, finance, and health care law. In addition to her traditional legal practice, Goetz is an on-air legal analyst, having appeared on national TV more than 500 times to provide legal commentary. In 2016, she was recognized by the University of Wisconsin as one of seven alumni making a difference in the world through her efforts to elevate women to positions of power in law, government, and business and to educate the masses through media on their basic legal rights. In addition to her legal work, she is the proud mother of three young kids. She received a bachelor’s degree in political science, University of Wisconsin Madison, her juris doctorate from Case Western Reserve University, School of Law, Cleveland, and is licensed to practice law in California and Illinois.
Goetz shared, “I am honored to serve Voices for Children and the foster children of San Diego and Riverside Counties. I believe we all have the opportunity to make a difference in our community. For me, I can’t think of a more deserving cause than supporting the abused and neglected children served by Voices for Children.”
Goetz joined Voices for Children’s board of directors in July 2016. Since joining the board, she has served on the audit, search, and executive committees and previously chaired the development committee. In addition to Goetz’s involvement with Voices for Children, she is past chair of the Leadership Development Committee in Lawyers Club and is a graduate of LEAD San Diego’s Impact program. Goetz, her husband, Andy, and their children reside in Point Loma where they are active members of the San Diego Yacht Club.
Steven J. Cologne, Esq., managing partner at Higgs Fletcher & Mack LLP, remarked, “We are very proud of Voices for Children’s long history of service to youth in San Diego. The firm could not be happier that AnneElise chose this organization to progress to a leadership position and give back to the community where we live and work. She will do well for the organization.”
Voices for Children’s board is comprised of community and business leaders responsible for financial oversight, goal-setting, and policy development. Members of the board meet regularly and dedicate additional time to participating in fundraising, community outreach, and CASA graduation celebrations. Board officers for fiscal year 2020-2021 include Annette Bradbury serving as vice chair, Lise N. Wilson, Esq., serving as secretary, and George Lai serving as treasurer.
Goetz will serve a two-year term as chair during fiscal years 2020-2021 and 2021-2022.
For more information on VFC, its programs that support foster youth, and for ways to get involved, visit www.speakupnow.org.
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ABOUT VOICES FOR CHILDREN
Founded in 1980, Voices for Children (VFC) transforms the lives of abused, neglected, and abandoned children in foster care in San Diego and Riverside Counties by providing them with trained volunteer Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASAs). CASA volunteers advocate for a foster child or sibling group in Court, school, and in the community to ensure their needs are met. VFC believes that every child deserves a safe and permanent home, and strives to provide a CASA volunteer to every child in the foster care system who needs one. Last year, VFC CASAs and staff advocated on behalf of more than 2,600 foster children across San Diego and Riverside Counties.
