“My name is Ashley Cray, and I had a CASA volunteer. By the time I was 6 years old, I had grown accustomed to the foster care system. I had been diagnosed with fetal alcohol effects and failure to thrive. I had been exposed to alcohol, drugs, abuse and neglect.”
Beginning with these words, Ashley Cray Sieczkowski addressed Kappa Alpha Theta’s 2012 Grand Convention, leaving no one in the audience of more than 800 unmoved. She says the speech—and, indeed, the entire convention—was an emotional experience for her as well. “Nothing could have prepared me for how fulfilled my heart would feel in that moment,” she recalls. “I felt so incredibly supported by, and connected to, my fellow Thetas. The entire weekend will stay with me forever.”
For Ashley, her experiences in Theta and with the CASA program are inextricably intertwined. It is because of her CASA volunteer, she says, that she was adopted into a loving and nurturing family. And that family connection led her to the Beta Mu Chapter at the University of Nevada. “My Granny was a Theta, and when I found out their national philanthropy is National CASA/GAL, I knew it was meant to be. I’m blessed I was able to impact the women in my chapter by sharing my hardships and showing I was able to overcome them, thanks to the woman who took time out of her personal life to advocate for mine.”
“Joining Theta and spreading my CASA story has been such a rewarding experience,” Ashley says. “I am proof that my history didn’t have to dictate my future.”
“I find that the CASA mission resonates with Thetas because we have an actual chance to make an actual difference.”