Kay Winebrenner Reis has a unique perspective on the relationship between Kappa Alpha Theta and CASA/GAL programs. An attorney specializing in employee-related issues, she was active in CASA of the River Region in Louisville, Kentucky; she also acted as a pro bono adviser to National CASA/GAL and spoke at a national conference. She also served as facility director (widely known as “house mom”) at Theta’s Gamma Iota Chapter at the University of Kentucky, the chapter by which she was initiated into Theta as a collegian, as well as at the Beta Xi Chapter at UCLA; she continues to serve as an adviser at the Gamma Iota Chapter.
Kay believes that the CASA/GAL mission resonates with Theta collegians because they value the professional management of National CASA/GAL, the resources it provides to children and volunteers, and its continual goal to help more children. “These young women truly want to participate in addressing the needs of children,” she says. “They are interested in participating in philanthropy, in each individual being responsible for making the world a better place in which to live.”
Like the Theta collegians with whom she works, Kay appreciates that National CASA/GAL is well managed, operates efficiently and supports its staff and volunteers. Yet she also feels a deep connection on a personal level. “Theta and CASA programs gave me the opportunity to participate in worthwhile organizations and make dear friends. My Theta sisters and the friends I made while serving on a CASA board mean a lot to me.”
“College women are astute. They evaluate a nonprofit organization based on whether the organization is genuinely committed to its objective in all regards. For this reason, National CASA/GAL resonates with Theta members.”