The National CASA/GAL Association for Children welcomes Ben Garren to board of trustees

NEWS

Contact: Kimberly Willis Green, kimberlywg@nationalcasagal.org, 206-774-7245

Seattle, Wash. – The National Court Appointed Special Advocate/Guardian ad Litem (CASA/GAL) Association for Children welcomes Ben Garren, former General Counsel, International for The Coca-Cola Company, to its national board of trustees. Garren will serve a three-year term.

“We are so fortunate to have Ben Garren serve on our board of trustees,” said National CASA/GAL Association CEO Tara Lisa Perry. “Garren’s corporate legal expertise, leadership and experience as guardian ad litem will advance our critical work of serving children, youth and families.”

During a distinguished 24-year career at Coca-Cola, Garren held a number of senior legal roles, both domestic and international, and was a member of executive leadership teams that managed business operations in over 200 countries. Garren is credited with protecting the company’s reputation and treasure, enhancing its ethics and compliance program, and developing a diverse pipeline of legal talent. Before joining Coca-Cola, Garren was a litigation associate with the law firms of Cravath, Swaine & Moore and Baker & Botts in New York, representing Fortune 100 companies and Wall Street financial institutions.

“It is said that ‘the test of the morality of a society is what it does for its children’. Every child deserves a safe and loving home, and, when that is not the case, our society should ensure the help of a trusted and caring adult,” said Garren. “I am honored and humbled to have the opportunity to serve National CASA/GAL and its remarkable network of local organizations and volunteers who help hundreds of thousands of child victims of abuse and neglect across our country.”

Garren graduated from Clemson University and the University of South Carolina School of Law. He serves on the boards of the Pro Bono Partnership of Atlanta, the Georgia Legal Services Foundation and UNICEF USA Southeast. He is also a member of the University of South Carolina School of Law Alumni Council and the Leadership Atlanta Class of 2017. Garren is recognized for his commitment to pro bono legal representation for the under-served, civil legal aid and community service. This includes being named “Guardian Ad Litem of the Year” by the Atlanta Volunteer Lawyers Foundation and “Community Champion” by the Association of Corporate Counsel and the Atlanta Business Chronicle.

Garren is an active member of the First Presbyterian Church of Atlanta. He lives in Atlanta with his wife Michele and daughter Caroline.

The National CASA/GAL Board of Trustees is led by Joseph Bankoff, chair, Sam Nunn School of International Affairs at the Georgia Institute of Technology.

About the National Court Appointed Special Advocate®/Guardian ad Litem Association for Children
The National Court Appointed Special Advocate/Guardian ad Litem (CASA/GAL) Association for Children, together with its 950 state and local member programs, supports and promotes court-appointed volunteer advocacy so that every child who has experienced abuse or neglect in the United States can be safe, have a permanent home and have the opportunity to thrive. National CASA/GAL offers leadership and support to the network of programs and leads its continued growth. CASA/GAL volunteers and staff work every day to advocate for children, youth and families. To learn more, visit nationalcasagal.org.