About Us

Shanna joined West Virginia CASA Association (WV CASA) as State Executive Director in July 2020. She supports ten (10) local CASA programs throughout West Virginia and represents CASA on statewide committees, boards, and workgroups. Shanna is an active member of National CASA/GAL’s State Leadership Council.

Before joining WV CASA, Shanna worked for an environmental stewardship non-profit organization where she served as Partnerships Manager for the Eastern Region. She carries with her experience of Partnership Development, Operational Leadership, and Grant Management.

Shanna grew up in Southern Illinois where she earned her undergraduate degrees: B.A. in International Trade, B.A. in Spanish, B.S. in Business Administration. After graduation, she moved to Europe where she earned a Teaching English as a Foreign Language (TEFL) certification in Florence, Italy and held a job in the governmental sector of Valencia, Spain.

Shanna currently serves as an active member on multiple Boards of Directors for organizations serving WV's children and families. She and her husband are non-adoptive foster parents in Fayette County. Shanna is passion-driven to lead positive movements that serve the children & youth in WV's foster care system.

Before joining WV CASA as the Director of Development in February 2024 Jessica worked as a senior and executive leader of a variety of organizations that support the mental health and well-being of all West Virginia residents. She served as the board facilitator and helped organizations build policy, procedures, and processes to ensure financial sustainability. She brings to CASA her wealth of experience in Non-Profit Development, Securing Philanthropic Support, Executive Leadership, and Policy, Process & Procedure Development.

Jessica was born in Eastern Pennsylvania and relocated to West Virginia several years ago. She received her post-secondary from Mountain State University and tertiary education from the University of Phoenix. She has earned trainer certifications in Cultural Diversity, Positive Behavior Support, Life Space Crisis Intervention, Trauma Informed Care, CANS, and CAFAS.

Previously, Jessica held an active role in the Behavioral Health Community as a Clinical Director, then to the Kanawha Valley Region battling homelessness of veterans and others in the region. After that, she built financial processes for a neighboring regional developmental authority, and secured access to congressional funding for a neighboring organization. The fuel for Jessica’s philanthropic passion has continued to grow throughout her career advocating therapeutically and financially for youth and adults in the Title XIX program, juvenile offenders, to SNS programs and families in need of behavioral health services throughout her career for the last 19 years.