Meet our new Advocate Supervisors, Becca and Ashley Kaye!
Becca Fugate is our new Bradley County Advocate Supervisor. She is originally from Southern Georgia, but she has lived in the Bradley County area for the past nine years with her husband, with whom she has two children. Becca graduated from Lee University in the spring of 2020 with a degree in Human Development. Becca also has a background in foster care.
Becca’s interest was sparked in becoming a part of CASA’s team through the process of adopting her two sons. She and her husband were foster parents to their two sons and eventually decided to petition for their adoption. CASA was assigned to the case, and Becca was touched by the impact that the advocate had on the lives of her children. Becca is passionate about CASA because she knows that we are fighting to be the voice of children who do not have anyone to speak for them. She says, “We are able to ensure that children are not overlooked in the courtroom. That is important to me. It warms my heart when I see a child finally thriving in their environment, wherever that best environment for them is.” Becca believes that the work CASA is doing in our community is important because we have the chance to change a child’s life, possibly for generations to come.
Ashley Kaye Newman is our new Polk County Advocate Supervisor. She is originally from Cleveland, TN. She has lived in Ooltewah, Athens, Dayton, and Michigan, but she finally settled back into Cleveland in 2005. She has been married to her husband for four years and two years ago they became foster parents to their son, Chris, who is now 18. Ashley Kaye received a BA in Sociology and an MS in Mental Health Counseling from Lee University. She has worked in the fields of child support, in-home therapy, outpatient therapy, and alcohol and drug outpatient therapy for adolescents.
Ashley Kaye served as an advocate with CASA in Bradley County when she was earning her undergraduate degree. She says, “I knew from a young age that I wanted to be a foster parent. Obviously, I could not begin that journey in college, but I wanted to do something to help the children in our community. A family member of mine became an adoptive parent at that time, and CASA was appointed to her child’s case. I saw the impact that advocate had on her child’s life, and I knew that was something I could do to help right then and there.” When the opportunity arose to become the Polk County Advocate Supervisor, Ashley Kaye felt prepared for it by her previous professional experience working with children in in-home and outpatient therapy. She says, “In these more rural areas, there is resiliency in the people. There is often a lack of resources for them, but they still manage to make things work. I wanted to become a part of an organization that helps them make things work.” Ashley Kaye believes that CASA is important to our community because we provide a voice to children who deserve one. She says, “Kids in the system can begin to feel powerless, like no one is listening to them. We have the chance to give them a voice and become a support system for them. We have the chance to make them feel heard.”
CASA is thrilled to welcome our Bradley and Polk County and Advocate Supervisors to our team, and we cannot wait to see the impact they have here!