Dear CASA of Travis County Supporters,
When our CEO, Laura Wolf, announced that she’d be leaving in 2025 after nearly 18 years of dedicated service and groundbreaking achievements, all of us on the Board of Directors knew we’d have big shoes to fill.
So, it is with both gratitude and excitement that I share the news that the CASA of Travis County Board of Directors has named Laura’s successor. Beginning July 16, 2025, Emily Rudenick LeBlanc will be CASA’s 5th CEO in our 40-year history.
Emily brings to this role a deep commitment to child advocacy, a wealth of nonprofit leadership experience, and a passion for creating a safer future for children and families in our community. Emily has been CASA’s Chief Program Officer since 2017 and has been Laura’s right hand during that time. Prior to coming to CASA, she was the Senior Director of Community Advocacy at the SAFE Alliance, where she established Eloise House, the first community-based forensic clinic for survivors of sexual assault in Texas. Emily has dedicated her career to supporting vulnerable populations, with an extensive background in trauma-informed care, program innovation, violence prevention, mental health support, training, and survivor advocacy.
She is recognized nationally as an expert in trauma and abuse, is a Certified Praesidium Guardian, and is a Licensed Professional Counselor Supervisor. At CASA, Emily has overseen the expansion of the child safety program, led the development of the Bridge to Permanency program, and overseen the mission-based work at CASA throughout her tenure. With all of this exceptional experience as underpinning, Emily’s enthusiasm to take CASA into this next chapter is evident. We are thrilled to have someone of Emily’s caliber to serve as our next CEO and fortunate to have had such talent already in-house at CASA.
All of us at CASA are deeply grateful to Laura. Over her nearly 18 years of service to CASA, the organization has grown in innumerable ways, both broadening and deepening our advocacy for the best interest of children who have experienced abuse or neglect. To name just two initiatives, under Laura’s leadership CASA of Travis County built family finding and engagement programs that have been replicated statewide and became the first and only CASA program in the nation to be accredited by Praesidium, Inc. for our child safety policies and practices.
Laura has remained a steadfast, collaborative, and excellent executive leader and partner of the Board, and I can confidently speak for Board members present and past that we are overwhelmed with gratitude for her. We are also thankful for Laura’s commitment to a smooth transition for CASA, as she has continued to lead the organization with excellence during the Board’s search process and will stay through July 15 to ensure a thoughtful handoff to Emily.
As someone who believes in CASA’s mission, you are an integral part of our 40-year history and a critical part of our future. On behalf of the entire Board of Directors, thank you for all you have already done for CASA – we would not be the organization we are without you. And I hope we can count on you going forward to rally around CASA and the children we serve.
Thank you,
Claire Dunham
Chair, Board of Directors, CASA of Travis County
