(Retiring CASA of Santa Cruz County Executive Director Cynthia Druley (left) introduces Lynne Petrovic as the organization’s new director at a recent event. Contributed photo)
WATSONVILLE — Lynne Petrovic will take the helm of Court Appointed Special Advocates of Santa Cruz County as executive director, the organization announced.
Petrovic will fill the position left open when Cynthia Druley, CASA’s executive director since 2012, retires this month.
The organization trains volunteers to become a Court Appointed Special Advocate, who support children removed from their homes due to neglect, violence or other traumatic factors.
Petrovic has an MSW from Rutgers University and is a graduate of New York University with a focus in psychology. She most recently served as director of Salinas-based Aspiranet, an organization that secures permanent, adoptive families for youth in foster care in Monterey County.
“I am confident that Lynne is the right person with the right blend of professional and personal skills to lead us forward,” said David Fulton, CASA board president. “We talked to our donors and nonprofit and community leaders about the person they wanted to lead CASA into the future. A caring and passionate leader with knowledge of the foster care system was on the top of everyone’s list. And, we found her.”
According to the organization, Druley led CASA of Santa Cruz as it grew from serving 160 foster children a year to almost 280 children a year. Under Druley’s leadership, CASA’s budget grew by more than 30 percent.
In addition, new staff and programs were added to expand the age groups of foster children that could be served by CASA.
The public is invited to two events to welcome Petrovic:
• Sept. 5, 5-7 p.m. at the Santa Cruz Museum of Art and History, 705 Front St. in Santa Cruz
• Sept. 6, 9:30-11:30 a.m. at CASA, 813 Freedom Blvd. in Watsonville
