Amplifying Advocacy Conference

“Dare to Be…”

Held September 12th and 13th (Thursday/Friday), 2024 at University Heights Baptist Church in Huntsville.

Our 2024 conference was held September 12th and 13th at University Heights Baptist Church in Huntsville. We shared two days of learning with friends from near and far, and look forward to whatever next year holds for conference. Thanks to everyone who joined us for our 2024 event. We hope to see you again!

2024 Amplifying Advocacy Conference Schedule

Thursday, September 12th:

• 9:00-9:30           Check in
• 9:30-10:30         Welcome & Opening Keynote
• 10:45-11:50       Breakout Session #1
• 11:50-1:00         Lunch   
• 1:00-2:15           Breakout Session #2
• 2:30-3:45           Breakout Session #3
• 4:00-5:00           Day #1 Closing Keynote
• 5:15-7:15           After Hours Networking Mixer 

Friday, September 13th                                  

• 8:30-8:45           Check In & Breakfast 
• 8:45-10:10         Welcome & Opening Panel
• 10:20-11:10       Breakout Session #4 
• 11:20-12:30       Closing Keynote & Final Remarks

Keep reading for more information on what was shared in our 2024 Conference Sessions!

2024 Keynote Presentations

Dare to Be… COURAGEOUS AND PERSISTENT

Presented by Julie Davis

More About Julie:

Julie Davis is the Founder and Executive Director of Hope’s Bridge Resource Center. Hope’s Bridge was birthed out of desperation that no family would ever find themselves feeling hopeless and ready to quit on a child.  She was that person.  She had quit on two children because life got hard, really hard.  However, a few years later they were able to redeem themselves and were finally able to adopt her paternal nephews and call them our own. Since then, they have adopted another child as well.  Her family is BIG, 11 children and growing. Our message is even if you are scared and tired, even if you don’t understand the system or how it functions, we want the hope of Jesus to be the resonating message for all.  God chose tangible resources for us to use. Something so simple truly can make a profound impact and bring such huge hope.

Dare to Be… AN OPEN BOOK

Presented by Courtney Woodruff

More About Courtney: Courtney Woodruff is an adoptee, foster and adoptive parent, and communications professional living in Fort Worth, Texas with her husband and three sons. She is the author of four children’s books, including the Juniper Spark Series, a collection of chapter books featuring subtle themes of foster care, adoption, and blended families to give kids with relatable experiences opportunities to see themselves reflected in new book characters. Courtney writes to encourage families to dive into read-aloud adventures together while helping spark better conversations and strengthen parent-child relationships. Courtney received a master’s degree in counseling with a focus on resilience. She loves to spend time with her family (especially outdoors or around a table), read biographies, travel, and stargaze with friends. She has a heart for foster care, adoption, and military families, and she believes God does good, unimaginable things through our skills, stories, and passions—our fishes and loaves—when we give them away.

Dare to Be… CONNECTED

Presented by Diane Kaulen

More About Diane: Diane Kaulen is a Senior Community Initiative Coordinator for the Public Health Division at Texas Children’s Hospital.   She earned her bachelor’s degree in Family Studies from Kent State University and her master’s degree in education from the University of Houston Clear Lake.  She is a Certified Child Life Specialist. She has a dedicated career of serving children and families facing adversities, including hospital treatment, teen parenting, mental health, foster care and trauma.  She works within communities to build coalitions and support networks around foster care and suicide prevention.  She trains community partners around supporting children from traumatic backgrounds, early brain development, and variety of other topics around childhood adversities.

Panel Discussion presented by Texas Network of Youth Services

This panel will have youth share from their perspective what their CASAs or Caseworkers did that made an impact on them and what they wish those working with them knew from the perspective of a child in care. It will help strengthen your youth engagement skills and give tools for building trusting youth-adult partnerships.  This session will also share about what TNOYS is and the services they provide.

Questions? Contact information@casaofwalkercounty.org