Youth Director /Age 32
CASA of Brown County
An internship at CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocates) of Brown County led Taylor Connell to discover her passion for working in the child welfare field.
Connell has been a part of CASA of Brown County since 2014, leading the Fostering Futures program that helps foster youth build life skills and explore educational and career opportunities.
“This program has grown in both quality and participation under her leadership,” says nominator Kristin Jacobs. “She inspires our CASA volunteers and staff team with a strong focus on trauma-informed care and develops key collaborations outside of CASA.”
Connell is most proud of developing a mentoring program for youth who have aged out of the foster care system. “After watching many young adults struggle … I felt it was time to do something,” she says. In January 2023, she began the process of developing the program, called Transition Aged Youth (TAY) Mentoring.
Connell also volunteers for the Brown County Pals Program and is a member of the Child Abuse and Neglect Task Force for Brown County United Way.
