Sue Brassel Is Awarded 2023 Indiana State CASA Staff Of The Year

Sue Brassel was named the 2023 Indiana State CASA Staff of the Year. She received the award at the annual State CASA Conference in Indianapolis. Jane Christophersen, the Montgomery County CASA Program director, told the gathering in Indianapolis, “Sue is very deserving of this great honor. She was sworn in as a CASA in November of 2001, and became the assistant CASA program director in October of 2011. As the program director, I could always count on Sue to take difficult cases and be the strongest advocate possible for the children. She is an outstanding supervisor for our volunteers. They love and respect her. I know there are many great CASA program staff members in our state, but I’m quite certain that no one is more deserving of this honor.”

As Jill Capper wrote in her letter of recommendation, “She is warm and friendly, compassionate, encouraging, and creative in her approach to child advocacy. I admire Sue for her knowledge, experience, passion, and advocacy for children who need her, but I also enjoy her as a supervisor and friend, always calm, always available, always encouraging.”

She is also well respected by others in the juvenile justice system. The Honorable Darren C. Chadd wrote, “In my albeit brief tenure as Judge of the Montgomery Circuit Court, I have quickly learned to appreciate Ms Brassel’s extraordinary service as a CASA. Her experience and passion for this work is apparent. Her advocacy for the child plays a vital role in helping us reach the best results we can in these difficult cases. It has not been lost on me that she often handles the cases that pose the most challenging or troublesome issues, whether due to the time, travel, thought, or other effort that they require. And she shines in them. She is always prepared, professional, and extremely thoughtful in court. She goes above and beyond to make sure the children for whom she advocates are well represented.

Even in cases in which the litigants may not agree on may things, Sue’s opinions and suggestions are always well received. That is a testament to the respect she has earned.” Ms Christophersen also commented, “Beyond her skills as an advocate and supervisor, Sue is knowledgeable about all things technical. She created our agency’s website, she is our in-house IT department, and she develops our social media graphics, etc. Her skill sets have been important to the smooth operation of our program. She is a consummate team player, always willing to jump in and help with whatever is needed. It has been a privilege to work with Sue and she has been an indispensable member of our CASA program since she was sworn in on 11/8/2001. We are thrilled that she was named the Staff of the Year!”

In response to receiving the award, Ms. Brassel stated, “I love my job and all the individuals I work with. Keeping the kids of Montgomery County safe is a huge job, and we all take is very seriously. This award is a huge honor.” Sue will be honored at a reception at the Youth Service Bureau, 808 W. Pike Street, on Thursday, September 28, from 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. The public is invited to attend.