Our Team

The People Behind the Mission

Our team is united by a shared commitment to advocacy, connection, and empowerment of foster children, at-risk youth, and families.

  • Flor Castellanos – CASA Case Manager
  • Hannah Clyde – Kinship Allies Case Manager
  • Preston Doyle – Be Bold Case Manager
  • Aaron Fernandez – Office Administrator
  • Rhonda Logar – CASA Case Manager
  • Dana Loschiavo – Volunteer Engagement Coordinator
  • Faith Lyles – CASA Program Supervisor
  • Heather Manley – CASA Case Manager
  • Tanya Mark – Family Services Case Manager
  • De Anna Martin – PEG Case Manager /Support Group Supervisor
  • Cynthia Matthews – Be Bold Case Manager
  • Lauren Muhoberac – Be Bold Case Manager
  • Selena Owen – Family Mentor Program Supervisor
  • Katie Rineer – CASA Case Manager
  • Nicole Rubio – Volunteer Recruitment and Engagement Coordinator
  • Julie Stark – Executive Assistant
  • Jessica Strawn – PEG Case Manager Assistant
  • Kara Wilson – Office Administrator

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Amy Sugimoto
Executive Director

As a seasoned non-profit veteran, Amy has over 20 years of experience leading multifaceted organizations through change to improve operations, service delivery, and fundraising. In her personal and professional life, she is passionate about advocating for children and families in crisis. Whether it is ALS, domestic violence, human trafficking, or working with foster youth, Amy pours her heart into bridging gaps and creating hopeful futures for children, families, and communities.

Amy believes that every child deserves to feel safe, supported, and empowered in their own lives. Whether through direct service work or advocating for policy change, she is committed to creating a world where all children have the opportunity to thrive.  In her personal life, she finds joy in embarking on travel adventures with her husband of 30 years. She also values quality time spent with her two adult sons and her faithful Australian Shepherd, Bell. When not traveling, she often explores the trails of her community in Roseville, embracing the beauty of her local community.

Taylor Baierlein
Youth Services Director

Taylor has been working at Child Advocates since 2014. She holds a B.A. in Psychology from Sacramento State University. She also studied Journalism and Early Childhood Development and worked as the Editor-in-Chief and featured writer in the newspaper there. She has experience working in visitation with a private foster agency and has volunteered at Shiners Hospitals for Children in the Therapeutic Child Life Center. She has been working with children coaching, mentoring, and teaching in many capacities since she was a teenager. Her passion to serve children and people has allowed her to travel to Spain, Italy, Scotland, Jamaica, France, Germany, Holland, and Mexico.

I have always loved working with youth! Over the years, I have had the opportunity to spend time with, and learn about children from all over the world. Through that, I have realized that my heart really lies with those who are living in poverty and are a part of the foster care system. When I first happened upon Child Advocates of Placer County I was immediately intrigued. The mission statement and programs were right up my alley. A good chunk of my background has been through volunteering, so seeing that this organization was volunteer-run was so impressive and inspiring to me! To see so many people coming together for an incredible cause, that speaks volumes. I am still, after all these years, inspired every day by the people I have met through our program. I now get to work and volunteer with some of my closest friends!

Katja Pollmann
Community Engagement Director

Katja Pollmann, Director of Community Engagement, holds an M.A. from the University of Hamburg, Germany, in Sociology, Latin American Studies, and Economics. In 2017 Katja joined Child Advocates of Placer County to create the Prosper Placer program. In 2021, she assumed the role of Director of Family Services, overseeing all our Family programs, including the expansion of Family Mentors through the Parent Empowerment Group, the creation of Immigrating Advocacy within Prosper Placer, and the launch of the Kinship Allies program, supporting kin caregivers.

Katja enjoys building networks across social lines, believing strongly in the power of connecting people from very different paths of life and different cultures so that they can help and learn from each other. Katja loves bringing extraordinary people together who wish to help each other.

Kristi Varnum
Family Services Director
Kristi Varnum is a dedicated Senior Program Manager at Child Advocates of Placer County, where she oversees the Family Mentor Program, Parent Empowerment Group (PEG), and the Kinship Allies Program. With a keen eye for program development and a passion for community service.
Under her leadership, these programs have not only grown but have become integral to the community, providing essential support and resources. Kristi’s expertise in networking and her extensive training in trauma and leadership are cornerstones of her success. Her commitment is further exemplified by her role on the leadership team for the Campaign for Community Wellness.
Before her tenure at Child Advocates of Placer County, Kristi amassed significant experience in the medical field, working in local hospitals and Skilled Nursing Facilities (SNIFs). This background, along with her lived experience, has instilled in her a deep compassion for people and a dedication to enhancing the quality of life within her community. At Child Advocates of Placer County, Kristi has found an environment where her creativity and passion for helping others can flourish. She is driven to create positive change and empower families, particularly those involved with the child welfare system.
Outside of her professional life, Kristi values family, including her dogs, and cherishes time spent with friends. She is guided by her faith and enjoys a healthy, active, full lifestyle. Kristi embraces every moment of life with enthusiasm and joy.
Erin Anthony
Marketing Manager

As the Marketing Manager at Child Advocates of Placer County, Erin brings a dynamic blend of creativity, strategic thinking, and hands-on expertise to the role. With a marketing background in the entertainment and retail e-commerce sectors, extensive experience in event planning, and a BA from Chico State, Erin is well-equipped to create compelling campaigns, engage diverse audiences, and execute memorable events that resonate with the community and support the organization’s mission.

Erin’s journey with Child Advocates of Placer County began in 2022 as a CASA, working closely with a teenage girl in the Be Bold program. This impactful experience deepened her commitment to advocacy, leading to a formal role within the organization.

Erin is enthusiastic about leveraging her skills to amplify the organization’s message, recruit passionate volunteers, and drive engagement through targeted marketing initiatives and well-orchestrated events.

Driven by a dedication to making a tangible difference in the lives of foster children, at-risk youth, and struggling families, Erin is delighted to contribute to an organization that truly changes lives—one volunteer and one child at a time.

Julia Boal
Special Events Manager
Ariel Neff
CASA Program Manager

Ariel brings a deep passion for child welfare to her role as a Case Manager at Child Advocates of Placer County. Her journey began with a successful career in the private sector before she discovered her calling as a CASA Volunteer. During her first case, Ariel realized she wanted to dedicate her life to supporting the most vulnerable children in the community. The fulfillment she found in advocating for children led her to serve as the Recruiter, Trainer, and Marketing Specialist for CASA of San Joaquin County, where she focused on promoting and educating others about the vital work of CASA Volunteers and their impact on the community’s youth.

Since 2021, Ariel has been a dedicated CASA volunteer and has a longstanding background in childcare. With firsthand experience interacting with the child welfare system, she understands the challenges children face and the profound impact that just one caring, safe adult can have during their toughest times. Ariel is deeply committed to making a positive difference in the lives of youth in her community. In her free time, she enjoys cooking, reading, traveling, and sailing.

Stacy Sewell
Training Manager

Stacy Sewell is a certified wellness coach, parenting coach, and an education consultant with over 30 years of experience in working with children and families. She holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Child Development, a teaching credential, and a Graduate Certificate in Mental Health. She is an authorized instructor for trauma responsive strategies and strengthening families. Coming from the Sacramento County Office of Education, Ms. Sewell has worked on many state grants such as the Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) Aware grants, professional development grants, and she assisted with leading the work to develop 10 online transitional kindergarten professional learning modules for the California Department of Education (CDE). Prior to this work, Ms. Sewell was a transitional kindergarten teacher, K-2nd grade teacher, an early childhood education/parent education consultant, a parent education program administrator, and a preschool teacher.

Stacy enjoys the beach, traveling, reading, hiking, biking, and spending time with her family and friends. She’s working on training her new doodle pup for the K9 for Kids program. She started as a CASA volunteer and is thrilled to be on staff at Child Advocates of Placer County.

April Williams
CASA Operations Manager

April joins Child Advocates of Placer County with more than 10 years of experience in the political arena as a legislative assistant for a prominent government relations firm where she worked to preserve Tribal Rights and to strengthen laws around and aimed at improving access to medical care, housing, and education for those in underserved communities. Before joining CAPC, April served as both a CASA volunteer and as a Volunteer Case Supervisor.

In addition to being a Case Supervisor, April currently runs CAPC’s Court Supervisor Team and serves as our Out of County Coordinator, helping to ensure that the needs of youth placed out of Placer County are still met and ensuring that their voices are heard.

It’s April’s belief that a true leader is “anyone who takes responsibility for finding the potential in people…and who possesses the courage to develop that potential”. It is such an honor to work alongside an incredible group of volunteers that seek to step into the role of being leaders for the youth in our community.