This month, we are spotlighting Erin Grohe, who joined The Children’s Center’s team in July as the Court-Appointed Special Advocate (CASA) Program Director. Erin brings a wealth of experience from her work with CASA of Portage County, where she witnessed firsthand the life-changing difference volunteer advocates make for children in the court system. Now, she’s building our CASA program from the ground up — connecting with community partners, creating policies, and preparing to recruit and train volunteers who will speak up for the best interests of abused and neglected children. In this spotlight, Erin shares how she discovered The Children’s Center, what inspires her, and why she’s so excited to launch this program in Medina County.
Roles and Responsibilities
How did you learn about The Children’s Center of Medina County? Why did you decide to apply for your position?
In early 2025, I heard that Medina County was interested in starting a CASA (Court-Appointed Special Advocates) Program through other members of the CASA network. This led me to reach out to The Children’s Center for more information. I was working for CASA of Portage County, training and supervising CASA volunteers at the time. In my three years of employment there, I witnessed the powerful positive impact CASA volunteer advocacy has on court-involved children and families. I decided to apply to lead this new CASA program based on my love for the CASA model and desire to help expand volunteer advocacy efforts for abused and neglected children across Northeast Ohio.
What is your current role? What do you do in that role?
My role is Director of CASA of Medina County. I started in this role at The Children’s Center on 7/8/25 and have loved every second of it. I am currently building the foundation to launch our CASA program here in Medina County and will be recruiting community members in the coming months as CASA volunteers. Most of my day-to-day work is spent meeting with community stakeholders, creating policies, and learning about Medina County. As CASA is part of a national organization and state-wide network, I have also spent time creating documentation to comply with national standards and meeting with other CASA programs’ staff to inform our foundation.
What are you most proud of in your work with CASA?
I’m proud to have been part of launching CASA of Portage County in its early years, and I’m ecstatic to be “ground zero” for CASA of Medina County. It’s fulfilling to be able to bring all I have learned to our own volunteer advocacy program for abused and neglected children here in Medina. One of my favorite aspects of working for CASA, in any county, is facilitating training for volunteers. As a trainer, I elicit personal and professional experiences from prospective volunteers in group dialogue for the benefit of all learners.
Personal Insights and Reflections
What is your favorite quote? Who was it from?
My favorite quote is a guiding mantra for me. It is the Frederick Douglass quote: “It is easier to build strong children than to repair broken men.” I first discovered this quote in the context of my coursework in graduate school. I love the emphasis on preventative measures and investing in our youth. It motivates me in my work.
When you were a kid, what did you want to be when you grew up?
When I was a child, I wanted to be a pediatrician. From a young age, I knew I wanted to work with children and was not aware of what the field of child welfare offered at the time. I stumbled upon the profession of social work when I studied abroad in Singapore in my junior year of undergraduate school, as it was not offered as a major at my home university of Cornell. I fell in love with the type of advocacy work encompassed in the profession and field, and the universe eventually brought me to CASA.
What is your favorite way to unwind after a busy day? What would we most likely find you doing on the weekend?
I’m a doer and an advocate supporter of arts and culture. I’m always up to something both on weekday evenings and on the weekends when I’m not recruiting or facilitating training for CASA.
On weeknight evenings, I can often be found listening to live music, exploring an art gallery, or attending a theatre show.
I’m also an active person, so I enjoy running, biking, and dancing. Summer Mondays, I attend Slow Roll Cleveland gatherings with hundreds of other bike riders navigating different neighborhoods in the city.
On the weekends, I am generally a jetsetter visiting out-of-town friends and family as well as new cities as a tourist. I have a real travel bug and love both domestic and international travel.
What is your most-used emoji?
I tend to avoid emojis in my own communication, but I always appreciate the upside-down smiley face when I see it. It makes me laugh and represents an emotion that is otherwise hard to put into words.
Community Engagement and Support
What does the community need to know about The Children’s Center?
Everything The Children’s Center does is rooted in our mission to serve abused and neglected children. Our newest program, CASA (Court-Appointed Special Advocates) of Medina County, allows you to directly serve children and families in our community. CASA recruits and trains volunteers from all backgrounds as advocates for children involved in the family court system. If you have the heart, CASA is the perfect opportunity for you to change a child’s story. Questions about volunteering? Please reach out to me via phone or email to get involved: 330.304.7233 or egrohe@medinacountychildrenscenter.org.
