Maryland CASA Welcomes Tara L. Berrien to Board of Directors

For Immediate Release                                                                                   Contact:  Patrick Seidl at 410-828-6761 or Patrick@marylandcasa.org

Tara L. Berrien Joins Maryland CASA Board

TOWSON, Md. (Aug. 24, 2015) – Maryland CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocate) Association has appointed Tara L. Berrien to a two-year term on its board of directors.“I joined [the board] because I wanted to play my part in helping to ensure a better life for our children - and that starts with living in safe and permanent homes,” Berrien said.She added, “Growing up I lived in the same house with the same people – my parents and my older brother – day in and day out, which I thought was so boring.  As an adult, however, I realize how blessed I really was because I see how growing up in unsafe environments have negative, long-lasting effects on people well into adulthood.”Berrien is currently employed at Johns Hopkins University in the Office of Institutional Equity, where she works to ensure JHU’s compliance with federal state and local laws as well as JHU policy regarding civil rights issues. She also conducts trainings on child safety issues, which helped familiarize her with the work of Maryland CASA Association.“I’m inspired by the fortitude of CASA volunteers to interact directly with our children to ensure them safe and permanent homes,” she said. “I hope that during my service, the nearly 1500 volunteers and 15 local programs throughout the state feel supported by the Maryland CASA Board so that they stay dedicated to this important mission,” she added.A University of Dayton School of Law graduate, Berrien has also upheld commitments with various other organizations including the American Red Cross, the John Mercer Langston Bar Association, and the Attorney General Pro Bono Program of Columbus, Ohio.She presently resides in Towson, Md. with her black lab, Jetta.About Maryland CASA AssociationMaryland CASA Association is a private, non-profit, 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to ensuring the rights of all victims of child abuse and neglect to grow up in safe, permanent homes. This mission is carried out in partnership with the state’s 15 Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA) programs, which provide trained volunteer advocates to speak up for the best interests of children. For more information, visit www.marylandcasa.org.

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