CASA of NH Informational Webinar - You Must Login to Register

Free for NHMA Members/Associate Members/State Agencies
School Employees: $20.00
*Non-member village districts, counties, regional planning commissions, or other municipal entities interested in attending NHMA workshops/webinars can contact info@nhmunicipal.org to learn about becoming a member. NHMA reserves the right to restrict access to these webinars.

CASA volunteers change the stories of children who have experienced abuse or neglect by advocating for their best interests in court. Established in 1989, Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) of NH is a statewide nonprofit that recruits, trains and empowers volunteer advocates to provide best-interests advocacy in the courts for children who have experienced abuse and neglect. A CASA of NH advocate is a court-appointed guardian ad litem. When an advocate accepts a case, it is their job to get to know a child and all the important adults in that child’s life to make recommendations to the court about what is in the child’s best interests. While many other adults may come and go from a child’s life, a CASA advocate is a consistent presence, helping them find what every child deserves – a safe and permanent home in which they can heal and thrive.  To learn more about volunteering and get your questions answered by CASA staff members and current advocates, please join us for this lunch hour information session to learn more about whether volunteering with CASA would fit your life.

Presented by: Pete King has provided a voice for over twenty-five abused or neglected children as Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA) volunteer. He began his CASA journey ten years ago because he felt a need to help children who were being impacted by the opioid crisis, homelessness and poverty. The work is not always easy, but he finds great personal satisfaction in knowing that he has made a positive difference in the life of every child he has had the privilege of working with. A retired environmental engineer, Pete also volunteers as an educational advocate for special needs students, serves as a library trustee, and spends his free time rebuilding traditional wooden sailboats

Katie Pelczar (Pel-zar) is the Community Outreach Coordinator for CASA, and recently celebrated her five-year staff anniversary. Between her coworkers and the volunteers, Katie is lucky enough to work with the most amazing people on earth. In her off-time Katie loves boating on the lake, curling up with a good book, and gardening (with a lot of trial-and-error).

Diane Valladares is the Director of Recruitment at Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) of NH. She began as a CASA volunteer in 2001, and joined the staff the following year, recruiting volunteers and coordinating their training. Even after 19 years, her favorite aspect of her work is learning about the lives of CASA’s volunteer advocates. Diane loves being in nature, trying new recipes, time with family and friends, and being crafty, although not necessarily in that order.

Margaret Byrnes has served as Executive Director of the New Hampshire Municipal Association since 2019. She joined NHMA in 2014 as a staff attorney. Previously, she was an associate attorney with the firm Hage Hodes, P.A. in Manchester and an adjunct professor of legal research and writing at Northeastern University School of Law, Suffolk Law School, and The Massachusetts School of Law. Margaret has an M.B.A. from The University of New Hampshire Paul School of Business, a J.D. from the Massachusetts School of Law, and a B.A. in English Language and Literature and Classical Languages from Smith College. She volunteers for Darbster Kitty and as a CASA (Guardian ad Litem) for CASA of New Hampshire and serves as an alternate on the Baker Free Library Board of Trustees.

NHMA Members/Associate Members/State Agencies you must be logged in to receive complimentary registration. If you register but cannot attend, a recording of the webinar will be provided.  Non-Members who register but cannot attend will receive a copy of the recording as long as payment has been received.  Registration is available until 5:00 pm on March 11, 2026. Registrations after this time cannot be guaranteed. You will receive email confirmation from registrations@nhmunicipal.org providing you with webinar access information.  You cannot cancel if you have signed up to attend a webinar. 

Questions?  Please contact us at 603-230-3350 or registrations@nhmunicipal.org.

REGISTER HERE