Michelle Trulsrud, CVM
Executive Director
As Program Director, Michelle Trulsrud is responsible for recruiting volunteers, fundraising, identifying and composing grants, assisting with budget development, working with the advisory board, conducting performance evaluations, maintaining all financial information for county/state/grant budgets, training advocates, guiding AmeriCorps VISTA volunteers and maintaining any and all CASA program files for training, volunteering and advocate support. Prior to becoming Program Director, Trulsrud was the CASA volunteer coordinator where developed a strong community network group. Along with supervising volunteers, attending court and conducting training, she generated quarterly and year-end reports.
In past work experience, Trulsrud was the Early Intervention and Early Childhood Coordinator for Archild, Inc. In this position, Trulsrud managed and coordinated DDTCS/CHMS services for 120 children and implemented policies and procedures regarding children services for the organization. She has sat on the board for Division of Child and Family Services, is currently on the Remington College Advisory Board, Child Abuse Committee that reports to the Child Abuse Commission, is a member of the Sexual Abuse Management Team for Pulaski County Juvenile Court and Volunteers her time as a Volunteer Probation Officer with the Juvenile Courts.
Trulsrud has a Professional Development Certificate in Child Advocacy, Volunteer Manager Certification through the Arkansas Public Administration Consortium and was previously certified as a Service Coordinator and Case Manager for the State of Arkansas.
Trulsrud loves spending times with her two daughters, husband, three dogs and cat, Jeanie.
Darryl Capps, CVM
Advocate Supervisor
As an Advocate Supervisor, Darryl Capps recruits, trains, motivates and supervises a volunteers staff of seventy five advocates. Besides attending all court proceedings related to the children, Capps assigns juvenile court cases to volunteers, conducts case reviews for monthly clients in preparation for courts and promotes fundraising activities for yearly budget.
Capps has been an advocate for children in numerous areas in both Texas and Arkansas for more than 20 years. Having been a children’s evangelist for more than 20 of those years, Capps also served as a children’s pastor in North Little Rock for two years. Throughout the year, he continues to travel to various venues conducting Christian-based workshops, training seminars, children’s crusades and other special events focusing on the needs of children.
He and his wife have one biological daughter and adopted a sibling group of three girls and a boy. Their family moved to Arkansas four years ago from Texas, and they are actively involved in their local church and community.
Kristi Case McGibbony
Advocate Supervisor
Kristi Case McGibbony has a Bachelors of Arts degree in Economics and Business Administration from Rhodes College in Memphis, Tennessee. As an Advocate Supervisor, McGibbony trains and supervises volunteers who advocate for children in the foster care system. Along with preparing court reports within legal timeframe for CASA cases, she also guides and advices advocates regarding each of their cases and attending court when necessary.
Prior to CASA, McGibbony worked as a legal assistant for the DHS Office of Chief Counsel, where she drafted legal pleadings, and coordinated communication between attorney and client. In the midst of her legal administration, she spent ten years as a kindergarten teacher for Miss Selma’s Schools in Little Rock.
McGibbony enjoys camping with her three children, reading, volunteering and playing tennis.
Marquita Shavon Rogers
Development and Marketing Director
Marquita Shavon Rogers has a Bachelors of Arts degree in Broadcast Journalism and a minor in Family Consumer Sciences from the University of Central Arkansas. She was recently promoted from Program Development Supervisor to the Development and Marketing Director after she completed her year of service as an AmeriCorps VISTA. She is responsible for the recruiting, screening, training and supervising of volunteers to serve as Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) for children who have been adjudicated dependent/neglected. In previous AmeriCorps positions, Rogers worked as an intern at Winthrop Rockefeller Institute, where she created flyers, promotional brochures, radio psa’s, commercials for upcoming events; and at the Boys and Girls Club of Faulkner County where she was the art director at the main club and was in charge of after school activities and tutoring.
In past work experience, Rogers was the Marketing and Visual Information Specialist at the LRAFB Services Squadron where she solved communication problems and produced magazine, newspaper and website media. Among her experience, Rogers has worked as a research intern at Ken Hubbel and Associates, a key production assistant for Pale House Productions and a case manager for a DHS female group home called H.A.V.E.N. House.
Rogers has talent in videography, photography, editing, writing, video presentations, printed material design and marketing materials.
Priscilla Ybarra
Community OutReach Coordinator
VISTA
Priscilla Ybarra has a Bachelors of Arts degree in Mass Media with a minor in English from Henderson State University. As Community Outreach Coordinator, she is responsible for assisting in public awareness activities that reach potential sponsors and supporters through events, fundraisers and speaking engagements. Ybarra is also responsible for recruiting volunteers in her designated areas, writing press releases and developing and maintaining media for social networks.
In past work experience, Ybarra interned as a staff writer for National Defense Magazine in Washington, D.C. and spent four years as a reporter for her university newspaper. In the mean time, she freelanced as a photographer for the Arkansas Democrat Gazette where she covered local educational events for newsprint.
Kyle Acosta
Volunteer Recruitment Coordinator
VISTA
Kyle Acosta has a Bachelors of Arts degree in International Relations and Global Studies, with a minor in History from Hendrix College. As Volunteer Recruitment Coordinator, he is responsible for developing and maintaining recruitment efforts. Besides developing an advocate recruitment kit and measurement protocols, he in charge of initiating and maintaining community connections, developing an advisory board recruitment kit, a male focused recruitment kit and coordinating the CASA Light of Hope Breakfast.
In a previous AmeriCorps position, Acosta encouraged and motivated two classes of fourth grade students at Pike View Elementary, with full time one-on-one tutoring and mentoring. While in college, Acosta completed the Hendrix Odyssey Project where he stage directed and acted in The Inspector General, participated in the Arkansas Student Congress on Human Relations and attended Semester at Sea where he traveled to 14 different countries including China and South Africa.
Among his volunteering experience, Acosta has participated in the Heifer Project throughout his college years. He remains a passionate supporter of progressive social movements.