Meet the CASA of Southeast MS Staff
Frances Allsup, Executive Director
Frances comes from Hokes Bluff, Alabama! Go Eagles!! Married to Jimmy with children, Adam and & Katie (aka – “Teach”). Being raised on a cotton farm with wonderful parents and a loving home, my passion has always been to reach out to others and share with them the possibilities that the world has to offer them. No mountain is too high!
Learning about CASA, the incredible volunteers and the difference it makes, I began my journey to the unknown world of advocating for abused children.
My vision for CASA’s future would simply be that child abuse be a thing of the past. However, until that mission is complete, I will continue to recruit and train volunteers to make an everlasting impact upon those whom are harmed at the hands of abuse.
Jonathan Mills, Director of Operations
Jonathan comes to us from Baton Rouge, LA. After high school, he became an EMT with Acadian Ambulance Services while deciding what he wanted to do professionally.
After graduating from LSU with a bachelor’s in business, he moved to the coast where he worked with Zachry at Chevron in their HR department. After several years working in human resources, he went back to school to follow a passion to help children in need.
After gaining an associates in Human Services from MGCCC, and a bachelor’s in psychology from MSU, he joined the staff with Jackson County CASA. Jonathan also sits on the Board of Directors for both the Department of Human Services at MGCCC and the Health and Prescription Services of Jackson County. He is also a Board licensed and certified pharmacy technician.
Beverly Goff, Advocate Manager
Beverly has been volunteering for numerous organizations for most of her life. Among those organizations are the Cub Scouts, 4HClub, The American Cancer Society, and Advocates for Freedom.
Beverly lives in Hurley with her husband Victor and their two beautiful children, Daniel and Madison. They live on their farm, “The Lazy G.”
In 2014, Beverly came to CASA. Since her arrival, Beverly has advocated for 15 children from 6 different families. In 2019, Beverly received the prestigious Governor’s Initiative for Volunteer Excellency (GIVE) award. Beverly joined our CASA staff in August of 2020. Beverly is dedicated to the CASA mission, and being a role model for her children.
Adrian McCullum, Finance Officer
Adrian McCullum is a familiar face at CASA of Southeast Mississippi. He previously served on the CASA of Jackson County Governing Board for over five years, holding key leadership roles as both Treasurer and President. Adrian stepped down from his position as Board President to join the CASA staff full-time, where he served as Program Assistant for three years.
In 2016, while still on staff, Adrian completed pre-service training and became a CASA volunteer advocate. He went on to successfully serve two cases, demonstrating his deep commitment to improving the lives of children in foster care.
“I am excited to be part of the CASA team while serving a cause that is near and dear to my heart—making a difference in a child’s life,” Adrian shares.
Outside of his work with CASA, Adrian is active in his community. He enjoys traveling, cooking, and is a devoted New Orleans Saints fan. He’s also a member of St. James United Methodist Church in Ocean Springs, where he contributes his time on several leadership committees, supports fundraising efforts, and sings in the choir
Amber Ehlers, Senior Advocate Supervisor
Amber is a native of the Jackson County area with a background primarily in retail. Amber is one of seven children and has sixteen nieces and nephews who keep her extremely busy. She has been very involved in activities at Grand Bay Community Church and especially enjoys working with the youth groups there. She is excited to begin her work with the CASA program and looks forward to making a difference in the lives of the children the program serves. Amber’s interests include playing the guitar, photography, reading, and any type of nature and outdoor activities.
Desiree Moran, Program Developer and Community Outreach Coordinator
Desiree Moran is a 24-year-old Program Developer and Community Outreach Coordinator at CASA, where she’s passionate about making a difference in her community. A proud graduate of Jones College in Ellisville, MS, Desiree earned her associate degree and quickly put her heart into service and advocacy work.
When she’s not planning events for volunteer recruitment or connecting with the community, you can find Desiree enjoying life on the water, experimenting in the kitchen with new recipes, or spending time with her fiancé, Evan, and their two beloved dogs — Macie the Great Dane and Toby, the feisty “rat dog.” Driven by compassion, curiosity, and creativity, Desiree brings energy and heart to everything she does.
Samantha DeCausey, Advocate Supervisor
Samantha DeCausey is the new full-time Advocate Supervisor for the Lucedale satellite office. In her spare time, Samantha enjoys fishing and hanging out with her family. She and her fiancé hope to buy a home in the near future. Samantha
has a heart for the CASA mission due to her own background and personal journey. She is super excited to meet each of the volunteers serving in George and Greene Counties.
Allison Smaltz, Advocate Supervisor
A new Advocate Supervisor for serving in Jackson County is Allison Smaltz. Allison and her husband Michael have been married for 22 years, and when he retired from the Navy, they decided to make south Mississippi their forever home. The family is blessed to have three wonderful children: Savannah, Wyatt and Rylee. She is excited to be able to work for CASA of Southeast Mississippi. Allison looks forward to using this unique employment opportunity as one way to give back to her local community.
Keely Cooley, Community Outreach
Keely Cooley is the new Community Outreach representative. A Pascagoula native, Keely and her husband are the proud parents of three children. In her spare time, she enjoys gardening, spending time outdoors, exploring the arts, listening to music and cheering on the New Orleans Saints football team. As a local business owner, Keely is passionate about serving her community. In her new role she looks forward to building relationships with other businesses and organizations to expand support for the CASA mission.