NEWS RELEASE: Texas CASA Welcomes New Chief External Relations Officer and In-House Counsel

AUSTIN, Texas – Texas Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) is thrilled to welcome two new employees to its Austin-based office: Chief External Relations Officer Larissa Cartwright and Lori Adelman, who will work part-time as in-house counsel. “We’re honored that Larissa and Lori have chosen to dedicate their time and leadership to help us create safe, positive futures for Texas children and families,” Texas CASA CEO Vicki Spriggs said.

Known for her visionary leadership and unwavering passion for using storytelling to create meaningful connections, Cartwright joins Texas CASA after two decades of award-winning experience in the media industry. Cartwright led top performing newsrooms, earning numerous accolades — including the Lone Star Emmy for Best Newsroom in Texas in 2022. A strategic thinker and creative force, she’s celebrated for her ability to craft impactful content strategies and build meaningful partnerships with local businesses, ensuring their messages resonate deeply within their communities. “Joining Texas CASA as chief external relations officer is a tremendous honor. I’m excited to collaborate with an exceptional team and leverage my experience in media, policy and communications to advocate for systemic reforms that truly make a difference in the lives of Texas children and families,” Cartwright said. “Advocating for children in the foster care system is one of the most important missions I can imagine. I’m proud to bring 20 years of media and leadership experience to Texas CASA, helping to strengthen partnerships, elevate awareness and ensure that every child in need has the support of a dedicated CASA volunteer.”

A proud graduate of the University of Texas at Austin, Cartwright channeled her education into a career that blends strategic thinking, creative content development and a passion for community engagement. Beyond her professional achievements, she and her husband are raising their 10-year-old daughter with a shared commitment to understanding both their local and global community. Together, they travel the globe to learn about diverse cultures while strengthening connections at home. As an active member of her local PTA, Larissa also advocates for children, teachers and caretakers, believing deeply in the power of storytelling to inspire change and create lasting impact.

In-House Counsel Lori Adelman will provide legal advice on internal Texas CASA operations, review contracts and more. Adelman is an attorney who has spent her career in the nonprofit and public sectors with expertise in family and poverty law, early childhood education, crime victim services and professional regulation. Originally from Skokie, Illinois, Adelman also lived in Minneapolis and Chicago before moving to Austin. “I have lived in Texas long enough to say ‘y’all’ with a degree of authenticity and complain about ‘how small Austin used to be,’” Adelman said.

Adelman was most recently the director of character and fitness for the Texas Board of Law Examiners where she oversaw background investigations for the approximately 5,000 applications to the Texas Bar each year. She also worked with the Texas Office of the Attorney General, where she managed the grant application and contract management processes for nearly $34 million in awards each biennium to nonprofits and government entities working with victims of crime. Adelman relocated to Austin from Chicago, where she was the public policy and advocacy director for a nonprofit working on issues impacting low-income families and children.

She began her career as a staff attorney with the Legal Aid Bureau of Metropolitan Family Services where she exclusively handled family law cases involving domestic violence and children. Adelman received her J.D. from the University of Minnesota and her B.S. in Psychology from the University of Illinois in Champaign-Urbana. She’s a Big 10 girl living in an SEC world, according to Adelman. In her spare time, she enjoys gardening, cooking, reading and photography. Making jam is her… jam. Adelman lives with her husband, daughter and two dogs in north Austin.

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About Texas CASA 
La misión de Texas CASA es apoyar los programas locales de defensa de voluntarios CASA y abogar por una política pública eficaz para los niños y las familias en el sistema de protección infantil.

Established in 1989, Texas CASA is the statewide association for local CASA programs. In this role, we support the CASA network by serving as the conduit of state and federal funds, setting and monitoring standards, providing training, leading a statewide volunteer recruitment campaign, advocating for public policy and more. Texas CASA is committed to connecting child welfare stakeholders and the CASA network to support initiatives for children and families in the child welfare system. 

Contact: Madi Donham, External Communications Manager
Phone: 281-750-9117
Email: mdonham@texascasa.org