JANA SUBLETT

From the National Corvette Museum to Court Appointed Special Advocates might seem an unlikely jump.

But not for Jana Sublett, who was just hired as CASA’s executive director.

She has a background in social services, including at CASA. The Western Kentucky University graduate, who has a master’s degree in public administration, was the community employment services manager for LifeSkills. She also has volunteered in numerous community organizations, including Bowling Green Area Chamber of Commerce, United Way of South Central Kentucky, the Women’s Fund and was the first ATHENA Young Professional Award recipient. Sublett also was a CASA volunteer advocating for children in the state’s foster care and court system for seven years.

Today is her last day at the museum, and her first day at CASA is Tuesday.

“I have a pretty long history with CASA,” she said. “I worked with the state CASA when I first graduated from college, and then I volunteered for several years when I was in my 20s. It was just an organization I really kept close to my heart. It’s just that jobs in my 30s didn’t allow me to keep being an advocate. In my mind … this has been one of those jobs that I said if Will ever retired I would like to have that job.”

Sublett was referring to Will Constable, who retired this summer after being director for 14 years. He was replaced in July by Brian Becker, who has since taken another job.

Sublett, who applied for the job initially, said she doesn’t want to dwell on not being selected the first time, but rather looks to CASA’s future.

“One of the main things I want to do first is a survey of all the different parties involved – the board, volunteers, judges and clients – and get feedback about what is working and what isn’t and then set some goals for the future,” she said. “The board has a lot of goals in regards to development, raising money and expanding the program. Definitely, volunteer recruitment is going to be big.”

Those volunteers advocate for children through the foster care system, which often means the court system involving their parents.

Sublett said her work at the museum as rental coordinator, duties that included helping plan events, should help in the development aspect.

“With how successful the museum is in development, I feel like I can bring some of what the museum does (to CASA) in terms of how well it is organized and those kinds of things,” she said.

Sublett is looking forward to her first day on the job and getting to know two other staffers – one full- and one part-time – and familiarizing herself with the caseload.

“This is one of those dream jobs,” she said.

— Follow City Editor Robyn L. Minor on Twitter at twitter.com/bowserminor or visit bgdailynews.com.