Julie Pickens
Executive Director
Julie Pickens, Ph.D., CRC, MPA is from Western Pennsylvania but has spent time for education and employment in Illinois, Cape Cod, and Southern Pennsylvania before settling in Southeastern Georgia.
Julie came to CASSEGA in October 2021 from EAGLE Academy, the Inclusive Post-Secondary Program at Georgia Southern University, where she worked with young people with disabilities to access college and gain the skills needed to live an enviable life. She also headed up the Accommodation Department at Savannah College of Art and Design. She is a certified rehabilitation counselor and also holds a doctorate in special education. Her educational and professional background straddles the K-12 Special Education System and the adult services/vocational rehabilitation worlds to allow her to best assist young people with and without disabilities as they gain the skills and experiences to help them live an enviable life.
Prior to joining the CASSEGA team, Julie served as a CASA Volunteer.
Kristen Kramer
Director of Business Operations
Kristen Kramer is a 2016 graduate from Georgia Southern University. She earned her Bachelor of Science in Child and Family Development with an emphasis in Family Services. Kristen started with Child Advocacy Services in January 2016 as a student intern; upon graduation, she came on staff as a part-time Volunteer Activities Assistant. Kristen was the Visitation Coordinator and Administrative Assistant from October 2018 until June 2019 and then the Development Coordinator from July 2019 until September 2021. Prior to October 2018, she served as the Children’s Ministry Coordinator at LifeSpring Church in Statesboro. As of October 2021, Kristen serves as the Director of Business Operations.
In 2012, Kristen moved to Statesboro from Warner Robins in order to attend Georgia Southern University.
Eileen Bayens
Advocacy and Training Coordinator
Eileen hails from Pittsburgh, PA, and after several moves landed in Bulloch County. She holds an M.Education in Special Ed, Early Childhood Ed, and Public School Administration. She is retired from the Bulloch County School System, where she was employed for 21 years as a Teacher, Assistant Principal and Principal. She is a Certified Trainer for Ruby Payne’s Framework for Understanding Poverty and has much experience in supervising and training in various topics.
Eileen has been with Child Adovacy Services SEGA, Inc. since December 2013 as an Advocacy and Training Coordinator.
Eileen is active in Community Theatre, both as an actress and director. She and her husband reside in Statesboro and have three children and six grandchildren.
Sherri Pittman
Advocacy Coordinator
Sherri is a Florida native, born on Miami Beach, who never dreamed she’d end up living in Georgia. She has a B.S. in Animal Science and a Doctorate in Veterinary Medicine from the University of Florida. After practicing veterinary medicine in large, mixed, and small animal practices for over 11 years, Sherri obtained her teaching certificate from Armstrong State University. In 2019, she retired from teaching science in Effingham County after 22 years in the classroom. While teaching, Sherri also volunteered for a number of years as a veterinarian for a local animal rescue group. She also coached girls’ soccer at the school and still coaches soccer for the local recreation department. Sherri began as a CASA volunteer in September of 2019. In April of 2021, she joined the staff at Child Advocacy Services SEGA, Inc. as an Advocacy Coordinator.
She and her husband reside in Guyton and have two grown children, one spoiled rotten beagle and a cat who rules the house. In her spare time, she enjoys reading, hiking, watching soccer, and spending time by the ocean or in the mountains.
Ida Daughtry
Advocacy Coordinator
Ida is a 2005 graduate of Armstrong Atlantic State University in Savannah, GA, presently Georgia Southern University, Savannah Campus. She earned her Bachelor of Health Science in Public Health and began her professional career as a Case Manager. Ida has worked in different settings such as long-term care, child welfare, home health care, and non-profits and understands the importance of being an advocate for those who need a voice. Ida rejoined the team in August 2022 to her previous position as Advocacy Coordinator, which she held from January 2016 to September 2018. She also served as a CASA Volunteer from 2019 to 2021.
Ida resides in Sylvania, GA, and has two children. She truly enjoys traveling and spending time with her family and friends.
Mya Robertson
Visitation Coordinator
Mya joined the CASSEGA team in November 2022 as a Visitation Coordinator for the Ogeechee Visitation Centers. She is a Georgia native and a graduate of Savannah Technical College in Savannah, GA, where she earned her degree in Criminal Justice. She began her professional career in Victim Advocacy but has worked in different settings, such as Family Violence Intervention, Anger Management, Probation, and Social Services. Mya understands how vital a healthy and stable community is to everyone who lives in it.
Mya resides in Ellabell, GA, and has two grown children. She has two labs, Sonny & Tubbs, and in her free time, you can usually find her attending a concert, riding her side-by-side at the mud park, or just spending time with her family and friends.
Jalen Dobbs
Visitation and Community Outreach Coordinator
Jalen is from Douglasville, Georgia, and resides in Rincon, Georgia. She earned her Bachelor of Science in Sociology in May 2023. While earning her degree, she interned at our Guyton location from January 2023 to May 2023.
She joined the CASSEGA team officially in July 2023 as the Visitation and Community Outreach Coordinator. Jalen loves working with kids and is invested in their best interests.
In her spare time, Jalen enjoys activities such as camping when it’s not too hot, hiking, and comedy shows.
Madison Markham
Intern | Georgia Southern Sociology
Madison Markham is an undergraduate student at Georgia Southern University studying Sociology with an emphasis in Social Services. She is from Poplar Grove, Illinois, and moved to Georgia in 2020 to pursue her college education. Madison joined Child Advocacy Services in May 2023 as an intern and has decided to extend her internship with CASSEGA into the Fall 2023 semester. Along with her involvement at CASSEGA, she is also an executive board member for the Statesboro Sociological Society. In August 2023, Madison completed training to be certified as a CASA Volunteer and is eager to begin her journey volunteering for CASA.
Madison currently resides in Statesboro, GA. In her spare time, Madison enjoys reading, traveling to Chicago, IL, and Orlando, FL to visit with family, and watching movies!