How it Started

I have been honored to serve children as a Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA) in family court. In working with children and their families, I became aware of gaps in the services that are available to them during this process. This includes access to consistent and therapeutic childcare, family time which supports relationship building, assistance with case management, and access to timely services. I felt compelled to do something, so I founded Nova Family Resource and Childcare Center.


Families in family court often have trouble finding the resources they need. Case workers are spread thin and there can be long wait times for family visits to be scheduled. Children may require exceptional resources due to behavioral and mental health challenges. Parents are often confused and overwhelmed by what is expected of them and how to advocate for themselves in court, and parenting classes can fail to address family specific issues. 


I started this center to help families. Nova will offer the services families need in one place, making them more manageable and less confusing. I have assembled a team of exceptional, experienced and educated people who have a passion equal to mine. 

 

The services Nova will provide are necessary to assist families during this challenging and confusing time when working with the court system. We are investing in these families by recognizing their individual circumstances and unique needs.

- Carole Harper, Founder


Advisory Board

The members of our advisory board are exceptional leaders with years of experience serving families. Each and every one of them brings a unique set of skills and expertise to our organization.

Carole Harper

Founder

Carole is currently a Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA) with King County Court with four cases – three in Family Treatment Court (FTC) and one in regular court.

While she has been a foster parent and an adoptive parent, Carole believes that whenever possible families belong together, and she wants to support that where she can.

From her 33 years at the City of Bellevue Carole has experience growing teams, setting up new functions and structures, and building new organizations.

Sara Robertson


Sara Robertson is a passionate advocate for children and family well-being. She earned her bachelor's degree in business management and has worked as a senior leader in technology with a role focused on strategic programs, business transformation and developing leaders. Sara has previously volunteered as a victim/witness advocate and in the prevention of child abuse and neglect, working as a mentor to at-risk parents. Sara's leadership, compassion and dedication make her a valuable asset to the Nova.

Peyton Foster

Family Resource Advisor

Peyton has five years of experience working with families and youth in therapy services that serve foster children, their families, and foster families. Peyton is trained  in a variety of therapy modalities that specifically are trauma informed and family oriented. Peyton received a BSW from the University of Washington and is finishing up her MSW for clinical social work from the University of Kentucky. 

Ellie Olson

Occupational Therapist Supervisor

Ellie Olson, OTR/L, CIMI, has been working as a pediatric occupational therapist since 2006. She graduated from the Master of Occupational Therapy program at University of Washington in 2005 and earned her Bachelor in Business Administration from California State University Fullerton in 1993. Ellie has experience with birth to adolescent children. She has treated in a pre-school setting, as well as in the Lake Washington School District. Ellie is a certified infant massage instructor.

Janet Webb

Occupational Therapist Assistant

Janet Webb, COTA/L, has been working as an occupational therapy practitioner at Fall City Children’s Therapy since 2016. Her previous career path includes obtaining a BS degree in Business Management and over 20 years of professional experience with two well-respected early educational companies.

Jason Hale

Technology

Jason is a technology professional with over 26 years of experience supporting local government. He has a passion for people using and embracing technology. He has  experience with registration systems, payment processing, maintenance and document storage.

 

Fred Pfistner

Connections Support

Fred is an MSW and has over 3O years of work experience in child welfare. Fred designed and supervised the first early permanency planning unit in King County, and supervised a child welfare unit in the Office of African American Children’s Services (OAACS). He is currently a supervisor for King County CASA. Fred has a passion for providing permanency planning for children.


Samuel Hale

Technology

Samuel recently graduated from Bellevue College with a Bachelors degree in Information Technology. Since then he has been looking for opportunities to use and grow his skills and knowledge in the field.

Sally King

Grant and Website Coordinator

 Sally has 30 years experience as a writer and editor with a background in writing instruction manuals and small grant requests. She has worked in city government creating processes for onboarding new employees, and has experience in the development and maintenance of websites. 

 

Trevor Johnson

Trevor works with children on the social emotional side of early education He will always be an advocate for children in need. Trevor has worked in many different school settings and has been a part of life changing experiences. He is excited to be a part of Nova.

Becki Clark

Becki has worked in Early Childhood Education for over 40 years. She has worked in trauma informed programs such as Head Start, ECEAP, and a school that served homeless children and those in transitional housing. She has worked with diverse populations and multiple languages. 

She has a degree in Early Childhood Special Education and considers herself to be a lifelong learner interested in keeping up to date with the latest information in classroom management and in developing appropriate practices. 

Becki looks forward to continuing her lifetime love of working with children and helping them navigate through life. 

Maria
Renaud

Ms. Renaud was elected to the board after several years of working with the company. She is a trained medical scientist. 
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