Casey Family Programs recognized NCJFCJ Board of Director member Judge Kathleen A. Quigley as a 2023 Casey Excellence for Children Leadership Award recipient. The awards are a national recognition of the accomplishments of remarkable individuals, especially those with lived experience in the child welfare system, who are working to safely reduce the need for foster care and build Communities of Hope. The awards recognize those who have demonstrated outstanding work, exceptional leadership and unwavering dedication to improving child and family well-being in the United States.
The Hon. Kathleen A. Quigley’s distinguished career has had a profoundly positive impact on youth and families. She has served as a judicial officer in juvenile court since 2003, was appointed to the Pima County Superior Court bench by the governor in 2012, and from 2014-2020 she served as the Presiding Judge of the Juvenile Court. In 2019, Judge Quigley learned of Casey Family Programs’ work to establish Indian Child Welfare Act (ICWA) courts and worked in partnership on the creation of an ICWA Court in Pima County. The team focuses on placing out-of-home children with family or tribal families, building cultural awareness, ensuring ICWA is followed and establishing relationships with tribes. Much of Judge Quigley’s work nationally and in Arizona has been centered on keeping families together and improving the system. Two examples of her collaborative work included co-creating the Southern Arizona Transnational Task Force in 2014 and leading the development of the Dependency Alternative Program, which launched in 2015. In addition to serving on the NCJFCJ Board of Directors, Judge Quigley serves on the National Judicial Task Force to Examine State Courts’ Response to Mental Illness.