Advocates

Kate Noble is the Executive Director of Evanston CASE. She joined CASE in 2019 as a Parent Partners volunteer and as an Advocate in 2020.  As a parent of two children with disabilities, Kate has experienced firsthand the challenges of the special education system.  She believes that parents can often be the best advocates for their children. To this end, she co-founded the Parent Inclusion Group at Willard to support and educate families about the special education system. She later decided to formalize her talent for advocacy by obtaining the highest level of certification from the Council of Parent Advocates and Attorneys (COPPA). As a graduate of COPAA’s Special Education Advocate Training (SEAT) programs, Kate is fully prepared to advocate for her clients and the broader special education community.  To help her clients keep up-to-date with information impacting their children, Kate participates in ongoing professional development related to special education law and instruction of children with disabilities.

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Advocacy is Kate’s passion. In addition to zealously representing her clients, Kate educates families on how to become the strongest advocates for their children. Her goal is to empower and educate parents and families as they navigate the complex special education system.

Kate holds a Bachelor of Arts in Journalism and Political Science from Indiana University – Bloomington.  She holds a certificate from COPAA and is a member of COPAA and from the Master IEP Coach Program™.

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Jennifer Dougherty joined Evanston CASE in 2020 as a Parent Partners volunteer and became an Associate Advocate in 2021.  Her background in special education and her experience as a parent of a child with disabilities provides her with extensive experience on both sides of the special education table. 

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Jennifer received her B.S. in Journalism from Boston University and her M.S. in Education from Wheelock College in Boston, where she specialized in Early Childhood Special Education and Early Elementary Education.  She was a special education teacher and inclusion specialist in the Watertown, MA, public schools for seven years before moving to Evanston and teaching in District 65 for five years. 

 After she left her teaching career to become a parent, Jennifer started connecting with parents who were unfamiliar with the special education system and guided them, often over a cup of coffee, about what to expect and what to ask for in their child’s meetings.  During this time of “quiet advocacy,” Jennifer realized that many parents felt lost and confused when faced with information the district gave them about their child(ren).  She realized then the importance of providing parents with the knowledge and understanding they need to advocate for their children as they go through school.

Jennifer volunteered as a Parent Partner with Evanston CASE during the pandemic year and completed the WrightsLaw online advocacy training during that time.  She is a member of COPAA and holds a certificate from COPAA.

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Eva Winckler (she, her) joined Evanston CASE in 2023 as a Parent Partner. She works at CASE because she believes caregivers advocating for their students can benefit from having extra support. Navigating the system herself as a parent of a child with disabilities, Eva is dedicated to demystifying the special education process and working to ensure students have what they need to fully access school. She is happy to partner with families in both English and Spanish. Eva is a member of the Council of Parent Attorneys and Advocates (COPAA) and is a graduate of COPAA’s Special Education Advocate Training (SEAT) 1.0 course.

Eva has a background in marketing, communications, and public health. She currently works in communications for two groups within the Feinberg School of Medicine, where she guides strategy and promotes programs, events, and research opportunities.

Eva has a special interest in improving diversity, equity, and inclusion in the workplace and beyond. She earned a Master of Public Health from the University of Illinois at Chicago and holds an undergraduate degree from Northwestern University.