THE STAFF
Happi Grillon serves as Executive Director of CASA Philadelphia. Over her 20-year tenure serving the greater Philadelphia community, Happi has worked in a variety of settings with programs serving youth from early childhood to adolescence. Happi began her postgraduate career at Youth Service, Inc. (YSI) working with young women in group home placements. She moved on to be a supervisor and then program director at YSI, overseeing the foster care and mother baby group home programs. She later oversaw the crisis nursery, Teen Success, and truancy prevention programs. Most recently Happi worked at Northeast Treatment Centers as Intervention Director with the Community Umbrella Agency (CUA). Happi graduated from The University of Vermont and earned a Masters of Social Work degree from Temple University and is a graduate of the Bryn Mawr College Non-Profit Executive Leadership Institute.
Ashley serves as CASA Training Specialist, in charge of quarterly volunteer trainings, as well as Manager of CASA’s unique Educational Decision Makers Program. Before moving to Philadelphia and getting involved with CASA, Ashley was a teacher. She has taught students in Cincinnati, Ohio, the Bronx, New York and Exton, Pennsylvania. She is passionate about education, volunteering and advocacy. Ashley also volunteered with Mighty Writers and worked with the “Change Course,” a literacy engagement program for youth and the “Stories Alive” program that facilitates video reading sessions for incarcerated parents and their children, at the Free Library of Philadelphia. Ashley earned her Bachelor of Arts degree from King’s College London and her Master of Science in Education from Herbert Lehman College of The City College of New York.
Maelena Arthur, MSW – Senior Advocate Supervisor
Maelena joined the staff at CASA in July 2020. She brings her experience as a foster care case worker with Chester County Children, Youth, and Families Services, and as an In-home case worker with Chester CYF. In addition, Maelena has experience as a clinical social work intern with Merakey Children’s Services and as an intern with Episcopal Community Services. Maelena is a graduate of the Temple University MSW program and earned her BSW at West Chester University.
Stephanie joined the staff at CASA in July 2022. She brings her internship experience at CASA and at Bedford Department of Social Services along with a year of employment at Bethany Christian Services as a foster care case aid to her staff role at CASA. Stephanie has a MSW from Virginia Commonwealth University.
Jennifer Anderson, MSW – Advocate Supervisor
Jennifer joined the staff at CASA in November 2023. She has experience as a case worker, and case coordinator, a life coach and a behavioral health therapist. Jennifer has MSW from Roberts Wesleyan University, with a concentration in children and families.
Renee joined the staff at CASA in October 2021. Renee is a graduate of Arcadia University where she earned a BA in Psychology. She brings 6 years child welfare experience at Chester County Department of Children, Youth and Families with her to CASA. She was also a Supervision Counselor at Community Service Foundation in Trevose, PA for 4 years and a Therapeutic Staff Support at Northwestern Human Services/Merakey.
Atiya Campbell, BA – EDM Supervisor
Atiya Campbell joined the staff at CASA in March 2023. She brings with her child welfare experience as a Case Manager for Turning Points for Children, a Community Umbrella Agency (CUA) based in Philadelphia. In addition, she has experience in therapeutic support working as a Behavioral Health Worker for Elywn and a Mental Health Worker at Merakey. She is a graduate of Holy Family University where she earned a Bachelor’s of Arts in Psychology.
Claudia Baker serves as Advocate Recruiter charged with increasing the number of CASA’s in Philadelphia. Claudia began with CASA as a volunteer hoping to improve the outcome for at risk youth in Philadelphia. Previous to joining CASA Claudia was a full-time mother and volunteer with Lower Merion School district actively recruiting and organizing parent volunteers in the district. She has a professional background in writing, fundraising and nonprofit management. Claudia has a degree in Behavior Science from Drew University and studied at New York University’s School of Non-Profit Management.
Jessica Chan, BS – Advocate Support Coordinator
Jessica joined the staff at CASA as our Advocate Support Coordinator in November 2021, to engage and support current active volunteers. Jessica began volunteering with CASA Philadelphia 2012 while majoring in PreK-4th Grade elementary education at Chestnut Hill College in Philadelphia. Jessica observed over 150 hours in elementary school classrooms in Philadelphia public and private school and student taught at a title 1 school in South Philadelphia. Jessica was also a part of CASA Philadelphia’s EDM pilot program that launched in 2015. Jessica also holds an Associate of Science in Hotel and Restaurant Management. Outside of CASA Jessica enjoys traveling and experiencing new foods and cultures all around the world.
Francesca Papazis, M.Phil.Ed.,M.S.Ed. – Advocate Enrollment Coordinator
Francesca joined the staff at CASA in August 2022. She is a graduate of the College of Charleston where she earned a Bachelors of Science in Psychology. During college she interned with Dee Norton Child Advocacy Center in Charleston SC. After college she worked at Cass Elias McCarter Guardian Ad Litem Program (CASA GAL program) in Charleston SC. She relocated to Philadelphia where she earned her M.Phil.Ed.,M.S.Ed at the University of Pennsylvania while working at CASA.
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
NOREENA S. LEWIS, JD | PRESIDENT Co-Director, Community Pediatrics and Advocacy Program, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia
DAVID V. DZARA, ESQ. | VICE PRESIDENT Partner, Weir Greenblatt Pierce LLP
FRANCES EGLER | SECRETARY Senior Director of Programming and Communications, Kimmel Center
JOSHUA KISVER | TREASURER Chief Financial Officer, Intealth – ECFMG
RICHARD CAGE | Director of Cash and Investments, Independence Blue Cross
MARISA DIAZ | Senior Vice President of Business Development and Strategy, NetWorth Services, Inc.
LAUREN M. DIBELIUS | School Counselor, CORA Services
MELISSA BERRIOS JOHNSON, MSW | Social Work Trainer, Homeless Health Initiative, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia
SHAMYUNE JONES, ESQ. | Vice President and General Counsel, Pennsylvania Convention Center Authority
JOSHUA MANN | Senior Project Manager, Vanguard
MIA MARKO, ESQ. | Associate, Troutman Pepper
NICOLE SABATINO | Coordinator, Autistic Support Services, School District of Philadelphia
TRACI SEBASTIAN | Vice President, Spring Garden Lending Group
ELIZABETH SAMET | Creative Director – Independent