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 – CASA Program Manager

Maelena joined the staff at CASA in July 2020 as an Advocate Supervisor and was promoted to CASA Program Manager in 2024. 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.

Abigail Scardelletti- Director of Development and Communications

Abigail joined CASA in November of 2024. She has worked with community organizations throughout the Philadelphia region as an organizer for community outreach, event planning, and grant management. Most recently, Abigail worked with ACLAMO raising awareness and funding for the organization’s mission of providing direct services to the Latino Community in Montgomery County. Abigail has a Bachelor of Arts in Communication from Cabrini 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 Platz –  Advocate Supervisor

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 – Advocate 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.   

Sherrell Slaffey  –  Advocate Supervisor

Claudia Baker – Advocate Recruitment Coordinator 

Claudia Baker has served as Advocate Recruiter since 2019 after starting at CASA as a volunteer hoping to improve the outcome for at risk youth in Philadelphia. She has a professional background in volunteer organizing, 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.

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 LLP

FRANCES EGLER  |  SECRETARY  Senior Director of Programming and Communications, Kimmel Center

JOSHUA KISVER  |  TREASURER  Chief Financial Officer, Intealth – ECFMG

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

JOSHUA MANN  |  Senior Project Manager, Vanguard

MIA MARKO, ESQ.  |  Associate, Troutman Pepper

JUDY RICE  |  CASA Volunteer, Retired Managing Director, BlackRock

NICOLE SABATINO  | Director, Low Incidence Special Education Programming, Simon Gratz High School

TRACI SEBASTIAN  |  Vice President, Spring Garden Lending Group

ELIZABETH SAMET |  Creative Director – Independent