THE STAFF

Happi Grillon, MSW, LSW – Executive Director

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 Bryant, MS ED. – CASA Training Specialist and EDM Program Manager

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 Boles, MSW – Advocate Supervisor

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, BA – EDM Supervisor

Renee joined the staff at CASA in October 2021Renee is a graduate of Arcadia University where she earned a BA in PsychologyShe 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, BA – Advocate Recruitment Coordinator 

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, BS – 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 has relocated to Philadelphia to begin graduate school at the University of Pennsylvania. 

 

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.

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 

 

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