CASA of Lancaster and Lebanon Counties has introduced the newly elected executive committee members who will help to guide CASA in 2025. CASA is celebrating 15 years of best-interest advocacy for youths in foster care.

The executive committee now includes board president Barbara Kavanaugh, vice president Steve Russell, secretary Russ Gladfelter, and treasurer Elizabeth Brennan.

Kavanaugh is the executive assistant to the CEO of Clark Associates. She serves on the board of Milagro House and chairs its development committee. She is passionate about organizations that help support women and children. She has also served on the board of Allegro Orchestra Lancaster and the Gifts That Give Hope Fair. Early in her career, she worked in the development office at the Schreiber Center for Pediatric Development.

Kavanaugh attended Davidson College in North Carolina with a dual major in English and art and a minor in gender studies. She resides in Lancaster with her husband and two children.

Russell is a co-manager of the Emerald Finance and Banking Innovation Fund and a senior research analyst for Emerald Advisors. In addition, he is a portfolio manager for the Emerald Financial Services Private Equity Fund I.

Russell served on the board of the Enterprise Center in Philadelphia and was a founding board member of the Enterprise Center Capital Corporation. He serves on the Board of Arbitrators for the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA). He has served on the board of more than 30 public and private early and later-stage venture capital-funded companies. His nonprofit interests include economic development in urban and low-income neighborhoods as well as educational institutions.

Russell received both his Juris Doctor and Master of Business Administration from Temple University and a Bachelor of Arts in banking and finance from Morehouse College. He is licensed to practice law in the state of New Jersey and has passed the NASD Series 63 exam. He is a veteran of both the U.S. Coast Guard and U.S. Navy.

Gladfelter has worked in corporate tax for eight years, six of which have been in the client service industry (public accounting). He currently serves as a tax manager at RKL and is a certified public accountant (CPA).

Gladfelter completed his undergraduate studies at Grove City College in accounting and earned his CPA license. He joined the CASA board because of his passion to support vulnerable children. He and his wife are certified foster parents and led a sector of Keystone Family Alliance in the past. They reside in Lancaster.

Brennan has been the United Disabilities Services Foundation's chief financial officer since 2020. Prior to that, she accumulated 13 years of experience in public accounting, and she was the chief financial officer and treasurer for Luthercare.

Brennan is also no stranger to CASA, having served as board treasurer from 2010 to 2016. She also holds the position of treasurer for Linden Hall School for Girls and is a finance committee member for Lancaster County Community Foundation.

Brennan is a graduate of Millersville University with a Bachelor of Arts in business administration with a concentration in accounting, and she earned her CPA. Her passion is addressing the needs of children, whether through safety and security or education. Her two young girls piqued her interest in ensuring children were happy and healthy.

CASA of Lancaster and Lebanon Counties is dedicated to protecting the rights of abused and neglected children. CASA recruits and trains volunteer advocates to ensure every child has a compassionate and safe home. To learn more, visit http://www.casalancleb.org.