Our Board of Directors
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
President
Mark Lancor
Vice President
Diane E. Haggis, Ed.D
Secretary
Janice Paul
Treasurer
Justin Golden
John Betkoski III
Kelly Mannix Pinho
Ryan Russell
Melissa Scozzafava
Beth Sieling, MD
Diane G. Teixeira
Staff
Executive Director
Kathi M. Crowe, MSW, LICSW (bio below)
Dir., Program Operations
Laura Cummings, LCSW, CCDP-D (bio below)
Team Leader, Positive Youth Development
Olivia Dudley
Program Director, Short Term Family Integrated Treatment
Lisa Hersey, LMSW
Dir., Finance & Human Resources
Mackenzie Marsella
Assistant Director Finance
Brendan Allen
Director of Philanthropy and Grants
Judith Perrin, CFRE, MBA
Program Director, Child Advocacy Center
Stacey Rubinfeld, PhD
Kathi Crowe is a nationally recognized expert in the field of child welfare and youth development and brings her years of experience and a passion for youth to Waterbury Youth Services. Ms. Crowe is the former Executive Director of the National Foster Care Coalition in Washington DC, where she worked with Congress and national child-serving organizations to improve child welfare services to children, youth and families. Prior to assuming that position, she served as Youth Development Specialist to the RI Department for Children, Youth and Families and was the Deputy Director of Foster Club, Inc., the national network for youth in foster care.
Kathi has worked with youth, foster parents and child welfare professionals for over 40 years. She has provided training and consultation to public and private agencies throughout the country and has provided leadership to a variety of agencies, including a residential program for pregnant and parenting youth, a shelter for runaway and homeless youth and a comprehensive mental health agency.
Ms. Crowe earned an MSW from the University of Connecticut, and has served as adjunct faculty in the MSW programs at UConn and RI College. She has authored numerous publications and has presented extensively on a variety of child welfare topics. Ms. Crowe has served as the Chair of the Board of Directors for the National Independent Living Association. She has received the NILA Founders Award and is the Charter recipient of the Kathi M. Crowe Golden Circle Award, a national award which recognizes alumni of foster care who have made national impact in the field of foster care.
Laura Cummings is the Director of Program Operations. She received her Masters of Science from Columbia University School of Social Work and her Bachelors from Syracuse University School of Social Work. Laura is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker for the State of Connecticut and holds a Certified Co-Occurring Disorders Professional Diplomate from the Connecticut Certification Board.
Laura has been in the field for 15 years and has supervised multiple programs including those for juvenile-justice involved youth in Bridgeport, CT, and methadone maintenance clinics in Florida.