KACS
Christine is the Director of Annual Giving at Delaware County Community College. In her role, she helps break down barriers to education for students in Chester and Delaware Counties. Prior to joining the Board, Christine was a KACS volunteer and a member of the Empty Bowls Committee. Christine was raised in the Kennett Square area. She is a proud graduate of the University of Notre Dame and currently lives in Kennett Square with her partner, Mike, and her dog, George. She enjoys spending time with friends and family, hiking, cooking, running, and art.
As a KACS volunteer and President of the Board of Directors, I am committed to leading and serving the people of Southern Chester County no matter who they are. Neighbors of all races, genders, ethnicities, religions, and sexual orientations are welcome at KACS.
Ana is a Partner and Trial Attorney at HGSK, P.C. In Chester County, she has served as a Committee Member of the annual fundraising efforts of La Comunidad Hispana since 2017, has conducted bi-monthly legal clinics at their Kennett Square location since 2019, and joined their Mission Advancement Committee as of 2021. She also volunteers in the counties of Philadelphia and Berks. In 2023, she was selected by Governor Shapiro to represent Chester County for a two- year term as part of the Governor’s Advisory Commission on Latino Affairs. She is a graduate of Georgetown University, and earned her Juris Doctor degree from the University of Pittsburgh School of Law. She is a resident of Chester County, where she loves to spend time with her family.
As Vice President of the KACS Board of Directors, I am committed to serving every person who needs our services regardless of race, gender, ethnicity, religion, and/or sexual orientation.
Nick is a native of the Kennett Square area. He currently is the Chief Financial Officer for SEPTA and previously was the Chief Financial Officer for the Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission for 12 years. He has held numerous finance related positions for private sector organizations throughout the region in accounting, finance and treasury. He is a graduate of New York University and Wilmington University. Nick and his wife, Sandie, have three children and have generously donated to institutions of higher learning on behalf of their children.
As a volunteer Board Member and Treasurer for KACS, I am committed to a diverse, inclusive, and equitable environment where all KACS clients feel respected and valued regardless of gender, age, race, ethnicity, national origin, sexual orientation or identity, disability, education, or any other bias.
Carrie has been a resident of Kennett Square since 1979 when, fresh out of Smith College, Charles Patton hired her to teach at UCFSD Middle School. After a ten year career as a middle school teacher, she spent 10 years as the director of Tick Tock Early Learning Center. She has just retired from 20 years as the CEO of United Way of Southern Chester County and is eager to bring her decades of nonprofit leadership skills and knowledge of this area's needs to benefit KACS.
“The idea that some lives matter less is the root of all that is wrong with the world.” Dr. Paul Farmer. I believe that ALL humans are equal and should be treated as such. I appreciate and support that KACS respectfully meets everyone without regard to personal differences or backgrounds and offers a helping hand to anyone in need.
Lenda has been a Kennett Square resident for over 20 years. She graduated from Penn State and earned a master’s degree from Immaculata University. Lenda is currently employed as a Clinical Coordinator for Holcomb Behavioral Health Systems in Chester County. She previously worked for the Kennett YMCA as the Outreach Community Director and as a Case Worker at KACS. As a community volunteer, Lenda has given her time to Longwood Gardens and Casa Guanajuato and serves on the Board of Young Moms and the Chester County Children, Youth and Family Advisory Committee. Lenda and her husband, Jose, have two young sons.
My commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion as a volunteer is to serve and advocate for ALL KACS' clients regardless of race, gender, ethnicity, and religion. Through personal experiences as a migrant and
minority Latina female, I am sensitive to the challenges that ethnic minorities face with food and housing in our area and the barriers to accessing those services. I have become determined to act towards
creating an environment and services that are more inviting towards underrepresented minorities and socioeconomically underprivileged families through my volunteer work at KACS and other organizations.
Lynn and her husband, Will, have been residents of Kennett Square for over 20 years. Lynn began volunteering as a shopper at the Food Cupboard in 2014, chaired the KACS Empty Bowls Event for three years and joined the board in 2018. Recently stepping down as President of the Board, she now co-chairs the Capital Campaign Committee.
As a KACS volunteer and Board Member, I am dedicated to advancing diversity, equity, and inclusion not only within the governance of KACS but also in the services KACS provides. Recognizing the unique needs
and backgrounds of those we serve, I commit to promoting programs that address the diverse challenges faced by our community, fostering an environment where everyone feels valued, supported, and empowered.
Tom is a Kennett Square native and works at The Tri-M Group as their Senior Cash Manager. Prior to joining Tri-M, Tom worked in the accounting/finance areas for Genesis HealthCare in Kennett and SCAN Health Plan in Long Beach, CA. He has a B.A. in Economics from The Johns Hopkins University. Tom is an avid runner and has completed numerous marathons and triathlons often as part of the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society’s Team in Training program.
As a KACS Board Member, I am committed to serving all KACS participants, employees, and volunteers regardless of race, gender, ethnicity, religion, and/or sexual orientation and to help foster an environment where everyone feels valued.
Crystal is a native of Delaware and has strong family, church, and community ties throughout the Brandywine Valley. She is an Executive Chef/Nanny dedicated to preserving the rich history of our community. As an active Board member of The Underground Railroad of Kennett Square and Vice Chair of Pennsylvania Hallowed Grounds, Crystal assists in restoring abandoned or neglected cemeteries, including the Bucktoe Cemetery, which is part of the Kennett Square Underground Railroad educational curriculum and bus tours. Since the mid-1980s, she has put her heart and soul into restoring and preserving Bucktoe Cemetery – and discovered the final resting place of ten Black Members of the United States Colored Troops who served in the Civil War and countless other graves of extraordinary local people.
Curtis is a business leader with 28 years operational and technical experience in delivering critical business services, leading all aspects of operations and customer service while building top performing, highly engaged teams in fast-growing organizations. He also has extensive project work with third party vendors and regulatory bodies – centered on transformational objectives.
Curtis lives in Kennett Square with his husband Jay and their dog Louie. They enjoy being outside, traveling, gardening, and spending time with friends and family.
My commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion as it relates to my board position at KACS is as follows. I am committed to ensuring a fair and inclusive environment for the team members of KACS, the community members which KACS serves, our partners and vendors, and the community at large. I will not tolerate discrimination, biases, harassment, or bullying of any kind. Regardless of race, socioeconomic status, age, disability, religion, sexual orientation, nationality, gender, or marital status, we are an organization that celebrates the richness of our community.
Ellen has lived in the Unionville/Kennett Square area for 35 years where she raised her three children with her husband, Dean. She has served the community and church as a Girl Scout Leader, a Deacon, multiple school booster club, PTO, and club swim team positions . Ellen also currently serves as treasurer for her neighborhood HOA. She has volunteered with KACS since 2020 as a shopper, Luther House deliveries, Empty Bowls, and babysitting for the “Getting Ahead” program. She truly loves the mission, staff, and participants of the organization.
Ellen is retired from a 33 year career in oncology nursing where her roles included staff nurse, Clinical Nurse Specialist, and Breast Care Coordinator. She graduated from Albright College and received her master’s in nursing from University of Delaware. She currently “nannies” for her two grandchildren and enjoys everything about being outdoors.
In my 33-year career as a Registered Nurse, I have treated all patients and families with respect and equality regardless of their diversity. As a KACS volunteer and Board Member I will continue to serve our diverse staff, volunteers, participants, vendors, and associates with fairness, respect, and kindness.
Lisa has a lifelong connection to Kennett Square and continues to reside in the area with her husband and 2 young children. She is a graduate of Rosemont College and currently works as an Events Coordinator at the University of Delaware. Lisa has served as the auction chair for the past 3 years at her children’s school and serves on various committees. In her spare time, she enjoys spending time with family and friends and traveling.
I believe diversity and inclusivity are very crucial parts of the culture at KACS. As a KACS Board Member, I am committed to accepting all, regardless of gender, race, sexual orientation, and/or religion. I am
dedicated to being a part of a community where all feel accepted and respected.
Joshua grew up on a dairy farm in Upstate New York and joined the U.S. Navy when he was 19 years old. Since leaving the U.S. Navy in 2010, he has been employed in the power generation industry and is cur-rently a Field Commissioning Engineer at Northeast-Western Energy Systems USA LLC. He earned his BS and MS degrees from Thomas Edison State University. Joshua has volunteered at various food pantries through corporate sponsored programs. Joshua and his wife moved to Kennett Square in 2020 to be closer to family. His hobbies include playing with his two young sons, running, and working on antique machinery.
I am committed to fostering an environment that supports diversity and inclusion for all who serve KACS and are supported by KACS. My profession involves interacting and working alongside other professionals from all over the world. Successful collaboration with these individuals would not be possible without recognizing and respecting the differences that exist within each person. I intend to express this same value of diversity and inclusion during my role as a KACS Board Member.
