Contact Our Team

Marla Higginbotham
marlah@casaessex.org
862-754-4622

Executive Director

Shauna Mae Bartlett
sbartlett@casaessex.org
862-754-4529

Advocate Supervisor

Soon Benham
sbenham@casaessex.org
862-754-4681

Program Trainer

Natalie Deo
ndeo@casaessex.org
862-754-2021

Program Director

Jess Earl
jearl@casaessex.org
862-754-4681

Grants and Policy Analyst

Marisol Garcia mgarcia@casaessex.org
862-754-4475

Volunteer/Program Coordinator

Cheryl Kelesoglu ckelesoglu@casaessex.org
862-754-4475

Sr. Advocate Supervisor & Court Liaison

Deborah Lasher dlasher@casaessex.org
862-754-4531

Data Manager

Jasmine Pender
jpender@casaessex.org
862-754-4530

Advocate Supervisor

Stephanie Phelan sphelan@casaessex.org
862-754-4600

Operations Manager

Alexis Pugliese
apugliese@casaessex.org
862-754-2691

Recruitment & Outreach Coordinator

Julmarie Rodriguez jrodriguez@casaessex.org
862-754-2692

Advocate Supervisor

Leslie Sena
lsena@casaessex.org
862-754-3049

Advocate Supervisor

General Information

Phone:  (862) 754-4681
Email:  info@casaessex.org

CASA for Children of Essex County
212 Washington Street - Room 912
Newark, NJ  07102

Happy World Art Day! Today, we celebrate the creativity, expression, and resilience of young artists everywhere—especially the incredible youth we serve at CASA Essex. Through drawing, painting, poetry, and more, our youth use art to tell the
CASA Essex is in Washington, D.C.! We’re proud to be attending the Child Welfare League of America (CWLA) National Conference, where child welfare leaders from across the country are coming together to share best practices and strengthen outco
Go Blue Day is here! Today, we wear blue to raise awareness for Child Abuse Prevention Month and to stand in solidarity with the most vulnerable youth in our community. The blue pinwheel is more than just a symbol—it represents a joyful, safe
This April, let’s do more than recognize the issue—let’s be part of the solution. 🔹 Share this post 🔹 Wear blue 🔹 Talk to your friends, colleagues, neighbors, and family 🔹 Support CASA Essex – become a volunteer or make a
This month we are spotlighting one of our dedicated volunteers: Robin Straus. She has spent over half a decade with us and has made a profound impact on the youth she has worked with. "Every question is meaningful when it comes to advocating fo
Our CASA volunteers are more than supporters—they are often the voice of the voiceless, standing up for children who’ve experienced abuse and neglect. CASA volunteers advocate for what every child deserves—safety, stability, and su
April is National Child Abuse Prevention Month — a time to raise awareness, support prevention efforts, and stand with children and families impacted by abuse and neglect. At CASA Essex, we work year-round to ensure that every child in foster c