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About Us
The Foundation is comprised of a group of township residents who value the school district’s excellent reputation and wishes to enhance the district’s curriculum and extra-curricular activities with privately funded innovative enrichment programs. The Foundation is an independent, tax-exempt 501(c)(3) organization that works closely with the school district, faculty and students.
Meet Our Board of Directors
PRESIDENT Ellen Kranick
As a communications and marketing consultant, Ellen Kranick has been responsible for driving growth for financial services, benefits consulting, and non-profit organizations. A member of the HTSDEF board since 2016, she led the fundraising committee, and managed ongoing projects including Legacy Books for HTSD staff and Lauer’s Library Lions Book Drives. Previously, she chaired Chatham Park Elementary School’s Young Writers Day program, and she served on the marketing committee for Hope Partnership for Education, a north Philadelphia independent education center that seeks to break the cycle of poverty. As a Junior Achievement adjunct faculty member, she delivered personal finance and professional development programs to high school students. Ellen and her husband Paul are parents of two sons, one a current student at Haverford High School and the other a graduate of Haverford Township High School. Ellen has a B.A. in Communications from the University of Scranton.
SECRETARY Michelle Collier
After volunteering at the Foundation’s Twilight Run, Michelle found an organization to which she could bring her talents and energy. An owner of Performance Fitness, a small gym community in Wynnewood, Michelle teaches women and men to build strength in the gym so they can be strong in every aspect of their lives. In her previous career she was a professional opera singer. Prior to that she worked as a music therapist in nursing homes and mental health facilities throughout the Philadelphia area. Michelle values volunteering and holds charity and community as both personal and business core values. Michelle has a B.A. in Music Therapy from Montclair State University and a Master’s of Music in Opera Performance from the Boston Conservatory. She is the proud mom of a son who attends school in the district.
Treasurer Bill Derbyshire
Bill is the Treasurer of our board. He has spent his career in finance, accounting and operations in the Philadelphia area. His volunteer career includes work with St. Denis, Haverford Blaze Lacrosse and the Karakung Swim Club. He earned an MBA in finance at LaSalle and a bachelor’s degree in management from Holy Family College. Passionate about financial literacy for youth, he hopes to help our students gain important life skills. Bill and his wife Linda have four Haverford High graduates.
Jim Blumenstock
Kate Callahan
Kate Callahan is the Executive Director of Research for Action (RFA), a Philadelphia-based education research organization. Kate has over 15 years experience leading national research projects, examining issues of equity, access, and success in the K-16 educational pipeline, and regularly teaches research and evaluation courses for the Department of Education Policy and Leadership at Cabrini University and more recently for Temple University’s Master of Public Policy program. Prior to joining RFA, Kate worked as a teacher in the School District of Philadelphia, served as an Associate Director of the A Better Chance, Inc. program in Lower Merion, Pennsylvania, and provided professional support to teachers in a community-based education, health, and wellness center in La Paz, Bolivia. Kate has a Ph.D. and Masters in Urban Education from Temple University and bachelor’s degree from Franklin and Marshall College. Kate and her husband, Dennis (HHS Class of ’92), have five children: four currently attending Haverford schools and one Haverford graduate attending Drexel University.
Ellen Fisher (FOUNDING MEMBER, PAST PRESIDENT)
Ellen contributes her considerable talents as a business entrepreneur. Ellen is the Executive Director of the Young Entrepreneurs Academy, a groundbreaking and exciting year-long class that transforms middle and high school students into real, confident entrepreneurs. She is also the founder of the Women’s Yellow Pages of Greater Philadelphia, a directory of women-owned businesses and services. As founder and past president of The National Association of Women’s Yellow Pages (now the Women’s Regional Publications of America), she guided the
development of similar directories throughout the United States. Locally she co-founded the Women’s Business Enterprise Center East, which has assisted thousands of women in business over the years. Active in many small business organizations, Ms. Fisher was recognized in 2003 as one of Pennsylvania’s Best 50 Women in Business. She has twice served as a delegate to the White House Conference on Small Business. Ms. Fisher is the recipient of many other awards including the Athena Award given by the Delaware County Chamber of Commerce, the Women in Business Advocate Award from the Greater Philadelphia Chamber of Commerce, and Women in Business Advocate of the Year by the U.S. Small Business Administration. She currently serves on the Library Foundation of Delaware County and the Haverford Area YMCA Board of Advisors. Ms. Fisher’s two children attended the Haverford Township schools. She is a graduate of Haverford High School and Pennsylvania State University and lives in the house she grew up in.
STEVE KARPINSKI
Steve Karpinski brings to the board a variety of experience in education and business. Steve is a long time Havertown resident and graduated from Haverford High School. He attended West Chester University and graduated with a BA of Science in Math Education. He was a 7th grade math teacher at Drexel Hill Middle School for 3 years and the assistant baseball coach. Steve is currently a real estate agent on The Tom Toole Sales Group at RE/MAX Main Line and owns a real estate investing company. Steve played ice hockey for the JR. Flyers and also volunteered with USA Hockey for the paralympic sled hockey tournament.
TARA KLICK
Lisa Lacianca
Lisa Lacianca is an attorney with a wide array of experience as well as lifelong Haverford Township ties. She is currently an Assistant Court Administrator with the Delaware County Court of Common Pleas as well as an Adjunct Professor at Widener University School of Law. Before that, she was a Magisterial District Judge in Haverford Township for 18 years, which has imbued her with a keen understanding of issues facing both the township and its youth. For many years she educated our youth as a frequent lecturer through student programming, mock trials and field trips. She has been of counsel at The Weber Firm as an attorney since 2014 and initially began her legal career at the law firm of Blank Rome where she was a commercial litigator. A Haverford High School graduate, Lisa earned her bachelor’s degree from Cornell University, and her law degree from Temple University School of Law. She is a trained mediator and has been a volunteer income tax preparer with the IRS VITA program. Lisa and her husband Mark, (a public-school educator) have three children, two who currently attend Haverford High school, and one HHS graduate who currently attends the University of Pittsburgh.
Jennifer Leith
James Liou (Past President)
Catherine Mallam
Catherine Mallam is co-chair of Haverford’s School Counseling Department and brings to the board over thirty years’ experience as a school counselor at Chatham Park. She is a Certified Trauma Practitioner through the National Institute for Trauma and Loss in Children, and speaks to parents and educators at public and independent schools in the Philadelphia region about children’s friendships, ADHD/executive functioning skills, and childhood anxiety. Catherine serves on Chatham Park’s equity, leadership, and crisis teams; is the Pupil Services Representative for the Haverford Township Education Association (HTEA); and volunteers for the Ardmore Food Pantry. Previously, she served on the district’s strategic planning, communications, and special education advisory committees. Catherine earned a Bachelor of Science in Psychology at William Smith College and a Master of Science in Education from the University of Pennsylvania. She has two daughters, both of whom are Haverford graduates.
Dr. Maureen Reusche
Dr. Maureen Reusche has over 25 years of experience in public education and was appointed Superintendent of the School District of Haverford Township on July 1, 2015. Before coming to Haverford in 2015, Dr. Reusche served four years as the superintendent of Cherry Hill Public Schools. Prior to that, Dr. Reusche served as Cherry Hill’s Assistant Superintendent from 2007 through 2011. She served in the Radnor Township School District for 12 years in the roles of Principal, Director of Curriculum and Technology, and Assistant Superintendent.
Dr. Reusche earned a Bachelor of Science in Education from Villanova University, a Masters of Technology in Education from Rosemont College and her Doctorate in Educational Administration from Widener University. She resides with her family in Media.
Dr. Maureen Reusche is superintendent of the School District of Haverford Township.
Partheev Shah
JENNIFER SHERIDAN
Jennifer Sheridan is the music teacher and choral director at Coopertown Elementary School in the Haverford Township School District. She has been teaching music for 21 years. Jennifer is a graduate of the University of Scranton, earned a Master of Arts degree in theatre from Villanova University, and a Doctorate in educational leadership from Immaculata University. Jennifer has presented at national, state, and local professional development conferences, as well as, for teacher workshops throughout the country and in teacher training programs in universities. She has served as the President of the Philadelphia Area Orff Schulwerk Association, a music education organization providing professional development in the Greater Philadelphia Area. Jennifer also served as the Local Conference Co-Chair for the 2016 American Orff Schulwerk Association National Professional Development Conference.
Lauren Stevenson Yacina
WILL WALSH
Will Walsh was appointed to the Board in 2023. The majority of Will’s career has been spent in the design and product strategy space where he is focused on delivering best-in-class digital products and client experiences. Will serves as Sr. Manager of user experience at Vanguard. He lives in Havertown with his wife and three kids, all of whom have attended school in the Haverford School District. Will is excited to share his expertise and thought leadership with the board and offer innovated ideas and approaches to advance the foundation for the future of our teachers, students and administrators.
Student Representatives
Paige Elcock • Spencer Mark • Daijah Marshall • Emma McDermott • Kerry McGuire • Jake Volpe • Jeffrey Yue
