CASA of New Hampshire is pleased to announce the recent appointment of Marcia J. Kelly, Malcom Perry, Brian M. Quirk, Chief Paul J. Smith and Patti Stolte to the Board of Directors.

 

Marcia J. Kelly

Marcia Kelly brings more than 30 years of experience to higher education administration and a background in nonprofit board and volunteer service. Prior to her retirement, she spent 17 years of her career at Dartmouth College, with her most recent role as secretary of the board of trustees. During her time at Dartmouth, she also served as the associate dean of the College for Administration and Development and director of undergraduate judicial affairs. She has her M.A. in higher education administration from Boston College. Marcia has also been involved with the New Hampshire Humanities Board since 2015, and served as board chair 2021-2023. See her full bio here.

 

Malcom Perry

Malcom Perry is the CEO of Derry Medical Center, the largest physician-owned practice in the state. He brings a record of exceptional leadership and strategic vision in the healthcare area. Beginning a career in long-term care, he has a passion for helping those who are most in need and working to improve access to healthcare for underserved communities.

A New Hampshire native, Mr. Perry was born in Rochester, New Hampshire, and attended both Boston University and the University of New Hampshire. From 1987 to 2004, he was a licensed nursing home administrator and worked in New Hampshire at several long-term care facilities before planning and opening 22 hospital-based skilled units in eastern Massachusetts. See his full bio here.

 

Brian M. Quirk

As a partner at Shaheen & Gordon, P.A., Brian Quirk focuses his practice on government investigations, white collar defense, civil litigation, and regulatory matters for individuals and corporations. His experience includes numerous high-profile trials and investigations, including first-degree murder trials, defense of multi-national corporations in securities and healthcare investigations, and other serious criminal and civil matters.

He has successfully briefed and argued numerous cases before the New Hampshire Supreme Court and has taught advanced appellate advocacy as an adjunct professor at the University of New Hampshire Law School, formerly known as Franklin Pierce Law Center.

Previously, he served as a senior assistant attorney general in the Homicide Unit and Criminal Justice Bureau of the New Hampshire Department of Justice, where he led homicide prosecutions. He also prosecuted white collar crimes and public integrity matters and represented the State of New Hampshire in civil matters in state and federal court. See his full bio here.

 

Chief Paul J. Smith

Chief Paul J. Smith has proudly served the Littleton Police Department since 1992, and has been Chief of Police since 2007. A lifelong resident of Littleton and a U.S. Army veteran, Chief Smith’s professional career has been rooted in public service, leadership, and a deep commitment to the well-being of his community.

Beyond his law enforcement duties, Chief Smith is actively engaged in a wide range of community service and volunteer efforts throughout Grafton County and the North Country region. He currently serves on the Board of Directors for Littleton Regional Healthcare and Northern Human Services, two critical institutions addressing health care and mental health needs in the region. He previously served on the Board of Directors for Advocates for Grafton County Mental Health Courts.

Chief Smith plays an ongoing role on both the Grafton County Superior Court Drug Treatment Court Team and the NH 2nd Circuit Court Littleton Division Mental Health Court Team, advocating for alternatives to incarceration through treatment and restorative support. He also serves as Director of the Grafton County Chiefs of Police Association, where he helps guide interagency collaboration and best practices in public safety. See his full bio here.

 

Patti Stolte

Patti Stolte has over 35 years of experience in administration and problem-solving across multiple areas, including in nonprofit agencies, marketing departments, and human service programs. Over the course of her extensive career, she has designed and implemented programs, managed resources and annual budgets, overseen contracts and compliance with the Department of Health and Human Services, and done orientation and training for several agencies. She has also managed annual grants from foundations and funding proposals to federal, state and local governments. Her knowledge includes all aspects of operations, finance and compliance for both nonprofit and for-profit businesses.

Most recently, she retired from her role as Executive Director of The Family Resource Center in Gorham, a nonprofit focused on building healthier families and stronger communities through positive relations, programs, and collaborations in the North Country of New Hampshire. Prior to leading The Family Resource Center, she was the Division Director for senior programming at Tri-County Community Action Programs. Other previous roles include Public Relations Director for the Mountain View Grand Resort, Executive Director of the Berlin Main Street Program, and Marketing Manager for the Zale Corporation. See her full bio here.

CASA of New Hampshire is delighted to welcome 18 new advocates from across the state. Congratulations to Melissa, Christopher, Lisa, Mike, Ed, Patty, Karen, Barrett, Bob, Linda, Mark, Lynne, Rebecca, Eileen, Joe, Roland, Deb and Michelle!

CASA of NH offers a variety of different trainings, including virtual, in-person and hybrid options. Starting July 1, an in-person training will be held in Concord, followed by two fall hybrid trainings that begin virtually and finish with in-person classes, also held in Concord. Those start on September 15 and October 1.

Those interested in applying can do so here, or please join us for a virtual information session to learn more about what it means to become an advocate. Information sessions are held twice a month and offer a chance to ask questions of both CASA of NH staff members and advocates.

Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) of New Hampshire is aware of the news that the U.S. Department of Justice has terminated National CASA/GAL’s federal grant awards.

CASA of New Hampshire’s funding, operations and ability to serve children are in no way affected by this termination. Although CASA of NH is a member organization of the National CASA/GAL Association and adheres to its standards, CASA of NH is a fully autonomous, independent 501(c)(3).

CASA of NH does not receive funding from National CASA.

Since our inception, CASA of NH has worked diligently to maintain a diverse funding base, which has contributed to its long-term success. CASA of NH receives funding from a variety of sources, including federal, state and local governments, private foundation grants, donations and fundraising.

We are still learning more about what this means for National CASA, but CASA of NH will continue to provide the same high level of advocacy to New Hampshire children who have experienced abuse and neglect.

CASA was recently featured in an article in NH Bar News about Family Treatment Court. You can read the full article here.

CASA Program Manager Alison Wheeler explains that CASA representatives, who play a critical role in FTC by advocating children’s best interests, attend every FTC session, ensuring children’s voices are heard in court and that their needs are met.

“It’s been an incredible thing to be a part of it,” says Wheeler. “From my perspective, having been at it for quite a while now, I just see how the model really helps parents break down their goals to make them more achievable, really helping them to get these quick wins, and motivating them to move forward. What I’ve observed is an important balance of compassion and support along with accountability and expectation.”