Alumni Spotlight: Erica Fischer-Kaslander ’13 MA

Erica Fischer-Kaslander ’13 MA studied sociology in undergraduate school, with a plan to pursue a degree in law. But as graduation drew closer, a different vision began to form.

“Law school no longer felt like a good fit,” she says. “My internships and early career experiences were pointing me in a different direction. I wanted to contribute to the community in a more hands-on way.”

As a case manager with the Gift of Life Foundation-Rotary International District 7490, Fischer-Kaslander was the force behind the "Internet Lifeline" project that used internet technology to locate, acquire, screen and coordinate pediatric patients with high-risk congenital heart disease in developing nations. In 2000, the initiative was recognized as a Stockholm Challenge finalist, an international award program for innovative use of information technology.

Fischer-Kaslander brought her unique brand of dynamism to subsequent positions at Bethany Christian Services and Madison Adoption Associates, before taking on the most challenging role of her career: founding Passaic County Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA).

“We started from nothing,” she says, recalling her first days as the organization’s executive director.

That was in 2007. Since then, Fischer-Kaslander’s leadership has guided Passaic County CASA through exponential growth. In its 15 years of operation, the organization has advocated for more than 1,000 children and trained 440 volunteers who serve as champions for abused and neglected children.

“We currently have 150 active volunteer advocates,” Fischer-Kaslander notes. “As a result, since 2019 we have been able to serve 100 percent of the children who enter the foster care system in Passaic County. Typically, a child’s case is assigned to a CASA volunteer within two weeks of entering the system.”

Because of the strength of the Passaic County program, the organization can invest in ensuring a good match between child and CASA volunteer as well.

As Fischer-Kaslander’s responsibilities grew, so did her desire to expand her expertise. “Montclair’s master’s program in Child Advocacy and Policy, very new at the time, tied in perfectly with the work that I was doing.”

Fischer-Kaslander appreciated the program’s thoughtful course scheduling and the willingness of the faculty to accommodate students who were building careers while pursuing graduate study. “The professors were also working in the field, and in the community,” she says. “There was great crossover between school and career. I would see professors in class, and then again in the courthouse. It tied things together beautifully and gave me a solid foundation of both knowledge and professional relationships.”

Fischer-Kaslander enjoyed the close-knit, non-traditional class environment. “Since the program was so new, my first classes were in an old house at the edge of the campus,” she says. “The program quickly outgrew the building, but I really liked the cozy feel of that space.”

Fischer-Kaslander, an active volunteer herself who holds the honor of serving as the youngest president of the Paterson Rotary Club, returns to campus for workshops and conferences, and whenever possible she recruits interns from Montclair. And she has kept in touch with a few of her professors, who provide continuing education for her CASA staff and volunteers.

“Leading Passaic County CASA has been an amazing journey,” she says. “In the last two years alone, we have doubled our staff, and we launched the New Jersey Safe Babies Court Team, an initiative that uses the science of early childhood development to improve outcomes for infants, toddlers and families. The program is operating in three counties – Passaic, Essex and Hudson.”

“The program won a highly competitive five-year grant from the U.S. Health Resources and Services Administration,” Fischer-Kaslander adds. “We are continuing our focus on child advocacy, safety and well-being, while expanding our services in a holistic way through evidence-based processes.”

The Safe Babies Court Team initiative has also led to a deeper connection with Montclair through a partnership with the University’s Center for Autism and Early Childhood Mental Health. In fact, Dr. Gerry Costa, recently retired as director of the Center, has joined the Passaic County CASA board. “Having this level of expertise right in our backyard has been incredible,” she says.

Fischer-Kaslander is putting her education, her drive and her partnerships to good use, and it’s making an impact. In August she was included in the NJBIZ Forty Under 40 list, which recognizes 40 business men and women under the age of 40 for their notable successes and demonstrations of strong leadership in the state.

“The connections and professional relationships I formed at Montclair have been so important to my work, especially in my early career. When I began my graduate studies at the University, I never imagined I could be in the place I am today professionally, but now I couldn’t imagine it any other way.”