Leadership and Staff

Leadership and staff

Executive Director

Ashley McSwain

LGSW, msod

Ashley McSwain is the current Executive Director for CFLS and a recognized expert in women's reentry. Prior to joinging CFLS, Ms. McSwain served as Executive Director for Our Place DC, a nonprofit providing programming and resources to currently and formerly incarcerated women in the D.C area. Ms. McSwain is a licensed Social Worker in the state of Maryland and the District of Columbia, and holds a Master of Social Work from Temple University, a Master of Organizational Development from American University, and a Bachelors in Criminal Justice from Temple University. She is a member of the adjunct faculty at Catholic University in the Graduate School of Social Work and is certified as a domestic violence counselor. Ms. McSwain served as Deputy Director for a Pennsylvania-based nonprofit for ten years, overseeing five shelters, three transitional housing programs, four food pantries, a first-time home buyer program, and a Homeowner Emergency Assistance Program (HEMAP). She has worked in the human services field for more than twenty-five years.

Housing and Wellness Director

Shena Mcfadden

Manages all housing services and property management for CFLS. Ms. McFadden has a strong background in the human service field, with over a decade of experience working with the homeless and mentally ill. Previously, she worked as the director of a mental health program in Cleveland, Ohio, and has experience providing mental health and housing case management as well as individual counseling and group therapy. Ms. McFadden graduated in 2011 from Capella University with a Master’s degree in Counseling Studies and is currently working towards her Ph.D. in Community and Social Services. Contact Shena McFadden at Smcfadden@cflsdc.org or (202) 864-6234

Research, Evaluation & Professional Development Director

Maeesha Saeed

LGSW

Manages the research initiatives, quality improvement efforts and all activities related to staff professional development. Ms. Saeed is a licensed Social Worker in the District of Columbia and after completing her undergraduate education from Earlham College with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Human Development Social Relations and a minor in Psychology, she worked as a Victim Support Officer at the Prosecutor General’s Office. As the Victim Support Officer, she worked closely with children who had been victims of child abuse and helped families navigate the criminal justice system. Ms. Saeed went on to pursue her Master of Social Work degree from University of Pennsylvania and started working with CFLS in 2014, right after graduation. She has experience managing multiple social service programs and has a passion for innovative programming informed by data and research. Contact Maeesha Saeed at Msaeed@cflsdc.org or (202) 864- 6300

Reentry and Victim Services Director

Katherine sponaugle

Katherine Sponaugle oversees our reentry and victim services, Speakers Bureau, and Drop-In Center. Katherine’s interest in the criminal justice system began in Buffalo, NY, where she assisted returning citizens in starting their own nonprofits and mentoring programs. She earned a Master’s in Criminal Justice from Boston University. Katherine authored essays about individuals’ reentry experiences in the photo-essay documentary, Coming Home: Reentry After Incarceration. She has been with Community Family Life Services since January 2018. Contact Katherine Sponaugle at Ksponaugle@cflsdc.org or (202) 864-6310

Supportive Programs Director

Michelle Holmes

MPH

Ms. Holmes began her work with the prison population in 2004 as a contractor at the D.C. Department of Corrections, working as a program analyst in the Mental Health/Substance Abuse department. She has coordinated and managed operating budgets and invoices for the United States Probation Office, Court Services and Offender Supervision Agency and Federal Bureau of Prisons. Ms. Holmes obtained her Master degree in Public Health from Walden University and is certified as a Comprehensive Soldier & Family Fitness Resilience Trainer. Contact Michelle Holmes at

Mholmes@cflsdc.org or (202) 864-6308