CEO/Executive Director Summary

Kasey Gustaveson | CEO & Founder

At the heart of Kasey’s work is a deeply personal commitment to children and families. The Agnes Youth and Family Center was named in honor of her grandmother, Agnes, who was a significant and loving presence throughout Kasey’s childhood and who had a genuine love for children. Naming the organization after her grandmother was Kasey’s way of carrying that legacy of love forward while creating a place where children and families could feel supported, valued, and connected. Drawing on a background in social work, child development, and nonprofit leadership, Kasey helps emerging and established organizations transform ideas into sustainable programs and strong organizational systems.

Through her consulting work, Kasey provides strategic support in grant research and writing, funding development, grant calendars and tracking, and program design. Her approach combines mission-driven strategy with practical implementation, helping organizations identify the right funding opportunities, communicate their impact effectively, strengthen their infrastructure, and build relationships with funders and community partners. As the founder of the Agnes Youth and Family Center, Kasey brings firsthand experience to her work. She understands the realities of building a nonprofit from the ground up, from developing programs and securing funding to establishing partnerships, managing operations, and responding to the evolving needs of the communities served.

Kasey’s vision for the Center grew from her professional experiences working directly with children and families as a teacher, case manager, and counselor. Across these roles, she witnessed firsthand that families often need more than supportive services alone; they need strong foundations early in life. This realization brought Kasey back to her roots in early childhood education and her bachelor’s-level training in child development, while her continued education in social work strengthened her understanding of the complex needs of children and families. Her journey has shaped an integrated approach that connects early education, family support, and social-emotional development, with the long-term goal of helping children thrive from the very beginning.

Kasey is trained in trauma-informed practices and brings a trauma-informed lens to every part of the Center’s work. As part of staff onboarding, every team member is trained to recognize the signs of Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) and to understand what a trauma-informed approach means in practice, so that every child and family is met with safety, compassion, and understanding.

Meet Our Board

• Kasey Gustaveson is the President and Founder of the Agnes Youth and Family Center. She has a background in family and child counseling and case management. The center is named after her grandmother, who inspired her to give back to the community and pursue a career in social work.

• Kelly Zaky is a data manager for Goodwill of Western New York. She is also a graduate of the University at Buffalo, having earned both a Master’s degree in business administration and a Master’s degree in social work with a focus on social innovation and trauma-informed practice.

• Jamie Rosner is a project engineer with Viridi, a lithium-ion battery manufacturer on the East Side of Buffalo. He is also a graduate of the University at Buffalo, having earned both a bachelor's degree in electrical engineering and a master's degree in business administration.

• Vinette Folkes has over 30 years of social work experience and has helped create parenting programs for Buffalo Public Schools. She currently serves as the public coordinator for Forensic Assertive Community Treatment (FACT) programs for Endeavor Health Services.

• Carley Martha is a CPA with a background in forensic accounting. She runs her own independent accounting practice and has worked with non-profit organizations for the past 20 years.

• Mike Neal started as a salesman and went on to run professional networking groups. He has 30 years of experience, specializing in running and organizing networking groups throughout the country. He currently serves as the founder of Quality Contacts Networking Group in Western New York.

• Tamara Boyle is a Managing Partner of Linwood Guardian Risk Management, specializing in commercial insurance. She has worked in the insurance industry for over 36 years and has helped assist many non-profits with critical insurance needs.