Ms. Shari VanderGast

Shari VanderGast, Esq serves as the Chief Operating Officer at Diakon, where she has worked since 2015. Prior to that, she was the President and Chief Operating Officer at Central Behavioral Health in Norristown, PA. She holds a bachelor’s degree from Cornell University, a master’s degree from Columbia University, and a juris doctorate from Temple University. Shari is the parent of a KU alum (Class of 2021) and, for the last eight years, has served as a field instructor for Kutztown University’s School of Social Work, mentoring both bachelor’s and master’s degree students. Shari serves as a school board director for the Palisades School District in Bucks County, PA, and on the board of directors for Prelude Services, an information technology company in central Pennsylvania.