Ms. Shari VanderGast

Shari VanderGast, Esq, serves as the President & CEO at Diakon, where she has worked since 2015. Before 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.