KidsPeace | Customer Relations

Customer Relations

The KidsPeace Customer Relations Team serves as your resource to help connect kids and families with the best mental health care possible! Each expert on our team is available to you for on-site meetings and presentations as well as phone and e-mail communications. From our renowned KidsPeace Psychiatric Hospital for children, adolescents and young adults to our highly sought after Residential Treatment Programs, we are just a phone call (800-854-3123), fax (610-799-8900) or e-mail admissions@kidspeace.org away!

For verification of employment requests and tax-deferred annuity transfer forms, please call 610-799-8161

National Customer Relations Liaison
Chris Sylvester

Regional Customer Relations Liaison
Paul Iannacone

Regional Customer Relations Liaison
Jason Haller

NC Regional Customer Relations Liaison
Michele Chassner

National Customer Relations Liaison
Andrew Beard

director of Marketing

Ken Garavaglia

Ken Garavaglia has been with KidsPeace since 2000. Working as a Treatment Team Supervisor within our PA Residential Programs and all prior direct care experience with other organizations, has given him very good understanding of what is important for a family and youth to know when exploring the possibility of any services that are in the KidsPeace Continuum of Care. Ken later began to work for the Organizational Development and Training Department to prepare staff for the role in KidsPeace and teach existing staff new skills. Based upon his knowledge of programs and comfortability interacting with groups of people, he transitioned to a role in the Marketing Department as a Customer Relations Liaison. This led to his current role as Director of Marketing. Ken maintains a working territory of Lehigh and Northampton Counties in Pa. He oversees a team that is responsible for marketing our awesome programs and services to the entire United States and beyond.

What is the most interesting Christmas tree decoration you have ever owned? Christmas is my favorite and Halloween is a close second. As such, I have Lizzie Borden and Headless Horseman ornaments.

If you can only keep one of the following side dishes for this year’s holiday dinner, which one would it be? Creamed Pearl Onions, Green Bean Casserole, Jell-O Salad, or Mincemeat Pie? I have never had Mincemeat Pie and I would worry about cat food being in the Jell-O salad (if you have to ask which Christmas movie this references just move on), so I will play it safe with Green Bean Casserole.

What’s the strangest thing you have ever used/seen used for wrapping paper? Plain old newspaper, I mean you couldn’t even use the Sunday comics section?

Which of your Customer Relations coworkers would be the best department store Santa? My colleague Chris Sylvester seems like he would fit the part. He has the jovial attitude and since he lives in Maine with all the moose, it’s like he is practically related to all of the magical reindeer.

If you had to live in a Christmas holiday movie, which one would you choose? So many to choose from. I’m going with Fred Claus because Vince Vaughn is hilarious and I love the message he gives his brother (Santa) while filling in for him delivering gifts on Christmas Eve. He reminds Nick that most of the “naughty” kids aren’t bad, but good kids going through bad situations, and that every child deserves a gift on Christmas.

National Customer Relations Liaison

Chris Sylvester

Chris Sylvester has been with KidsPeace since 1992, gaining experience in a variety of roles at the Graham Lake Campus in Maine. In the fall of 2014, Chris moved into his current role as a National Customer Relations Liaison. He oversees the six New England states, New York, and most recently states across the U.S. northern tier extending to the West Coast. Having previous experience as an Admissions Manager, Chris has a good understanding of what is important for a family and youth when exploring the possibility of a residential placement.

What is the most interesting Christmas tree decoration you have ever owned? We purchased a very heavy hot dog ornament after the Red Sox won the World Series in 2004, then proceeded to hand paint ‘Boston Red Sox – World Series Champs 2004) on the side of the bun. I guess we associated the hot dog with a Fenway Frank, although it seems very strange now that I look back on it.

What’s the strangest thing you have ever used/seen used for wrapping paper? A couple of years ago, I purchased a kitchen island for my wife. While she was at work I assembled it. Realizing it would take a ridiculous amount of wrapping paper, I decided to go with one of those large blue plastic tarps. Classy? No. Effective? Yes.

Which of your Customer Relations coworkers would be the best department store Santa? Without a doubt, Ken Garavaglia would be a great Santa. He spends days, and I mean days, putting up lights and lawn decorations for the holidays. I believe he shared the story last year that a local news station actually did a live weather forecast from his house. With all that holiday cheer, seems like that would make him a shoe-in to be the perfect department store Santa.

If you had to live in a Christmas holiday movie, which one would you choose? Elf. Aside from getting to pal around with Buddy all the time, who wouldn’t want to have the ‘world’s best coffee’ each and every morning?

Regional Customer Relations Liaison

Paul Iannacone

Paul Iannacone has been with KidsPeace since June of 1996. After graduating from Penn State University, he started at KidsPeace in a direct care role in residential treatment. Paul advanced through several positions in direct care, including Mobile Support Staff and Assistant Treatment Team Supervisor. Paul later move into the Organizational Development & Training Department, as a Trainer and Senior Training and Development Specialist. In 2016, using his vast knowledge of KidsPeace and experience interacting with people, Paul made the transition to his current role as Regional Customer Relations Liaison. His current territory includes central and northeastern Pennsylvania and northern New Jersey.

What is the most interesting Christmas tree decoration you have ever owned? I have a bit of nostalgia for a little house my dad made that was used as the tree stand for our ugly 70s fake tree. The pole tree “trunk” stuck out from the chimney. There was even a working light in the house. I still have it today, but our trees don’t fit in it.

If you can only keep one of the following side dishes for this year’s holiday dinner, which one would it be? Creamed Pearl Onions, Green Bean Casserole, Jell-O Salad, or Mincemeat Pie? I’d be OK with getting rid of all of these. But the green bean casserole is Ok, so we can keep that.

What’s the strangest thing you have ever used/seen used for wrapping paper? We used to use the Sunday comics all the time, but I imagine a lot of people did that, so not that strange.

Which of your Customer Relations coworkers would be the best department store Santa? I’ve seen Ken and Chris be Santa before, so I’m going out of the box and saying I’d like to see Andrew or Jason. They would be the perfect “Santa is laying off the cookies for a while and getting more exercise!”

If you had to live in a Christmas holiday movie, which one would you choose? While I sometimes feel like I’m living in “Christmas Vacation” I wouldn’t mind living in Whoville for a while!

Regional Customer Relations Liaison

Jason Haller

Jason Haller began his role at KidsPeace in 2014 in the recreation department at our Orchard Hills campus, teaching clients coping skills and helping them to build recreational interests. He moved into a teaching role at our on-campus school and acted as co-facilitator of an experiential education program, “The Epiphany Project”. In summer of 2016, Jason left KidsPeace and took on the role of program coordinator for an international student exchange program (CCI) at Northampton Community College until 2020. He returned to KidsPeace as a part-time teacher later that year, and joined the Customer Relations team in 2021. His territory includes central and southeastern Pennsylvania and southern New Jersey.

What is the most interesting Christmas tree decoration you have ever owned? In the 90’s, there was a short-lived soft drink that had small superhero toppers to the bottle; it just so happened that the Spider-Man bottle topper also functioned well as a Christmas tree topper, and was used for many years as one. (alternative answer): A National Lampoon’s replica house from Hallmark that lighted up just as obnoxiously as Clark W. Griswold’s House.

What’s the strangest thing you have ever used/seen used for wrapping paper? A plastic shopping bag from Giant. I know… it’s depressing.

Which of your Customer Relations coworkers would be the best department store Santa? To me, the most qualifying attribute of a Santa, sans the beard, is a hearty laugh… Therefore, I’d say that the best department store Santa would be me! Because I can laugh obnoxiously heartily.

If you had to live in a Christmas holiday movie, which one would you choose? Batman Returns. I mean, come on… To live in a world where Batman is not only real, but is also Michael Keaton? That’d be a Christmas miracle unto itself.

NC Regional Customer Relations Liaison

Michele Chassner

Michele Chassner has been with KidsPeace since May 2022 as the Regional Customer Relations Liaison. She oversees North Carolina’s Cumberland, Durham, Johnston, and Wake counties, which are serviced by The Hope Center for Youth and Family Crisis. Since graduating from the State University of New York at Cortland with a major in Sociology and a concentration in Psychology, Michele has established an extensive history in the human service field, particularly the not-for-profit sector. With The Hope Center’s services being so important and necessary, Michele will ensure that their light is shone throughout the entire community through fostering public awareness and providing educational information to the public.

What is the most interesting Christmas tree decoration you have ever owned? A Jewish Star. I am Jewish, but always celebrate Christmas as well!

What’s the strangest thing you have ever used/seen used for wrapping paper? Dollar bills- and I was jealous seeing it.

Which of your Customer Relations coworkers would be the best department store Santa? Ken – He could spread the “jolly” season cheer.

If you had to live in a Christmas holiday movie, which one would you choose? The Polar Express of course!

National Customer Relations Liaison

Andrew Beard

Andrew Beard joined KidsPeace in September 2022 as a National Customer Relations Liaison. He oversees Maryland, Virginia, West Virginia and Delaware, as well as, the states across the southern tier of the U.S. extending to the West Coast and Hawaii. While attending Shippensburg University, where he received degrees in History and Psychology, Andrew entered into the Human Services Field and has held a myriad of roles ranging from direct care and case management to hospital and provider relations. With this experience, he will interface and educate families and providers regarding the multitude of services KidsPeace offers with a focus on Residential Treatment.

What is the most interesting Christmas tree decoration you have ever owned? Homer Simpson Donut

What’s the strangest thing you have ever used/seen used for wrapping paper? Time Magazine pages

Which of your Customer Relations coworkers would be the best department store Santa? Ken

If you had to live in a Christmas holiday movie, which one would you choose? Home Alone

Hospital 1:11

KidsPeace Children’s Hospital is a one-of-a-kind hospital, dedicated solely to healing and addressing the unique mental and behavioral health care needs of children and young adults experiencing severe crises. The 120-bed hospital is located in Orefield, Pa., on the Orchard Hills Campus, a safe, secure countryside setting of more than 260 acres.

Residential 1:40

KidsPeace programs include state-of-the-art-counseling and therapeutic services that use art, music, recreation, puppetry and drama to encourage creativity and expression, which in turn help to promote healing and restore a child’s belief in his ability to triumph over adversity and become healthy and whole again.