National Immigrant Powerhouse CASA Names George Escobar as Executive Director
Seasoned Leader to Guide CASA into New Era of Immigrant Justice and Community Empowerment

By PRESS OFFICER
CASA

HYATTSVILLE, Md. (Nov. 13, 2025)—National immigrant powerhouse organization CASA proudly announces the appointment of George Escobar as its new executive director effective on January 1, 2026. A visionary and strategic leader with more than two decades of experience advancing immigrant justice, public health, housing, and workforce development, Escobar brings both deep institutional knowledge and a bold vision for CASA’s future.

Escobar succeeds Gustavo Torres, whose 34 years of transformative leadership built CASA from a small local initiative into a national powerhouse for immigrant rights, with 189,000 members across multiple states.

“To be entrusted with leading CASA at this critical juncture is the greatest honor of my life,” said George Escobar. “Our movement faces unprecedented challenges and unmatched opportunities to grow, protect, and transform. Guided by the wisdom and resilience of our members, I believe we can emerge stronger, more united, and more impactful than ever before.”

A bilingual (English/Spanish) leader, Escobar has served CASA for 14 years most recently as Chief of Programs and Services, where he oversaw a team leading legal assistance, workforce development, education, and public benefits initiatives. Under his leadership, programs have expanded to serve tens of thousands of
 
immigrants annually in Maryland, Virginia, Pennsylvania, and Georgia. During his tenure, CASA has become one of the largest and most successful regional providers of legal, health and workforce services, assisting tens of thousands of working-class CASA members secure employment opportunities, become certified in a trade, apply for health benefits, defend their rights in court and attain citizenship, among many other services. All the while under his leadership, CASA developed a powerful impact litigation arm that has secured a number of landmark victories in the federal courts defending deferred action for childhood arrivals (DACA), temporary protected status (TPS), the U.S. Census, birthright citizenship, and more. He is a nationally recognized spokesperson on immigrant justice, with interviews in MSNBC, CNN, Univision, Telemundo, among others.

Escobar’s deep roots in the immigrant rights movement and the fight for social justice were shaped by the lived experiences of his family which immigrated to the US from México. George’s father first arrived in the US as a bracero, working in the fields of California before continuing on to a union food services job with the Union Local 11 in Los Angeles. Escobar grew up in South Gate, California, in Southeast Los Angeles before arriving in the DC metro area in 2001. Previously, Escobar held leadership roles with the DC Mayor’s Office on Latino Affairs, the National Alliance for Hispanic Health, and the Latino Economic Development Corporation, as well as international service with the U.S. Peace Corps in Tanzania. His career reflects a lifelong commitment to racial, social, and economic equity and to building institutions that are accountable to the communities he serves.

Escobar will launch his tenure with a forward-looking agenda that balances immediate defense of immigrant communities with long-term transformation. Key priorities include strengthening our integrated organizing, services, and advocacy model; building a national institute for political education rooted in popular education traditions; and expanding sustainable funding and leadership development.

“Our success will not be measured by our survival alone, but by lasting progressive change in our members’ lives,” Escobar shares. “The future of CASA and of our movement depends on our ability to lead with courage, clarity, and the collective wisdom of our people.”

Gustavo Torres, CASA’s retiring executive director praised the appointment, sharing, “George Escobar is exactly the leader CASA needs at this moment. His deep understanding of our organization, their unwavering commitment to immigrant justice, and their visionary leadership will ensure that CASA continues to be a beacon of hope and power for generations to come.”

Escobar’s leadership marks the organization’s new chapter that is rooted in continuity with its founding values and inspired by the belief that immigrant communities are central architects of America’s progressive future.

With over 189,000 lifetime members across 46 US states, CASA is a national powerhouse organization building power and improving the quality of life in working-class: Black, Latino/a/e, Afro-descendent, Indigenous, and Immigrant communities. CASA creates change with its power-building model blending human services, community organizing, and advocacy in order to serve the full spectrum of the needs, dreams, and aspirations of members.

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Educational Systems Federal Credit Union Promotes Antionette Morton to Senior Vice President/Chief Financial Officer

By PRESS OFFICER
ESFCU

GREENBELT, Md. (Nov. 14, 2025)—Educational Systems Federal Credit Union is proud to announce that Antionette Morton has been promoted to Senior Vice President/Chief Financial Officer (SVP/CFO). In this role, Morton will lead the Finance and Accounting departments and advance the Credit Union’s financial strategy and member value.

Morton began her career at Educational Systems FCU in 2004 as a part-time accounting intern and progressed through roles of increasing responsibility across accounting and finance leadership. She has guided and supported major initiatives—including accounts payable and general ledger platform upgrades, a core conversion, mergers and the transition to the Current Expected Credit Losses (CECL) accounting model—and has contributed to the organization’s growth from $194 million to $1.3 billion in assets during her tenure.

“Antionette is a mission-driven leader whose expertise and integrity strengthen the organization,” said Girado Smith, President/CEO of Educational Systems FCU. “Her deep institutional knowledge and collaborative approach will continue to enhance financial stewardship and support strategic priorities.”

Morton holds both Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees, is a Certified Fraud Examiner (CFE), a Certified Credit Union Manager (CCM) and has completed leadership
 
programs including Leadership Essentials and the Rosemary Brinkley C-Level Leadership Development Program. She is a past MD|DC Credit Union Association Emerging Leader Award recipient and a CUES Top Finalist and served as the inaugural Chairperson of the Credit Union’s Culture Committee.

Reflecting on how that experience shapes her new role, Morton noted three takeaways: “First, establishing and communicating a clear vision from the start is a must. Second is that not every idea is a home run—learn, adjust and be ready to pivot. Third is to recognize that when the right people are in the right seats, momentum follows. Those lessons from the Culture Committee directly contribute to how I’ll lead in the CFO role.”

Educational Systems Federal Credit Union has proudly served the education community since 1955. With $1.3 billion in assets and 13 branches, the Credit Union serves over 90,000 members of the education community including school employees, students, parents and individuals working for education-related organizations. For more information, visit www.esfcu.org

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