Broadcasting Success
November 24, 2025
Transforming a House into a Home:
Meet Laura Janson & Ed Stasen
Maintaining the ABC residence—two 100-year-old buildings housing ten scholars and four house staff members. With 12 bedrooms, multiple bathrooms, two kitchens, and constantly used common spaces, the upkeep could overwhelm anyone. But for Laura and Ed, caring for this home is more than a task. It’s a steadfast commitment to making a difference. Together, they have transformed a worn, aging property into a warm, functional, and beautiful home where scholars feel safe, supported, and proud to live.
Bringing Vision and Heart into Every Room
Laura Janson
Since joining ABC leadership in 2015, Laura has helped modernize the organization, but her biggest impact began when she took over Buildings & Grounds. With her design background, she launched a top-to-bottom refurbishment of both houses—redoing every room, selecting every piece of furniture, and creating spaces that feel welcoming and well-maintained.
She began with all 12 bedrooms to ensure families felt confident leaving their children in a welcoming space. She redesigned the living room and led a full renovation of the Carriage House kitchen. Visiting alumni were so impressed by the transformation that they exclaimed, “It looks like the Property Brothers were here!”
Her next dream project is the Main House kitchen, the “big kahuna.” For Laura, the motivation is deeply personal: “The needs of the house matched my talents. I know how to do this. And when I’m needed, it feels good.”
Whenever she hears alumni speak about how their lives have changed, she says, “It brings a tear to my eye.”
Maintenance, Care, and Dedication in Action
Ed Statsen
Ed’s involvement began with a belief in the ABC mission—one he remembered from his own high school. To him, “houses are living beings,” especially one full of active teenagers. He handles everything from replacing doorknobs and light bulbs to tackling plumbing repairs, yard work, and bathroom renovations, Ed has done it all. He’s the go-to troubleshooter—figuring out why one room is freezing because a fan isn’t blowing hot air, or why the water bill suddenly spiked due to a running toilet.
Like Laura, he dreams of a full kitchen renovation. “It would be a huge accomplishment,” he says. “The reward would be seeing the kids enjoy the new space.”
Through his ABC volunteering, he recalls, “It takes a village to raise a family,” noting that the ABC family includes ten scholars and four house staff members including a resident director and resident tutors. He encourages the community to get involved, adding, “Whatever your skill set, it will be needed.”
He continues to return year after year because he sees the transformation in the scholars—from tentative freshmen to confident seniors and emerging leaders. And through his service, he models for his own children that “helping others will make you a better person.”
Ed has added Board Treasurer to his long list of Radnor ABC contributions. Intimately knowing the house and its needs is a large component of this role, and his expertise in finance and handiwork helps make the impact of donation dollars go further when it comes to maintaining the home.
