Avondale >> Family Promise of Southern Chester County (FPSCC), a volunteer driven nonprofit committed to helping families experiencing homelessness regain their housing, employment and their independence, is proud to announce the appointment of five new board members to its Board of Directors.
Joining the Board are Phillip Duncan, Karen Eichman, Esq., Angela Emrich, Carol Lowe MSW, LSW, and Burton Rothenberger, PhD. “An organization is only as good as the people leading it,” stated Family Promise Board president, Reverend Annalie Korengel. “Our Board is a family of strategic thinkers and movers and shakers. We all wear many hats-from governance and fundraising to public relations and finance-and are willing to rollup our sleeves and do whatever it takes to get the job done.”
There are nearly 2.5 million children in the United States that experience homelessness each year. FPSCC works with Southern Chester County’s most vulnerable families to provide temporary housing, meals, and the support needed to turn their lives around…because every child deserves a home.
Phillip Duncan is Professor Emeritus of Psychology at West Chester University. He is cofounder and a member of the Board of Trustees of the Southeastern Pennsylvania Autism Resource Center (SPARC), where he served as Executive Director from 2007 to 2013. Mr. Duncan is an active member of St. Philips Lutheran Church in Wilmington, DE. He sings with the Brandywine Valley Chorale, and, fueled by his passion for nature, volunteers at Mt. Cuba Center, a botanical garden located in Hockessin, DE.
Karen Eichman, Esq. owns Eichman Law PLLC, located in West Grove, PA. Prior to establishing her law practice in 2012, Ms. Eichman served as the business manager for Kaolin Mushroom Farms. She is an active member of numerous associations including the local bar associations, American Mushroom Institute, Pennsylvania Farm Bureau, Rotary Club of Kennett Square and the Southern Chester County Chamber of Commerce. Eichman received numerous accolades ranging from “Volunteer of the Year 2012” (Southern Chester County Chamber of Commerce) to “Top Lawyers” in Labor Law, Main Line Today Magazine 2014 and 2015.
Angela Emrich brings to Family Promise her passion for causes relating to homelessness and poverty. She has devoted the past ten years volunteering extensively through Westminster Presbyterian Church to create, facilitate and implement programs and services to help the underprivileged. She shares her time and talents by serving on outreach and youth vision teams, mentoring youth, as well as spearheading donation collection activities for local non-profit organizations. Ms. Emrich’s civic engagement and commitment to making a difference in the community is represented by her volunteer work with Bridge of Hope, Church World Service and the West Chester Food Cupboard. She has over 15 years of experience in the financial sector as tax director for De Lage Landen and as tax senior for KPMG.
Carol Lowe is a licensed social worker with over 25 years experience leading, managing and supervising professional staff in social services. Ms. Lowe currently serves as executive director for New Life Youth and Family Services, a community-based program in West Chester, PA. Her vast and versatile experience in the non-profit sector includes program planning, crisis and case management, as well as volunteer management. She earned a Master of Science degree in Social Work from the University of Southern Mississippi.
Dr. Burton Rothenberger retired from Sunoco, Inc. in 1999 after 32 years in various technical positions. He served as Technical Manager of Sunoco’s Marcus Hook, PA, and Toledo, OH, refineries and as Director of Research & Development. Dr. Rothenberger is an advocate for affordable housing and has had a long association with Habitat for Humanity. He is a regular volunteer at Chester County Habitat’s ReStore in New Garden. An avid gardener and promoter of the use of native plants, Rothenberger volunteers at the Brandywine River Museum and Winterthur as a gardener. He earned a BS in chemical engineering at Lehigh University, a MS in chemical engineering at Carnegie Institute of Technology, and a MA and PhD in chemical engineering at Princeton University.
Family Promise of Southern Chester County slate of board members are: Reverend Annalie Korengel – President, Kimberly Zuleba – Vice President, Richard White – Secretary, Michael Bell – Treasurer, Wesley Bowers – Past President, Phillip Duncan, Karen Eichman, Esq., Angela Emrich, James Herr, Thomas Houghton, Esq., John Kriza, Carol Lowe, and Burton Rothenberger, PhD. Susan Minarchi is the executive director of Family Promise of Southern Chester County.
