Board Members
John Braceland
Chair, Term III
Currently employed as President of JB Solutions, LLC., and serves as Managing Director of Graphic Arts Alliance. Former Board member of the Graphic Arts Association and facilitator for Forum Groups for the Young Presidents Organization. Past President of the Board of Trustees for Friends Association for the Care and Protection of Children and served as an active Board member for nine years. Completed the Chester County Leadership Connection course in 2007. Member of Birmingham Friends Monthly Meeting.
Duane M. Davis
Treasurer, Secretary Term III
Licensed Certified Public Accountant (CPA) and is a tax manager at a local accounting firm. Professional memberships included American Institute of Certified Public Accountants and Pennsylvania Institute of Certified Public Accountants.
Ellen C. Gilbert
Vice Chair, Term I
M.B.A. in Marketing & Finance from Villanova University, PA, and B.A.in History from Colgate University, NY. Retired from education, Westtown School, West Chester, Pa. Former Marketing and Communications at Johnson & Johnson and former Product Director at Personal Products Company, NJ. Vast retail and sales experience with various pharmaceutical organizations. Currently serving on the Board of Directors for Westtown School.
Susan Cusack
Term I
Ph.D. from University of the Sciences, M.B.A. and B.S.N. from West Chester University. Retired from Mercy Health System with extensive experience hospital management and clinical nursing leadership, project management and nurse academics. Currently serves on the Board of Trustees, School of the Holy Child, Advisory Board, St. Joseph’s University, West Chester University Advisory Board, Together for West Philadelphia Board and Executive Committee and Senior Scholar Thomas Jefferson Dept. of Health Policy.
John S. Cigler
Term III
B.S. from Widener University School of Business, PA. Currently serving as Director, Development, Children’s Beach House, Inc. Currently serves as a Board Member of Delaware County Workforce Development and member of Plein Air Brandywine Valley. Former Chairman of West Chester Human Relations Commission and currently serving as a volunteer.
Matt Davis
Term I
B.Arch from Virginia Tech and graduate of United Way of Chester County’s Leadership Chester County program. Cluster Branch Leader for Truist Bank in West Chester and Newtown Square. Former Secretary for the West Chester Historic and Architectural Review Board.”
Sony P. John
Term I
Doctor of Medicine from Medical University of Silesia, Poland, M.H.A. from St. Joseph’s University, and B.A. in Biology, Franklin and Marshall College, PA. Currently serves as a family physician for Penn Medicine, Kennett Square, PA. Former clinical instructor at Drexel Family Medicine. Former EMT with Good Fellowship Ambulance Company, West Chester.
Jolie B. Karp
Term I
Bachelor of B.A. in Accounting from Bryant College (Bryant University), Rhode Island. Currently a partner at a regional accounting firm including diversified client experience with privately held businesses in industries including distribution, manufacturing, non-for-profit, automobile dealerships, construction, employee benefit plan audits and professional service companies. An active member of the Pennsylvania Institute of Certified Public Accountants (PICPA), the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA), the Employee Benefit Plan Audit Quality Center, and Chairperson for the Women Influencing Business Committee of the Chester County Chamber of Business & Industry. Serves on the Board of Directors of the Wanda Bilec Foundation for Pancreatic Cancer Research since 2013 and has been the organization’s treasurer since 2015.
Angela Lavery
Term II
Currently working as an Assistant Professor in the Graduate Social Work Department and the Graduate Coordinator of the Certificate in Gerontology at West Chester University of PA. Memberships include the Council on Social Work Education, National Association of Social Workers, the Gerontological Society of America and the Association of Death Education and Counseling.
Don Lynn
Term I
B.S. from Bucknell University and JD from Dickinson School of Law, (Penn State Dickenson Law) Carlisle, PA. Serves as a Partner for a local law firm in Kennett Square specializing in Estate Planning and Administration, Real Estate and Business Law. Professional memberships include Chester County Bar Association and PA Bar Association.
Ron M. Madden
Term III
Retired executive experienced in the design and marketing of industrial water treatment systems. Currently a trustee at the West Chester Friends School. Past board memberships include the Brandywine Valley Association and the Bachelors Barge Foundation and the Marshallton Conservation Trust. Hobbies include field sports, gardening, and amateur rowing. Memberships include the Ardrossan Beagles and the Men’s Garden Club of Philadelphia. Member of Bradford Friends Monthly Meeting currently serving as clerk.
Marianne Pessognelli
Term I
M.B.A. at West Chester University and a B.S. from University of Delaware. Current role as a CFO executive for a Continuing Care Retirement Community located in Berks County, Pa. A former staff member of Barclay Friends who served as Controller before departing in 2013. Member and Treasurer for the Helping Harvest Food Bank.
Serita Spadoni
Term II
Serita briefly taught Spanish in the US and abroad, at both a college and secondary level. She also has project management experience in marketing communications as an interpreter and translator, editor, writer, instructor, event planner, various H.R. functions for international corporations. She served on a number of local and national boards, the most recent being Friends for Care and Protection of Children on the Executive, Marketing and Development, and Governance Committees. She is one of the founding members of Habitat for Humanity in Chester Country and served on Concordville Rotary. Completed Delaware Country Leadership Conference Program 2002. Currently serving as Clerk (chair) of the Meeting, chaired Oversight & Pastoral Care, Worship & Ministry, Peace & Social Concerns, Nominating and Religious Education Committees. Member of Birmingham Friends Monthly Meeting.
Nelson Wicas
Term II
Currently a Partner and Co-Founder of Redpoint Investment Management located in Newtown Square and offices in Australia. Former teacher and instructor at Haverford College, PA (finance and international finance) and University of Pennsylvania, PA (intermediate micro and macro-economics). Management experience is real estate properties. Member of the Willistown Friends Monthly Meeting.