Northern Home for Children Announces New Chairman of the Board

A new slate of officers was voted in at the Annual Meeting of Northern Home for Children. CEO Tracey Lavallias is completing his third year on the job and takes pride in the important work accomplished by the historic agency.

(Philadelphia, PA) – The Board of Trustees of Northern Home for Children elected William C. Morsell, a Senior Vice President for Keystone Mercy Health Plan to be Chairman of the Board. He replaces G. Bradley Rainer, an attorney with Reger, Rizzo & Darnall, LLP. Together with Mr. Morsell, the other officers elected for a two year term are Colette Kleitz, Director of Alumni and Parent Relations at Germantown Friends School as First Vice Chairman; Paul S. Rovner, Vice President for Finance and Administration at The Haverford Trust Company as Second Vice Chair; Thomas Sulpizio, Jr., CPA and Principal with EisnerAmper, LLP as Treasurer and Joshua M. Cohen, former Deputy Chief of Staff to Philadelphia City Councilman Curtis Jones as Secretary.

Trustees re-elected to new terms of office include Lesly Attarian, Public Space Programmer & Manager for the Center City District; Christopher J. Jud, CPA with EisnerAmper, LLP; Elizabeth Kane, CPA with KPMG LLP; Jesse Shafer, Vice President for Development and Alumni Relations at Philadelphia University; Brad Rainer, an attorney with Reger, Rizzo & Darnall, LLP; Paul S. Rovner, Vice President for Finance and Administration at The Haverford Trust Company and Thomas Sulpizio, Jr., CPA and Principal with EisnerAmper, LLP.

Mr. Morsell expressed his enthusiasm and excitement in leading the agency for the next two years. One of the highlights of his tenure will be the launching of a capital campaign to renovate Merrick Hall, the oldest building on the Northern Home six-acre campus in the Roxborough section of the city. The renovated building will serve an expanded Generations Program, serving teenage mothers and their very young children. The successful campaign will allow Northern Home to quadruple the number of mothers and babies it serves in its Generations Programs.

At the meeting last night, Mr. Lavallias stated that as he completes his third year as CEO, he is pleased with the accomplishments he has made at the agency and sees Northern Home for Children as a strong agency, providing quality service to nearly 3,000 children and families each year. He complimented his entire staff for working with him towards reaching the goals he has set for himself and for the agency.

Northern Home’s rich history in Philadelphia spans over 158 years. The agency’s mission is to foster the development of self confidence, resiliency and other life skills in at-risk children, youth and their families primarily through the provision of behavioral health, child welfare, and preventive services.

Prior to the Annual Meeting, Northern Home for Children held its annual Children’s Awards Ceremony, recognizing 61 of its current young consumers for the accomplishments they have achieved during the school year just ending. Awards are given out in the areas of Academic Excellence, Academic Improvement, Social Improvement as well as awards to graduates at the various school levels.

Northern Home Children for Children welcomes persons of all backgrounds into its programs and services and does not discriminate on the basis of race, age, sex, class, disability, religion, sexual orientation or national origin.

For further information on Northern Home for Children or to arrange for a tour of the campus, please call Donna Bolno (215) 482-1423 Ext. 1216 or email dbolno@northernhome.org.