SACF President and CEO Celebrates 10 Years of Leadership On Wednesday, June 15, the Scranton Area Community Foundation Board of Governors recognized Laura Ducceschi for 10 years of service at the Foundation, serving in the executive leadership role as the Foundation’s President and CEO since 2012. Over the past 10 years, Ducceschi has led the Foundation, which works to create stronger, healthier communities across Northeastern Pennsylvania through organized philanthropy. “During the course of the past decade, the Scranton Area Community Foundation has seen tremendous growth under her leadership, nearly quadrupling the charitable assets under Foundation management,” stated Barbara O’Hara, Esq., Scranton Area Community Foundation’s Board Chair. “Laura has effectively and successfully led and grown the Foundation in terms of programs established, partnerships formed, charitable funds initiated, donors engaged, grants and scholarships awarded and so much more.” The Scranton Area Community Foundation has granted over $25 million in funding under Ducceschi’s leadership to support programs and projects that enhance the quality of life for people in the Lackawanna County region and beyond. In her role,Ducceschimanages over 270 charitable funds and two separate private foundations, which in total exceed nearly $95 million. Ducceschi also led the first-ever NEPA Gives, a collaborative effort with other regional foundations which in three years has raised nearly $3 million dollars for nonprofit organizations in only 72 hours. “Laura helps to guide the philanthropic initiatives of those in our community, helping them to make a real difference in the quality of life in Northeastern PA,” stated David Price, Scranton Area Community Board Treasurer. “Transparency, ethics, and innovation are central to Laura’s leadership style. During her tenure, the Foundation was twice reaccredited at the highest standards for excellence in Community Foundations from the Council on Foundations, which is a national organization.” “Laura has spearheaded many impactful regional initiatives aimed at catalyzing change. These include The Center for Community Leadership and Nonprofit Excellence, which has provided cutting-edge training and education opportunities to hundreds of nonprofit leaders and employees; Women in Philanthropy, which provides thousands of dollars in direct funding to help transform the lives of local women, girls, and their families; NEPA Moves; The NEPA Animal Welfare Collaborative; the NEPA Health Care Foundation Scholars Program; and the Careers in Care Health Workforce Program, all to benefit surrounding communities,” O’Hara added. “In her 10 years of service, Laura has transformed the Scranton Area Community Foundation into a state of the art change agent for our community. Without a doubt, our area is a better place to live because of her vision and drive,” stated Dave Hawk, who chaired the Search Committee when Ducceschi was hired and was Chair of the Board the year Ducceschi began in her role in 2012. “Congratulations, Laura, on 10 years of work. I can only imagine the wonderful things that will happen over the next 10 years,” he added. “Under Laura’s leadership in 2020, the Scranton Area Community Foundation was one of the first foundations in the country to create a COVID-19 Response Fund, which raised and distributed more than $1.4 million through 183 grants to nonprofit organizations, many of which serve as the safety net in Northeastern Pennsylvania, providing food, shelter and resources to the most vulnerable members of our communities,” stated Maggie Martinelli, the Scranton Area Community Foundation’s Vice President of Administration and Projects. Ducceschi has an MBA in Organizational Management from Drexel University’s Lebow College of Business; an MA in Communication from the Annenberg School of Communication at the University of Pennsylvania; and a BA in Communication from the University of Scranton, where she graduated summa cum laude. She completed her Chartered Advisor in Philanthropy (CAP) certification from the American College of Financial Services and is a Certified Fundraising Executive (CFRE). Laura has a Certificate in Change Management from Cornell University, a Certificate in Design Thinking from Harvard University, a Certificate in Nonprofit Board Governance Consulting from BoardSource, and is a Certified Lean Six Sigma Green Belt. Ducceschi received the Oustanding Fundraising Professional Award from the Association of Fundraising Professionals- NEPA Chapter in 2021; the Excellence in Diversity Award from Penn State University-Scranton in 2019; the Executive Mentorship Award from the Allan P Kirby Center at Wilkes University in 2018, and was recognized as a top 25 Women in Business from the NEPA Business Journal in 2015. She will be honored with the Founder’s Award at Meals on Wheels Mix and Mingle event in September, 2022. She serves as a member of the Geisinger Advisory Board, a Trustee of the Schwartz-Mack Foundation, a Trustee on the Scranton Life Board, and is on the NEPA Grantmakers Steering Committee. Ducceschi has also contributed to reports and publications aimed at understanding how equitable economic impact is best achieved in small to medium sized cities. “We are proud of all Laura has accomplished in the community as the President and CEO of the Scranton Area Community Foundation over the past ten years and look forward to continued growth, community impact, and stability under her leadership,” added O’Hara. The Scranton Area Community Foundation looks forward to beginning the process of moving into its permanent home at the Century Club of Scranton building located at 612 Jefferson Avenue, Scranton, later this year. The Scranton Area Community Foundation has been a trusted community partner since 1954, serving the people of the region by working in partnership with donors to transform lives. The Foundation offers a wide variety of charitable planning tools such as charitable gift annuities, scholarship funds, donor-advised funds, and charitable trusts to help donors maximize the impact of their charitable giving to causes and charities they care about. To learn more about the Scranton Area Community Foundation, visit safdn.org or contact Brittany Pagnotti, Communications Manager of the Scranton Area Community Foundation at 570-347-6203.
Leadership U Applications Open Leadership Lackawanna, the Chamber’s premier community leadership and professional development affiliate, has opened applications for its Leadership U program – in partnership with Penn State Scranton. Leadership U is a three-credit college summer course for high school students called Effective Speech. Participants will gain leadership and community engagement skills in the areas of communication and public speaking. The course aims to provide participants with the confidence and expertise to engage in public speaking, use S.T.E.A.M. to empower students to take thoughtful risks, and use historical awareness and appreciation to provide an understanding of our region’s past, present, and future while developing financial literacy skills and college/career preparation. Leadership U applications are open to high school juniors and seniors, charter school, and homeschooled students with a GPA of 3.0 or higher. The cost of the program is $400. Limited scholarships are available. Deadline to apply is May 4. Leadership U is scheduled to be held in person at Penn State Scranton, every Wednesday from June 29 to August 10 from 1:00-3:15 p.m. Upon successful completion of Leadership U, participants receive three college credits to Penn State for a general education, 100 level class which are transferable to most institutions. Apply through May 4 at www.LeadershipLackawanna.com. APPLY
Kim Drumgo – EMPOWER Conference Speaker Chief Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Officer, Geisinger Health System Presentation: Inclusive Companies and Communities The last two years has caused significant shifts in the workplace, demographically and interpersonally. Now more than ever, organizations are grappling with the effects of the “Great Resignation” and are competing for talent locally and nationally. In this session, Kim will provide insight into how companies and the communities they serve can increase resilience and aptitude for change, attract talent, grow engagement, and allow for better relationships between people from different perspectives and experiences. Bio: Kim Drumgo, MBA, is the chief diversity, equity, and inclusion officer for Geisinger, an integrated health services organization that serves more than 3 million residents through 45 counties in central, south-central, and northeast Pennsylvania with over 24,000 employees. In her role at Geisinger, Kim provides strategic leadership and support of DEI programs across the health system. Her current focus areas include fostering inclusive cultures, talent attraction and growth, community health equity, and supplier diversity. With over 25 years of experience, Kim is recognized as a thought leader with demonstrated experience leading change initiatives in large matrixed organizations such as Anthem, AICPA, and BCBS. In the last 15 years, Kim has established multiple inaugural DEI offices and revitalized a fortune 30 DEI program to align the accountability of DEI with its 70,000 employees strategically. As an expert in the field of diversity management, Kim has been cited or featured in Becker’s Hospital Review, Chief Healthcare Executive, Profiles in Diversity Journal, Diversity Network Journal, Diversity Manager, The Journal of Accountancy, and many other publications and conferences. Kim is the past chairman of the PhD Project board and member of the Conference Board Diversity Council. She continues to serve as an advisor to many other entities focused on diversity and inclusion. Kim holds a Bachelor of Science degree in public health from UNC Chapel Hill and a master’s degree in business administration from the University of Maryland. GET TICKETS
Brittany Cesarini – EMPOWER Conference Panelist Director of Communications, Global Health Corps Presentation: Managing Conflict Panel The ability to resolve conflict in the workplace is an essential ability for leaders in any organization. When there is open and transparent processes for identifying, resolving, and managing conflict, it is proven to improve productivity and job satisfaction of employees. In this session, our panelists will discuss techniques on how to engage in meaningful conversations and manage conflict in the workplace. Bio: Brittany Cesarini is the director of communications at Global Health Corps, an international nonprofit working to develop rising leaders in the U.S., East and Southern Africa, and beyond. In her role, she oversees internal communications, messaging and storytelling, branding, content creation and editorial, and digital communications. Over the past decade, she’s worked with hundreds of young leaders to find, hone, and share their voices to accelerate progress towards health equity. Brittany has also spoken and facilitated at numerous global events including Diversity Reboot 2021, Women Leaders in Global Health 2021, and New York University’s Social Innovation Symposium in 2020. Prior to her work at Global Health Corps, Brittany led communications and legislative affairs for a Bronx-based New York City Council member, focusing on key health and immigration issues in the poorest Congressional district in the U.S. She began her career working at the intersection of strategic communications and grassroots health advocacy in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania as the recipient of the Henry Richardson Labouisse ’26 Prize. Brittany holds a bachelor’s degree in public policy with a double minor in gender studies and African studies from Princeton University. She has also trained in effective coaching with LifeLabs, effective management with The Management Center, and “writing to change the world” with The Op-Ed Project. Fluent in Swahili and an avid reader, writer, and hiker, Brittany currently lives in NEPA with her husband and their young son. GET TICKETS
Applications Open for Leadership Collegiate Program APPLY Leadership Lackawanna, the premier community leadership and professional development affiliate of the Chamber, has opened applications for its Leadership Collegiate program. The program is open to students currently enrolled in a trade school, college, or university anywhere in the United States. The courses will be offered March 7 through April 18 and participants work on weekly course content at their own pace. There are six mandatory, one-hour Zoom meetings throughout the course. This 6-week virtual program, consisting of online modules, will provide current and aspiring leaders with an innovative and flexible online learning experience – complete with a variety of personal and professional development skills that are ideal for building a solid resume and honing leadership, interview, and career readiness skills. In addition, the opportunity to connect with students from around the state and build connections via a private LinkedIn group will be plentiful. This program is co-facilitated by Leadership Lackawanna executive director, Nicole Morristell and 68 Rising leadership consultant, Dr. Matthew Sowcik. Cost for Leadership Collegiate is $300 per person with payment plans and scholarships available. Applications close on February 25. Apply at www.LeadershipLackawanna.com.
Maria Traino – EMPOWER Conference Speaker Owner, Inspired Studio Presentation: Get Out of Your Own Way Learn how to get out of your own way and intentionally design all areas of your life through brain-based transformation. Bio: Maria Traino is an award-winning, professional brand designer of nearly two decades. She founded Inspired Studio, a design and marketing agency, and is a certified NeuroCoach who works with entrepreneurs to intentionally define and design their version of success… from the inside out. Maria developed The Designer’s Approach, a step-by-step framework for brain-based transformation. Maria naturally approaches life and business challenges the exact same way she would approach a design challenge: with curiosity, creativity, and knowing that a solution always exists. Part of Maria’s secret for success has been understanding that her clients already have answers inside of them—it’s her honor, as a designer and a coach, to help them realize their uniqueness, shatter limiting beliefs, and intentionally create lasting transformation using the power of neuroscience. GET TICKETS
Jennifer Ciarimboli – EMPOWER Conference Speaker Owner, studio BE Presentation: Leading Mindfully: Personal and Professional Empowerment This session offers you practical, wholehearted tools for well-being that are grounded in the real world of the 21st century. Rooted in mindfulness, Jennifer offers simple tools for dealing with conflict, managing stress, leading cohesive teams, and creating cultures that thrive. Jennifer talks statistics on stress and burnout in the workplace, as well as information on how to counter these challenges, at home and at work. Bio: Suffering from burnout after nearly a decade in corporate sales, Jennifer Ciarimboli walked away from her career and her successes to transform her life. She embarked on a journey of deep study, training with world-renowned experts in yoga, the teachings of the Buddha, spiritual inquiry, and mindfulness meditation, opening her heart and mind to a new way of serving the world. Jennifer recognized that if she had access to mindfulness meditation years ago, she might have been better able to manage stress—and from this insight, studio BE was born. studio BE specializes in well-being based on mindfulness and mindfulness-based practices—including meditation, psychological inquiry, body integration, breathwork, and other alternative modalities—taught both on-site and virtually. The goal of the company is simple: to reduce suffering in the world. This is achieved by helping individuals cultivate their own inner-resources, resulting in happier, more resilient people. When these practices are embraced wholeheartedly within organizational culture, it opens the door to unlimited potential for better connection, deeper trust, and renewed creativity—this is the new face of the 21st-century workplace. GET TICKETS
Chelsea Manganaro – EMPOWER Wellness Presenter Owner, Nearme Yoga & Nearme Cafe Wellness Presentation: Yoga for All Come take a break to be present, relax, and get inspired to move your stiff body. This yoga class will be accessible to all levels from beginner to advanced, with an option to use a chair. Bio: Chelsea Manganaro (500RYT) is the owner of Nearme Yoga in Moosic & Peckville, Nearme Cafe, and NEPA Yoga Festival. She has created and expanded her businesses with the idea of connecting a community with the goal to spread as much love and knowledge of yoga and wellness as she can. Nearme Yoga & Cafe creates an environment where inclusion, consistency and community take priority – one yoga class, one coffee cup & Buddha Bowl at a time. Behind every small business there’s a real family, and Nearme Yoga & Cafe is no exception. Owner Chelsea Manganaro always had passion for hospitality in her professional and personal life, and brought her ambitious vision to the local community with the first location of Nearme Yoga & Cafe here in Moosic. Nearme Yoga is a creation sparked by passion and community needs. It is and will continue to grow and morph into what is needed in each and every community it makes it way to. Chelsea left her career with Lockheed Martin in 2019 to pursue this vision 100%. She believes that in a world of ceaseless innovation, sometimes taking the most basic of human needs and providing it to the community can make the most fulfilling life. Healthy, affordable and attainable food mixed with mindfulness and keeping our bodies healthy allows so many people to make their way to better versions of themselves. We have been able to help and change so many peoples lives for the better. This spirals way beyond a yoga class, it is just the start. Having the Cafe and store has allowed people to come and experience the look and feel of the yoga studio without the fear of actually committing to a class. Many people have started yoga because they were able to see the space before hand. Although the goal for the business was always to franchise, it really took COVID to shake up the business model and create what we call is our ecosystem. Find out all studio information at nearmeyoga.com and nearmecafe.com for cafe info. GET TICKETS
Talia Walsh – EMPOWER Wellness Presenter Owner, Quest Studio Wellness Presentation: LifeStretch: Learn How to Stretch for Life! Join Talia, level 3 fascial stretch therapy practitioner, for a guided mobility stretch class. It targets your body’s fascial system to get amazing results with no pain and no strain, allowing you to discover the best path for your body to become more flexible and relaxed. The class addresses the tension throughout your body and then reduces, rebalances, and releases it to help you feel better, move better, and perform better. All bodies welcome! Bio: Talia is on a Quest to inspire others, using her life experiences and knowledge, to become their best self in all aspects of their lives. As an exercise physiologist, entrepreneur, and business owner of two fitness studios, she focuses on empowering others to reach their goals using multiple tools touching on health, fitness, nutrition, goal setting, and mindset. Talia has a passion for speaking in corporate settings, understanding the importance of a healthy work environment, as well as empowering women and college students. Her audiences are captivated by her engaging style. She inspires, motivates, and ignites her audiences to embrace life and reach for their highest potential. Quest Studio is a specialty fitness studio and wellness center that’s been operating for 5 years. The newest location is a yoga studio located in a refurbished church. Talia also created Quest Studio On Demand to be able to impact others around the world. GET TICKETS
Edna Cementina – EMPOWER Wellness Presenter Owner, Emobile Gym Fitness Wellness Presentation: Zumba Fitness Zumba is a fitness program that involves cardio and Latin-inspired dance that incorporate interval training. It helps reduce health risks, maintain a healthy weight, strengthen your heart, and boost your mood. In this session, Edna will teach Zumba sentao – which uses a chair for support, balance, and as a prop. You’ll use your own body weight to firm and tone your arms, abs, and glutes – all while feeling the music and moving your hips the Zumba way. Bio: Edna Cementina is a certified group fitness Instructor who has been leading0 fellow NEPA clients in fitness for the past five years. Her gym – Emobile Gym Fitness – offers a range of classes including core, strength training, cardio, HIIT, STRONG Nation™, and ZUMBA!Currently, Edna holds certification for group fitness and personal training in American Sports & Fitness Association (ASFA), as well as certification in Zumba, Zumba Toning, Aqua Zumba, and the most challenging of them all, STRONG Nation™.Edna has taught classes in numerous fitness centers and gyms in the area, but nowadays, she’s only teaching at her studio located in Dunmore. “Teaching is not a job for me, it’s a fun way to get to workout and interact with a great group of people. I love my clients and the positive energy they bring to class,” Edna says. She believes there is never a bad day at the gym. Working out is not just to look good on the outside, but it makes everyone feel great on the inside. Edna is glad that now she can share this passion with others in her own fitness studio so they can experience great and challenging workouts in a more intimate setting, with 100% focus on them. GET TICKETS
