PS Bank Adds Walter Sarafinko

Anthony J. Gabello, President and Chief Executive Officer, is pleased to announce the hiring of Walter Sarafinko as Commercial Loan Officer / Vice President.

With over 40 years of experience in banking and more than 25 years specializing in commercial lending, Walter brings a wealth of expertise to the team, especially to the Northeast PA region.

Walter joins PS Bank at an exciting time as it prepares to open its newest office on Keyser Avenue in Scranton, further expanding its footprint in Lackawanna County and surrounding markets. The new location aims to make PS Bank retail and business services more accessible to the Greater Scranton area.

“I’m excited to join the team at PS Bank, a bank with a long-standing tradition of building strong relationships through community banking. This team has a great reputation within the business community, and I’m grateful for the opportunity to join them” said Sarafinko. “I look forward to helping our clients navigate their financial needs, and continuing to grow PS Bank’s presence in a market that I have called home for most of my career.”

Anthony J. Gabello, President & CEO of PS Bank, added, “Walter will play a vital role in increasing our presence in Lackawanna County and the surrounding markets, as we prepare to open our newest office in North Scranton. His vast

knowledge of the region, combined with his extensive background in commercial lending, will be instrumental in helping us to better serve both new and existing customers.”

A resident of South Abington Township, Walter resides with this wife, Robin, and has two adult children, Colin and Kelsey.

NeighborWorks New Board and Staff

This past year, NeighborWorks Northeastern Pennsylvania (NeighborWorks) is pleased to welcome several new board and staff members to the team.


Board:
Joyce Avila is the President of CAFÉ Creating and Facilitating Equality. As a presenter, facilitator, keynote speaker and educator, she organizes and facilitates workshops in the areas of diversity, life change and transition, leadership, communication, conflict resolution, stress management and self-care.

Matthew Domines is the Director of Finance for the City of Scranton. He performs a variety of tasks in his role, including planning and coordinating all significant fiscal and related administrative functions for efficient accounting and financial systems, policies, and processes that meet the city’s current and future needs.

Damon Spady is a minority business owner who owns and operates his own travel company, Damon’s Getaways. A Dunmore resident, Damon also serves as treasurer for the NAACP Lackawanna County Branch.

Mary-Pat Ward is the Development and Fundraising Director for the Catherine McAuley Center. She is involved with the local arts community and enjoys traveling and visiting historical sites. She is a member of the regional roller derby team, the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Roller Radicals and resides with her husband, Doug, and daughter, Izzy, in West Scranton.

Staff:

David DePietro is our Accounting Manager, where he helps manage the day-to-day activities of all financial and business-related operations. He has a strong nonprofit and grant accounting experience background and worked in the nonprofit field for 10+ years.

Alyssa Espinoza joins the staff as a full-year AmeriCorps VISTA (Volunteer in Service to America) member. A West Scranton native and West Scranton High School alumnus, Alyssa will be serving as the volunteer coordinator for NeighborWorks projects throughout the year. This past May, she graduated with a BA in Psychology and Sociology from Ohio University.

Parker Dorsey recently concluded his own VISTA year and joins the staff in a full-time capacity as the Community Program Assistant. Parker will be continuing his role in building capacity and enhancing marketing and communications efforts across all program lines. This past May he received his MBA from Mississippi State University, and is a 2020 graduate of Wilkes University with a BA in Communication Studies.

Miranda Pace is our West Scranton Neighborhood Coordinator, where she manages various community development projects and programs as part of the implementation of the West Scranton Neighborhood Plan.

Fernanda Proaño is our HUD Certified Housing Counselor, she will help expand our Homebuyer Education, Counseling and Financial Coaching services to Wayne and Pike County. She has over 20 years of experience in the nonprofit sector with a focus on financial education and coaching.

Melody Robinson is our Aging in Place Specialist for Wayne County, where she has expand our Aging in Place services into Wayne County. She has a background in sales and comes highly recommended from established partners in Wayne County.