EXECUTIVE TEAM
MARY ELLEN FARBER
CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER
Mary Ellen enthusiastically joined the Friendship Team in March of 2022. She has 16+ years of experience leading in the Christian, 501 (c)(3) arena serving individuals with special needs.
Mary Ellen is a Licensed Personal Care Home Administrator, Assisted Living, Administrator and Nursing Home Administrator.
The combination of her education, experience, culture and drive makes her an ideal fit for our Organization…
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... She earned her Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration /International Business Management as well as a Masters in Organizational Leadership from Mercy College, NY and went on to earn a MBA and completed Doctorate level coursework in Organizational Leadership at Eastern University, PA. Mary Ellen is an active Board Member of PAR (Pennsylvania Advocates and Resources for Autism and Intellectual Disabilities)
Mary Ellen has found reward and purpose in her leadership career through serving individuals with special needs. She is excited to continue the journey by leading Friendship Community as we continue the work that the Lord has set ahead of us in our Mission to cultivate the capabilities of individuals with Intellectual Disability and Autism.
Mary Ellen enjoys continuous learning and has a passion for leadership and coaching. She is a Maxwell Leadership Certified Team Member and holds various licensures in Healthcare Administration. Outside of a passion for Leadership and Coaching, Mary Ellen enjoys various arts such as painting, making sea-glass and frit glass pendants, as well as various fiber arts. She loves to hike and physical fitness and nutrition is important to her. She loves time with her family and in particular her daughters, grandchildren and siblings.
LIESL WOLF
CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER
Liesl Wolf spent her career in a variety of finance and banking roles. Having spent over 30 years in banking, she began in junior accounting positions and then received numerous promotions leading to becoming...
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... Controller. Later she moved into Commercial Lending as a Credit Officer and Chief Credit Officer for a portion of her career. Liesl considers herself a lifelong learner. She received a bachelor’s degree in business administration from Grove City College. Later, she attended Lebanon Valley College to earn an M.B.A. Outside of work, Liesl enjoys cooking and baking. She is an avid reader and participates in a monthly book club. She enjoys singing in the church choir and serves currently on the Christian Education Committee. She maintains a busy schedule being a mom to a 16-year-old son who is involved in local community theater and school music and drama programs. She and her husband enjoy traveling and have a bucket list of places to see that they are working through.
DARNELL TISDALE
DIRECTOR OF OPERATIONS
Darnell Tisdale is a dedicated leader with over a decade of experience in operations management and program development within the human services field. As Director of Operations, he ensures that programs run efficiently, comply with all regulations, and deliver exceptional support to individuals and their families.
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Darnell has served in leadership roles at Step By Step, Creative Health Services, Inc. , Supportive Concepts, the Office of Long Term Living, Caron Foundation, and Children’s Home of Reading.
Throughout his career, Darnell has excelled in building strong teams, managing resources effectively, and creating inclusive environments that foster growth and independence. His expertise in crisis intervention, behavioral planning, and program oversight has consistently led to measurable improvements in the quality of care and operations.
A graduate of Indiana University of Pennsylvania with a background in child development and family relations, Darnell is deeply committed to empowering the individuals that he serves. He brings passion and vision to every role, striving to enhance services and positively impact the community.
JULIE POHLMAN
DIRECTOR OF HUMAN RESOURCES
Julie Holds a bachelor’s degree in social work from Lancaster Bible College and a master's degree in human resource Analytics and Management from American...
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... University, Julie has over 5 years of experience in building high-performing teams and fostering a positive workplace culture. She is dedicated and passionate about all things HR. She is known for her strong interpersonal skills and ability to create inclusive and supportive work environments. In her free time, she enjoys hiking with her children, playing with her dogs and exploring new culinary experiences.
AMANDA GILBERTSON
DIRECTOR OF ADVANCEMENT
Amanda Gilbertson joins the Friendship Team with over 20 years of Marketing and Development experience from a variety of roles in both non-profit and healthcare.
Passionate about the mission of people-first and community-focused leadership, Amanda has extensive experience building dynamic teams that have consistently delivered expectation-exceeding results…
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…Her creative and out-of-the-box approach has produced nationally recognized awareness, engagement and growth in the digital, social media, print, and events spaces. She's continued her lifelong learning with a focus on highlighting meaningful and life enriching work to build lasting connections.
Away from her career, Amanda is a wife and mother of four wonderful children. Her free time is joyously spent at their sporting events, music recitals, and countless other extracurriculars. She also enjoys the outdoors, traveling, and spending time with extended family.
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
CHUCK ALBERT
BOARD CHAIRPERSON
Chuck Albert joined Friendship Community’s Board in 2017. During his 40+ years in business, providing IT Services and Support, Chuck always had a heart to serve ...
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... not-for-profit community service organizations. Chuck says it is a privilege to serve Friendship Community – the faith-based environment, the mission, the dedication of the Staff, Leadership Team and the Board of Directors provides Friendship Community the unique ability to foster the creation and facilitation of life changing opportunities for individuals with Intellectual Disability and Autism.
MIKE HURST
BOARD VICE CHAIRPERSON
Mike Hurst joined Friendship Community’s Board in 2022. Residing in Neffsville Pa, Mike believes in the mission, vision and values of Friendship Community ...
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... and appreciates learning from his fellow Board Members and the team at Friendship Community. Having graduated from Millersville University with a Bachelor's of Science in Business Administration with a concentration in accounting, Mike enjoys being part of the local community in his work at Meridian Products in New Holland.
Mike and his wife Kathy, and children Ethan and Tess, attend Calvary Church and find great peace and joy in spending time in God's Word. Bible reading and morning quiet time are a very meaningful and important part of his day. Mike also enjoys exercising, gardening, reading and traveling with his family.
RYAN CURRAN
BOARD TREASURER
Ryan Curran joined Friendship Community’s Board in 2021. Having grown up in Lancaster County, Ryan has always had a passion for serving the community. His ...
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... experiences as a member of Calvary Church have led his desire to support Friendship Community’s mission of cultivating capabilities of Individuals with Intellectual Disability and Autism.
Ryan is a life-long learner who brings over 20 years of professional experience in the Financial Services industry to Friendship Community. His experiences center on strategy development and execution, M&A, Lean Six Sigma and fiscal and operations management. Ryan earned his B.S. in Business Administration (Finance) from the University of Delaware and an M.B.A. from the Pennsylvania State University.
Ryan and his wife, Esther, and their children, Abigail and James, continue to attend and serve at Calvary Church. He enjoys spending time with family, surfing and playing sports.
STEPHANIE MICHEL-SEGNOR
BOARD SECRETARY
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SYLVIA KAUFFMAN
Sylvia Kauffman joined Friendship Community’s Board in January of 2018. She lives in Lancaster with her husband, Ben, and their children. Sylvia currently works ...
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... at Dutchland in Gap, Pennsylvania, as the Wellness Manager. Sylvia enjoys serving on the Friendship Communities board, because of the impact Friendship Community has in cultivating, developing and inspiring individuals with disabilities.
LYNDA WOLFE
Lynda Wolfe joined Friendship Community’s Board in 2019. Having retired as a Microbiology supervisor from Johnson & Johnson in 2015, Lynda has spent her ...
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... retirement years volunteering at Friendship Community, at a local youth center for at-risk children, and becoming a CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocate) volunteer.
Friendship Community (FC) holds a special place in Lynda’s heart because her sister resides in one of their residential homes since 2012. Lynda has seen her sister flourish since being part of FC’s family. Lynda strongly believes in the vision, mission, and values of FC and she feels the compassion and dedication of everyone who is a part of the organization is very evident and key to providing growth and the many opportunities for the individuals who are served by FC.
Although Lynda and her husband, Steve, moved to Virginia in November 2021 to be closer to children & grandchildren, she says it is an honor and privilege to be able to continue to serve on the Board.
JILL STOLTZFOOS
Jill Stoltzfoos joined the Friendship Community Board in 2023. She is an active Realtor with Kingsway Realty and brings residential housing expertise...
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... to Friendship Community Board. Jill also holds a nursing degree from Hesston College and George Mason University. She has a connection to Friendship as she spent a summer passing meds at a Friendship community home after graduation from nursing school. Jill is drawn to the respect and the encouragement of independent living shown to the Individuals served by Friendship Community.
Jill and her husband live in Manheim Township, Lancaster County with their four school aged children and are active at St Leo the Great Catholic Church.