Board and Staff
Executive Director:
Beverly Roberts
Beverly Roberts has three decades of experience in nonprofit management and administration. Prior to taking on the role of Executive Director, Ms. Roberts served as the agency's Deputy Director and Director of Development for over 20 years. In this capacity, Beverly designed and spearheaded the agency's fund development strategies, cultivating a sustainable base of individual donors as well as grant funders. She has also made key contributions to the social service design including the development of the Life Skills and Educational Scholarship Fund and the agency's workshop module curriculum. To seed the Life Skills and Educational Scholarship Fund, in 2006 Beverly created what has become Dignity's signature annual special event: the jazz buffet. Ms. Roberts' long-standing commitment to Dignity Housing has contributed to its longevity and sustained focus on the potential of each person affected by homelessness to break the cycle of poverty.
Key Staff
Sarah Janicki, Director of Social Services
Sarah Janicki began working for Dignity Housing in 2001 as a Youth Counselor. Ms. Janicki played a key role in the development of the Dignity II and III programs, and served as the DII Site Coordinator prior to taking on her current role as Director of Social Services. In her current role, Ms. Janicki supervises the social service staff, oversees the program budget and works with senior staff in the evaluation and development of programming. Sarah is a graduate of Wesleyan University. She received her Certificate in Program Administration from the University of Pennsylvania in addition to her master's in Organizational Development from the Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine (PCOM).
Vanessa Tercero, Development Director
Vanessa Tercero is a 10 year veteran staff member with a master's degree in public administration and policy from Rutgers University. Ms. Tercero served as Dignity's Senior Contracts Monitor prior to taking on the role of Development Director. In her current role, Vanessa oversees the implementation of Dignity's government contracts as well as grant writing, individual donor and special event fund raising strategies. Ms. Tercero also participates in and coordinates other staff members' involvement in homeless and housing policy and advocacy.
Board of Directors
Laura Schwingel, Board Chair
Marie Gaddy, Vice Chair
Directors:
Marjorie Shiekman
Raymond Wellbank
Ernest Hargett, Jr
Deborah McMillan
Lindsay Waltower
J. Seth Thompson
Anthony D. Braxton
Debra E. White-Roberts
Cheryl Pope
Barbara Wagner
Wendy Smith, Esq.
