Neville E. Strumpf, PhD, FAAN

President, Ralston Center Board of Managers

Neville Strumpf, PhD, FAAN, has been the Board of Managers President of Ralston Center since 2010 and a Board member since 2007. Dr. Strumpf’s wealth of knowledge in the field of aging has been central to furthering Ralston Center’s commitment to quality of life and independence for older adults in Philadelphia. Dr. Strumpf is a Professor Emerita at the University of Pennsylvania  School of Nursing, where she directed the Gerontology Nurse Practitioner Program and the Hartford Center of Geriatric Nursing Excellence for many years.

nstrumpf@ralstoncenter.org

Eric Wilden, M Div

Executive Director, Ralston My Way

Eric Wilden, Executive Director of Ralston My Way since 2012.  Eric earned a bachelor’s degree in Philosophy and English from Ursinus College in 1992 and lived in Salt Lake City for 10 years, where he started his nonprofit career with environmental and conservation groups, and in fundraising at the University of Utah. Later he enrolled at Boulder Colorado’s Naropa University, founded by Tibetan Buddhist teacher Chogyam Trungpa Rinpoche, where he earned a Master of Divinity in 2003.  After graduation he moved to Philadelphia where he worked for Clean Water Action and the Neighborhood Interfaith Movement (NIM) before joining Ralston My Way.

ewilden@ralstonmyway.org

 

Jean Papaj, MBA

Director of Communications and Marketing

Jean joined Ralston Center in 2014 to implement a new branding strategy and create successful print and digital communications to support current and emerging programs. She received her MBA from SUNY Buffalo and is a communications, marketing and sales professional with over 30 years experience in entrepreneurial, for profit and nonprofit organizations in health care, education and information. Jean also serves as a guest lecturer and adjunct faculty in the areas of management, marketing, communications and public relations.

jpapaj@ralstoncenter.org

Jennifer Russell, JD

Director of Programs

Jennifer oversees coordination and administration of existing and emerging programs, with a special focus on Ralston’s Age-Friendly West Philadelphia initiative.  Jennifer has a longstanding personal commitment to serving the needs of older adults.  Prior to Ralston Center, Jennifer worked as an attorney with SeniorLAW Center and Legal Aid of Southeastern PA, where she provided direct legal services to seniors facing a variety of legal issues and conducted community education, outreach, and advocacy.  Her work has included representing seniors facing homelessness through eviction or foreclosure, grandparents raising their grandchildren, and protecting the rights of older adults in guardianship and protective services proceedings.  Jennifer has a J.D. from Temple University, Beasley School of Law, and a B.A. from the University of Massachusetts.

jrussell@ralstoncenter.org

John Federico, MFA

Director of Development

John Federico is Director of Development for Ralston Center. For nearly 30 years, John has worked primarily as a fundraiser for several prominent theatre and opera companies and performing arts service organizations, including Theatre Communications Group (TCG), National Corporate Theatre Fund (NCTF), Pittsburgh Opera and City Theatre Company. John has planned and executed annual and comprehensive campaigns ranging in size from $1.4 million to $17-million; solicited and stewarded several gifts of $1 million or more; and supported presentations of more than 150 operas, plays and musicals. John is especially proud to have been a part of the creation of the Chairman’s Awards Gala for NCTF in 1997 and of participating in the fundraising effort that resulted in the first-ever National Performing Arts Convention in Pittsburgh in 2004.

At Ralston Center, John is focused on building corporate and major gift programs to complement the organization’s strong track record of foundation support.

A graduate of Fordham University (BA, English) and Brooklyn College (MFA, Performing Arts Management), John has served on the boards of the Downtown Pittsburgh Rotary Club (Chair, Program Committee) and the Mt. Lebanon Foundation for Education (President). John is married to Debbie Federico, with whom he has raised two daughters, Gina and Christa.

jfederico@ralstoncenter.org

Greta McKnight, MSW, LSW

Volunteer Coordinator and Social Worker

Greta is a licensed social worker focused on Ralston Center’s Age-Friendly Resource Network and Food & Company initiatives. She is responsible for creating and implementing programs for older adults to improve access to good food, education, existing resources, social engagement opportunities and more. She graduated summa cum laude with bachelor’s degrees in Social Work and Sociology from the University of Maryland and has her MSW from the University of Pennsylvania. Before joining Ralston Center, she worked with RSVP (the Retired Senior Volunteer Program of Americorp) addressing the food access and social engagement needs of older West Philadelphians.

gmcknight@ralstoncenter.org

Michelle Sudler

Administrative Assistant

msudler@ralstoncenter.org

Alicia Anwar

PROGRAM ASSOCIATE

aanwar@ralstoncenter.org