Philadelphia Chapter Committees
TTN-Philadelphia Chapter Steering Committee
| Title | Name | Phone | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chapter Chairperson | Peggy Stelle | pstelle@cetcpro.com | 610-952-1495 |
| Chapter Vice Chairperson | Jean Brubaker | micetrobru@msn.com | 215-990-5176 |
| Chapter Vice Chairperson | Susan Collins | scollins@scollinsconsult.com | 215-313-5759 |
| Membership/Recruitment |
Sheila Chacker Margie Cole Joan Applegate |
sbchacker@aol.com mowglivt@gmail.com jjapplelg@verizon.net |
267-909-9533 617-513-0003 215-563-4352 |
| Peer Group Chair | Ellen Singer Coleman | ellensingercoleman@gmail.com | 215-990-6997 |
| Peer Group Coordinator | Joan Applegate | jjapplelg@verizon.net | 215-563-4352 |
| Marketing/Communications | Susan Collins | scollins@scollinsconsult.com | 215-313-5759 |
| Treasurer | Lorraine Gordon | lorrainegordon127@gmail.com | 610-896-8149 |
| Giving Circle Chair | Mary Klein | mklein248@comcast.net | 267-738-2625 |
| Secretary | Bonny Hohenberger | bjh711@gmail.com | 267-974-6268 |
| Special Interest Groups | Chrissa Merron | cbmerron@verizon.net | 610-742-8382 |
TTN- Philadelphia Chapter Steering Committee Bios
Joan Applegate - Membership/Peer Group Coordinator
Joan is a clinical social worker with a long career in a variety of settings. She was a social worker in Child Psychiatry at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston, served as the social worker and volunteer coordinator in a hospice organization, and retired several years ago as the Coordinator of Childhood Cancer Programs at the American Cancer Society, Philadelphia Division. She is a board member of Katie's Krusaders, a non-profit charity serving the families of seriously ill children, and a regular volunteer at the Philadelphia Ronald McDonald House. In addition to her TTN activities, Joan enjoys cooking, reading and pursuing a healthy life style of exercise and activity.
Jean Brubaker – Vice Chair/Programs
After managing public relations and marketing for various performing arts organizations in New York, Washington (DC), and Boston, Jean became Director of Marketing for The Philadelphia Orchestra in 1986. She also is a performing arts and portrait photographer. Her free time is devoted to son Alexander, dog Berto, and to biking and other athletic adventures.Sheila Chacker - Membership
Sheila is a former high school and college counselor, having worked over 30 years in the Cheltenham School District and three years at Manor College. For several years she did private college admissions work as well. She is a native Philadelphian who moved into center city almost five years ago with her husband Ed. With this move, came the desire to expand her horizons and TTN is one of the things she attributes to doing that and changing her life. She joined a peer group and quickly became involved with membership. She loves being on the steering committee and appreciates all of the amazing women she has met. To her, TTN women are exciting, intelligent, hardworking, and unique. At their core though, she has found them all with the same desires, fears, and dreams. Sheila enjoys travel, theater, reading, and especially her family who she is lucky enough to have here in Philadelphia.
Ellen Singer Coleman - Peer Groups
Ellen Singer Coleman, co-founder of TTN Philadelphia, is a clinical social worker, psychotherapist and psychoanalyst in private practice in Center City. While she enjoys working with both male and female adults, her specialty is the treatment of women’s issues including motherhood, marital and other family relationships, self-esteem, health, career, friendship, aging, grief and loss. Ellen holds an MSW from Hunter College School of Social Work and is licensed in New York State and Pennsylvania. She is certified in both individual and group psychotherapy from the Washington Square Institute for Psychotherapy and Mental Health, and received her certification in psychoanalysis from the Westchester Center for Psychoanalysis and Psychotherapy.Margie Cole - Membership
Margie comes to us after 20 years in Vermont as a Medical Social Worker in Oncology. She was one of the founders of the Comprehensive Breast Program at Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center where she was the Breast Care Coordinator for 15 years. While in Vermont, she was a passionate gardener and cook. She moved to Philadelphia in 2009 with her husband and is loving the change from country to city life. She loves spending time with her 8 grandchildren, biking, and exploring Philadelphia.Susan Collins - Vice Chair/Marketing/Communications
Susan Collins is the founder of Collins Consulting Group, LLC, a full service strategic planning and marketing communications consulting firm. A 20-year veteran of the real estate and homebuilding business, she has been involved in all phases of the business while serving on the leadership team of a $350 million division of one of the nation’s largest homebuilders. She led a team of sales and marketing professionals that sold over 850 homes per year at its height. In starting Collins Consulting Group, Susan has broadened her expertise beyond homebuilding to other industries. She is active in various business associations and continues to build her network of marketing experts to work with her to deliver a complete menu of services to her clients.Managing her own business has also allowed Susan to become more involved in other activities including The Transition Network. As a member of the Steering Committee of the Philadelphia Chapter of TTN, Susan is working with other women to provide programs and resources to women in transition from one stage of their lives to another. Susan also enjoys traveling, cooking, sports and pursuing a healthy lifestyle.
Lorraine Gordon - Treasurer
Lorraine is a former pharmaceutical sales representative with over 25 years of experience introducing and educating physicians on an array of prescription/consumer products. Her most recent position was with GlaxoSmithKline as a Senior Health Care Professional. In addition to her position as Treasurer and member of the Steering Committee of the Philadelphia Chapter of The Transition Network, Lorraine volunteers at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania's Cancer Education Department. In addition to this position, she is actively involved with the many cancer conferences sponsored by HUP. In 2007, Lorraine established the Roger A. Gordon Melanoma Research Fund in honor of her late husband. Lorraine's passion to help bring melanoma awareness to the community is what keeps her so active in regards to this cause that is so close to her heart. Since its formation, she has been responsible for raising funds and developing educational brochures educating the public about the facts of melanoma risk, identification and prevention. She has also been involved with production of melanoma videos relating to treatment and lymphedema. In May, 2011 she was awarded The Melanoma Advocate Award at HUP's 8th Annual Melanoma Conference.
When not volunteering or being involved with wellness initiatives, Lorraine enjoys leisurely activities such as time spent with family and friends, walking, reading, playing golf, and practicing yoga.
Bonny Hohenberger - Secretary
For over 30 years, Bonny worked as a Speech and Language Pathologist with inner city special education students in addition to maintaining a small private practice and evaluating children for private agencies. She became certified as an Elementary School Principal but did not pursue this path as she became involved in a federally funded research project. In this project, a team of Speech Language Pathologists developed a test that was normed on Philadelphia school students in addition to developing innovative language programs for parents and teachers.
Since retirement, Bonny has become active in various service organizations. In addition to her role as secretary of TTN, she is one of the founding members of TTN’s Giving Circle. She also serves as a Board member of a Rotary chapter in Cherry Hill, New Jersey and on the Board of her synagogue. As an active member of WIL of Greater Philadelphia, she recently arranged a program about effective literacy programs in developing countries. In her spare time she participates in a Great Books reading group, travels to Maine in August for the Colby Great Books Institute and often vacations in Europe in the winter.
Mary Klein - Past Chair/Consultant
Mary’s career has spanned a number of senior roles in Education Administration, Educational Counseling, and Continuing Education, at the University and K-12 levels. Her fifteen years experience in school counseling include 12 inner city Phila. Schools, 3 years in Southern Maryland, and Antioch University and Cabrini and Harcum Colleges. She has served as President of the Counselor's Association of Greater Philadelphia (early 2000's); board member of Oak Lane Day School (1980's); Sedgwick Cultural Center in Mt. Airy Philadelphia, Operation Understanding in Philadelphia. Co-founder of TTN’s Philadelphia Chapter, Mary is currently a board member of Dignity Housing, an organization in Northwest Philadelphia that provides housing and educational programs for homeless people, and Co-Chair of Philadelphia Regional Advisory Council "Schools that Can", an organization that supports successful, stand-alone schools that serve inner-city students throughout the country. Mary’s personal interests include travel, biking, Cape Cod, cooking.
Chrissa Merron, M.Ed. - Special Interest Groups
Chrissa’s career has spanned more than 30 years as an organization and change practitioner in roles as consultant, leadership manager, educator and trainer. Her background includes consulting to Fortune 100 corporations, health care and educational institutions, and government agencies. Her expertise lies in organization development, coaching, organizational change, strategic planning, training curriculum design and delivery, team effectiveness, and communications issues.
Currently an independent organizational change consultant, Chrissa previously worked at The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Chase Manhattan Bank, and Thomas Jefferson University overseeing employee and management development efforts as well as organizational change consultation services.
Long active in community and professional activities, Chrissa has served on the boards of directors of several associations, among them the Organization Development Network, The Philadelphia Human Resource Planning Society, and ActionAIDS.
Chrissa appreciates the role that TTN has played in helping her through her career transition as she defines the next phase of her life. She also loves to travel, spend time with her family, including 4 terrific grandchildren, and re-discover her enthusiasm for being a Phillies fan.
Peggy Stelle - Chapter Chair
Originally from New Jersey, I attended GWU and Gallaudet College in Washington, DC, married and moved to Philadelphia in 1973. A Speech and Hearing specialist by degree, the business world drew me in. I spent 10 years as an executive with a Philadelphia-based tour operating company and in 1981 left to raise a family.
During the next 10 years I was a devoted parent/fund raiser for the schools and sports teams as well as part of a core committee that raised the funds and built The Kid’s Dream Playground in Concordville, PA. During that time I also took several part time positions from office work to retail until landing a position with a training and development company. As a facilitator and program designer I found my passion and In 2006 I opened Stelle Consulting, Inc. specializing in all aspects of interpersonal communication in and out of the workplace. Stelle Consulting has recently expanded to include a partnership with another TTN member focusing on helping people downsize, right-size and organize their homes and offices.
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Nancy Leon - Past Chair
Nancy’s career has taken her from the French Alps, to Sydney, Australia, Silicon Valley California and now to Jackson Hole, Wyoming and Philadelphia. In business development and sales executive roles in technology firms (Cisco Systems, VMware, EMC, System Management Arts, and SITA/Equant), she led business & technical teams to develop new markets, business units and partnership/alliances. Founder/Principal of Morgan McKenna and Associates, she continues to consult to corporations and non-profits in strategic business planning and development. Prior to her work in technology, she completed an MBA in Sydney as transition from the Travel industry (sales & marketing roles for Pan Am, Air France, Les Arcs Ski Co.).Nancy is a member of the TTN National Strategic Planning committee, and strategic planning team for TTN-Philadelphia. She serves on the Advisory Council of the National Outdoor Leadership School (NOLS), Faro Studio (start-up designer/manufacturer of the Cricket ™ Camper), and Steering Committee of The Spring Gardens Community Garden, Philadelphia. Her interests include spending time with her family and friends and active participation in all forms of skiing, cycling, hiking/mountaineering, fly-fishing, travel, reading, and internet technology. She is fluent in French and is working on her Spanish!
Carolyn Walter - Consultant
Carolyn is a Professor Emeritus at the Center for Social Work Education at Widener University, Chester, PA. Carolyn received her MSS and her Ph.D. from Bryn Mawr College, Graduate School of Social Work and Social Research. In addition to part-time teaching, Carolyn maintains a private clinical social work practice, specializing in grief and loss issues and women’s health issues and serves as a consultant on grief and loss issues for organizations, schools and hospitals. Carolyn is the author of The Loss of a Life Partner: Narratives of the Bereaved and The Timing of Motherhood. She is the co-author of Breast Cancer in the Life Course: Women’s Experiences and co-author of a new text, Grief and Loss Across the Lifespan: A Biopsychosocial Perspective, released in April 2009. www.drcarolynwalter.com. Carolyn has been a member of the Steering Committee and Peer Group Committee of the Philadelphia Chapter of TTN since its inception.
