The Allentown Parknership

Who's looking forward to some warmer weather this week and counting the days until our parks turn fully green again?

ICYMI: News about our new executive director. https://lnkd.in/ePCSvge3

We are thrilled to welcome our inaugural executive director, Ruffian Tittmann, to The Allentown Parknership. She is an accomplished nonprofit executive with extensive experience in parks and recreation programs. https://lnkd.in/eWgTyTXE

We welcome Rosanne Venditto to the board of directors. A lifelong Allentown resident and a retiree of PPL Electric Utilities, she is active in her faith and in her community as a parishioner at Our Lady Help of Christians Catholic Church, where she serves as organist/choir director, sits on its finance committee, coordinates parish fundraising activities, and is a Eucharistic Minister when needed. Read more about Rosanne and our other board members. https://lnkd.in/gv7f3JR2

Our board continues to grow! We welcome lifelong Lehigh Valley resident Richard Molchany to the board of directors. Rick is Director of General Services for Lehigh County, where he has responsibilities for engineering (both facilities and bridges), planning, emergency services, parks and recreation, land preservation and internal services. Read more about Rick and our other board members. https://lnkd.in/gv7f3JR2

We encourage the public to have your voices heard at one of the input sessions and by completing the survey. (Survey link is at the bottom of the news article.) This important project will help guide priorities for the City and Allentown Parknership in the coming years. https://lnkd.in/edkpckZ8

We are pleased to welcome six new members to our volunteer board of directors: Luis Acevedo, Judge J. Brian Johnson, Rich Kern, Anais Martinez, Janet Roth and Mandy Tolino. They join Simon Moore, who became the Chair of the Board in September 2024, and Allentown Mayor Matt Tuerk and Don Bernhard, who were charter board members during The Allentown Parknership’s formation. Read more about their backgrounds and passion for our parks. https://lnkd.in/ekvnjdw8

More progress! The board has begun its search for the Parknership's first executive director. More information and a link to the position description is available. https://lnkd.in/eXsY9rsS

Thank you to the Rider-Pool Foundation for a landmark gift of $500,000 to support the formation of the Dorothy Rider Pool Endowment for Culture, Arts and Education, which will endure as a permanent gift that will help the Allentown Parknership support and develop parks in distressed neighborhoods within Allentown to better address the health and well-being needs of the residents and to increase access to safe and welcoming parks and green space. https://lnkd.in/efybyENh

We are excited to welcome Allentown resident Simon Moore as our board chair. Simon is a frequent user of the city’s parks and an active civic leader who will guide The Allentown Parknership's volunteer board of directors. https://lnkd.in/e6c6uCti