Our Staff
Kelly began her career at Open Hearth in 1999 and was appointed Executive Director in 2015 after holding several positions within the organization, starting with direct service work. Under Kelly’s leadership, Open Hearth’s range of programming and operating budget has grown from $770,000 to $3 million. Kelly also has overseen the renovation of Open Hearth’s new headquarters in Phoenixville, PA along with the $1 million capital campaign funding the major systems upgrades needed for the building.
Outside of her executive role at Open Hearth, Kelly is serving on the Phoenixville Hospital’s Community Benefit Committee and the Phoenixville Affordable Housing Council. Kelly served as Chair of the Governance Board of Chester County’s Partnership to End Homelessness from 2018-2022 and remains an active board member.
Christina earned her Bachelor of Science degree in accounting from Wilmington University and later earned her Master of Science in accounting from Strayer University. Christina began her career in bookkeeping and finished her public accounting career as an audit manager, obtaining a Delaware Certified Public Accountant license in 2015. Christina joined Open Hearth in April of 2022, bringing a range of accounting experiences, including both nonprofit and for-profit companies.
Kate is a seasoned development professional with over 14 years of experience in the nonprofit sector. After earning her degree in Communications from the University of Scranton, she began her career in service, completing a six-month volunteer term in Boston. She then explored the corporate world, planning large-scale events and managing trade shows, but soon discovered her true calling was in mission-driven work.
Kate spent the past 14 years with the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, where she led development efforts for a cause that holds deep personal significance. Her work there combined fundraising with meaningful community engagement, solidifying her commitment to organizations that make an incredible impact in people’s lives.
Now, Kate brings her expertise, energy, and heart to Open Hearth, where she’s excited to help grow the organization’s reach and deepen its impact. Her dedication to meaningful work remains the driving force behind every step of her professional journey.
Cory Lovera rejoined our team in February of 2024 after serving as the homelessness prevention manager for Open Hearth’s Emergency Rental Assistance Program (ERAP) in 2021. In her current role as the Housing & Community Resource Manager, she oversees Chester County’s community-wide effort among shelters, agencies, and County representatives to prioritize those experiencing homelessness for permanent housing opportunities and supportive services via case conferencing.
Cory has worked in the social services field since 2008, in all levels of service: from front-line case management for children and adults with mental health diagnoses to working with street homeless adults with severe mental illness and justice system involvement. She has also overseen various programs such as Case Management, Emergency Family Shelter, Certified Peer Support, Chester County’s Mental Health Court, and ERAP. Cory holds a master’s degree in clinical psychology and recently obtained her LPC. She also sits on several boards and committees in Chester County and with partner agencies. Cory is a life-long Chester County resident.
Ashley joined our staff in 2012 at the conclusion of her yearlong internship at Open Hearth while finishing her Bachelor of Social Work degree at Alvernia University. Ashley served as a Financial Navigator for Open Hearth and The United Way of Chester County Financial Stability Center in Exton, PA starting in 2013. In this role, Ashley assisted customers with personal and financial goal setting, which included financial insight and resource coordination with the overall goal of supporting her customers in achieving their goal(s) of increasing income, decreasing debt, and increasing assets. In May of 2022 Ashley was named Financial Programs Manager at Open Hearth.
Taryn Alexander,
Family Savings Partner (FSP)
Program Coordinator
610-792-9282 x. 218
Taryn is an alumna of West Chester University where she earned both a bachelor’s and master’s degree in social work. She obtained her first post-graduation employment opportunity at a community outpatient mental health agency that serves children and teens. In this role, Taryn provided individuals and families with outpatient therapy to help identify client strengths and teach the utilization of coping skills to help manage and stabilize moods. From there, Taryn accepted a Resource Coordinator position at another community outpatient mental health agency and transitioned to the role of homeless acute case manager.
During that time, Taryn provided services to individuals with mental health diagnoses who were experiencing homelessness. She helped clients identify and address barriers that would help them meet their goal of housing stability, while also ensuring that their mental health needs were being addressed. After several years, Taryn moved to another agency where she served as a Truancy Mobile Therapist and Behavioral Specialist Consultant, providing wraparound services for children and teens. In this role, Taryn provided individual and family psychotherapy to clients, and developed treatment plan goals that would address truancy concerns and behavioral management interventions across various settings. Taryn joined Open Hearth as the Family Savings Partner Program Coordinator in 2019.
After being a stay-at-home parent for over two decades, Danielle had a desire to pursue a career in the social services field and returned to college to study psychology. She earned her BA from Immaculata University in 2021. After graduation, Danielle worked in an outpatient pediatric behavioral health clinic and as a General Protective Services caseworker for Children, Youth, & Families. These positions allowed her to gain valuable experiences advocating for and collaborating with the individuals and families she was fortunate to have worked with.
Danielle joined the Open Hearth team in April of 2024 and aspires to utilize her experience to guide her in her position as a Housing Program Coordinator. She looks forward to providing empathetic, person-centered services and connecting clients to necessary resources and supportive services. In her spare time, Danielle enjoys spending time with her family, reading, devoting time to a variety of activities in the great outdoors, and traveling.
Lauren is a 2006 graduate of Immaculata University with a bachelor’s degree in business and accounting and a minor in finance. After 15 years working in a corporate environment, she left her career at an investment management company to begin a new path in social work. Lauren currently attends Carlow University, working towards a dual MSW and MBA degree.
Lauren joined the Open Hearth team in November of 2022 and looks forward to using her financial experience to bring a depth of knowledge as she takes on her role as a Financial Navigator.
A Philadelphia native and graduate of the Community College of Philadelphia and Rosemont College (BA in psychology), Sarah has built a career in working with people in challenging situations. She takes an empathetic approach and strives to empower people to realize that they are the experts of themselves.
Sarah models her work on the tenets of social justice and equity. She is proud to be a part of Open Hearth and witness social justice in action.
Carla comes to Open Hearth with a plethora of knowledge and experience in the legal and social service fields. While studying political science at Arcadia University, Carla was employed at a law firm representing individuals and families struggling with addiction issues. After volunteering at a domestic violence shelter post-graduation, Carla decided that a career in social work was not only a calling but her passion. After earning her dual master’s degrees in social service and law and social policy from Bryn Mawr College’s Graduate School of Social Work and Social Research, Carla sought to make impactful changes in broken social systems, bridge gaps, support a variety of communities and hone her advocacy skills. She achieved all of this and more while working within the child welfare system of Philadelphia for more than a decade. Carla looks forward to bringing that same enthusiasm to Open Hearth and the residents of Chester County.
Marcia graduated from Chestnut Hill College with a Bachelor of Science in psychology and completed her Master of Arts in ministry studies from Grace College and Seminary. Marcia has worked in the social service field for over ten years. Her professional work experience includes child welfare, mental health, disability, and aging services. These experiences have allowed her to provide effective and quality service by advocating for those in more adverse situations. Looking to raise awareness of and reduce the stigma surrounding mental health, Marcia became a Certified Mental Health Coach, where she helps those struggling to develop a healthy balance in life, guides decision-making, offers support in navigating mental health difficulties, and assists in establishing a recovery plan.
Marcia joined Open Hearth in June 2023 as a Client Services Coordinator for the Continuum of Care Permanent Supportive Housing Program. She looks forward to utilizing her skills and passion to serve others.
Lynzie has always held a deep appreciation for connecting with communities, whether they are large or small. During her college journey, she decided to merge her love for community engagement with her interests in photography and design. This led her to pursue a degree in Social Media Theory and Strategy, with a minor in Women, Gender, and Sexuality Studies, alongside Studio Art, where she specialized in photography.
While attending Kutztown University, Lynzie had the opportunity to intern with the Phoenixville Chamber of Commerce, an experience that further solidified her passion for community engagement and opened doors to joining Open Hearth’s staff in May of 2023. She loves working with non-profit organizations, as helping others has always brought her joy. Combining her digital expertise with this purpose-driven work is a source of genuine happiness for her.
In her spare time, you’ll often find Lynzie with a camera in hand, capturing the beauty of nature through photographs of flowers, trees, or moments with loved ones. Her life centers around her digital expertise, a love for the arts, her pets and a desire to make a positive impact through non-profit work, and a deep appreciation for the natural world.
Briana brings a passion for helping others, as well as skills in crisis management and de-escalation, trauma-informed care, and providing person-centered support, to her role as a Housing Services Coordinator with our Continuum of Care Permanent Supportive Housing program. Before joining Open Hearth’s staff in October of 2025, Briana worked primarily in Montgomery County, serving individuals with a history of severe mental health struggles and/or substance use in a variety of nonprofit settings. She earned her Bachelor of Science degree in Human Services from Chestnut Hill College and is eager to support the residents of Chester County.
Brad graduated from Temple University with a bachelor’s degree in finance. His career started at a major marketing firm that focused on digital solutions for small and medium sized businesses. His focus was on customer service relations to resolve customer concerns and budgeting issues. His goal, coupled with diplomacy and sensitivity towards customer needs, was to maintain positive client and business relations in delicate situations. Brad joined the Open Hearth team in November of 2022 with a passion to apply his knowledge of finance and business to his work as a Financial Navigator with a focus on contributing to the success of those he serves.
Heidi first joined the Open Hearth team in 2022, spending several years in direct service as a Financial Navigator. That experience gave her firsthand understanding of the community’s needs- a perspective she now brings to her role as a Finance and Data Analyst. Stepping into this position in April 2026, she now helps the organization navigate trends and optimize the programs Open Hearth offers. With a bachelor’s in psychology from Geneva College and a master’s in data science, Heidi occupies a unique space where technical precision meets genuine empathy. She is deeply passionate about using “big picture” data not just for the sake of numbers, but as a tool to drive a holistic, person-centered approach to helping others thrive.
Our Board
- Edwin Santiago, President
- Melissa E. Scott, Vice President
- David Shellenberger, Treasurer
- Lisa Korab, Secretary
- Crystal Johns
- Chuck Benz
- David Megay, Esq.
- Ryan Dadoly
- Ryan Warwick
- Tamara Clarke
- Steffani Witmer
- Linda Nguyen