|
|
SeniorLAW Center
Protecting
the Legal Rights of Philadelphia’s Elderly
Board
Officers and Directors
|
|
Officers |
|
|
|
 WENDY
E. BOOKLER, ESQUIRE, Board Chair.
Wendy is Of Counsel to the Philadelphia law firm of
Blank Rome LLP.
Ms. Bookler practices in both Pennsylvania
and New Jersey, where she focuses on the acquisition,
financing and construction of affordable housing projects,
low income housing tax credit and historic certification
matters, port-related real estate activities, and
on commercial real estate leasing transactions, representing
both landlords and tenants in both retail and office
leases and in shopping center development. Ms. Bookler
received her BA from George Washington University
and her JD, cum laude, from Temple University.
In addition to SeniorLAW Center Board, she
is a member of the American Bar Association Forum
on Affordable Housing and Community Development Law,
the International Council of Shopping Centers and
Women in Retail Real Estate. |
 Gay
Parks Rainville, Esquire,
Vice-Chair.
Gay is a partner in the
Philadelphia office of Pepper Hamilton LLP.
She concentrates her practice in complex commercial
litigation, including securities, corporate governance,
breach of contract, commercial tort and antitrust
matters. She also provides life sciences clients with
regulatory compliance and risk avoidance counseling
regarding their clinical research practices, product
labeling and product distribution. Gay received a B.A.
degree in English from Denison University, and M.A.T.
and J.D. degrees from Northwestern University. Before
entering law school, she taught high school English and
studied, taught and performed modern dance. |
|
 CYNTHIA
WISHKOVSKY, MSSA, LSW, Vice-Chair.
Cyndee Wishkovsky has been professionally
involved with aging services for over thirty years.
She received a B.A. from State University of New York
at Buffalo and a Masters in Social Science Administration
from Case Western Reserve University, School of Applied
Social Sciences under a NIMH grant in aging, specializing
in aging and mental health.
For the last 15 years, she has been the Director of
Aging Services at Intercommunity Action (“Interac”),
located in Northwest Philadelphia, administrating
a senior center, adult day service program and a Geriatric
Counseling Program, reaching out to 17 sites in Philadelphia.
Most recently, Cyndee has been part of Interac’s team
that is developing independent, affordable housing
with supportive services. Cyndee has held leadership
roles in numerous national and state organizations.
Currently she is active member of the Pennsylvania
Joint Committee on Aging and Mental Health, Aging
Planning Committee of the Greater Philadelphia Jewish
Federation, Advisory Board to the Emergency Services
for Elderly Holocaust Survivors, Philadelphia Association
of Senior Center Administrators, and a Board member
of Congregation Beth Am Israel. |
 RONALD
J. SHAFFER, ESQUIRE, Vice-Chair. Ron Shaffer is a partner and
the Chairman of the Litigation Department at the firm of
Fox Rothschild LLP. He graduated from the Pennsylvania
State University in 1976 with a B.A. in political
science and received his J.D. from Villanova University
School of Law in 1980. Upon graduation, Mr. Shaffer
served a judicial clerkship with the Honorable Robert N.
C. Nix, Jr., Justice of the Supreme Court of
Pennsylvania. In 1983, he joined Fox Rothschild LLP.
Mr. Shaffer has been admitted to practice in both
federal and state courts in Pennsylvania and New
Jersey. His work encompasses a broad range of
commercial litigation matters, including shareholder and
other business disputes, federal guaranteed student loan
litigation, securities, trademarks, antitrust, trade
secrets, restrictive covenants, and real estate. Ron is
a member of Fox Rothschild’s Executive Committee and
serves on the Philadelphia Bar Association’s Commission
on Judicial Selection and Retention. Ron’s advocacy
skills and dedication to protecting the rights of the
elderly will be a welcomed addition to the SeniorLAW
Center board. |
|
Steven Narbus, CFP,
Secretary.
Steve joined the SeniorLAW
Center Board of Directors in 2008. He is a Vice
President and Senior Portfolio Officer for BNY Mellon’s
Wealth Management group. In this role he works directly
with individuals, families and non-profit organizations
to ensure that their investment and wealth management
objectives are met. Steve is a graduate of Drexel
University and is a Certified Financial Planning
Practitioner. Steve and his wife, Diana, have two sons
and reside in Media, Pennsylvania. |
|
Theodore Marasciulo, Esquire, Treasurer.
Ted is a principal in the Philadelphia office of Offit
Kurman, P.A. He provides strategic counseling in the
areas of business and corporate law and taxation. Ted
works closely with clients who are, for example, buying
or selling businesses, entering into partnership or
shareholder agreements or negotiating employment
agreements with key executives. As a former trial
attorney with the Internal Revenue Service, Ted also
provides tax planning advice and represents individuals
and businesses in federal, state or local tax disputes.
Before and during law school, Ted worked as a welfare
caseworker in North Philadelphia for 10 years. He
received his B.A. from Pennsylvania State University and
was graduated magna cum laude from Temple Law School.
Ted also serves on the Board of Directors of Derek’s
Dream, a non-profit organization that manages the care
of an autistic teenager. |
|
 SHARI
J. ODENHEIMER, ESQUIRE, Immediate Past Chair.
Ms.
Odenheimer is a partner with the Wilmington,
Delaware law firm of Potter, Anderson & Corroon, LLP.
She concentrates her practice in the areas of Estate
Planning, Tax Law, Trusts and Estate
Administration. Shari serves both as a volunteer
attorney providing pro bono services to SeniorLAW
Center clients and as consultant to SeniorLAW Center
staff. She earned her bachelor of arts degree at
the University of Michigan and her law degree at
Boston University School of Law where she was a
member of the International Law Journal. Shari is a
member of the Orphans' Court Rules Committee of the
Supreme Court of Pennsylvania and a member of the
Board of the Jewish Relief Agency and the Jewish
Federation of Greater Philadelphia. Ms. Odenheimer
is also a member of the National Young Leadership
Cabinet of United Jewish Communities. |
|
|
Directors |
|
|
.jpg)
Jennifer Allen WOODERUFF.
Jennifer joined the SeniorLAW Center Board of Directors
in 2007 and is Director of Global Communications for
Merck & Co., Inc. Jennifer received a B.A. degree in
Journalism from Rutgers University in 1994, and her M.S
in Advertising from the S.I. Newhouse School of Public
Communications at Syracuse University in 1995. Jennifer
is also on the board of Living Beyond Breast Cancer. |
 Danielle
Banks, Esquire.
Since 1993, Danielle Banks has been a
member of Stradley Ronon’s Litigation Department, focusing
on both commercial and civil rights litigation. She
routinely represents clients ranging from large public
corporations to individuals before federal and state
courts, both at the trial court and appellate court
levels. Ms. Banks has also handled personal injury matters,
including asbestos personal injury. Complimenting Ms.
Banks’ commercial practice is her work in civil rights.
Her commitment to representing the underprivileged and
under represented has been both a service to the community
and an inspiration to Stradley Ronon. Over the years,
Ms. Banks has been involved in several high-profile
and precedent-setting civil rights cases. |
 JOHN
M. BRUZA, M.D. is an assistant professor of clinical
medicine at the University of Pennsylvania and Chief of
Geriatric Medicine at University of Pennsylvania -
Presbyterian Medical Center. He serves as the director
of clinical programs for the Division of Geriatric
Medicine at Penn and the medical director of Penn's
inpatient geriatric unit. He regularly teaches medical
students, residents, fellows, nurses, social workers and
pharmacists on the principles of geriatric medicine at
Penn. He received his M.D. in 1991 from the University
of Oklahoma and completed his residency training in 1994
at Johns Hopkins University. He has expertise and
experience in consultative and primary care for complex
medical care for the elderly. Dr. Bruza provides
nursing home care in West Philadelphia and has served a
medical director of a long-term care facility. He looks
forward to bringing his medical expertise to the
SeniorLAW Center Board. |
 TERESA
N CAVENAGH, ESQUIRE. Teresa joined the SeniorLAW
Center’s Board of Directors in 2009. Teresa has been
with Duane Morris LLP since 1976, initially as Duane
Morris’ law librarian and since 1985 as an attorney.
She has been a partner in Duane Morris’ Trial Department
since 1995. Teresa’s practice focuses on commercial
litigation with an emphasis on health care, energy and
fraud related issues. She often represents clients in
the health care, energy and hospitality industries,
providing regulatory and compliance counseling and
investigation services, as well as, litigation
expertise. Teresa earned her bachelor of arts degree,
summa cum laude from Villanova University, a M.S.
in Library Science from Drexel University and her J.D.,
summa cum laude from Temple University School of
Law. She was an adjunct instructor in legal research
and writing at Temple Law School for thirteen years.
Teresa has served as a volunteer for SeniorLAW Center’s
Pennsylvania SeniorLAW HelpLine for the past
several years. |
|
 RICHARD
J. CONN, ESQUIRE. Richard
has a long and proud history with SeniorLAW Center,
having served on the SeniorLAW Center volunteer attorney
panel since its inception (when we were known as
Judicare). He continues his service to elders on the
SeniorLAW Center Board of Directors. Richard
graduated from Pennsylvania State University in 1971.
He has been practicing law since graduating in 1974, cum
laude, from Villanova University School of Law, where he
was an associate editor of the law review, and a member
of the Moot Court Board. For three years he was
judicial law clerk to a family court judge in the
Philadelphia Court of Common Pleas. Since that time has
been in an active general practice representing clients
in personal and business matters, family law, and
personal injury cases. He is admitted to the bars of
Pennsylvania and New Jersey and is a member of the
American, Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, and Montgomery Bar
Associations. In addition, Richard teaches at Penn
State, in its Paralegal Program, and has taught an
undergraduate business law course. He is faculty
advisor to the program at the Abington Campus and has
served on a Paralegal Advisory Board which administered
the program for the University, state-wide.
Richard has been treasurer of the Lower Merion-Narberth
Democratic Committee since 1988. He served on the board
of directors of Narberth Community Theatre for many
years, was its president from 2003-05, and plays bass in
pit orchestras for community theaters and in other
ensembles. |
 WILLIAM
J. DONOHUE, ESQUIRE.
Bill has been on the SeniorLAW Center Board since 2002.
He has also served as a volunteer attorney, providing
services for SeniorLAW Center clients in the areas of
wills, advance planning and tangled real estate titles.
Bill has spent over twenty-five years as an in-house
corporate counsel, and is currently an attorney with
Exelon Business Services Company, specializing in corporate
and commercial law. Bill is dedicated to encouraging
and supporting pro bono service by in-house attorneys.
To that end he is on the Board of Directors of the Delaware
Valley Corporate Counsel Association (DELVACCA) and
Chairs the Pro Bono Committee. Other efforts include
serving as a member of the Corporate Counsel Subcommittee
of the Philadelphia Bar Association Chancellor’s Pro
Bono Task Force, the Steering Committee of the Law Works
Project of Philadelphia VIP, the HomeSmart Collaborative
Summit on Tangled Titles, the Exelon Law Department
Pro Bono Committee, and mentors law students on pro
bono cases through the Villanova Law School Lawyering
Together Program. He is also an Adjunct
Professor of Law at the Haub School of Business at St.
Joseph’s University. Bill received a B.S. in Economics
from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania
and a J.D. from the Dickinson School of Law, where he
was a member of the Law Review. Bill and his wife,
Margie, have four sons and reside in Drexel Hill, PA.
|
|
 Stephen
A. Feldman, Esquire.
Steve Feldman holds B.A.
(1974) and J.D. (1981) degrees from Temple University.
He founded Feldman and Feldman in 1988, with his brother,
Paul L. Feldman, after serving as the Executive Director
of Judicare, and several years in private practice.
Steve chaired the SeniorLAW Center Board for many years,
in addition to serving in other Officer roles. A champion
advocate of the disabled and elderly, Stephen has successfully
instituted suit on behalf of an Alzheimer's victim who
was the subject of discrimination by a nursing home,
on behalf of a nursing home resident who was improperly
discharged after applying for medical assistance under
consumer protection laws, and on behalf of spouses of
nursing home residents whose assets were being improperly
reduced by the state's incorrect application of the
Medicaid law. Stephen has written and lectured
frequently on various aspects of the rights of the elderly,
and is widely recognized as an expert on the subject
of financing long term care and protecting patient rights.
He also co-authored the Older Adults Protective Services
Act. He is a member of the American, Pennsylvania
and Philadelphia Bar Associations, and the National
Academy of Elder Law Attorneys. |
|
 Judith
A. Neale.
Ms. Neale is an Advocate
for the Elderly and Disabled, a Grassroots Lobbyist
for Health and Aging Issues and a Geriatric Care Manager.
She was a Pennsylvania Delegate to the 1995 White House
Conference on Aging which remains an ongoing active
position. She is a Senator representing Pennsylvania
to the National Silver-Haired Congress, which was unanimously
voted into law by Congress in 1996. She is a member
of the National Home Care Coalition. Ms. Neale
is also serving on the President’s Second Term Commission
for Health Care Policy. She has done this variety
of work for over 20 years and combines her national
work and the work for her clients to meet their varying
needs. She has been on the Board of Judicare since
1992. Judicare is a very special part of her life,
as she believes the services that are provided to the
most needy of our elder population can make a real difference
in their lives. She also believes that there is
no limit to where Judicare can expand. |
|
JOSEPH B. SILVERSTEIN,
ESQUIRE.
Joe serves as a
Vice-Chair of SeniorLAW Center’s Board and
Co-Chair of the Resource Development Committee
. He is a partner with the firm of Green,
Silverstein & Groff, LLC, concentrating his
practice in all areas of
complex civil litigation, including
insurance coverage, commercial disputes,
product liability and personal injury.
Joe received a
Bachelor of Science degree from The
Pennsylvania State University in 1991,
with a marketing major and a classical
literature minor. He received his
Juris Doctor in 1994 from
Widener University School of Law, and is
admitted to practice in Pennsylvania and
New Jersey . Joe has been a member of
the
adjunct faculty at
Villanova University School of Law since
2000 and has served as a volunteer attorney with
SeniorLAW Center , as well as several other
community and
public interest organizations, and has
many years of pro bono experience serving
disadvantaged populations.
|
 RUTH TANUR, CPA.
Ruth Tanur is
the manager in charge of handling the individual tax
practice of Isdaner & Company, LLC. She provides tax
planning services to clients including counseling them
on strategies for saving for college education and
funding retirement. Ruth represents clients at federal,
state and municipal audit hearings. In 2000, she
began her career at Isdaner & Company, LLC. Prior to
joining the firm, she worked at two national accounting
firms. At one of the national firms, she was a tax
manager. Her experience also includes serving as an
internal audit manager for a major corporation. She has
more than 20 years of experience. Her
professional affiliations include: member of the board
of directors of the Utility Emergency Services Fund;
member of the Pennsylvania Institute of Certified Public
Accountants; and the American Institute of Certified
Public Accountants. She previously served as Board
Member and Treasurer of the Women’s Law Project. A
graduate of Temple University, she has a degree in
accounting. She looks forward to bringing her financial
expertise to the service of senior citizens through
SeniorLAW Center’s important work. |
|
Cara M. Vivarelli-O'Neill, MPH.
Cara joined the board in February of 2009
and works at Merck & Co., Inc. in Global Medical
Affairs. Cara received a B.A. degree in Public Health
and Spanish from The Johns Hopkins University in 1997,
and her M.P.H. in Maternal and Child Health from The
George Washington University School of Public Health and
Health Services in 1999. Prior to joining Merck, Cara
worked in the Office of Government Affairs & Community
Relations at The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia,
where she was the Director of Public Affairs. |
 Ezra Wohlgelernter,
Esquire.
Ezra Wohlgelernter is a founding member
of the law firm of Feldman, Shepherd, Wohlgelernter,
Tanner & Weinstock. Ezra was born and raised in
Philadelphia and received his Juris Doctor from Temple
University School of Law in 1981. He is a member of
the Pa, NJ and NY bars. Wohlgelernter concentrates his
practice in the field of complex personal injury
litigation. Ezra is an active member of the board of the
Philadelphia Trial Lawyers Organization. In 2006 he was
appointed to the Board of Directors of the SeniorLaw
Center. Over the past 20 years, Ezra has served on the
boards of numerous non profit organizations on both a
local and national level. He is a past trustee of
the Jewish Federation of Greater Philadelphia. While
serving in that capacity he was deeply involved in the
resettlement of émigrés from the former Soviet Union
in Philadelphia. Ezra has also served on the boards of
the Auerbach Central Agency for Jewish Education,
Hillel of Greater Philadelphia, Torah Academy and is a
past President of Hebrew Academy. Ezra brings to the
SeniorLaw Center his skill as an advocate combined with
an innate commitment to improve the lives of the less
privileged members of our community. |
|
|
|
|
