EXECUTIVE TEAM
MARY ELLEN FARBER
CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER
Mary Ellen enthusiastically joined the Friendship Team in March of 2022. She has 16+ years of experience leading in the Christian, 501 (c)(3) arena serving individuals with special needs.
Mary Ellen is a Licensed Personal Care Home Administrator, Assisted Living, Administrator and Nursing Home Administrator. The combination of her education, experience, culture and drive makes her an ideal fit for our organization…
... She earned her Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration /International Business Management as well as a Masters in Organizational Leadership from Mercy College, NY and went on to earn a MBA and completed Doctorate level coursework in Organizational Leadership at Eastern University, PA. Mary Ellen is an active Board Member of PAR (Pennsylvania Advocates and Resources for Autism and Intellectual Disabilities)
Mary Ellen has found reward and purpose in her leadership career through serving individuals with special needs. She is excited to continue the journey by leading Friendship Community as we continue the work that the Lord has set ahead of us in our Mission to cultivate the capabilities of individuals with Intellectual Disability and Autism.
Mary Ellen enjoys continuous learning and has a passion for leadership and coaching. She is a Maxwell Leadership Certified Team Member and holds various licensures in Healthcare Administration. Outside of a passion for Leadership and Coaching, Mary Ellen enjoys various arts such as painting, making sea-glass and frit glass pendants, as well as various fiber arts. She loves to hike and physical fitness and nutrition is important to her. She loves time with her family and in particular her daughters, grandchildren and siblings.
LIESL WOLF
CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER
Liesl Wolf spent her career in a variety of finance and banking roles. Having spent over 30 years in banking, she began in junior accounting positions and then received numerous promotions leading to becoming...
... Controller. Later she moved into Commercial Lending as a Credit Officer and Chief Credit Officer for a portion of her career. Liesl considers herself a lifelong learner. She received a bachelor’s degree in business administration from Grove City College. Later, she attended Lebanon Valley College to earn an M.B.A. Outside of work, Liesl enjoys cooking and baking. She is an avid reader and participates in a monthly book club. She enjoys singing in the church choir and serves currently on the Christian Education Committee. She maintains a busy schedule being a mom to a 16-year-old son who is involved in local community theater and school music and drama programs. She and her husband enjoy traveling and have a bucket list of places to see that they are working through.
DARNELL TISDALE
DIRECTOR OF OPERATIONS
Darnell Tisdale is a dedicated leader with over a decade of experience in operations management and program development within the human services field. As Director of Operations, he ensures that programs run efficiently, comply with all regulations, and deliver exceptional support to individuals and their families.
Darnell has served in leadership roles at Step By Step, Creative Health Services, Inc. , Supportive Concepts, the Office of Long Term Living, Caron Foundation, and Children’s Home of Reading.
Throughout his career, Darnell has excelled in building strong teams, managing resources effectively, and creating inclusive environments that foster growth and independence. His expertise in crisis intervention, behavioral planning, and program oversight has consistently led to measurable improvements in the quality of care and operations.
A graduate of Indiana University of Pennsylvania with a background in child development and family relations, Darnell is deeply committed to empowering the individuals that he serves. He brings passion and vision to every role, striving to enhance services and positively impact the community.
JULIE POHLMAN
DIRECTOR OF HUMAN RESOURCES
Julie Holds a bachelor’s degree in social work from Lancaster Bible College and a master's degree in human resource Analytics and Management from American...
AMANDA GILBERTSON
DIRECTOR OF ADVANCEMENT
Amanda Gilbertson joins the Friendship Team with over 20 years of Marketing and Development experience from a variety of roles in both non-profit and healthcare.
Passionate about the mission of people-first and community-focused leadership, Amanda has extensive experience building dynamic teams that have consistently delivered expectation-exceeding results…
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
CHUCK ALBERT
BOARD CHAIRPERSON
Chuck Albert joined Friendship Community’s Board in 2017. During his 40+ years in business, providing IT Services and Support, Chuck always had a heart to serve ...
MIKE HURST
BOARD VICE CHAIRPERSON
Mike Hurst joined Friendship Community’s Board in 2022. Residing in Neffsville Pa, Mike believes in the mission, vision and values of Friendship Community ...
RYAN CURRAN
BOARD TREASURER
Ryan Curran joined Friendship Community’s Board in 2021. Having grown up in Lancaster County, Ryan has always had a passion for serving the community. His ...
STEPHANIE MICHEL-SEGNOR
BOARD SECRETARY
SYLVIA KAUFFMAN
Sylvia Kauffman joined Friendship Community’s Board in January of 2018. She lives in Lancaster with her husband, Ben, and their children. Sylvia currently works ...
LYNDA WOLFE
Lynda Wolfe joined Friendship Community’s Board in 2019. Having retired as a Microbiology supervisor from Johnson & Johnson in 2015, Lynda has spent her ...
JILL STOLTZFOOS