This year Special Olympics Pennsylvania (SOPA) named nine new members to its Board of Directors, which is consists of individuals from all across the state who work in a variety of professions and industries.

“We pride ourselves on having a diverse board made up of individuals from a variety of different backgrounds who are passionate about our mission,” said Matt Aaron, CEO & President, Special Olympics Pennsylvania. “We are thrilled to be welcoming a new class of members to our Board of Directors and look forward to the guidance and input they will provide as we continue to fill a critical need in the lives of people with intellectual disabilities.”

The board members named to SOPA’s Board of Directors include:

PHILADELPHIA COUNTY

Terrill L. Drake, MBA, a Philadelphia resident, is the Associate Dean of Strategic Initiatives for the Villanova School of Business at Villanova University. In his role, he oversees external relations, diversity equity & inclusion, programs & events and the creation, development and implementation of strategic priorities in support of the Villanova School of Business mission and vision.

Dennis Wilson, a Philadelphia resident, is Deputy Commissioner of Special Operations, Philadelphia Police Department. In his role, he is responsible for the departments Investigative Bureau, Homeland Security Bureau, and Narcotics Bureau.

ALLEGHENY COUNTY

Cindy S. Alvear, a Pittsburgh area resident, is a Certified Elder Law Attorney who specializes in planning for individuals with special needs at Julian Gray Associates. In her role she analyzes complex issues and designs legal strategies that allow families to protect and provide for loved ones facing challenges. She is also a former Division I volleyball player and coach.

CENTRE COUNTY

John A. Papazoglou, MPA, a State College resident, is the Associate Vice President, Auxiliary and Business for the Pennsylvania State University. In his role, he is responsible for the overall vision and direction for Auxiliary and Business Services (A&BS), which is an umbrella organization for eight non-academic support units.

LANCASTER COUNTY

James A. Laughman, MSW, LSW, a Lititz resident, is the President of PerformCare & Intellectual Disabilities/Developmental Disabilities. In his role, he directs the establishment of long-range plans, strategies and policies which may include a range of activities in sales, marketing, operations and staff functions.

MONTGOMERY COUNTY

Kristi Burke Boccella, a North Wales resident, a North Wales resident, is a Senior On-Premise Manager for The Coca-Cola Company. In her role, she is responsible for managing all aspects of Liberty Coca-Cola Bottling Company’s On- Premise business across the PA, NJ, DE, NY and CT geography. Prior to her new role, Kristi worked with Aramark Sports & Entertainment, Healthcare and Leisure/Parks as a Senior National Sales Executive with The Coca-Cola Company. She has been involved with Special Olympics Philadelphia through Unified Sports.

Carrie Collins, JD, PhD, a Bala Cynwyd resident, is the Chief Advancement Officer for Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine. In her role, she oversees alumni engagement, fundraising, and strategic planning for the college and its 3 locations—1 in Philadelphia and 2 in Georgia.

David Simonetti, a Laverock resident, is a Senior Director of Store Operations for Wawa, Inc. In his role, he is responsible for 4 regions as well as operations support in the Mid Atlantic Market – including all areas of store operations, sales, and people development.

YORK COUNTY

Tanya Jarrett, MPH, a York resident, is a health educator at Lancaster General/Penn Medicine. In her role, she leads the implementation and facilitation of health promotion programs for all populations in the employer/corporate community, including wellness presentations, behavior change programs, screenings, and health fairs. She is also the owner of Live Fresh LLC, a holistic nutrition practice where she creates personalized nutrition plans from individual blood work analysis.

The SOPA Board of Directors help to set the organization’s strategic plan and offers guidance for how to best accomplish the organization’s goals. To learn more about SOPA’s current Board of Directors visit https://specialolympicspa.org/about-us/board-of-directors.

About Special Olympics Pennsylvania

Special Olympics Pennsylvania provides year-round training and competition in 21 Olympic-type sports to more than 20,000 children and adults with intellectual disabilities or closely related developmental disabilities. For more information about how you can join “The Inclusion Revolution,” visit www.specialolympicspa.org.