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Hope Learning Center
Serving Young Adults on the Autism Spectrum
Hope Learning Center Board of Directors
Hope Learning Center (HLC) is a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization. As such, HLC is governed by a board made up of a diverse group of people, yet with shared passions to make a difference in the lives of the young adults we serve. Our board is responsible for the overall policy and direction of Hope Learning Center and delegates responsibility for day-to-day operations to the staff and committees.
Anne Hughes earned a BS in Special Education from Millersville University and has worked as a teacher and parent educator for almost 30 years. Anne has experience working with students and young adults with autism and a variety of developmental disabilities, in both school and community-based settings. Besides serving on the board, Anne assists with programming and curriculum development at Hope Learning Center.
Bill Newman is an entrepreneur and mission-driven professional with wide-ranging expertise in business operations and philanthropy. He built his career working with and managing a variety of charitable and business endeavors and sits on the boards of several nonprofits including Cairn University.
Mary Underwood has been involved in the special needs community for over a decade as well as having friends and family who are walking this journey with their young adult. Her faith includes the belief that each of us is created in the image of God and has varying gifts to contribute to our communities and society at large. She graduated with an Associate Degree in Early Childhood Education from Covenant College. She has worked in Disability ministry for over a decade, most recently with the program, Adults with Disabilities Day Program.
Ed White has extensive healthcare business experience and has spent his career leveraging his business intelligence expertise to deliver actionable decision-grade information from the abundance of data in organizations’ legacy systems. Ed holds a BS from the University of Delaware with concentrations in Finance and Management, and has an MBA in Health Administration and MS in Healthcare Finance from Temple University.
Kelly White leads the Global Trial Optimization group for Merck & Co., Inc. She is responsible for the team that conducts clinical program feasibility and execution support planning on behalf of the global operations organization. She has more than 30 years of nursing and clinical research experience. She holds both Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Nursing from Bloomsburg and Drexel universities respectively. She and her husband reside in Perkasie and enjoy time outdoors with their dogs.
Hope Learning Center Advisory Board
The Advisory Board is composed of young adults on the autism spectrum. These young people are a vital component of HLC as they provide insight and contribute ideas for the programs we offer. The Advisory Board attends Board meetings as well as holds their own meetings for planning. Members also attend Discussion nights and activities as they are able.
Tyler Haney graduated from West Chester University with a BA in History (with Honors) and a minor in Museum Studies in May 2020. Tyler was recently hired as Assistant Product Manager for Bachmann Trains in Philadelphia. He leads the Advisory Board for HLC, serves as a consultant for programming and leads discussion groups.
Katie Lickfield graduated from West Chester University (WCU) with a BS in Interdisciplinary Studies and a Minor in Studio Art. Katie has been involved with Dub-C Autism Program at WCU (D-CAP) helping students transition into college and creating routines leading to academic success. Katie has engaged in outreach activities and educational panels, where she speaks about our resources offered. Katie completed three internships while attending WCU. Katie enjoys spending time with her friends and oil/acrylic painting.
Emily Nagy is late-diagnosed, and a former student at Hope Learning Center. She was homeschooled, and currently works as an assistant teacher at a Christian preschool. In her free time, she enjoys playing the harp, photography and other creative pursuits, and spending time with her pets.
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