Who We Are
The Chester Community Coalition started when Sr. Jean Rupertus, of The Sisters of St. Francis of Philadelphia learned of a grant from Catholic Health Initiatives (now CommonSpirit Health) focused on violence prevention.
Through the Sisters, a group of volunteers applied for, and received, funding to provide trauma-informed counseling to children and parents who had lost a loved one to violence.
Additional funding from Congregation Ohev Shalom, The Foundation for Delaware County, The Community’s Foundation, and Swarthmore Presbyterian Church allowed us to add groups for teens, an art group for children 4 to 7 and a support group for people healing from violent assault and their caregivers.
Our Counselors

Dr. Erika Dawkins, PsyD, MEd
Clinical Director

Shakyra Morales, LMSW
Therapist

Alex Johnson, MA, ATR-BC, LPC
Art Therapist

Lashira Council, LPC
Therapist

Susanne Cianfaro, LSW
Therapist

Jessica Davis
Art Therapy Aide
Our Board

Imam Haneef Mahdi
Chair

Eric Bayne
Vice Chair

Rev. Ronald Hughes
Treasurer

Fran Stier
Board Secretary, Finance Officer

Pat Demiranda
Camp Encouragement

Sr. Marijane Hresko
The Sisters of St. Francis of Philadelphia

Sr. Mary Vandergeest
The Sisters of St. Francis of Philadelphia

Cornelius C. O'Brien, III, Esq.
Counsel to The Sisters of St. Francis of Philadelphia

Brock Roben
Psychiatrist

Elayne DeSimone
Community Volunteers in Medicine

Ofc. Terrence Taylor
Police Representative

Captain Matthew Goldschmidt
Police Representative

Dr. Bridgette Montgomery DSW LCSW MSNPM CSOTS
Licensed Clinical Social Worker and a Nationally Certified Sex Offender Treatment Specialist
Our Team

Alexia Clarke
Executive Director

Sr. Marijane Hresko
Program Manager

Fran Stier
Finance Officer

Edward Mack
Case Worker

JaNyiah Rothwell
Outreach Worker

Rebecca Tone
Director of Development