NBT Bank Welcomes Diana Hill as Human Resources Business Partner NBT Bank’s Chief Human Resources Officer Cindy Smaniotto announced that Diana Hill has joined the team as Human Resources Business Partner. Hill is based at NBT’s Scranton Financial Center. “Diana’s skillset is a great asset to our Human Resources Division as we continually seek new ways to enhance the employee experience,” Smaniotto said. Hill brings more than 20 years of experience in human resources management, including employee engagement, talent acquisition, organizational development and performance management. Hill earned a bachelor’s degree from the University of Scranton. An active member of her community, Hill has served as a member of the Board of Directors for the Junior League of Scranton and volunteered with the St. Joseph’s Women’s House and the St. Francis Food Kitchen, as well as chaired many charitable fundraising events throughout NEPA.
Citizens Savings Bank Announces Promotion Citizens Savings Bank Clarks in Clarks Summit has announed the promotion of Eileen Applegate-Huegel to the position of Vice President of Information Technology. Looking back on her 41 years with the bank, Eileen started her career as a part time Checking Department clerk in 1981 and later transferred to full time clerk in the Mortgage Department. In November 1987, Eileen moved into the Data Processing Department as a Data Operations Assistant and then was elevated to Assistant Vice President of Information Technology in 2000. In this new position she will continue to assist in the directing, coordinating, and installing all information technology operations bank wide as well as now playing an instrumental role in helping to advance technology strategies for the bank. She resides in Scranton with her husband and 3 children.
University of Scranton Accounting Department on Top Research Productivity List The Accounting Department of The University of Scranton ranked No. 4 in the world for accounting education research published in the most recent six-years in a listing considered to be the gold standard in accounting disciplines. The recently released 2021 Brigham Young University Accounting Rankings also recognized several accounting faculty members individually for their research publication success. The Brigham Young University report ranks accounting programs and faculty throughout the world based on their success in publishing in 12 top-tier, peer-reviewed accounting journals. The report is updated annually and includes ranks for specific categories of research and for specific time periods. The 2021 update ranks Scranton’s Accounting Department at as the fourth most prolific department in the world for accounting education research over the most recent six-year period, following Brigham Young University (first), Texas Tech University (second) and Kennesaw State University (third), and preceding Indiana University – Indianapolis (fifth). The department was also ranked internationally for all methods, audit, managerial, experimental and archival accounting research. With respect to authorships of individual accounting faculty in the area of accounting education, three Scranton faculty members were ranked internationally. Douglas M. Boyle, D.B.A., associate professor and chair of the Accounting Department and director of the DBA program, was ranked No. 7. James F. Boyle, D.B.A., assistant professor of accounting and director of the MAcc program, and Brian W. Carpenter, Ph.D., professor of accounting, ranked No. 18 (tied). Additionally, Dr. Douglas Boyle was ranked for all methods, auditing and experimental research; Dr. Carpenter was ranked for all methods; and Jeh-Hyun Cho, Ph.D., assistant professor of accounting, was ranked for all methods, managerial and archival. “The University of Scranton’s listing near the top of the 2021 Brigham Young University Accounting Education Research rankings and the very high rankings of many of its individual faculty in a variety of sub-disciplines bear testimony to the Accounting department’s commitment to excellence in both teaching and research. I am very proud of the faculty’s research productivity and their skillful use of scholarship to inform and nourish teaching. This greatly benefits students in our many outstanding programs, but especially in our ground-breaking, research-focused DBA program,” said Michael Mensah, Ph.D., interim dean of the University’s Kania School of Management and professor of accounting. This is the second consecutive year that the University’s Accounting Department was ranked No. 4 in the world for research success in the prestigious Brigham Young University Accounting Rankings. The Accounting Department and the prolific research of its faculty were also recognized by two academic journals in 2019 and 2020, including an article in Issues in Accounting Education that ranked Scranton No. 1 in the nation for accounting programs and faculty based on the number of publications in the leading five accounting practitioner journals.
The Wright Center Assists Drop-In Center with Services to Scranton’s Homeless The Wright Center for Community Health partners with many of the region’s nonprofit groups to better meet the needs of Northeast Pennsylvania’s residents. Bounced out of foster care when she turned 18, Angela Powers spent a “rough” five years dealing with homelessness, often staying on the streets of New York City’s Times Square. She then moved to and worked in Scranton, where her fortunes seemed on the upswing. But the house in which she lived in 2007 was condemned, thrusting her back into an uncertain and unsafe situation. “I had no relatives in Scranton,” Powers recalls. “I had no friends.” She turned to the Community Intervention Center (CIC) – a now 50-year-old nonprofit in Scranton that provides shelters, apartment-style supportive housing, case management and related services for historically marginalized populations such as adults who are experiencing homelessness. “They have helped me in every way possible,” says Powers, 43, who now lives in an apartment and is pursuing her bachelor’s degree in human services. “There’s no limit to the help that they try to give you. They do things from the heart.” The Wright Center for Community Health – a nonprofit with a similarly long presence in Lackawanna County and a heart for helping people – is proud to routinely partner with the CIC, supplying its clients, like Powers, with the primary health care and other forms of compassionate assistance they deserve. During the COVID-19 pandemic, for example, The Wright Center dispatched its mobile medical unit, Driving Better Health, multiple times to CIC’s daytime drop-in center on Sixth Avenue, enabling clients there to receive coronavirus tests and vaccines. On the mobile unit’s first trip to the CIC in April 2021 nearly 30 people received the first dose of the coronavirus vaccine. Flu vaccines also have been made available. While at the drop-in site, The Wright Center’s team will sometimes distribute hygiene products, blankets and other essentials to those who want them. And the team offers “to-go packages,” each containing bottled water as well as easy-to-carry foods such as sandwiches and breakfast sandwich bars. “The CIC’s clients are so appreciative of the items and services that we are able to provide them during our visits,” says Allison LaRussa, director of health humanities at The Wright Center. “It’s a privilege to get to know these individuals and to spend time talking and sharing stories with them, as I have, while recently assisting in the painting of a mural there that enlivens the space and reflects their hope for brighter days ahead.” The Wright Center and CIC not only share a common purpose when it comes to helping marginalized communities, they also share proximity. The nonprofits’ headquarters in the city are about 1-mile apart. That’s especially convenient if CIC clients require speedy treatment for a health-related issue, says longtime CIC employee Jason Griffiths. “The Wright Center allows us to make an appointment for our clients, and they get right in,” says Griffiths, a permanent supportive housing case manager. “That’s great for us, and for the client.” At The Wright Center’s Scranton Practice, for example, patients have the convenience of going to a single site to access medical, dental and behavioral health services. No patient is turned away due to an inability to pay. Beyond primary care, The Wright Center’s team tries to provide CIC clients with an emotional boost by scheduling occasional social activities at the drop-in centernear downtown Scranton, which on most days draws 60 to 80 people. CIC’s drop-in center can trace its roots back to 1972. It historically has served adults facing homelessness as well as individuals who are coping with substance use disorders or behavioral health issues. Today, the center offers a safe and sober environment that furnishes everything from essentials (shower and laundry facilities, food and coffee) to recovery services to occasional chiropractic care and yoga. For some clients, it’s purely a place to socialize among friends. The Wright Center’s Patient & Community Engagement team goes to the CIC regularly, with trays of pizza in hand, engaging clients in fun activities such as bingo games and holiday crafts. Most recently, with guidance from LaRussa, about 15 CIC clients completed the mural project titled, “Instilling Hope.” Hope can sometimes be hard to find for people in Lackawanna County who are classified as homeless, previously estimated at 150 or more individuals who are unsheltered or are sheltered in emergency/transitional housing. That’s why, after a half-century of service, the CIC’s daily operation continues to be so essential to individuals – and to the Greater Scranton community. “We have 26 apartments in which we’ve taken 26 people off the streets who used to live in abandoned buildings and under bridges and put them into permanent supportive housing,” says Griffiths. “They have us as a case manager to help them get back on their feet.” Powers can attest that the CIC and its community partners are able to successfully deliver the services – and, just as important, the psychological boost – to change the trajectory of a person’s life. “This drop-in center is where you can get a fresh start,” she says. “It’s not just about taking a shower. It’s not just about having somewhere to have a cup of coffee. It’s about feeling cared for and accepted.”
Single-Game SWB RailRider Tickets for 2022 Season on Sale March 8 The Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders, Triple-A affiliate of the New York Yankees, have announced that single-game tickets for the upcoming 2022 season will go on sale March 8. The RailRiders begin the season on the road in Syracuse on April 5 before opening PNC Field for the first time on April 12. Starting on March 1 at 10 A.M., season ticket members will have the opportunity to purchase additional single-game tickets as well as exchange their current game tickets for other dates. At 10 A.M. on March 8, individual tickets for all 75 home games at PNC Field in 2022 will go on sale online only at www.swbrailriders.com. The RailRiders host 11 games in April, 14 in May, 14 during June, nine in July, 14 during August and close with 13 games at PNC Field during September. Scranton/Wilkes-Barre will welcome the top affiliates of the Baltimore Orioles, Boston Red Sox, Cincinnati Reds, Miami Marlins, New York Mets, Philadelphia Phillies, Toronto Blue Jays and Washington Nationals throughout the year. 2022 homestands will follow the standard set in 2021 with a six-game series against each opponent with one exception at the close of the year when SWB plays Buffalo in a three-game series. Each day of the week will once again feature promotions that appeal to fans of all ages and interests. Tuesdays are two times the fun each and every week. The RailRiders will offer Two-for-One Lawn or Bleacher Seats for each Tuesday game this season. This tremendous ticketing promotion will be available online only and details on how to redeem the offer will be announced soon. Plus… our friends at Northeast Eagle are pleased to present $2 Landshark Lager Tallboys for two hours after gates open during Tuesday home games this season (excluding Opening Night). Mid-week goes to the dogs on Waggin’ Wednesdays. Fans can bring their four-legged besties to Wednesday home games during the 2022 season. There is no cost to bring your pup to the park, but the RailRiders encourage a donation to their weekly animal-friendly non-profit of choice. Fans may purchase seats on the lawn or in the bleachers if they bring their dog out on a Waggin’ Wednesday. It’s also our Dollar Dog night with $1 hot dogs for two hours after gates open courtesy of Sahlen’s Hot Dogs. Thirsty Thursdays return with $1 Bud Light drafts and $1 Pepsi Fountain drinks for two hours after gates open. As a token of thanks, the RailRiders will offer complimentary tickets to the brave men and women that have kept us safe over the years on our First Responders Fridays. 50 tickets will be given away to our first responders each Friday. Tickets are given away on a first-come, first-serve basis and are limited to four per week per first responder. First responders will be able to register for complementary tickets by completing the form under the Community tab at www.swbrailriders.com. Beginning on May 27, fans can finish the work week with a bang! Friday Night Fireworks will light up the night throughout the summer with the best pyrotechnic show in NEPA. Saturdays will once again feature great giveaway items all season long. Giveaways will be announced over the coming weeks leading up to single-game ticket sales. Bring the whole gang every Sunday for a Geisinger Family Fun Day! There is no better way to spend a Sunday afternoon than at PNC Field with family-friendly fun. Gates open at noon and kids can play catch on the field until 12:20 P.M. During the game, kids can get $2 Dippin Dots. After the final out, children 12 and younger can run the bases. Additional promotions, giveaways and theme nights will be announced soon. All promotions are subject to change. Please note that May 11 and May 25 are School Day Games and the two Wednesday promotions are not applicable on those dates. Additional terms and restrictions may apply during each promotional night. Ticket memberships, including full, half and partial season plans, as well as a wide range of mini-plans, are on sale now. For more information, please visit swbrailriders.com or call (570) 969-2255.
Lackawanna College Receives Grants Lackawanna College has been awarded a $100,000 grant from the Hawk Family Foundation to support the purchase of an Anatomage Table, a state-of-the-art anatomy education and virtual dissection-teaching tool. Students enrolled in the College’s Health Sciences programs will use the table to improve their anatomy knowledge with interactive hands-on experiences. According to the manufacturer Anatomage, the table is the world’s first virtual dissection table featuring a fully segmented real human 3D anatomy system. Leading medical schools and institutions use the table worldwide. “It’s exciting for Lackawanna College to have access to this cutting-edge technology,” said Meegan Murray, division lead for the College’s Health Sciences Division. “Students in this field tend to be visual and kinesthetic learners. This technology will lead to deeper learning and understanding of the human body that is essential when taking care of patients.” Students are currently learning about anatomy through a mobile application called Visible Body, along with the use of textbooks and anatomy models. Murray believes that the new table will be a game-changer. “Having this technology at Lackawanna College will catapult student learning into the future, producing healthcare professionals with a thorough understanding of human anatomy and physiology,” said Murray. The College expects to have the table available for the Fall 2022 semester.
Julie Sidoni to Serve as Moderator on WVIA’s Call the Doctor WVIA News Director Julie Sidoni will serve as moderator of the upcoming 34th season of WVIA’s television series Call the Doctor. The season will feature an updated look and presentation when it premieres Wednesday, March 2nd at 7 p.m. on WVIA TV. The new season will feature 16 episodes that will premiere Wednesday nights at 7 p.m. on WVIA TV. “Call The Doctor is a program that viewers have come to rely on for more than 30 years,” said Sidoni. “The newly-formed WVIA News team is ready and excited to report on a number of health and medical topics, contributing to the show in a way that hasn’t been done before.” “We believe having the show premiere in consecutive weeks along with Julie’s experience reporting health issues in our region allows us to better serve our audience and address their medically related questions,” said Carla McCabe, WVIA President, and CEO. “We are excited to premiere a new look and style for this program this season while still presenting the information our viewers look for each week,” said Ben Payavis II, WVIA Chief Content Officer. The new season of Call the Doctor will kick off with “Missed Health Screenings Due to COVID-19” on March 2nd, followed by “Lung Cancer on the Rise: Types and Treatments” on March 9th, “All About Alzheimer’s Disease” on March 16th, and “The Future of Telehealth” on March 23rd. Show topics to be featured later in the season include obesity/bariatric surgery, prostate cancer, breast cancer, COVID-19 side effects, joint replacement, back injuries, arthritis, sleep disorders, and more. More information on the upcoming season can be found at wvia.org/ctd. Watch a preview for the first episode of the season here. Viewers can call in with their questions ahead of time to have them answered on-air by calling 1-833-408-9842.
Wolf Administration Highlights Benefits of Bipartisan Infrastructure Law Officials from the Pennsylvania Departments of Transportation (PennDOT) and Environmental Protection (DEP) today highlighted benefits to Pennsylvania from the passage of the federal Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL), specifically for electric vehicle (EV) and alternative fuel infrastructure. PennDOT also unveiled its EV Equity Guiding Principles for private industry and other agencies to consider as they plan and deploy EV charging infrastructure. The principles aim to increase accessibility to the infrastructure and maximize benefits for all Pennsylvanians. “PennDOT and our sibling-agency partners are well positioned to advance our transportation and EV charging networks to meet current and future needs,” said PennDOT Acting Executive Deputy Secretary Melissa Batula. “These investments are a significant opportunity, and we are committed to delivering benefits across the state.” Signed by President Joe Biden in November 2021, the BIL provides states with $7.5 billion to expand the EV charging network. Over five years, Pennsylvania will have access to $171.5 million in formula funds for EV charging infrastructure and $2.5 billion in discretionary grant funding opportunities for all alternative fueling infrastructure. The funding supports the commonwealth goal of expanding EV charging along the previously designated Alternative Fuel Corridors (AFCs) (list) and Interstate lookalikes. Federal AFC criteria was updated this week to require AFC designated ready corridors to have charging stations no more than 1 mile from an Interstate exit or highway intersection (previously 5 miles) and no more than 50 miles apart. The department will review all corridors to align ready and pending corridors with the new criteria. “DEP is grateful for the federal infrastructure support and excited to partner with PennDOT in expanding charging station locations across the state, as we work to bring the health and environmental benefits of zero emission transportation to all Pennsylvanians,” said DEP Secretary Patrick McDonnell. Formula funds will flow through PennDOT and will be primarily focused on developing electric charging infrastructure on AFCs, taking miles from pending to ready status. From PennDOT’s most recent update, there are currently 1,051 Interstate miles pending and 692 Interstate miles in ready status, under the previous designation criteria. Should PennDOT determine, and U.S. DOT certifies, that the AFCs are fully built out, then Pennsylvania may use funds to build EV charging equipment on any public road or in any publicly accessible location, including but not limited to parking facilities at public buildings, public schools, and parks. The new discretionary grant program will allow Pennsylvania’s eligible entities like municipalities, school districts, planning organizations and more to apply for funds to support local communities in installing, operating, and maintaining EV charging equipment. Grant funds will also be available for electrifying school bus fleets and EV battery manufacturing and recycling programs. PennDOT and DEP – following guidance issued from U.S. DOT – will collaborate with key stakeholders such as network companies, planning partners, and businesses on EV charging development. The newly announced equity principles will help the department evaluate EV proposals in accordance with the federal guidance and fall into five categories: Make EVs more affordable;Make EV charging more accessible;Invest in fleet electrification;Invest in traditionally underserved, low-income, persons of color and otherwise vulnerable population areas; andIncrease EV awareness, education, and technical capacity. The commonwealth’s previous work and the new funding will support growing EV usage and industry transitions. There are more than 23,000 EVs registered in Pennsylvania, more than double the roughly 9,700 that were registered in March 2019. To enhance traveler information for the growing number of EV drivers, the state’s traveler information system – 511PA – now also includes EV charging station locations as an option on its traffic map. Using data from the U.S. Department of Energy, the map shows locations across the state by connector type, including CCS, J1772, CHAdeMO, Tesla, and NEMA. More information on PennDOT’s Alternative Fuel Corridors can be found on the department’s website. More information on Electric Vehicles in PA, including details on the DEP Alternative Fuel Rebate that provides higher rebates on the purchase of new or used EVs to income-eligible Pennsylvanians, can be found on DEP’s website.
Moses Taylor Foundation Names New President and CEO Philanthropy executive Danielle Breslin has been appointed as President and CEO of the Moses Taylor Foundation, a private foundation whose mission is to improve the health of people in Northeastern Pennsylvania. Breslin has more than 25 years of experience optimizing health outcomes, with a focus on historically marginalized communities. Throughout her career, she has built an extensive network within the healthcare, nonprofit, and philanthropic sectors. Currently, Breslin is Vice President of Operations and Learning for the Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina Foundation. Under her leadership, the Foundation experienced significant growth resulting in a robust portfolio of more than 1,200 grants with $173.8 million invested in communities across North Carolina. Before she transitioned into philanthropy, Breslin spent six years within the Health Care Services Division of Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina. “Danielle’s qualifications and experience are exceptional, but more importantly, her heart and passion for philanthropy and her dedication to those she is entrusted to serve will raise the work of the Moses Taylor Foundation to the next level,” said Maria Marsili, Search Committee Chair. “We believe she is the perfect fit to guide the Foundation and work with our community partners to continue ongoing initiatives and identify and address exciting new philanthropic opportunities for generations to come.” Breslin is a graduate of Leadership North Carolina, a Fellow of Grantmakers for Effective Organizations’ Change Leaders in Philanthropy, and a Fellow of the Southeastern Council of Foundation’s Hull Leadership Program. She has served on the Board of Directors for the North Carolina Network of Grantmakers, Farmer Foodshare, and Girl Scouts of North Carolina Coastal Pines. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Commerce from the University of Virginia and a Certificate in Nonprofit Management from Duke University. “I am so grateful for this opportunity to work alongside the Moses Taylor Foundation Board and staff to build upon their outstanding reputation and to advance the important work happening throughout Northeastern Pennsylvania,” said Breslin. “The organization’s core values mirror my own, and we share a foundational commitment to listening to, and learning alongside, the communities we serve. I am thrilled for what lies ahead and look forward to making this area my home for years to come.” Breslin will assume her responsibilities as President and CEO of Moses Taylor Foundation on March 14, 2022. For more information, visit www.mosestaylorfoundation.org.
Boback’s Bill to Establish Purple Star School Program Legislation to establish the Purple Star School Program in Pennsylvania, sponsored by Rep. Karen Boback (R-Lackawanna/Luzerne/Wyoming), chairman of the House Veterans Affairs and Emergency Preparedness Committee, advanced to the Senate after its unanimous passage in the House of Representatives today. “A child in an average military family may move up to nine times during their school-age years, creating a unique set of challenges,” said Boback. “The Purple Star School Program would make the Commonwealth’s service members aware that a school is dedicated to responding to the special needs their children face during transitions to a new community.” Under House Bill 1867, Pennsylvania schools would be designated as Purple Star campuses if they demonstrate military-friendly practices and meet certain requirements such as: having a military liaison staff member; a webpage that includes resources for military students and families; and professional development training opportunities for staff members on issues relating to military students. Boback noted the program is voluntary for school districts. Pennsylvania would join 27 other states that have Purple Star designation programs if Boback’s bill becomes law.
