About the Pennsylvania Council on Aging
The Pennsylvania Council on Aging (PCoA) is an independent advisory council of expert advocates. The Council acts as a voice for older Pennsylvanians. Members bring issues and interests of older adults to the Governor, the General Assembly, the Secretary of Aging, and others. The Pennsylvania Department of Aging (PDA) and its staff support the efforts of the Council. The Council and PDA work together to support Pennsylvania’s older population.
The Council is set up with two levels: the State Council and the five Regional Councils. For each Council, more than half of the membership must be over the age of 60. The State Council has 21 members. The Governor appoints and the Pennsylvania Senate approves 16 of those members. The remaining five are the chairs of the Regional Councils, which have 15 members each.
Since its creation in 1978, PCoA played a role in many legislative and policy wins. It has supported PACE and protecting lottery funds for older adults. PCoA also has supported PDA as a cabinet-level department.
The Council has taken on many projects over the years. Projects include education campaigns, social isolation tools, and volunteer recruitment efforts. Members also have volunteered with groups committed to helping older adults. AARP, the Age-Friendly ecosystem, PA MEDI, Area Agencies on Aging (AAAs) advisory councils, the Alzheimer’s Association, to name a few.
The PCoA is working on a guide to bring Aging Our Way, PA, the Commonwealth-wide plan for aging, to the local level. Council members are active in legislative and policy advocacy to support Pennsylvania’s Aging Services Network. They look to improve the path to affordable, accessible housing and uplift people living with Alzheimer’s Disease and related dementias.
The PCoA is proud to be a leader in transforming the experience of aging in Pennsylvania.
Join the Council
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Membership
Melanie Titzel, Ph.D., State Chair, Erie County
Mary Elizabeth O'Connor, State Vice-Chair, Luzerne County
Linda Stumpf, Ph.D, State Secretary, Westmoreland County
John Vogel, Berks County
Estella Hyde, Crawford County
Joseph Volk, Bucks County
Elaine Jenkins, Allegheny County
Velma Carter-Dryer, Dauphin County
Beth Herold, Southwest Regional Chair, Butler County
Noah Davis, Northeast Regional Chair, Luzerne County
Janice Cameron, Southeast Regional Chair, Delaware County
Jennifer Musone, Northwest Regional Chair, Crawford County
Bob Jensenius, Central Regional Chair, York County
Southwest Council on Aging
Beth Herold, Chair, Butler County
Jen Martchek, Vice-Chair, Allegheny County
Shawna Miller Sanders, Secretary, Lawrence County
Kathy Bartolomucci, Westmoreland County
Linda Doman, Allegheny County
Charlotte McDaniel, Allegheny County
Carrie Nelson, Westmoreland County
Linda Stumpf, Westmoreland County
Mary Harris, Washington/Fayette/Green AAA Service Area
Emily Jaffe, Allegheny County
Margie Zelenak, Westmoreland County
Vijeta Parvatikar, Allegheny County
Erick Lauber, Indiana County
Northeast Council on Aging
Jennifer Drake, Chair, Schuylkill County
Mary Little, Vice-Chair, Pike County
Phil Yevics, Secretary, Lackawanna County
Noah Davis, Luzerne/Wyoming AAA Service Area
Marie Beauchamp, Schuylkill County
Judy Derr, Columbia/Montour AAA Service Area
Mary Lou Huber, Monroe County
Lynn Karger, Wayne County
Diane Luedtke, Carbon County
Barbara Sprovkin, Wayne County
Sue Farley, Luzerne/Wyoming AAA Service Area
Joel Levy, Susquehanna County
Peg Kopko, Lackawanna County
Colleen McCabe, Schuylkill County
Denise Kufro, Luzerne County
Patricia Dreese, Snyder County
Central Council on Aging
Bob Jensenius, Chair, York County
Andrea Addison, Vice-Chair, Dauphin County
Lois Steichen, Franklin County
Larry Reisinger, Perry County
Deborah Bortle, Lancaster County
Kimberly Grundon, Perry County
Raymond Forziat, Centre County
Kathy Staub, Cumberland County
Christopher Harris, Dauphin County
Sean Manogue, Union County
Southeast Council on Aging
Amanda Human, Chair, Montgomery County
Beth Keller, Vice-Chair, Bucks County
Jeffrey McMenamin, Secretary, Berks County
Lorraine Pilmore, Philadelphia County
Toby Gelman, Chester County
Waleska (Wally) Maldonado, Philadelphia County
Adriana Perez, Philadelphia County
Carmen Diaz, Lehigh County
Susan Weber, Northampton County
Giselle Espada, Lehigh County
Northwest Council on Aging
Jennifer Patten-Rudolph, Co-Chair, Mercer County
Tom Davenport, Co-Chair, Crawford County
Stephanie Alexander, Secretary, Crawford County
Rita Mineo, Crawford County
Carol Thumm, Crawford County
Wendy Wallace, Crawford County
Kim Dziubkowski, Erie County
Abigail Bailey, Crawford County
Robin Green, Erie County
Work Products
Letter to Gov. Shapiro (January 29, 2025)