About Us
Serving Seniors, Inc.
For nearly half-a-century, Serving Seniors Inc. has responded to urgent needs of older adults in Northeastern Pennsylvania. Helping long-term care facility residents to assert their rights, assisting compromised adults with decisions concerning their life and finances, and empowering those recovering from injury or illness to recover at home – Serving Seniors is there to advocate for older adults with professionalism and compassion.
Our team works closely with county area agencies on aging, long-term care facilities, health care providers and the robust network of community organizations that serve older adults. Together we help all live productive, dignified lives.
Join With Our Volunteer Team
As a volunteer ombudsman, you work with our professional team to improve the quality of life of older adults in long term care facilities in your area. We provide the training, guidance and support you need to make a contribution. We currently serve Luzerne, Lackawanna, Wyoming, Pike, Wayne and Monroe counties in Pennsylvania.
Our Staff
Serving Seniors, Inc. Team
At Serving Seniors Inc., we strive to provide professional, compassionate, individualized attention. Everyone is entitled to live in dignity at every stage of life.
Linda Korgeski
Ombudsman Coordinator
She has been recognized for her work with the Resident Council and Volunteers by the PA State Ombudsman Office. She is a member of the Lackawanna County Elder Justice Multi-Disciplinary Task Force and remains dedicated to the resident in long term-care. She is a ADC- Activity Director Certified. She resides in Jessup.
Melinda Rispoli
Wayne / Pike / Monroe County Ombudsman
Dorothy Taticchi
Patient Advocate
Dorothy saw the patient advocate program as an opportunity to continue to serve our seniors population as they access community resources.
After graduating from Penn State University with bachelor’s degree in social welfare, she earned her Master of Social Work, MSW, from Marywood University. Dorothy was a practicum instructor for the Marywood School of Social Work for many years.
Dorothy is a lifelong Scranton resident. She is married and has two sons, daughter-in-law, and three grandchildren.
Teresa Dubas
Lackawanna County Ombudsman
She volunteers at her local fire station Excelsior #1 in Olyphant and is an advocate at Veterans Promise in Dickson City where she helps vets and brings awareness to suicide prevention.
Theresa was a certified nursing assistant for 34 years before coming to Serving Seniors as an ombudsman for Lackawanna County where she advocates for residents in Nursing Homes, Older Adult Daycare Centers, Assisted Living and Personal Care Homes as well as studying to train residents and staff in nursing homes and personal care homes.
Krystal Rowell
Guardianship Case Manager
When Krystal Rowell joined the Serving Seniors Inc. team in May of 2024, she brought more than a decade of experience in elder care. A certified nursing assistant, Krystal worked at several local long-term care facilities and more recently worked in home health as a case manager and visiting nurse.
She worked as a program manager at Keystone Community Resources where she oversaw operations in several congregate living facilities serving adult women. She has volunteers at the Keystone Mission in Scranton and at local food banks.
A resident of Dunmore, Krystal is a graduate of Lackawanna College with a degree in liberal studies.
In her free time, she enjoys chasing after her sons at sporting events for school or going to different eateries around the valley.
Jennifer Kurtz
Luzerne County Ombudsman
Prior to joining Serving Seniors Inc., Jennifer worked in several fields, including long-term care as a resident life associate; education as a substitute teacher; mental health as a case worker, group therapist, and adult daily living skills counselor; and publishing as a social sciences journal production editor/proofreader.
She holds a B.A. in psychology from King’s College in Wilkes-Barre.
Raymond Ferarrio
General Counsel
He regularly practices elder law and other areas of civil law before all the courts and Northeastern Pennsylvania.
Admitted Pennsylvania Bar and Pennsylvania U.S. District Court, Middle District of Pennsylvania, and Supreme Court of Pennsylvania in 1981; Ray was also admitted to the U.S. Court of Appeals, Third Circuit, 1982, and the U.S. Tax Court, 1989.
Graduated Pennsylvania State University with distinction, 1978, Ray went onto earn his Juris Doctor from Temple University in 1981.
His office is in Scranton.
J.P. McGowan NCG
Guardian of Estate, Case Manager
J.P. McGowan serves as the Case Manager within the Guardianship Program, handling Guardian of Estate matters and assisting the Guardianship Program Director as needed with Guardian of Person clients. J.P. came to Serving Seniors, Inc. J.P is a National Certified Guardian, NCG. in 2016, following a 34-year career with the PA Office of Attorney General, in which he oversaw the Scranton Regional office of the Bureau of Consumer Protection and was responsible for investigating and prosecuting consumer fraud cases over a 17-county area. He is a graduate of the University of Scranton and the Dickinson School of Law. In his spare time, J.P. is involved with local community theater and is a past president of Actors Circle, a nonprofit theater group located in Scranton. He resides in Moosic, with his wife, Jeannine.
Marcia Gabrielle
Luzerne Wyoming County Ombudsman
Marcia’s work focuses on educating residents and their families on their rights under the state and federal law.
Prior to becoming a long-term care Ombudsman Marcia was the General Manager of the Pocono Powerhouse Eatery. Marcia also volunteers for Hospice of the Sacred Heart, is an INELDA educated End of Life Doula, and is on the board of directors for Glen Summit Company.
Marcia’s education includes a Bachelor of Social Work focusing on Geriatrics as well as Master of Social Work coursework on Social Welfare Policies.
Bernice Tully
Patient Advocacy Coordinator
William Harrington
Patient Advocate
Governance
Our Leadership Team
Our volunteer board and our executive director are committed to the mission of Serving Seniors Inc.
Howard Evans, President
Howard Evans has served as director of Serving Seniors Inc, since 2020 and became chair in 2025.
He taught English at Scranton high schools for more than 30 years. He owned and operated a The Barn at Finch Hill from 1982 to 1996.
He serves as president and officer of Scranton Fed. of Teachers Retirees which has been an active supporter of long-term care facility residents, the NEPA Teenage Youth Center, and LGBTQ students from the Scranton School District.
He graduated from East Stroudsburg University with a degree in English.
Joseph Garvey, CPA
Joseph Garvey of Scranton is an associate at Barbetti -McHale LLC. In a long career in finance, he served as vice president for finance and administration at Marywood University and Keystone College. He worked as CFO for Rowan & Blewitt and Blewitt & Cefalo, advertising enterprises.
He served on the Scranton School Board and the boards of several nonprofits.
Dr Virginia Dikeman, Secretary
Ginny Dikeman is a Licensed Psychologist and Program Representative with the Department of Human Services, Office of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services, Bureau of Community and Hospital Operations.
She was an original member of the Keystone Pride Recovery Initiative Leadership Board and is a trainer for LGBTQI Cultural Competence and Principles and Practices for Clinicians Working with LGBTQI Individuals. She is a trainer for the Crisis Intervention Teams for the Police and first responders in Lackawanna County and surrounding areas
She is certified in Critical Incident Stress Management (CISM), having responded to the 9.11 attacks and hurricane Katrina. Ginny has served on the PA Adult and Older Adult Suicide Prevention Plan Advisory Committee and serves on the board of directors for the Pa Association of Psychiatric Rehabilitation Services.
Marilyn Vitale Flynn, Treasurer
An educator, Marilyn Vitale Flynn attended Marywood College where she majored in Elementary education with a minor in English. She continued to further my studies at Penn State, University of Scranton and Misericordia College.
Ms. Flynn taught in the Scranton School District in elementary, intermediate and the gifted program from grades K to 8. She served as Tax Collector for the City of Scranton.
She has served on the education and political committees for the AFT and the AFL-CIO. She was the secretary treasurer of the Scranton Federation of Teachers, and as the vice president of the Scranton Central Labor Union.
Mary Ann O’Boyle
Carol Fisher
Carol Fisher taught at Scranton School District for 36 years.
She was graduated from Marywood University with a degree in Secondary Education, she completed graduate work in Marywood University and the University of Scranton.
She currently serves as a director of the Century Club and Dunmore Senior Center. She is on the advisory group of Interim Health Care Professionals.
Ellen Strauskulage is a retired English teacher. She worked for Marywood University as a student teacher supervisor. Prior to that she worked at Wallenpaupack Area School District, where she taught for over thirty years. For 30 years, she served as yearbook advisor and initiated Youthprints, a publication which showcased and published student writings. She and another teacher also began the forensic program at Wallenpaupack Area High School. Ms. Strauskulage also taught at Delaware Valley Central School and Port Jervis High School. She is past president of Phi Chapter of Delta Kappa Gamma, an international society of key women educators.
Scott Thomas
Scott Thomas has served as CEO of the Scranton Public Libarary since 2019. Prior to that he worked in the library profession for three decades in public service, technology, grant writing, budgeting, fundraising and non-profit administration. He holds a BA in Literature from Bard College, a Masters in Library of Science from Columbia University and a Masters in English from the University of Scranton. Since 2019 he has served as the CEO of the Scranton Public Library. He holds a Certificate of Merit from the Pennsylvania Library Association. In addition, he has published and continues to publish poetry in several journals. He resides in Dunmore, PA.
Alice McDonnell
Alice McDonnell, RN, BSN, MPA, Dr.PH is a Professor at Marywood University.
Dr. McDonnell is the Program Director for the MHSA and Gerontology. Dr. McDonnell serves as an Administrative Consultant for Interim Healthcare where she has focused on marketing and quality improvement. She also served as a nurse supervisor/administrator in long term care skilled facilities. Dr. McDonnell completed her Doctorate in Public Health and nursing degree from Columbia University with an MPA from Marywood University. Her research has been in Hospice care and Gerontology having published textbooks in both areas. She has served as a director of the Alzheimers Association, PA Hospice, and other organizations.
Cathy Patrick DO
Catherine Patrick practices Family Medicine in Dunmore PA.
She earned a Bachelor’s Degree at The University of Scranton and went on to obtain her Doctorate at Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine. She resides locally with her family. She is dedicated to serving the needs of others in her career and as a volunteer.
Her interests include gardening and volunteering in the community.
Dan Penetar III
Daniel L. Penetar III Esq., of Scranton, is a partner in the law firm Gazda Penetar.
He serves on the board of directors for the Young Lawyers Division of the Lackawanna County Bar Association.