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BOARD OF DIRECTORS

NANCY LARKIN TAYLOR, ESQ.
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR (1991 to present)

Nancy established Bucks for Kids with Nick Merlo, Judy LaCour, Linda Sepsi, Dominic Colangelo and Elizabeth Schoenfeld in 1990 when they served on the Children and Youth Advisory Board and discovered that foster kids routinely miss out, due to lack of funds, on many meaningful childhood experiences, such as summer camp, proms, class trips, music lessons and sports participation. Most troubling was the challenges faced when they age out at 18. Meeting those needs was the genesis of Bucks for Kids.

Nancy is a family law attorney who lives and works in Doylestown. Her hope is that Bucks for Kids will become a household word in Bucks County and continue to enhance the lives of Bucks County foster kids for decades to come. Contact Nancy at nancy@bucksforkids.org

ROBERT DAVIS “DJ” DOUDY

CHEERLEADER (2006 to present)

Bob has supported B4K from day one, joining the Board in 2006 after serving as Disc Jockey at our many American Legion Beef and Beer fundraisers. Bob has devoted his life to helping local kids and worked for nine years as Outreach Coordinator at Valley Youth House and Synergy Project.

For 25 years, Bob has donated platelets to the American Red Cross. Since 1997 Bob has been involved in the Gulf War Illness Study to help sick service men and women. Bob attends St. Cyril’s of Jerusalem in Jamison. His commitment to Bucks for Kids is lifelong and his enthusiasm is boundless. Contact Bob at djdoudy@hotmail.com

REBECCA VAN DINE, B.S.W.

FUNDING CHAIR (2016 to present)

Rebecca joined the Board of Bucks for Kids in 2016, when she retired from her social work and non-profit development/fundraising career. She started as a foster care social worker at Tabor Childrens’ Services and transitioned to foster care/adoptive parent training and recruitment. With a love of writing and networking, Rebecca moved to nonprofit development. She enjoyed her many years of fundraising at Bethanna, Vita Education Services and Child, Home and Community.

Rebecca has a Bachelor’s in Social Work and her dedication to vulnerable Bucks County children and youth continues with Bucks for Kids involvement. Rebecca is an active member of Doylestown United Methodist. Contact Becky at rebecca@bucksforkids.org

WENDY SKOKOWSKI

TREASURER (2016 to present)

Wendy became the Bucks for Kids treasurer after retiring from a 20-year paralegal career. When she became a bookkeeper for her church, Wendy uncovered a desire to work with non-profits.

In 2007, Wendy returned to school to obtain her Associates Degree in Accounting. Wendy also tutors accounting students at Bucks County Community College and works with a local accountant. Wendy creates a mean Treasurer’s Report every month. Contact Wendy at wendy@bucksforkids.org

GREG EMMONS
COUNSEL (2019 to present)

Greg Emmons and his wife have experienced the needs of Foster Parents having cared for both an infant and a four-year old for two years, and then successfully returning the children to their birth mother. Mr. Emmons, a well-respected Bucks County and region attorney, was just named to our Board due to his established history of giving back to the charities in our community and his motivation to assist the many Bucks for Kids children & teens who need services that Bucks for Kids provides. He has chaired multiple events raising thousands of dollars in donations for charities. Mr. Emmons also provides legal insight to the Board. Contact Greg at greg@bucksforkids.org

PAMELA DANNER
Fundraising and Information Technology (2021 to present)

Ms. Danner spent over 20 years working in high tech with global companies such as Sun Microsystems, Iron Mountain and ADP. She is a Graduate of Temple University and holds an MBA from Rowan University. For the past eight years Ms. Danner has been an Executive Director with Elwyn in Media, Pa where she heads Enterprise Programs reporting to the COO. Ms.Danner brings a strong background in technology, finance, non-profit leadership and organizational change to the board. Ms. Danner lives in Langhorne with her husband Jim for the past 25 years and is an enthusiastic resident and supporter of Bucks County. Contact Pam at pam@bucksforkids.org

Dawn Padanyi, Esquire
Vice Chair

Dawn joined the Board of Bucks For Kids after establishing a long-term friendship with Founder and Executor Director, Nancy Larkin Taylor. The passionate discussions and joy felt over many conversations had with Nancy regarding Bucks For Kids was enough to lure Dawn.

The work done at Bucks For Kids is right in Dawn’s bailiwick as a solo family law attorney in Doylestown for over 15 years. Dawn has represented both children and parents in Children Dependency proceedings and in child custody matters throughout her practice. Dawn is now thrilled to be able to share her expertise and experience as a Director of Bucks For Kids to help the vulnerable children of Bucks County.

Dawn has a Bachelor of Arts degree from Mount Holyoke College and a J.D. from Syracuse University College of Law. In her free time, Dawn enjoys exercising, enjoying outdoor activities and traveling. Contact Dawn at dawn@bucksforkids.org

Linda DiMario, RPh, RN, MSN, MPH
Vice Chair

Professionally, Linda is both a pharmacist and an oncology nurse. Her clinical career included working in the ICU at Yale-New Haven Hospital, caring for the first AIDS patients at Bellevue Hospital and starting the first hospice program at Cornell-New York Hospital. After graduate school at Yale, she shifted into industry, starting a global biotech business and managing a national oncology homecare business.

Returning to the non-profit sector, Linda went on to open and oversee a new cancer center in the Rush System for Health. She also directed the statewide Oncology Centers of Excellence program for Rutgers, developing the framework for two new cancer centers in New Jersey. Prior to retirement, she provided oversight for all clinical research and grants at a six-hospital system in northern New Jersey.

Linda lives in Buckingham with her husband. They are the parents of two adult daughters, adopted as toddlers from Russia. Contact Linda at linda@bucksforkids.org

STEVEN HARTER
Fundraising (2023 to present)

Steve has been working with youth in the foster care system for five years. Currently, he works in a Bucks County emergency shelter for youth that are in the foster care system. Steve holds a Masters Degree from Arcadia University in International Peace and Conflict Resolution and has experience with program evaluation in the non profit sector. In addition to the Bucks for Kids board Steve is a Director of the Philadelphia Falcons Soccer Club. In his free time Steve enjoys riding motorcycles, spending time outdoors, playing with his dogs, and baking. Contact Steven at steven@bucksforkids.org

Lodina Slawecki
MEDIA

Lodina moved to Bucks County from Silicon Valley, CA, where she worked in organizational development at a high-tech company and volunteered as a Master Gardener and fundraiser coordinator. Once in PA, Lodina provided advertising and social media support to the family business.

Lodina lost both of her biological parents by the age of twelve and is grateful for the aid received from people and organizations in her youth. She joined the Board of Bucks for Kids to serve vulnerable children and youth knowing what a difference that aid can make in their lives. Contact Lodina at lodina@bucksforkids.org

DIANE MEYER

LIASON TO BUCKS COUNTY CHILDREN AND YOUTH

Contact Diane at: dcmeyer@buckscounty.org

Robert Yochum

DIRECTOR BUCKS COUNTY CHILDREN AND YOUTH

Friends of Bucks for Kids

Former Board Members

The below named individuals have dedicated much time and effort to the work of Bucks for Kids. Their involvement has made a big impact upon our mission. They will continue to devote energy to our cause in this new category: FRIENDS OF BUCKS FOR KIDS.

Frank Burstein

Denise Burstein

Jerry Butkus

Dominick Colangelo

Sam Costanza

Kathy Cupzick

Sally Fedorchak

June Fenwick

Beth Gentile

Layla Gentile

Meg Groff, Esq.

Chris Howard