Events

Hershey Rotary Board will meet via Zoom Thursday, June 17.  All Rotarians are welcome to attend the meeting. Please contact President Pam  (pamela_whitenack@yahoo.com) if you would like to attend.

Join us as we hear updates from Laura Burke & Ann Borysowski from the American Red Cross.

Laura Burke is the Executive Director of the American Red Cross Central Pennsylvania Chapter, which is based in Harrisburg and covers Adams, Cumberland, Dauphin, Franklin, Lancaster, Lebanon, Perry, and York Counties.

Burke comes to the Red Cross with strong skills and experience in fundraising, sales, and partnership/relationship management in both the corporate and nonprofit worlds. Prior to the Red Cross she has held a progression of significant roles in Washington D.C. and the Central Pennsylvania area in the hospitality, corporate and non-profit industry Burke has a Bachelor of Science degree from The Pennsylvania State University and a Masters of Business Administration degree from West Chester University of Pennsylvania.

We are committed to providing volunteers once a month to help Cocoa Packs in their mission to provide food to over 1500 food insecure children each week. Use the link to schedule your time to volunteer: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C0C4BAAAE23A7FECF8-cocoa

We are committed to providing volunteers once a month to help Cocoa Packs in their mission to provide food to over 1500 food insecure children each week. Use the link to schedule your time to volunteer: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C0C4BAAAE23A7FECF8-cocoa

Join us as we hear from Derry Township leadership, including representatives from Parks & Recreation, Hershey Public Library, Community Development and Administration. Each will talk for a few minutes and then Susan Cort will ask them questions that our members will submit in advance.  

Hershey Gardens will be our topic as we welcome Horticulture Specialist Alyssa Hagarman and Amy Zeigler, Senior Director of Education, Programs and Operations at The Hershey Story, Hershey Gardens, and Hershey Community Archives. Alyssa will cover what's in bloom, including the September blooming of the roses, and Amy will cover upcoming events.

Hershey Gardens opened in 1937 with Milton Hershey’s request to “create a nice garden of roses.” More than 80 years later, the small rose garden has blossomed into 23 acres of botanical beauty providing visitors with unique experiences and enriching opportunities.

Overlooking the town of Hershey, Hershey Gardens features a breathtaking assortment of flowers and shrubs, a stately collection of rare, signature trees, and various programs designed to delight visitors of all ages.

Lynette Chappell Williams, JD

Lynette Chappell Williams, JD, is the Vice President and Chief Diversity Officer for Penn State Health in Hershey, PA, where she has responsibility for advancing the organization’s diversity and inclusion strategy.  Since being with Penn State, a 15,000 employee health system and medical educator, she has co-led implementation of a written patient bias policy to reduce provider experiences of bias, co-led establishment of the “Rooney Rule” to increase senior leadership gender and race/ethnic diverse representation, established diversity pipeline partnerships with HBCU schools, and established the framework for Penn State Health and the medical college to be recognized as a best employer for diversity by Forbes, Military Times, Human Rights Campaign, and Insight into Diversity.

Prior to Penn State Health, Lynette served as the Associate Vice President for Inclusion and Workforce Diversity at Cornell University in Ithaca, NY where she was responsible for implementing staff diversity initiatives, overseeing the Title IX program, and leading the affirmative action program.  While at Cornell, Lynette developed programs resulting in organizational recognition as a best employer for work/life by Working Mother Media, best employer for employees over 50 by AARP, adoption friendly employer by David Thomas Foundation, and Exemplary Voluntary Effort employer by Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs.

Lynette has been nationally recognized for her work in diversity, inclusion and work/life, including an HR Rising Star/Diversity Champion by HR Executive Magazine in 2006, the Legacy Award from Families and Work Institute in 2011, and  Women Worth Watching by Diversity Journal in 2013.

Lynette received her JD from The Ohio State University and a BS. in Psychology from James Madison University in Harrisonburg, VA, where she was a charter member of Alpha Kappa Alpha sorority and a member of the honors program.

Lynette, originally from Newport News, VA, is a resident of the Harrisburg PA area and has one daughter who is an alum of George Mason University and a graduate of Penn State University’s criminal justice master’s program.

Ryan Unger was recently confirmed as the new president and CEO of The Harrisburg Regional Chamber and CREDC following a 1½-year search for a new leader.

“I’m grateful to the business community for trusting me to lead this incredible organization, and I look forward to working with our inspiring members and board to continue building an organization where people feel comfortable coming to create meaningful change and tackle challenges,” Unger said, in a statement. “We’ll work to make sure everyone in our region is proud to call this home.”

The Harrisburg Chamber & CREDC is a business membership and economic development organization for Dauphin, Cumberland and Perry counties.

Since December 2015, Unger has served as president and CEO of the Harrisburg-based Team Pennsylvania Foundation, a nonprofit that seeks to foster relationships between government and industry. Before that, he was director of policy and programs for the organization.

Prior to joining Team Pennsylvania, Unger worked in regional economic and community development at SEDA-Council of Governments based in Lewisburg, Pa., and the Greater Susquehanna Valley Chamber of Commerce based in Shamokin Dam, Pa.

“The combination of Ryan’s passion for the region, and his background in government advocacy, economic development, and community organizations, is a perfect match to lead the Chamber & CREDC,” said Meron Yemane, chamber board chair.