Leadership
Leadership
The leadership staff are responsible for guiding the agency in the pursuit of our mission.
Purna headshot
Purna Rodman Conare
President & CEO

Purna is a proven leader with more than 30 years of experience…

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David Bishop Headshot
David Bishop
V.P. for Development & Communications

David joined the agency in 2001 and has worked in nonprofit development…

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Hassan Farhan headshot
Hassan Farhan
CFO

Hassan joined Pillar in 2019, bringing with him more than 20 years…

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Joe Schwartz Headshot
Joseph Schwartz
V.P. for Education

Joe joined Pillar Care in 2017, bringing to us 30 years of…

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Tammy headshot
Tammy Wilson
V.P. of Programs

Tammy joined the Pillar Care team in 2017, bringing more than 20…

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Katy Bochenski
Katie Bochenski
Director of Information Technology

Katie joined Pillar Care in 2014, bringing almost 20 years of IT…

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Alicia-Ann headshot
Alicia-Ann Caesar
Director of Quality Improvement, Risk Management & Training

Alicia-Ann joined Pillar Care in August of 2015 with 10 years of…

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Corry Headshot
Corry DeMarco
Director of Volunteers

Corry came to the agency in 2008, having formerly worked as a…

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Kent headshot
Kent D. Dettlo
Director of Residential Services

Kent came to Pillar Care in 2014 with more than 17 years…

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Hetty with student using tablet
Hetty Kintiroglou
Principal, Elementary School

Hetty has been with Pillar Elementary since 2005, starting as a speech…

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Lori Ricco headshot
Lori Ricco
Director of Community Services

Lori has been with the agency since 2004. She is charged with…

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Carolyn Russo Azer headshot
Carolyn Russo-Azer
Director of Early Intervention

Carolyn has been with the agency for more than 26 years and…

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Purna headshot
Purna Rodman Conare
President & CEO
Purna is a proven leader with more than 30 years of experience in complex health and human services organizations. He has served as President and CEO of the Kennedy-Donovan Center in Foxboro, Massachusetts, Executive Director at ActionAIDS in Philadelphia and as Director of Finance and Controller at Daniel Freeman Hospitals in Los Angeles. He oversees all aspects of the agency’s operations. Contact me: [email protected]
David Bishop Headshot
David Bishop
V.P. for Development & Communications
David joined the agency in 2001 and has worked in nonprofit development for more than 25 years. He oversees all of the agency’s fundraising activities as well as marketing, media outreach, websites and social media, publications and the agency’s volunteer program. Contact me: [email protected]
Hassan Farhan headshot
Hassan Farhan
CFO
Hassan joined Pillar in 2019, bringing with him more than 20 years of CFO and senior level management experience, including with the ARC of Warren County and the New York Road Runners, as well as with private corporations. Hassan manages the agency’s $40 million budget and oversees all activities of the finance department as well as that of IT, maintenance and transportation.
Joe Schwartz Headshot
Joseph Schwartz
V.P. for Education
Joe joined Pillar Care in 2017, bringing to us 30 years of experience as an educator and administrator, including serving as Principal with the CTC Academy (formerly Children's Therapy Center) in Fair Lawn and St. Joseph's School for the Blind in Jersey City. In his capacity as Vice President of Education, he serves as Principal of Pillar High School and also oversees the overall operation of both Pillar Elementary School and Pillar High School, ensuring a unified program and continuity of service for our students. Contact me: [email protected]larnj.org
Tammy headshot
Tammy Wilson
V.P. of Programs
Tammy joined the Pillar Care team in 2017, bringing more than 20 years of program management experience. Most recently, Tammy was the Regional Director of Middlesex and Union Counties at SERV Behavioral Health System. She oversees all agency programs serving adults with disabilities, including the agency’s adult day programs, community residences and community services. Contact me: [email protected]
Katy Bochenski
Katie Bochenski
Director of Information Technology
Katie joined Pillar Care in 2014, bringing almost 20 years of IT experience in both nonprofit and corporate settings. She leads a department that is responsible for delivering infrastructure services, information security systems and compliance, administrative systems and support services for every Pillar Care site and our more than 800 employees.
Alicia-Ann headshot
Alicia-Ann Caesar
Director of Quality Improvement, Risk Management & Training
Alicia-Ann joined Pillar Care in August of 2015 with 10 years of nonprofit experience. She has been in the field of Developmental Disabilities since 2010. Alicia-Ann started with our agency as the Director of Training. Now as the head of the recently combined quality and training department she oversees training for over 800 of Pillar Care’s employees and quality improvement for all of our agency’s programs.
Corry Headshot
Corry DeMarco
Director of Volunteers
Corry came to the agency in 2008, having formerly worked as a school teacher. Corry built the volunteer department from scratch, establishing numerous innovative programs to enrich the lives of our program participants. The volunteer program now serves all agency programs and coordinates more than 800 volunteers each year.
Kent headshot
Kent D. Dettlo
Director of Residential Services
Kent came to Pillar Care in 2014 with more than 17 years of experience in residential services for individuals with disabilities, most recently serving as Assistant Vice President of Behavioral Health Services with Easter Seals New Jersey, where he oversaw 55 residential sites. He oversees the operation of all of Pillar Care’s community residences as well as our 24-unit apartment complex and supervises a staff of more than 200.
Hetty with student using tablet
Hetty Kintiroglou
Principal, Elementary School
Hetty has been with Pillar Elementary since 2005, starting as a speech language pathologist before being promoted to Director of Therapy and then Supervisor of Instruction before being named Principal in 2018.
Lori Ricco headshot
Lori Ricco
Director of Community Services
Lori has been with the agency since 2004. She is charged with developing all of the agency’s fee-for-service programs, including the Public School Therapies Program, After School and Extended Day Programs, and In-Home Supports. These programs are designed to fill in the gaps in service not addressed by our other programs. Her programs serve more than 350 children and adults.
Carolyn Russo Azer headshot
Carolyn Russo-Azer
Director of Early Intervention
Carolyn has been with the agency for more than 26 years and has worked at every level of the early intervention system. Carolyn oversees the agency’s Early Intervention Program which operates in eight counties throughout New Jersey and serves over 500 infants and toddlers each year.
“I am proud to have served on the Board of Trustees at Pillar Care for the last 40 years. They continue to deliver critically needed services to families across New Jersey.”
BARRY H. OSTROWSKY
board member
Board
Pillar Care is led by a volunteer Board of Trustees, who lend their expertise to guide and support the organization.
Edward H. Becker
Darren Burns
MORRISTOWN-BEARD SCHOOL
David J. Carlson, Immediate Past Chair
Shari Caspert
Matthew Gittleman, Treasurer
CLARION PARTNERS
Chris Halkyard, Secretary
BARKBOX
Brad Jacobson
OLIVER LUXXE ASSETS
Helene Jaffe
Brian T. Kloza
Christine Kotarba
DELOITTE
Clark Machemer, Chair
CROW HOLDINGS
Wendy Marcus
Kelly Marx
Bob Murray
ALSTON CONSTRUCTION
Barry H. Ostrowsky
RWJ BARNABAS HEALTH
Michael Petillo
Petillo, Inc.
Beth S. Rose
SILLS CUMMIS & GROSS PC
H. O’Neil Williams
Emeritus
Edward H. Becker*
Edward I. Burns*
Burton L. Eichler*+
Tom Litwin*+
Jerome N. Waldor+
*
past chair
+
deceased