David Bishop
President & CEO
David joined the agency in 2001 and served as the agency's Vice President of Development and Communications until 2022 where he oversaw all of the agency’s fundraising activities as well as marketing, media outreach, websites and social media, publications and the agency’s volunteer program. He became CEO and President of Pillar Care Continuum in May 2022, and now oversees all aspects of the agency’s operations.
Contact me:
[email protected]
Linda Pepe
Chief Financial Officer
Linda joined Pillar Care Continuum in June 2022. She is a CPA with significant experience in financial reporting, business analytics, planning and budgeting. She has a proven track record of partnering with operations and technical teams to develop and implement strategies that drive business results. As the CFO, she will direct and oversee the financial activities of the agency, direct the preparation of current financial reports and summaries, and create forecasts predicting future growth.
Jarret Allende
V.P. of Operations
Jarret joined Pillar Care in May of 2022 as the Director of Quality & Risk Management, bringing with him over 10 years of experience in non-profit health care. Prior to joining Pillar Care, he held various roles from community health educator to VP of Medical Administration for reproductive and sexual health agencies. He holds a Master’s degree in Health Administration from The University of Phoenix.
In June of 2024, Jarret was promoted to Vice President of Administration where he oversaw the department of quality assurance and risk management, training, and transportation for the agency. In January of 2025, Jarret was promoted to Vice President of Operations. Jarret oversees Pillar Care's residential services, day programs, clinical services, and training.
Peter Mandell
V.P. of Finance
Pete joined Pillar Care Continuum in August 2022 as Director of Budgeting and Purchasing, working to improve the budgeting process, expense management and ensure that the agency is getting the best service, value and price for goods and services from all vendors and suppliers. In June 2024, he was promoted to the position of Vice President of Finance. In addition to overseeing the agency's budget, he oversees the facilities department, agency properties, and the development of new group homes. Pete came to Pillar Care with an array of experience in budgeting, financial reporting, forecasting, procurement and cost containment. Connecting with key stakeholders to provide transparency, drive accountability and align with organization goals have been important aspects to his successful career in non-profit.
Corry DeMarco
V.P. of Development & Communications
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.
Joseph Schwartz
V.P. of 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]
Velmah Munayi-Smith
Director of Residential Services
Velmah started working for Pillar Care in 2021, coming to us with over 10 years of experience working in disability services. She 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.
Mary Pfister
Director of Healthcare Services
In the past, Mary has worked in the schools as a Certified School Nurse and held the previous role of agency Healthcare Coordinator (2005-2011). Mary has a vast array of experience with over 30 years as RN, many of those working with children and adults with I/DD. In her new role, she will be working across the entire agency, providing consultation and training to our Nurses and staff, providing New Employee Orientation, assisting with our COVID protocols, reviewing policies and procedures, reviewing admissions, addressing quality issues, and assisting with complex or challenging medical issues.
Teresa Hatch
Director of Facilities
Teresa oversees all maintenance staff throughout the organization and is charged with supporting the agency’s 23 facilities located throughout Northern New Jersey. Prior to becoming Director of Facilities in 2022, Teresa oversaw student intake for Pillar Schools and managed new development projects in the schools for over 6 years.
David Orioki
Principal, Pillar Elementary School
David joined the agency in 2006 working as a science teacher at Pillar High School. Since then, he has served as Curriculum Coordinator for Pillar Schools and Vice Principal of Pillar Elementary. David became Principal of Pillar Elementary School in 2023, overseeing all aspects of the school’s administration.
Andrew DeFeo
Director of Information Technology
Andrew joined Pillar Care Continuum in June 2023, bringing extensive IT and management experience in higher education (university), lower private education, finance, and non-profit sectors. At Pillar Care Continuum, Andrew is continually enhancing the agency's technological infrastructure with a responsive, proactive, and collaborative approach, significantly improving efficiency and service delivery. As the Director of Information Technology, he oversees all aspects of the agency's IT systems and leads the IT department, ensuring they align with the organization’s mission and goals.
Silvia Kerslake
Director of Quality Assurance & Risk Management
Silvia joined Pillar Care in December of 2022 as a Senior Manager for Quality Assurance and Risk Management. She brought with her a background of 10+ years of DDD experience, having worked in both day program and residential settings at Spectrum For Living. In July of 2024, Silvia became Pillar Care’s Director of Quality Assurance and Risk Management, overseeing all aspects of the training department, managing agency risk by investigating, benchmarking and trending high risk problem prone processes, and ensuring all Pillar Care programs and services conform to internal and external standards of excellence.
Jennifer Bauer
Director of Early Intervention
Jennifer Bauer joined Pillar Care in December of 2024 as Director of Early Intervention. Jennifer’s professional experience in the fields of educational management and child development allows her to effectively lead Early Intervention’s excellent care for infants and children with disabilities. Before her role as a director, she worked as a part of a targeted evaluation team for initial, annual, and exit evaluations. She has also had years of experience in Early Intervention as a Child Development Specialist working directly with children and families. She has previously held the role of a director of multiple early childhood development centers, where she created a nurturing environment for children and families to grow and learn.
Rakhil Kazemi
Director of Human Resources
Rakhil Kazemi joined Pillar Care in November of 2024 as the agency's Director of Human Resources. Rakhil comes to us with over 20 years of experience, including work in nonprofits overseeing schools and group homes. Rakhil has a proven track record of establishing a relationship of excellent service and care between employer and employee and brings that framework to Pillar Care.
