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Honoring Carol Goertzel for her achievements in service to the citizens of Philadelphia as the President and CEO of Pathways PA
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WHEREAS, Since 1994, Carol Goertzel has served as the President and CEO of Pathways PA and has overseen and directed the agency's growth and operations that has enabled this organization to become one of the region's foremost providers of residential and community-based services to women, children, and families; and
WHEREAS, Founded in 1978 as the Women's Association for Women's Alternatives, Pathways PA served as Pennsylvania's first residential program to keep low-income, vulnerable women together with their children and, today, with offices throughout Southeastern PA, Pathways PA advocates on behalf of low-wage workers and provides programming committed to the development of client self-sufficiency; and
WHEREAS, As President, Ms. Goertzel has worked to develop Pathways PA's capacity to serve both long and short term needs of mothers and families in crisis as well as oversaw policy and advocacy research and publications and, through her leadership, she spearheaded a partnership with Women in Transition, now a subsidiary of Pathways PA, so that the organization could offer counseling services to domestically abused clients; and
WHEREAS, Under her leadership, Pathways PA has grown more than tenfold in the last 19 years, has seen a $7 million dollar increase in revenue and now annually serves over 4,500 homeless and low-income women, children, and teens, and has received numerous awards including the Greater Philadelphia Chamber of Commerce's Non-Profit of the Year, Child Welfare League of America's Private Agency Advocate of the Year, and Opportunity Knocks' Best Non-Profit to Work for; and
WHEREAS, For over 30 years, Ms. Goertzel has been an advocate for homeless and low-income women and families and she has been recognized for this exemplary service and dedication through various awards including the Philadelphia Business Journal's Woman of Distinction, Delaware County Chamber of Commerce's Athena Award, and the Interboro Business and Professional Women's Foundation's Woman of the Year; and
WHEREAS, Ms. Goertzel is an active member in the community and is a member of the Pennsylvania Commission for Women, past President of the Friends of Delaware County Women's Commission, and trustee of the Center Foundation and she earned her BA in sociology and anthropology from Washington University, her MS degree in non-profit management from Eastern University, and completed graduate work in Chinese history at the University of Pennsylvania; and
WHEREAS, On November 1, 2013, Carol Goertzel will retire from Pathways PA as President and CEO and will pass the torch of leadership to Brenda Dawson, the organization's current Senior Vice President; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PHILADELPHIA, That we hereby honor Carol Goertzel for her achievements in service to the citizens of Philadelphia as President and CEO of Pathways PA.
FURTHER RESOLVED, That an Engrossed copy of this resolution be presented to Ms. Carol Goertzel as evidence of the sincere sentiments of this legislative body.
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