April 12, 2018, Allentown, PA – Serving the children of the 3rd largest urban school district in Pennsylvania, the Allentown School District Foundation (ASDF) Board of Directors voted at its board meeting on April 5 the board appointments of Joshua P. Dodd, Peter J. Kareha and Ralph S. Todd. “The Allentown School District Foundation is fortunate to have relationships with area leaders who are anxious to serve,” says Kurt D. Zwikl, ASDF president. “Each of these new board members – Josh, Pete and Ralph – bring expertise and highly useful talents to us and each has an equally unique relationship to Allentown School District. Our work orders for them center around finance, personnel and planning & programming for the Foundation.”
Joshua P. Dodd – ASDF Board Member Background
Joshua P. Dodd is a senior vice president and senior relationship manager at Univest Bank and Trust Co. He has more than 15 years of experience in the financial services industry. He joined Univest in 2012 as part of the Bank’s commercial banking team expansion in the Lehigh Valley. He started his career as a branch manager and then progressed to vice president, relationship manager at Sovereign Bank and Wachovia Bank, N.A. from 2003 through 2012 until he joined Univest. A member of the Leadership Institute of the Pennsylvania Bankers Association, Dodd has leveraged his talents to serve his profession as an advocate for careers in banking, monetary policy and personal finance. Dodd’s current affiliations include president of the East Central PA Chapter of Risk Management Association, president of the Southern Lehigh Chamber of Commerce and a member on the Board of Governors of the Greater Lehigh Valley Chamber of Commerce. As a native of Bethlehem, he is a graduate of Moravian College, where he received a B.A. degree in political science and an MBA. His loyalty to his alma mater continues to this day, where he is a member of the Moravian College Leadership Council. His wife, Dr. Jennifer Dodd, is the director of music at Louis E. Dieruff High School. The couple resides in Center Valley.
Peter J. Kareha – ASDF Board Member Background
Peter J. Kareha is a graduate of William Allen High School, Class of 2002. Having graduated from Gettysburg College with a degree in economics, Kareha furthered his education with an MBA from Villanova University’s School of Business. Today, he is vice president and employee benefits consultant of BB&T Insurance Services, responsible for developing and advising clients on the deployment of effective employee health and benefits programs. He has expertise in insurance and health care data analytics and measurement, especially in the large market segment. Kareha’s community involvement includes currently serving as president of the Rose Garden Neighborhood Association in Allentown, and as a board member of both Allentown’s Hamilton District Main Street Program and Moravian Village Bethlehem. He is especially proud of the Party for Poppa K Annual Golf Tournament, a charity event he has founded in honor of his father who died of cancer in 2004. As a result of his 14th year of fundraising to spread positivity in his community, the charity “Party for Poppa K” funded eight assemblies at Allentown School District Middle Schools between February 23 and March 7, 2018. Kareha raised $19,630 for Laughing at My Nightmare, Inc. (LAMN) in late 2017 with the stipulation that a portion of the donation be used by LAMN founders, Shane Burcaw and Sarah Yunusov, to speak to Allentown students about their experience on approaching Shane’s muscular dystrophy with a sense of humor and overcoming obstacles with a positive mindset. Pete and his wife, Kate, reside in Allentown.
Ralph S. Todd – ASDF Board Member Background
Ralph S. Todd’s career in public education spanned four decades, all of it devoted to the students of Allentown School District. With Pennsylvania certifications in instructional, supervisory and administrative roles from the Pennsylvania Department of Education, Todd’s career was primarily focused on building the special education program within the district at a time when special education was undergoing progressive change. His dedication to the task of supervising teachers and evaluating and implementing programs with an emphasis on special education services provided to Allentown School District students was steadfast. Todd monitored Allentown School District’s Title I program in addition to ESOL and special education. His administrative leadership experience was preceded by teaching from 1970 to 1981 in Allentown’s elementary schools and he served as principal of Washington Elementary School from 1986-1989. After graduating from Lock Haven University with a BA degree in elementary education, he advanced with a master’s degree in education from Lehigh University. He retired from Allentown School District as executive director of Instructional Support Services in 2004, and then taught for six more years as an adjunct professor in special education for student teachers from Kutztown University. Ralph and his wife, Doris, live in Allentown.
About Allentown School District Foundation
With a vision for enriched education for Allentown School District students, the ASD Foundation mission is to encourage, promote and support innovative educational experiences for students in the Allentown School District. Since its founding in 2009, the Foundation has raised over $2.1 million for supplemental programming in ASD schools. If you would like to learn more, please contact the foundation at 484-765-4093 or williamssu@allentownsd.org. The mailing address is P.O. Box 328, 31 South Penn Street, Allentown PA 18105 and the website is www.allentownsd.org/asdf.
Information Provided By:
Office of Communications
Allentown School District
www.allentownsd.org/
