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Thanks for joining us! Founded in December 2017, Hand in Hand Family Resource Center (a 501c3 non-profit) is dedicated to guiding, empowering, supporting, and educating the caregivers and communities of individuals with health concerns and disabilities in order to increase inclusion and diversity in society. We are committed to serving the communities of Columbia, Montour, and Lower Luzerne Counties.
There is a place in the world for everyone. We are all human, and we all have an innate need to belong.
We need to think outside the box, presume competence, and see the person.
There is a way because there is a will.
There is an ability in each one of us.
We need to embrace this as a community.
Hand in Hand Family Resource Center is ready to provide the resources, education, helping hands…WHATEVER THE NEED…to make this happen.
Thank you for coming, and we hope you visit often.
This is a place to learn. This is a place to find support. This is the place where everyone belongs.
There is one grand lie: that we are limited. The only limits we have are the limits we believe. —Wayne Dyer
Board of Directors
After graduating from Berwick Area School District, Jennifer enlisted in the United States Navy and served as a member of the Navy Fleet bands in Naples, Italy, and Seattle, Washington. Receiving an honorable discharge, she drove back to Pennsylvania in her Blue, Pop-Top, Volkswagon Camper Van.
She attended York College of Pennsylvania and received her Bachelor’s in Music Education. She taught private saxophone, clarinet, and piano lessons to over 58 children and adults in the York area. Feeling the need to be with family, she moved home and became Director of Music at St. Jude’s Catholic Church in Mountain Top.
Jennifer and her husband became the parents of a beautiful little baby girl who, at 6 months, was diagnosed with a seizure disorder. At this point, Jennifer left music to stay with her daughter. This new life situation led Jennifer to another career route where she became an Inclusion Consultant and an Employment Specialist with Include Me a program of The Arc of Pennsylvania.
Eventually, Jennifer founded Hand in Hand Family Resource Center with her good friend, Jen Hipps. Jennifer is a Family Evaluation Specialist for Pa MENTOR, a PA Family Network Advisor with Vision for Equality, Inc., and the Organist at Grace Lutheran Church in Berwick. She is married to her incredibly supportive husband and has two absolutely beautiful, wonderful children, Chase and Rheanon, who make every day a fabulous day and, if not for them, would not have this wonderful life. They also have a Golden Retriever, Henry, 2 cows, several chickens, one guinea fowl, and bees!
Jennifer Kepner-Billig, President and Founder
jenniferb@handinhandpa.org
Christa has been working as an occupational therapist since 1993. The majority of her experience is in Pediatrics, specifically school and clinic-based practice. In 2007, she became the co/owner of Kidswork Therapy Services. She enjoys working in the public school setting, supervising her staff, and working with district personnel to provide their students the best possible school experience.
She enjoys supporting the community, specifically when it comes to children with different abilities, and she is honored to be a part of Hand in Hand.
She lives in Catawissa, PA, with her husband, Jeff, and two dogs, Marely and Jax. She has a son Tyler, who lives in Indiana and is married to Rachel. Her daughter Reese just finished her first year of OT school at Elizabethtown College. She enjoys spending time with her family, traveling, and serving in her community in any way possible. She also very much enjoys yearly trips to Guatemala.
Christa Brophy, Secretary
Denise has a background in Special Education and taught Home Bound instruction to medically fragile students for the Berwick School District for 14 years. She was a certified Therapeutic Horseback Riding Instructor at Eos Therapeutic Riding Center for 27 years before recently retiring.
She is now a Group Fitness instructor at Bloomsburg Area YMCA, where she teaches Indoor Cycling and Adaptive Fitness classes. Denise is married to a great guy named Gary (aka Santa). They have two amazing children and four grandchildren.
It is very important to her to be part of a program dedicated to changing societal attitudes toward individuals with disabilities and empowering those individuals.
Denise Treven, Board Member
Paula Crisman, Community Programs Chair
Paula has worked in various positions in childcare/early childhood education for over 20 years. Currently, she is a Behavioral Health Technician for the Children's Service Center, working with children in the school, home, and community settings.
She has been married to her husband, JC, for 10 wonderful years, and they have an energetic 6-year-old son named John. She enjoys spending time with friends and family, being outdoors, golfing, and camping.
Dr. Weibel is the Director of the Bloomsburg Children’s Museum and an instructor. The Museum acquired Dr. Weibel’s services in 2013 to increase the impact and effectiveness of STEM programming at the Museum.
Dr. Weibel, a Ph.D. in medicinal chemistry, has over 20 years of experience in scientific research and education. Before moving to the Bloomsburg Area, Dr. Weibel was a research scientist in the Lipid Research Group at The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia for 13 years.
She has authored numerous papers, presented findings at international scientific meetings, holds a patent for scientific method, and taught elementary—to graduate-level science classes. In her research, Dr. Weibel specialized in analytical machinery and method development.
Dr. Ginny Weibel, Board Member
Emily Corbin, Director, I AM Safe!
IAMSafe@handinhandpa.org
Emily is the Community Resource Coordinator for the Bloomsburg Area YMCA Community Resource Hub. She lives in Bloomsburg with her wonderful husband Cody and three adorable fur children, Mable, Oliver, and Archibald. She has a passion for people.
After the tragic loss of her sister Erica in 2020, she was invited to share her story at an I Am Safe meeting and found the place she belongs and the best way to honor her sister’s memory. Her purpose in life is to make the world a better and safer place for all of us. She enjoys crafting, reality TV, boating, and spending time with all the amazing people she has met, being a part of Hand in Hand.
Laura Karchner, Board Member
Laura Karchner will turn 25 on September 24 when, in her own words, she " hits the 1/4 century mark.” She loves her job at the Children's Museum in Bloomsburg, where she works as a camp assistant and Museum Attendant.
She enjoys working with preschool-age children. Laura is a friend to everyone and loves trying new things and being active in everything. She is very caring and thoughtful to her friends. Laura does not like ice cream but will not turn down cake or cookies.
Laura lives at home with her parents and younger brother, Levi. Her older brother, Logan, lives right down the road with his fiance, Ashley, and his daughter, Kira. Laura is excited to be a bridesmaid at her brother’s wedding in September. Kira and Laura are best buddies, and Laura watches her on Tuesdays during the summer.
Kimberly Schickley, Co-Director I AM Safe!
Kimberly is a peer mentor and Special Olympic Gold medalist. She has played a significant part in developing and running the I Am Safe Program; she is a great friend and advocate. If you are playing trivia, you definitely want her on your team; she is brilliant and kindhearted and makes sure everyone is included and feels special. She is a tremendous cat mom and is always willing to lend a helping hand.