Boards

Diakon (from the Greek diaconia, meaning “one who serves”) was founded in January 2000 by the affiliation and later merger of Lutheran Services Northeast and Tressler Lutheran Services.

As a result of corporate restructuring and reorganizations in 2007 and 2014, the organization now consists of Diakon and subsidiaries Diakon Lutheran Social Ministries; Diakon Child, Family & Community Ministries; the Diakon Lutheran Fund; Diakon Lutheran Senior Living-Maryland, LLC; Diakon Medical Group LLC; and several non-controlled HUD entities. The president/CEO serves as the chief executive officer of Diakon, DLSM, DCFCM, DLF, DLSL-Md., and DMG. The parent entity, Diakon, has specific approval rights involving its subsidiaries and is charged with overall strategic vision. The key programmatic subsidiaries are:

  • Diakon Lutheran Social Ministries, a Pennsylvania non-profit corporation, provides senior living services through nearly a dozen senior living communities.
  • Diakon Child, Family & Community Ministries, a Pennsylvania non-profit corporation, provides a comprehensive range of social services for children, families, and adult individuals.
  • Diakon Lutheran Fund, a Pennsylvania non-profit corporation, oversees investments and advanced fund-raising activities, income from which supports services and programs provided by Diakon Lutheran Social Ministries and Diakon Child, Family & Community Ministries.
  • Diakon Lutheran Senior Living-Maryland LLC, a Maryland limited liability corporation, was created in the 2000s to provide specific programs such as Diakon Senior Living – Hagerstown related to state regulations.

Diakon

  • Maurice H. Bobst, Jr., Real Estate & Investment Manager, Lower Susquehanna Synod
  • Emried D. Cole, Jr., Esq., Vice-Chair, Seminary Official, Delaware-Maryland Synod
  • Lawrence Delp, Chair, Bank Executive, Southeastern Pennsylvania Synod
  • The Rev. Dr. A. Donald Main, Bishop Emeritus, Upper Susquehanna Synod
  • Kenneth G. Mertz II, CFA, Financial Advisor, Lower Susquehanna Synod
  • Ms. Susan T. Schellenberg, Retired Court Administrator, Northeastern Pennsylvania Synod
  • Paul Horger, Esq., Board Member Emeritus, Attorney, Northeastern Pennsylvania Synod
  • Peter Kern, Board Member Emeritus, Retired Hospital Executive, Northeastern Pennsylvania Synod
  • Diane Batchik, National Security Professional, Delaware/Maryland Synod
  • Jennifer Schlegel, College Professor, Northeastern Pennsylvania Synod
  • Scott Habecker, President/CEO

Diakon Lutheran Social Ministries

  • Jennifer Goldstein, M.D., FACP, Associate Chief Medical Officer & Medical Director, Patient Logistics and Care Transitions, Lower Susquehanna Synod
  • Nels Hendrickson, Retired Business and Social Ministry Executive, Virginia Synod
  • Douglas Hough, Ph.D., Associate Scientist, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Delaware-Maryland Synod
  • Michael Lehman, P.E., Vice-Chair, Retired President/CEO, Manufacturing Company, Lower Susquehanna Synod
  • The Rev. Dr. A. Donald Main, Chair, Bishop Emeritus, Upper Susquehanna Synod
  • Ms. Susan T. Schellenberg, Retired Court Administrator, Northeastern Pennsylvania Synod
  • Jennifer Schlegel, Ph.D., College Professor, Northeastern Pennsylvania Synod
  • Carol Taylor, Retired Bank Executive, Delaware-Maryland Synod 
  • Scott Rehr, Financial Advisor, Lower Susquehanna Synod
  • Scott Habecker, President/CEO

Diakon Child, Family & Community Ministries

  • Maurice H. Bobst, Jr., Real Estate & Investment Manager, Lower Susquehanna Synod
  • Emried D. Cole, Jr., Esq., Seminary Official, Delaware-Maryland Synod
  • Ronald P. Dreese, Financial Advisor, Upper Susquehanna Synod
  • Katrina Klettke-Straker, Chair, Nonprofit Chief Development Officer, Delaware-Maryland Synod
  • Christopher Markley, Insurance Communications, Lower Susquehanna Synod
  • Kenneth G. Mertz II, CFA, Financial Advisor, Lower Susquehanna Synod
  • Laurie Saltzgiver, Esq., Vice-Chair, Attorney, Lower Susquehanna Synod
  • The Rev. John Spangler, Clergy, Lower Susquehanna Synod
  • Rebecca Young, Esq., Attorney, Southeastern Pennsylvania Synod 
  • Scott Habecker, President/CEO

Diakon Lutheran Fund

  • Richard Barger, CPA, Chair, Retired Chief Financial Officer, Lower Susquehanna Synod
  • Jeff Boland, CPA, Senior Living Services Consultant and Consultancy Department Head, Lower Susquehanna Synod
  • Ted J. Herold, CPA, CGMA, Accounting Firm Principal, Lower Susquehanna Synod
  • Michael Lehman, P.E., Vice-Chair, Retired President/CEO, Manufacturing Company, Lower Susquehanna Synod
  • Peter Knudsen, Private Equity and Venture Capital Investor, Northeastern Pennsylvania Synod
  • Katie Smarilli, Strategic Management Consultant Company President, Lower Susquehanna Synod 
  • The Rev. Chad Hebrink, Pastor, Upper Susquehanna Synod
  • Scott Habecker, President/CEO