CHESTER COUNTY, PA — The March of Dimes revealed the four women it will honor from Chester County in its 30th Annual Salute to Women of Achievement.
The honorees were officially announced at a reception held Thursday, June 13, 2019 at AVE in Malvern, PA. All four honorees have made Chester County a better place to live and work while raising funds for the March of Dimes mission to improve the health of babies.
The 2019 Salute to Women of Achievement honorees are: Maryanne Parsons, President, Partners in Outreach; Sandra L. Knapp, Partner, Gawthrop Greenwood, Attorneys at Law; Dr. Karen Pinsky, Chief Quality Officer, Chester County Hospital; Kathryn Evans, Executive Director, Church Housing Corporation.
Leading the honoree announcements were Chairperson Betsy S. Niedziejko, Senior Vice President – Business Banking, WSFS Bank, which was also the presenting sponsor of the event, and Co-Chairperson Kate Ward, CEO and Founder, Ward Design.
The honorees will be celebrated at the Chester County Salute to Women of Achievement, October 16, 2019 at Aronimink Golf Club. For more information and tickets to that event, click here.
More on the honorees:
Lifetime Achievement: Maryanne Parsons, President, Partners in Outreach
After decades of respected and dedicated service to her community focused on Catholic education, health and athletic programs for children, in 2010, Maryanne Parsons founded Partners in Outreach, a comprehensive community service organization that provides compassion in moments of need; recognizing opportunities and inspiring both those who give and those who receive. In 2018, Partners in Outreach served more than 3,000 children in Chester County and surrounding areas. The literacy campaign has provided more than 25,000 books to schools and organizations in Chester County and surrounding areas since 2010. With the generous support of more than 300 volunteers, Partners in Outreach has provided more than 1,200 new Easter outfits, 1,000 Easter baskets, 260 winter coats and more than 800 summer camp bags including new bathing suits, towels, flip flops and water bottles. Additionally, 70 struggling readers received one-on-one tutoring in four Chester County elementary schools. Maryanne’s goal is to expand the projects within Partners in Outreach to reach more individuals and organizations in need, particularly through its Easter outfit, summer camp pack and literacy programs. Maryanne was recognized by the March of Dimes Salute to Chester County Women of Achievement in 2010 for her work in public service. She and her husband Leo, of Chester Springs, PA, are also recipients of the YMCA Service to Youth Award. She is an Integrative Nutrition Health Coach with four children and four grandchildren.
Business Award: Sandra L. Knapp, Partner, Gawthrop Greenwood, Attorneys at Law
Just two years after joining the West Chester-based law firm Gawthrop Greenwood, PC, Sandra L. Knapp became the first woman in Chester County to be elected to manage a mid- to large-sized law firm, a position to which she was re-elected in January 2018. A nationally recognized leader in transportation law, Sandy is also a highly respected practitioner in business law, commercial transactions, finance, banking and real estate law. As the head of her law firm, Sandy is overseeing expansion of the firm’s West Chester offices to meet client demand, just a year after expansion and relocation of the firm’s Greater Wilmington office. She also focuses on the firm’s mentorship program for young lawyers, including for young women in the law. At Gawthrop Greenwood, women comprise more than 30 percent of partners with projected growth. The mother of two children who were both born premature, Sandy and Gawthrop Greenwood, PC are long-time partners of the March of Dimes.
Health Award: Dr. Karen Pinsky, Chief Quality Officer, Chester County Hospital
Dr. Karen Pinsky joined the medical Staff of Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia and Chester County Hospital in 1996, beginning as a pediatric hospitalist caring for children who required emergency care or hospital admission. Over the last 24 years, Dr. Pinsky’s role has evolved considerably and almost continuously. She spent 15 years as the medical director of the Newborn and Pediatric Services of the CHOP Care Network at Chester County Hospital. She added clinical informatics to her portfolio in the mid-2000’s as the hospital embarked on the arduous process of implementing an electronic health record system. Enthralled with the challenges at the intersection of computer systems and clinical care, she added board certification in clinical informatics to her pediatrics boards and obtained a graduate certificate in Clinical Informatics. Dr. Pinsky was named the hospital’s Chief Medical Information Officer in 2008 while continuing her Medical Directorship and clinical work in Pediatrics. Most recently, Dr. Pinsky has expanded her role into clinical quality as the Chief Quality Officer, overseeing the important work of keeping patients safe while delivering state of the art care in the community. Dr. Pinsky lives with her husband and her two 15-year-old children in Swarthmore, PA.
Public Service Award: Kathryn Evans, Executive Director, Church Housing Corporation
Kathryn Evans has carried on her father’s legacy by becoming the Executive Director of Church Housing Corp. (CHC), which provides safe, affordable housing and supportive services to seniors and special needs populations. She has been with the company for 20 years and has governed all aspects of the management team as well as created a strong social service department. Kathryn and her team have experience in developing projects from the creative stages to the final product, while continuing to build strong partnerships throughout the years with local communities as well as federal and state entities. These relationships foster strong communities as well as provide housing opportunities to those in need. Kathryn leads her management team by recognizing the individual needs and strengths of each CHC resident and focusing on enhancing quality of life and joyful experiences. Her relentless dedication to the mission of CHC is felt throughout the hallways of CHC’S homes, and her years of experience create living environments that enable residents to thrive and prosper in their communities.
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