Comings & Goings is an occasional feature of Connections in which we highlight promotions, retirements, transitions and more from ANCOR’s provider agency and state association members.
Welcome New Members
We are delighted to welcome two new organizations to ANCOR’s growing community of disability service providers:
- Imber, Inc. in Salt Lake City, UT
- Lifespire in New York, NY
Volunteers of America Announces Manworren’s Retirement
Julie Manworren, a long-time ANCOR member, leader and advocate, announced last month that she will retire as President & CEO of Volunteers of America Minnesota and Wisconsin, effective June 30, 2025.
Among the many ways she supported her national association, Manworren served for several years on ANCOR’s Board of Directors. She also served in 2019-2020 as a Co-chair of ANCOR’s Government Relations Committee.
Manworren’s knowledge, passion and dedication will be missed, but we wish her the very best in retirement! Read more about Julie’s retirement.
Dotty Bell Retires from RHA Health Services
Dotty Bell, who most recently served as Director of Quality Assurance for RHA Health Services in Tennessee, shared that she has retired as of the end of 2024.
An active member for countless years, Dotty served in a number of volunteer roles for ANCOR. Most recently, she represented the Volunteer State on ANCOR’s Board of Representatives and has been a constant and steady presence advocating on behalf of people with disabilities throughout the southeastern United States and beyond.
Feldkamp Retires from Big Lakes
After 30 years at the helm of ANCOR member Big Lakes in Manhattan, Kansas, Lori Feldkamp announced that she will be retiring as President & CEO on June 1, 2025.
For several years, Lori represented Kansas on ANCOR’s Board of Representatives. She has been an active member at both the state and national level, advocating for disability services both in Topeka and in Washington.
Read more about Lori’s retirement.
Con-Grant-ulations to the New York Alliance!
The New York Alliance for Inclusion & Innovation, one of the statewide provider associations in New York and a member of ANCOR’s 100% State Provider Association program, was awarded a Mother Cabrini Health Foundation Grant.
The Mother Cabrini Health Foundation Grant aims to reimagine how innovative supports and services are designed and delivered to people with I/DD. The award represents a significant achievement for the New York Alliance and reinforces the association’s leadership in improving the delivery of person-centered services.
Read more about the Mother Cabrini Health Foundation Grant.
Stronger Together
Several ANCOR members have announced mergers, acquisitions or joint ventures to enhance supports for people with I/DD since the beginning of the year.
Three ANCOR members in Maine—Group Main Stream (GMS), Uplift, Inc. and Independence Advocates of Maine (IAM)—have announced an agreement to merge their organizations to create a single, unified organization. Read more about the merger.
Strawberry Fields, Inc. (Pennsylvania) will join Devereux Advanced Behavioral Health, one of the state’s largest nonprofit behavioral healthcare providers. Strawberry Fields will remain an independent legal entity, with Cynthia “Cindy” Pasquinelli continuing to serve as CEO. Read more about the acquisition.
André Floyd is ANCOR’s Communications Manager. Have something you’d like to see included in an upcoming edition of Comings & Goings? Reach out to André by email.