Young Professionals Board
Uplift Center for Grieving Children’s dynamic and dedicated Young Professionals Board (YPB) supports and strengthens our mission by engaging the next generation of community minded advocates, expanding awareness, and establishing a strong pipeline for future growth.
Current Board
Sara Duncan
Chair
Sara Duncan is a Senior Associate at Array Architects in Conshohocken, PA, one of the nation’s leaders in the design of Healthcare Facilities. With ten years of experience in the industry, her passion for healthcare design stems from personal experiences that have allowed her to engage design and the healthcare system from the patient’s perspective.
She has been an advocate and member of the Young Professionals Board over the last 6 years. Holding various positions and actively contributing to support the mission of Uplift with a focus on events planning and fundraising efforts.
YPB Leadership: Chair, Vice Chair, Marketing Chair, Events committee and fundraising
Megan Slattery
Vice-Chair
Bikram Chadha
Bikram is the Director of Multi-Asset Class Management at PFM Asset Management LLC. In his role, he is responsible for managing institutional client relationships and supporting business development efforts for the firm’s consulting and outsourced CIO practice areas—with a focus on endowments, foundations, pension funds, and long-term investment portfolios. Bikram is also a member of the firm’s Diversity and Inclusion Council. In the community, in addition to serving on the Young Professionals Board at Uplift, Bikram is a mentor to graduate and undergraduate students at Villanova School of Business.
Scott Ferguson
Michelle Johnson
Michelle Johnson is the Outreach Program Manager at MindCORE, a mind & brain sciences center at the University of Pennsylvania. In her role, she works to address inequities in STEM as well as to increase community engagement with the applications of research. Passionate about mental health interventions for youth, she first engaged with Uplift as a volunteer, then as a Master-level intern, and joined the Uplift YPB in 2021. Michelle recently graduated with a master’s degree in social work as well as an MS in Nonprofit Leadership from the University of Pennsylvania.
Peter Kuenne
Peter Kuenne is a Senior Associate at Amicus Therapeutics, a Philadelphia-based biopharmaceutical company focusing on rare and orphan diseases. In his role, Peter works across finance and commercial strategy. He joined the Uplift YPB in 2021 and is passionate about volunteering, healthcare, and children. He graduated with an AB in Economics from Princeton University.
Chris Pagnani, MD
Chris Pagnani, M.D. is an instructor at The Johns Hopkins Hospital School of Medicine for the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, a Supervisor for Psychiatry Interns and Medical Residents at Jefferson Hospital, and a Private Practice Psychiatrist in Center City, Philadelphia, where he serves as the Medical Director of Rittenhouse Psychiatric Associates.
Dr. Pagnani attended Vanderbilt University for his undergraduate degree, where he was awarded the top student in his major and track. He completed Medical School at Jefferson Medical College, where he published various medical research articles and abstracts, and presented both Nationally and Internationally. He completed a General Surgery Internship at the University of Kentucky and then went on to complete a Residency in Psychiatry at The Johns Hopkins Hospital, where he was asked to serve as Chief Resident.
Dr. Pagnani is from Ocean City, NJ and enjoys surfing, snowboarding, the beach and time with friends and family during his free time.
Brian Sumner
Megan Welch
Meghan Welch is a Senior Manager of Pricing Strategy at Campbell Soup Company. She has over 12 years’ experience in consumer-packaged goods space with a focus on analytics. She also has acted as the co-lead of the Women of Campbell Employee Resource Group for the last four years. Meghan has been a member of the Uplift Young Professionals Board for two years
Elliott Wilson
Interim Chair
Elliott Wilson is the Director of Virtual Care at CDW Healthcare in Cherry Hill, New Jersey. In this role, he works to transform healthcare through digital experience enabling care to be provided from anywhere to wherever. Through that lens, Elliott has learned the value of connecting people which is what led him to his work to support Uplift’s mission.
Elliott became involved with Uplift through his MBA coursework at Villanova. After learning of Uplift’s growth, he joined the Young Professionals Board over five years ago. Elliott is proud to have served as Chair for the YPB and contributing to its growth over the years.
Meredith Wilson
Ways to Engage
Become a Board Member
An ideal candidate embodies the following characteristics:
- Passion for Uplift’s work and mission
- Passion for Volunteerism, Marketing, and Fundraising
- Desire to Contribute over the Long Term
- Strong Personal and Professional Network
In return, Uplift makes the following commitments to the YPB:
- To provide members the opportunity for meaningful and rewarding service to our mission and community.
- To provide members significant professional development and social networking opportunities.
- To provide members with the information and language they need to be effective members and ambassadors.
- To be diligent in making the best possible use of the assets members make available to us, whether those are time, wisdom, experience, relationships, or money.
- Make every effort to keep meetings brief, relevant, interesting, and impactful.
- Respond to the best of our ability to member questions, concerns, feedback, and/or criticism.
- Do our utmost to be an organization of which all of us can be proud.
- To have fun!
Annual activities include:
- Family Art Night, where YPB members interact with children and families utilizing Uplift’s services and participate in group activities
- Quarterly UPLIFTer happy hours that provide updates on Uplift’s work and the opportunity to meet others committed to supporting Philly youth.
- An exclusive UPLIFTer membership card.
- Invitation to an annual UPLIFTer appreciation event.
- Discounted tickets to the annual an UPLIFTing evening fundraising event.
- Complimentary ticket to the annual YPB Birds and Brews event.
To learn more about Uplift’s Young Professionals Board, please email ypb@upliftphilly.org or call 267-437-3123, ext. 11.
UPLIFTers Membership
Make a difference in the lives of youth in Philadelphia by becoming an UPLIFTer! Your monthly contribution of $15 will ensure sustainable funding for Uplift’s vital services. With your UPLIFTer membership, you are investing in the futures of Philadelphia’s youth and joining a community that believes no child should have to grieve alone.
Membership benefits include:
- Quarterly UPLIFTer happy hours that provide updates on Uplift’s work and the opportunity to meet others committed to supporting Philly youth.
- An exclusive UPLIFTer membership card.
- Invitation to an annual UPLIFTer appreciation event.
- Discounted tickets to the annual an UPLIFTing evening fundraising event.
- Complimentary ticket to the annual YPB Birds and Brews event.
Attend a YPB Event
Bowling Night with the YPB
Thursday, December 7 at Pep Bowl
6:30 P.M. - 9:30 P.M.
Tickets $25 to bowl
