Mark L. McNash, Dr. Kenneth S. Hawkinson, and John Perate join Berks Encore Board
“Berks Encore is honored to have these two individuals join our board. Their ongoing dedication to and experience in strengthening the health and wellness of the Berks County community will be beneficial to Berks Encore as we move into the next phase of our agency’s growth and development.” —LuAnn Oatman, Berks Encore president/CEO
Berks Encore is pleased to announce that effective immediately, Mark L. McNash, Dr. Kenneth S. Hawkinson, and John Perate will join its board of directors.
“Berks Encore is honored to have these two individuals join our board,” says LuAnn Oatman, Berks Encore president/CEO. “Their ongoing dedication to and experience in strengthening the health and wellness of the Berks County community will be beneficial to Berks Encore as we move into the next phase of our agency’s growth and development. I am honored that Mr. McNash, Dr. Hawkinson, and Mr. Perate — as well as their respective organizations, Reading Health System, Kutztown University of Pennsylvania, and M&T Bank — have chosen to take an active interest in Berks Encore.”
Dr. Kenneth S. Hawkinson began his tenure as president of Kutztown University of Pennsylvania on July 1, 2015. He leads an institution that serves approximately 9,200 students with 160 programs of study. Dr. Hawkinson came to Kutztown from Western Illinois University, where he most recently served as provost from 2012-15. At Western Illinois University, he also served as associate provost and associate vice president for budget, planning, and personnel, as well as associate dean of the College of Fine Arts and Communication and chair of the Department of Communication. He also is a former military officer, having served in the U.S. Army as both an infantry officer and a public affairs officer.
Dr. Hawkinson earned his bachelor’s degree in history from Western Illinois. He also has a Master of Arts in speech communication from the institution and a Ph.D. in speech communication/ performance studies from Southern Illinois University. He was a Fulbright scholar from 1990-91, during which time he taught American studies at the University of Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso, in West Africa. He also served for two years as a volunteer in the Peace Corps in Mali. Hawkinson, who began his academic career at Western Illinois as an assistance professor of communication, has published numerous articles and dozens of professional papers.
Mark McNash is Vice President of Support Services at Reading Health System. He has been with the Reading Health System since March 2011; first in the capacity as an interim executive, and then joining RHS as an employee in his current role in September 2012. He has been in healthcare management his entire career most of it spent working for various healthcare systems in the Detroit, Michigan area.
Mark has taken an active interest in several community initiatives including, along with his wife Connie, participating in the Dancing with the Reading Stars benefiting the Yocum Institute, and just last year he was the winner of the Olivet Boys and Girls Club Kiss-A-Pig fundraiser. Prior to coming to Reading, Mark was active with several community organizations including March of Dimes, Catholic Social Services and Detroit Medical Center Guild. Mark and Connie were born and raised in Michigan and now reside in Spring Township. They both enjoy golf and travel.
John Perate is the Vice President and Sr. Relationship Manager in Commercial Banking at M&T Bank. He has a degree in Marketing and International Business from Penn State University. He currently serves on the board of the Penn State Berks Alumni Society and the Hands on House, Children’s Museum of Lancaster. He resides in Wyomissing with his wife, Michelle, and three children, Rocco, Dominic, and Gianna. Perate is an avid Penn State fan and Philadelphia sports fan, and also coaches his sons’ soccer and hockey teams.
ABOUT BERKS ENCORE
The mission of BERKS ENCORE is to engage the community to enable older adults to achieve a better quality of life by providing a comprehensive program of services, referrals, education and advocacy. For more information, please contact Berks Encore at (610) 374-3195 or visit us on the Web at www.BerksEncore.org.