Our Team
Our Executive Director
Fran Held is the Founder, Executive Director, and President of Mitzvah Circle. She created Mitzvah Circle to provide hope and restore dignity to individuals and families during times of crisis, poverty, homelessness, and serious illness.
Fran cares deeply about people who have fallen through the cracks, and strives to remove barriers to provide help and guidance with care and compassion.
Our Staff
We have a staff of hardworking individuals dedicated to our work.
They are supplemented by the efforts of hundreds of volunteers who are critical to our success.
Our Board of Directors
Jody Katzner, Board Chair
Jody Katzner is a Vice President with PNC Bank’s Change Management organization.
Lisa A. Marin, Board Vice Chair
Lisa Marin is the Director of Alumni Engagement and Planned Giving at The Hun School of Princeton.
Cynthia Weiss Stein, Esq., Board Secretary
Cynthia Weiss Stein is an attorney practicing Family Law in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania.
Silas P. Norman, MD
Dr. Silas Norman is a Clinical Associate Professor of Internal Medicine in the Division of Nephrology, Section of Transplantation at the University of Michigan.
Gene Levin
Gene Levin is a retired CPA experienced as a VP and Chief Accountant
Wendy Urban
Wendy Urban is a Retired Assistant Professor of Information Systems and Technology at Temple University in Philadelphia.
Joshua Arsenault
Joshua Arsenault is Assistant Director of Development at GLBTQ Legal Advocates and Defenders (GLAD).
Stephanie Zirpoli
Stephanie Zirpoli is counsel to Ballard Spahr LLP, specializing in commercial real estate
Massimo Magliari
Massimo A.V. Magliari is a certified financial planner and co-founder of Kelman and Magliari Advisory Group, Ameriprise Financial Services.
Stephen Robinson
Stephen Robinson is an analytics technology consultant and an Adjunct Professor at St. Joseph’s University in Philadelphia