Mary-Ellen Allen, a veteran attorney who spent more than 20 years at a West Chester law firm, began her term as president of The Arc of Chester County's Board of Directors on Wednesday, July 1.
Allen was elected at The Arc's Annual Meeting & Awards Ceremony in June after serving on the board for more than 13 years. She will guide strategic direction for the nonprofit, which serves more than 5,530 children and adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities and their families across Chester County each year.
Jeanne Meikrantz, CEO of The Arc of Chester County, called Allen "an invaluable member of The Arc family" who is "exceptionally well suited to lead our Board of Directors."
Allen serves as associate general counsel for Olympus Corporation of the Americas, where she handles employment-related legal matters and leads the company's corporate transactional team.
Before joining Olympus, she was a partner at Lamb McErlane PC in West Chester, litigating complex employment and commercial law cases in federal and state courts. She earned her undergraduate degree from Lafayette College and her J.D. from Villanova University.
Beyond her legal career, Allen is a past president of the Chester County Bar Association, the Chester County Bar Foundation, and the Chester County Art Association. Her priorities for the Arc board term have not been publicly announced.
A $35 million operation rooted in West Chester
The Arc of Chester County, headquartered at 900 Lawrence Drive in West Chester, was founded in 1952 by local parents seeking better outcomes for their children with disabilities. The organization operates with an annual budget of approximately $35 million, employs more than 1,200 people, and draws on a volunteer base of over 1,000.
How to get involved
Residents interested in volunteering can find openings in administrative support, fundraisers, internships, special events, recreation programs, and group volunteer days at arcofchestercounty.org/get-involved/volunteer.html. The Arc's offices are open Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., and can be reached at (610) 696-8090 or [email protected].
