The QVNA Board is made up of five officers and eight Board members, all of whom serve two-year terms. The terms of the eight Board positions are staggered, with four Board members elected every year. At its General Meeting on November 21 Queen Village residents will elect five officers and four Board members to serve for the next two years. Voting takes place from 7 p.m. to 8 p.m. Thursday, November 21, St. Philip Neri Church (218 Queen Street). Any QV resident can vote in the election. If you have not already done so, you can fill out a registration form that evening and proceed to vote.
Running for Officer Positions:
Jeff Hornstein – President *
Amy Shelanski -Executive Vice-President *
Duncan Spencer – Vice President
Ben Schindler – Treasurer
Cindy Elliott – Recording Secretary
* Running for second term
Running for the Board (4 positions open):
Sean Edwards
Kelly Ganczarz
Maria Roberts
Peter Ross
Jonathan Rubin
We encourage everyone to vote early and to stay around for the General Meeting at 7:30 p.m. to hear a progress report on the Weccacoe Playground renovations and enjoy refreshments by “Kennett” the Second Street gastropub.
Biographical Information on the Candidates
Jeff Hornstein – President (Second Term)
I have lived on the 300 block of Queen Street since 2005. I have been QVNA president since January 2012. I ran for QVNA president two years ago because I love this neighborhood and believe that an organized community is a strong community. The past two years have taught me the virtue of “self help in hard times.”
Since 2012, QVNA has made important investments in our neighborhood. We ensured that students at both Meredith and Nebinger had access to educational opportunities, enhanced our community gardens and parks, provided opportunities for the beautification of streetscapes, and implemented a dedicated dog waste disposal program. We funded summer programs for struggling kids and helped open a Parent Resource Center at Nebinger. We helped the Crosstown Coalition of Taxpayers keep a close watch on the City’s Actual Value Initiative. And when three fires wrought havoc, we organized fundraising efforts to keep families in their homes and businesses afloat.
On a lighter note, we invited neighborhood restaurants to provide refreshments at QVNA meetings, expanded the Queen Village Crier, and became the first civic association with its own “app.”
With a dynamic Board, I will continue to utilize my abilities, relationships, and policy knowledge to serve our community. Goals include turning Weccacoe Recreation Center into the Queen Village Community Center; endowing an Education Fund; expanding our street-cleaning program; beautifying our commercial corridors; and turning the south end of Front Street into a beautifully landscaped park.
Amy Shelanski – Executive Vice President (Second Term)
I have lived on the 100 block of Carpenter St. for ten years and love living in Queen Village. I have served as a board member and as Executive Vice-President on the QVNA board and am also on the Zoning and Communications Committees.
My roots are local; I’m a graduate of Cheltenham High School and have a BA from the University of Pennsylvania. I have lived in many great Philadelphia neighborhoods: Rittenhouse, University City, Powelton Village and Old City. Queen Village is by far the best.
My experience with community involvement is extensive. I served on the Old City Civic Association Executive Board and the Pier Five Condominium Board for many years. I was Co-President of the Waterfront Civic Association, participated in the Coalition of Philadelphia Neighborhoods and was founder of Friends of Shot Tower. I am proud to say that our efforts on the Waterfront Civic Association helped to pave the way for the current plans for the Central Delaware Waterfront.
Why I am running for Executive Vice-President
To help to assure that Queen Village remains one of the very best places to live in Philadelphia through working to maintain and make better
Our schools
Our parks
Our businesses
The exceptional character of our friendly, beautiful, historic neighborhood
A more inclusive QVNA. I will continue work to make QVNA more relevant and interesting to all Queen Village residents as well as friendlier, transparent and more accessible To improve the everyday issues such as trashcans, snow removal, traffic problems, etc.
South Street/Headhouse – to help work toward making it a commercial magnet for the surrounding neighborhoods
Duncan MacGlashan Spencer – Vice President
Born in Washington D.C., I moved to Philadelphia in 1988 to attend the University of Pennsylvania. I worked in construction while I studied archaeology and eventually ended up working in the film industry here as a union set builder. I bought my first house and my current residence in 1992 at 810 S. Lawrence St. After 21 years, renovations are almost complete. I am now a residential landlord and a business landlord on Fabric Row. My wife Nikki and I have two children who attend Meredith School. We have a cranky five-year old Cairn Terrier named Gizmo.
Gardening, tree planting, and general plant enthusiasm were my entrée to community work in Queen Village. I planted empty tree pits and vacant lots and playgrounds. Gardening led me to become a founding member of the Friends of Weccacoe Playground where I worked under the leadership of Walt Lowthian, until last year when I became the committee’s chairman.
I have always been active in politics, both local and national, and was inspired by what I saw as the energy and determination that Jeff Hornstein has brought to QVNA. He has worked closely with the Friends of Weccacoe and has been a tremendous supporter of our causes. It is in that spirit that I would like to give back and become a supporter of Queen Village by lending my help to Jeff as his Vice President.
Ben Schindler – Treasurer
My wife and I have lived in Queen Village on 6th Street just below Christian St. for six years. Our son, Noah, will be four years old in December. I have been actively involved in various Queen Village initiatives, including Friends of Weccacoe, Friends of Nebinger, the Queen Village Community Center and the QVNA finance committee. I want to step-up my involvement in our neighborhood by becoming the Treasurer of QVNA.
I grew up in East Falls and I have a B.A. from Northwestern University outside Chicago. I returned to Philadelphia to earn my law degree from Temple. I worked for 5 years at PricewaterhouseCoopers in business and tax consulting, including financial compliance and review. I have also run a citywide political campaign, during which I managed all aspects of the campaign, ranging from financial reporting and compliance to fundraising to community and volunteer engagement.
I want to help move QVNA into a progressive era of financial strength and robust investment in the issues our neighborhood cares the most about: education, safety, business development, and quality of life. I will bring a fresh perspective, collaborative thinking, and a strong commitment to our neighborhood to the QVNA board and the role of Treasurer.
Cindy Elliott – Recording Secretary
I’ve lived in Queen Village on the 100 block of Catharine Street for 25 years. During that time, I’ve seen impressive improvements in the neighborhood, from the aesthetics of the public spaces to the variety of businesses, to the quality of our schools.
I’m an attorney by training. I began working part-time two years ago so that I might have more time to get involved in our community. I’ve been the QVNA Recording Secretary for two years. I’ve learned a great deal about the organization and the terrific work it does in supporting the residents, schools and businesses. It’s been my privilege to work with the dedicated group of volunteers that make up the QVNA Board. I look forward to the opportunity to continue contributing to the neighborhood and the Board’s great work.”
Sean C. Edwards – Board Position
With a strong background in sales, marketing PR and telecommunications, Sean plans to bring his technical expertise and implementation experience to QVNA.A top fundraiser for the FOP Sean’s biggest concern for QV is safety and livability. Already involved with SSHHD’s push for local businesses to install cameras for safety, Sean has utilized his industry connections to streamline this process. He also working with Verizon to have the horrid boxes on Bainbridge Green removed and possibly seeking them out as corporate sponsors for the project. Committed to a clean and safe neighborhood, Sean is concerned with the rubbish and debris that can be a danger to children and dogs as well as the overall aesthetic of this historic neighborhood. Inspired by the combination of technology and urban design, Sean would like to see programs such as bike-sharing, free wifi in parks and mobile app development. A longtime resident of Center City, Sean loves the human scale, convenience and community of Queen Village. Sean also has a passion for cooking and a degree in Culinary Arts prior to moving into his sales career in 2001. Sean lives at 4th and Monroe with his partner Kelly and their English Bulldog Baby Bella.
Specialties:Telecom, both wireless, wireline and data. Marketing and promotions in the hospitality industry.And over 11 years in and around the restaurant business.
Kelly Catherine Ganczarz – Board Position
A native Philadelphian, Kelly is a young professional committed to urbanism, historic preservation, sustainability and progressive action toward community stabilizing and building. After earning a Master of Urban Planning from the University at Buffalo, she worked for small land use planning consulting firms in Philadelphia and spent a year working in business development for a global architecture firm in New York. So happy to be back in the city of brotherly love and sisterly affection, Kelly is excited to bring her ideas, energy and knowhow to the QVNA as well as learn from seasoned board members. A design and business development professional with 5+ years of marketing and graphic design experience for urban design, architecture, interior design, engineering, non-profit and government related industries, Kelly is the Awards Gala Chair for CANstruction Philadelphia and is working with colleagues in the industry to bring the event Architects for Animals to Philadelphia. Involved in her community, she is a member of the Bainbridge Green Task Force. Committed to sustainability, she is currently studying to become a LEED Green Associate. Kelly lives at 4th and Monroe with her partner Sean and their English Bulldog Baby Bella.
Maria Roberts – Board Position
I have lived on the 900 block of South Front Street for about 15 years, in a home that I am painstakingly and meticulously renovating. My roots are global. I grew up in a military family and spent most of my childhood abroad.
I am the President and Chief Executive Officer of a local consulting firm. My expertise is in management consulting and I have worked with many national corporations and governmental agencies. I received a Bachelor of Science degree from St. Joseph University with a concentration in Sociology. I am a board certified, licensed Registered Nurse. I received my Master’s Degree from the University of California, at Berkeley, with concentrations in Public Health Administration, Economics. For techies, I am a Certified Scrum Master from the Scrum Alliance.
I truly love living in QV and I believe my expertise and love of flowers and community will serve my neighbors well. For as long as I have lived in QV, I have been an active member of the neighborhood association, supporting many great initiatives and passionately protesting where necessary. I have worked alongside my neighbors when we fought for the sound barriers (thank you Eduardo, et al); to keep out the casinos; to renovate Shot Tower and to preserve the traffic pattern along Christian Street. For the past five years I have been quietly working to renovate the green space that runs along the east side of Front Street from Christian Street to Washington Avenue. It is my goal to transform that area into a beautiful and inviting park.
This may be old fashioned, but I am truly honored to be asked to run and I hope you will vote for me. If elected to the board, I will continue to represent my QV neighbors to ensure that QV is a safe, friendly, diverse and vibrant community that will always be an attractive place in which to live and bring up our families.
Peter Ross – Board Position
I have lived in Queen Village for over three years on the 300 block of Gaskill Street. My wife and I looked at homes in several parts of the city and found the right one in the right neighborhood. We enjoy living in Queen Village and look forward to being here for many years.
I have over 33 years of sales, marketing and management experience with international corporations. Since 2012, I’ve been a realtor with Plumer and Associates.
Earlier this year I was selected to fill an open position on the QVNA Board. Now I am running for a full term. I am on the newly created Finance Committee and the Dog Committee. I’ve also been active with the QVK9 group.
QVNA is an exceptionally vibrant and committed civic organization. It concentrates on activities that make Queen Village a better place to live for everyone in the community: supporting our neighborhood public schools, improving our parks, making Queen Village cleaner and greener, and providing information about city programs like AVI, to cite a few examples.
My work on the Board has been worthwhile. I’d like the opportunity to continue to work for the community and for QVNA as a member of the Board.
Jonathan Rubin – Board Position
Jonathan Rubin has been a resident of Queen Village for over ten years. He is the owner of studio nine photography.
He can often be seen outside of his studio cleaning and planting and caretaking for Bainbridge Green. Jonathan is the chairman of the Friends of Bainbridge Green, which received a $25,000 in-kind services grant from the Community Design Collaborative to create a master plan for Bainbridge Green. Jonathan, along with several other dedicated friends, has created a coalition of neighbors, business people, South Street businesses and Fabric Row storefronts. The goal is to revitalize Bainbridge Green, making it a better place for everyone to visit and enjoy.