Board of Directors

Jeff Carpenter, President

A graduate of Rhode Island School of Design, Jeff Carpenter is an award-winning artist and filmmaker, whose work has appeared in galleries in Philadelphia, San Francisco, Boston, London and Berlin, among others. In addition to being a working artist and co-founder of Arcadia Commons, Jeff has also founded and spearheaded community organizations such as Arts United/Fall River, the Preservation Society of Fall River, Save Our Neighborhoods, and ReconnectUS.org.

Janet Finegar, Vice President

Janet Finegar has been a leader in the Northern Liberties Neighbors Association for decades and continues to be an officer in their board. She helped fight for, and create their park, Liberty Lands, and is still the leader there, programming music, films, festivals, children's time, gardening…. She is the secretary of the board of the Friends of Orianna Hill Park nearby, and she is on the board of the East Kensington Action Committee. She has helped lead many projects in neighborhood activism and she helps run the Spooky Garden at Halloween.

Elaine Luczka, Treasurer

Elaine Luczka is a licensed structural engineer with AECOM and master’s student at Drexel University. Her volunteer experience reflects values of community involvement, STEM initiatives and mentorship and includes work with Big Brother Big Sisters, Rebuilding Together, Habitat for Humanity Women’s Build, Lego League, ASCE concrete canoe and steel bridge competitions, EKNA, Women’s LEAD and Drexel’s COE Alumni Association. She is an East Kensington resident and impassioned supporter of Arcadia’s commitment to create safe and inspiring community spaces.

Jeff Carpineta

Jeff Carpineta is a real estate broker and community activist residing in East Kensington. He was President of East Kensington Neighbors Association (EKNA) from 2010-2013. As EKNA President, Jeff testified at the City Council on vacant land dispositions, building issues, and zoning code reform. He organized the Trenton Avenue Arts Festival, co-authored a report on green space protection, and launched multiple successful campaigns to protect local open spaces. He is currently on the Board of the Kensington Community Food Co-Op, which recently announced plans to open their community-owned grocery in East Kensington later this year.

Marcy Frankil

Marcy Frankil is a creative individual with a love for the arts, the great outdoors and her community. She has a BFA from The Savannah College of Art and Design and works as a print designer. Marcy is passionate about gardening and preserving green spaces in Philadelphia and is dedicated to making a positive impact in her community through her work in preserving green spaces and organizing community events.

Liz Mattox

Elizabeth is a caregiver, part-time pickler, and volunteer at Kern Park. She is a graduate of Temple University’s Fox School of Business and worked in the insurance industry before deciding to pursue a non-corporate path. As a caregiver in the Fishtown, East Kensington, and Northern Liberties neighborhoods over the past five years, Elizabeth has spent countless hours frequenting and treasuring the local parks and gardens in our area with young ones building relationships between families. She is dedicated to preserving our green spaces as an oasis for our community.

Claude Schrader

Claude Schrader is a Linux System Administrator for The Wistar Institute, and graduate of Drexel University's College of Computing and Informatics. His volunteer experience includes projects such as the East Kensington Neighbors Association Zoning Committee, Trenton Avenue Arts Fest, Kensington Community Food Coop, PhillyCAM Radio, and countless neighborhood cleanups and beautification projects. In his seven years in the neighborhood, he has enjoyed prime access to the park that has become Arcadia Commons, and continues to fight to keep it safe, clean, and accessible to all.

Richard Zurlnick

Richard is a landlord, property manager, and owner of a small home improvement business. He has been an interested, well engaged member of the community since his move here in 2007. He is a constant contributor at meetings of the East Kensington Neighbors Association, and the leader of the EKNA volunteer neighborhood clean-up actions. He manages several buildings that border our main site, and he provides us with a grounded expertise gained from years of experience in property management.

Catherine lowther

Catherine has called Philadelphia home since 2012 and joined Arcadia Commons in 2024. Wearing many hats, she is a dedicated mother, backyard organic garden enthusiast, avid reader, and committed advocate for environmental justice, public health, and community-driven green spaces. As a certified Master Gardener and Tree Tender, she is passionate about fostering sustainable landscapes and expanding urban tree canopies. She is also the President of the Friends of Penn Treaty Park. Through her work with Arcadia Commons, she aims to create a greener, safer, equitable, more connected Kensington for all.