Our Board
Learn about the dedicated professionals who drive our mission forward with passion and expertise.
SUSAN SILVER
President
In 2010, Susan was the founder and volunteer executive director of Comprehensive Care of Wilmington whose missions were to enable seniors to age in place and to provide safe affordable housing for adults with disabilities. In 2023, Comprehensive Care was joined by IndependentWorks and together, they incorporated CityPlace Connected Community to develop CityPlace. Susan serves as president of CityPlace Connected Community. Previously, Susan served as executive director of numerous nonprofit organizations including hospice, a women’s health facility, and a university-based center for integrative medicine. She holds advanced degrees in medical ethics and health services administration. Susan is the parent of two young adult daughters with disabilities and is dedicated to maintaining seniors in their homes for a lifetime, and to providing independent, enriching, unregimented housing-with-supports for her own children and for other adults with disabilities.
Board Member
DR. ROBERT FERBER
Robert is a retired physician whose career has spanned private office practice, hospitalist work, and roles in hospital administration particularly focused on electronic medical records, quality, and innovation. As the father of an adult daughter with Autism Spectrum Disorder, Robert has long tried to envision a safe and supportive living situation that will promote the best life for her in the community. After moving from Delaware to Wilmington in 2018, Robert learned about the efforts of IndependentWorks to create a housing community designed for interdependent living for people with autism and other neurodiverse conditions. He became a board member and enthusiastically supported a collaborative effort with Comprehensive Care of Wilmington to develop CityPlace Connected Community – an affordable rental housing community for lower income seniors combined with people with disabilities.
Board Member
JOE FRANCIS
Joe recently retired after nearly 40 years with Verizon. He is the father of a young adult son, Shane, who is on the Autism Spectrum.  He has been very involved in the independent and affordable housing initiative since moving to Wilmington in 2021 and is glad to have become a part of CityPlace Connected Community and Independent Works. He feels a deep dedication to Shane and has worked with him and his peers since birth with PT/OT, the start of UNC Hemiplegia Constraint Camp in Chapel Hill, and UBC Youth Bowling in Durham for 10+ years. He enjoys fishing and recently completed an extensive home remodel with his partner, Beth.
MARVIN FINEMAN
Board Member
I am happy to serve on the Board of CityPlace. What do I bring to the Board? From the heart, I bring compassion and respect for people with disabilities who struggle with determination to accomplish tasks that the others learn easily and then take for granted. In practice, as a retired actuary, I bring a knowledge of finance and accounting systems. While I am already practiced in three accounting systems, I love learning a new one, accounting for nonprofits.
Board Member
WANDA WOOTEN
Wanda Wooten retired after 40 years in the Nonprofit sector. She spent 30 of those years running a social service agency in NYC that served all ages with programs as diverse as Meals on Wheels, a large senior center, case management, and literacy classes for those who wanted to get a GED and/or learn English. In addition she oversaw an extensive multi-site youth program that included after school education, youth development and workforce development, summer day camps and more. Since retiring to Wilmington, she has volunteered with Comprehensive Care, including serving on the Board and is a member of the volunteer leadership team for AARP Coastal Region and served for six years on the Statewide Executive Council.
MARY BETH BOBEK
BRIAN DRISCOLL
GLORIA GARTON
MELANY HANSON​
AYELET HECKATHORN
CHE HOLLIGAN
LISA WILLIAMS
NAT YOUNG
​
Our Advisory Committee
Our advisory committee plays an essential role by applying their own expertise in addressing challenges and opportunities alongside the board. The committee members represent a variety of sectors in the community and ensure that a variety of voices are heard by the board.