UPMC Children's Hospital Foundation Announces New Trustees

PITTSBURGH, Jan. 23, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- UPMC Children's Hospital Foundation Board of Trustees is pleased to announce the appointment of four impactful additions to the Board. Joining as Trustees are Dennis A. Cestra, Jr., Noelle Calabro Conover, Christopher R. McCrady, and James W. Rogers.

The new members are joining the Foundation board during a vital time as the Foundation is in the middle of its most ambitious fundraising campaign to date: This Moment: Put a Child's Future First.

Mr. Cestra serves as President of Pennsylvania, West Virginia, and Maryland, for Howard Hanna Real Estate Services where he oversees the daily operations, strategy, business development, and growth across the tri-state area. As a third-generation member of the Hanna real estate family, Mr. Cestra has held multiple leadership roles throughout the Hanna Family of Companies. Actively involved in the community, Mr. Cestra is a member of the Board of Directors of the Urban League of Greater Pittsburgh, the Board of Directors of the Real Estate Information Network, and the Board of Directors of West Penn Multi-List. He is also a member of the Young Presidents Organization and was previously chosen as the United States delegate for One Young World. Mr. Cestra formerly served as a member of the Future Generations Board for Children's Hospital of The King's Daughters in Norfolk, Va. Mr. Cestra and his wife, Olivia, serve as Co-Chairs of the Foundation's Children's Trust.

Ms. Conover is the Founder and Executive Director of Matt's Maker Space, Inc., which she and her husband, David, founded in memory of her late son, Matt. She has served for 14 years as Project Coordinator for SurvivorConnect^TM, the Survivorship Program for survivors of pediatric cancer in the Hematology/Oncology Division of UPMC Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh. Ms. Conover has been an active volunteer for initiatives at UPMC Children's and the Foundation. She served as a member of the Host Committee for the Foundation's 125^th Anniversary Gala, was the Inaugural Co-Chair for the Foundation's Cancer and Blood Disorder Auxiliary and is a member of both UPMC Children's Parent Advisory Committee and Family Forum. Ms. Conover is currently a member of the Foundation's This Moment Campaign Cabinet.

Mr. McCrady is partner and CEO at Simpson & McCrady, a boutique property and casualty insurance agency located in Pittsburgh. Mr. McCrady has spent his entire career in the insurance industry, first with Chubb Insurance, and the last 27 years with Simpson & McCrady. Throughout his career, Mr. McCrady has been active in the non-profit community serving on the boards of the Western Pennsylvania School for the Deaf, St. Edmund's Academy, The Kiski School, and as a member of the Carnegie Hero Fund Commission. Mr. McCrady is a member of the Foundation's Children's Hospital Golf Classic event committee, having served as co-chair of the Golf Classic event for the past three years. 

Mr. Rogers is a Partner at Rice Investment Group, serving as the Chief Accounting Officer. He previously served as the Chief Accounting Officer and Chief Financial Officer for Rice Acquisition Corporation I and Rice Acquisition Corporation II (2020-23). Prior to Rice Acquisition Corporation, Mr. Rogers served as Senior Vice President and Chief Accounting Officer & Administrative Officer, Treasurer of Rice Energy (2011-17). Mr. Rogers led accounting, tax and human resources functions for Rice Energy, Rice Midstream, and its numerous joint ventures and joint venture companies. He also has extensive experience in public accounting, having worked at both Ernst & Young and PricewaterhouseCoopers. Mr. Rogers is on the Board of Visitors at the Katz School of Business at the University of Pittsburgh and serves as Co-Chair of the Foundation's annual Walk for Children's event and as a member of the Foundation's Finance and Investment Committee.

"On behalf of the Foundation, I am delighted to welcome our newest members to the Board of Trustees," said Vanessa Morehouse, Chair of the Foundation's Board. "Their diverse expertise, unwavering dedication, and shared commitment to the mission will be instrumental in guiding the Foundation's efforts through our This Moment campaign and beyond. Together, we will make a lasting impact on the well-being and future of the children and families we are privileged to serve. I am confident their contributions will inspire meaningful progress and drive transformative change in the communities we support."

For more information on UPMC Children's Hospital Foundation, visit www.givetochildrens.org.

About UPMC Children's Hospital Foundation

UPMC Children's Hospital Foundation is the catalyst that unites communities and contributors to create healthier futures for all children through life-changing care and cutting-edge research. As the sole fundraising arm of UPMC Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh, we support their vision of being the world leader in pediatric health care, education, and discovery. The Foundation is a public charity under 501(c)(3) and 170(b)(1)(A) of the Internal Revenue Service Code. For more information, visit www.givetochildrens.org

About UPMC Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh

Regionally, nationally, and globally, UPMC Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh is a leader in the treatment of childhood conditions and diseases, a pioneer in the development of new and improved therapies, and a top educator of the next generation of pediatricians and pediatric subspecialists. With generous community support, UPMC Children's Hospital has fulfilled this mission since its founding in 1890. UPMC Children's is recognized consistently for its clinical, research, educational, and advocacy-related accomplishments, including being nationally ranked in all 11 pediatric specialties by U.S. News & World Report.

Contact: Andrea Yorchuck 
Mobile: 412-552-7448
E-mail: [email protected]

Contact: Mendy Nestor
Office: 412-692-3917
Mobile: 412-849-9470
E-mail: [email protected]

SOURCE UPMC Children's Hospital Foundation