Meet Our Director and Board

Tom Niarhos, Executive Director

Tom possesses a diverse professional background, characterized by a deep commitment to supporting vulnerable populations, particularly the homeless in Pottstown. His personal experiences have equipped him with a unique understanding and empathy towards those facing addiction and homelessness. As an active participant in the recovery, church, non-profit, and volunteer sectors, Tom excels in networking and coordination, fostering community engagement and support.

Dedicated to empowering community members towards achieving stability and integration, Tom focuses on enhancing housing security and overall well-being. His professional development is underscored by extensive training and certifications in mental health, domestic violence, addiction, vulnerability, leadership, and housing security, underscoring his comprehensive approach to community support and development.

Mark Boorse, Board President

Advisory Liaison

Mark is the Director of Program Development at Access Services, a non-profit human services agency. In his role there, he was integral to starting up both the Homeless Street Outreach Program, which serves those experiencing street homelessness in Montgomery County, and the Street Medicine program in Pottstown. Through this work, he got connected with Al’s Heart Warming Center, both the volunteers and staff, and the guests. Mark is committed to the belief that homelessness is a community level issue and that lasting solutions can happen when all parts of the community come together to align their resources and skills towards common goals.

Cathy Heayn, Board Secretary

Voice of the Guest Liaison

Cathy Heayn is a Registered Nurse with over 25 years of clinical, pharmaceutical and device industry experience currently working at Varian Medical Systems in Medical Affairs. Her passion to help those in need is also seen in her 20+ years of volunteer work with our low income and homeless Pottstown community through St. Aloysius Giving Tree, Community Meals, and Food Pantry, the Pottstown Cluster of Religious Communities and Al's Heart Warming Center. Cathy was one of the Volunteer Award recipients for the 2021-2022 Warming Center season “for her commitment and dedication to serving the guests and being an example of hope, love and grace”. Cathy is motivated to continue this work with Pottstown Beacon of Hope using her nursing and professional experience for an organization who values community and individuals.

Lauren Williams, Board Vice President

HR Governance Liaison

With over 20 years of trailblazing experience in Human Resources, Organizational Development and Change Management, Lauren Williams, SPHR, has carved a dynamic path in the high-octane world of start-ups. Starting her career in Finance, Lauren discovered her true calling in Human Resources, where her passion for people and culture took center stage. What began as a fun aspect of her role soon evolved into a mission to revolutionize the workplace and foster a vibrant employee experience.

Armed with a Finance and Economics degree from West Chester University of Pennsylvania and a Master's in Organizational Effectiveness from Immaculata University, Lauren combines analytical prowess with a deep understanding of organizational dynamics. Never one to shy away from a challenge, she uses her influential attitude to inspire and mobilize teams, driving them to reach their fullest potential.

Lauren's dedication to enhancing the employee experience is unwavering. She believes in the power of a positive workplace culture to boost engagement, retention, and empowerment. This passion led her to make a bold move in 2019: leaving a lucrative corporate job to launch her own HR consulting firm, Workplace Harmony.

Despite the challenges posed by the pandemic, including client losses and the balancing act of remote work and parenting, Lauren's resilience and innovative spirit prevailed. She adapted, refined her routines, and focused on personal well-being, propelling her firm to become a regional leader in culture and people operations consulting.


In her personal time Lauren serves as a member on the Board of Pottstown Beacon of Hope, an organization whose mission is to eradicate housing insecurity in Pottstown.

On any given day you can find Lauren cooking, laughing and helping her husband find his keys, rapping loudly to 90's hip-hop in her gold car, and satisfying her addiction to retail therapy.

 

Reverend Lauren Cain, Board Member

Advisory Liaison

Rev. Lauren Cain has been serving Pottstown churches since 2020 as the pastor of St. Paul's United Church of Christ and beginning in 2022, also as the pastor of Grace Lutheran Church. As pastor of both congregations, Rev. Cain has centered the ministry focus of the storied churches towards helping the poor, vulnerable and disadvantaged people in the community. She helped establish the Diaper Bank at St. Paul's, a ministry that provides free diapers and wipes to low income families and supports Grace Lutheran Church's mission efforts to provide financial and material support to Pottstown-area organizations that help local people in need.

A graduate of Union Theological Seminary in New York City, Rev. Cain holds a Masters of Divinity in Pastoral Ministry and Theology. She successfully completed eight units of Clinical Pastoral Education and for several years, served as hospital trauma chaplain. She also holds a Bachelors in Political Science from Pace University. Rev. Cain is a native New Yorker and a loyal Mets fan. She lives in Delaware County with her husband and young son.