Biography

Ms. Ernico worked in the non-profit public charity world for over 40 years. In August 2017, Barbara retired as the Founding CEO and President of the Adams County Community Foundation. From 2008 to 2018, Barbara grew the Foundation’s assets from $379,000 to over $10 million, including a growth in grants from $5,000 annually to $850,000 annually. 

Barbara also founded the Charitable Advisory Services in 1999 and served as the organization’s President and CEO until 2008. A former Executive Director of Easter Seals and Administrator for an Intermediate Care Facility, Ms. Ernico has shared her experience in non-profit administration and grantwriting for the past 40 years by consulting for charities.  Her focus has been foundation grant-making and community building for York County Community Foundation, the Robert C. Hoffman Charitable Endowment Trust and the Adams County Community Foundation. She has served as a Peer Reviewer for PANO (Pennsylvania Association of Nonprofit Organizations).  Following her retirement in August 2017 as Founding President/CEO of Adams County Community Foundation, she attended the Standards for Excellence Institute and is a recognized, licensed consultant for The Standards for Excellence. 

In 2005, Barbara and her husband Jeffrey established the Opportunity Scholarship Fund—an endowed fund that provides annual scholarships to students in the School of Social Work who have demonstrated academic merit and financial need, and who either have an interest in working with individuals with disabilities or are themselves disabled. 

Barbara has served on the Temple University Alumni Association Budget and Investment Committee and remains an active member of the College of Public Health’s Board of Visitors, for which she previously served as chairperson.