11/02/2026
Lighting the Way: Honoring Our Ladder Society Founders
Kathleen and Mary have called Rehoboth Beach their home since 2019, moving from northern New Jersey. They are both retired Human Service professionals with MSW’s from Rutgers University. Kathleen was a hospital chaplain and retired as an end of life counselor. Mary is a retired CEO for a non-profit called Advance Housing which provides supportive housing to the homeless and adults living with a mental illness. She grew Advance Housing to a multi-million dollar organization with over 75 employees while managing $12 million dollars in assets and millions of dollars of government contracts. Mary has served on several non-profit boards and has worked as consultant. Mary is a competitive pickleball player and a humble woodworker.
Kathleen’s family history is filled with stories of generosity and service to those less fortunate, including generations of first responders. Kathleen is also an active singer and soloist with the Camp Rehoboth Chorus, The Alliance Singers and WomenKind, an a ca****la group.
After relocation, while researching various volunteer opportunities, Mary and Kathleen realized that while the area was in a massive period of growth, the infrastructure was sorely lacking. They decided to be part of the solution, rather than just the cause of the problem. They joined the Rehoboth Beach Volunteer Fire Company in February of 2021 and put their skills to use. They invest their time and money in the RBVFC and are Founders of The Ladder Society. In addition to the RBVFC, Mary and Kathleen support CAMP Rehoboth and The Children’s Beach House as well as a number of animal rescues.
Join us as we celebrate these remarkable community champions and thank them for helping secure the future of the Rehoboth Beach Volunteer Fire Company.
If you'd like more information about joining the Ladder Society, please reach out via DM or send an email to [email protected].