Lois Deutsch serves as Executive Director of the Selfhelp Community Services Foundation, where she directs all aspects of fundraising and philanthropic strategy in support of Selfhelp’s life-changing programs and services.

Since joining Selfhelp’s leadership team in 2006, Lois has launched several signature initiatives—including the annual Gala and Fall Classic, Selfhelp NextGen, the Founders Society, and the Chinese Advisory Council—that have broadened community engagement and deepened philanthropic partnerships.

With more than 35 years of experience in nonprofit development, Lois has built her career around connecting people to purpose. Her expertise spans board development, major gifts, planned giving, special events, and grant fundraising. She previously served as Vice President for Development and Public Affairs at Parker Jewish Institute for Health Care and Rehabilitation, and as Director of Communications at the Center for Developmental Disabilities.

Lois holds a Master of Arts in Health Administration from Hofstra University. Outside of work, Lois and her husband, Mark, enjoy traveling, music, outdoor activities, and—most of all—spending time with their grandchildren.

Elizabeth Lynn is Selfhelp’s Vice President of Grants and Research. Together with her team, she partners with private foundations and government agencies to support the many older adults served by Selfhelp’s programs.

Since joining Selfhelp in 2006, Elizabeth has led the writing of numerous white papers, from a research study showing that residents of Selfhelp affordable housing are healthier than their neighbors, to a report on how Selfhelp clients weathered the Covid pandemic. She is most proud of her work editing the recently published book, The Last Surviving Relative: A History of Selfhelp Community Services.

Prior to Selfhelp, Elizabeth helped launch Wireless Generation (now Amplify Education) and holds a patent for the company’s award-winning mCLASS software. She is a graduate of Yale University and the Harvard Graduate School of Education.

Elizabeth lives in Brooklyn with her husband, their child, and two charming guinea pigs. In her free time, she is an avid reader and is learning to sew.

Jon Staunch is the Deputy Executive Director of Selfhelp Community Services Foundation, bringing more than 20 years of nonprofit leadership experience to the role. A servant leader at heart, Jon has dedicated his career to connecting people with causes that matter and helping mission-driven organizations expand their reach and impact.

Before joining Selfhelp, Jon held senior leadership roles at major nonprofit organizations, including serving as Vice President of Key Relationships for Covenant House International. Over the years, he has consistently exceeded ambitious fundraising goals, securing hundreds of five-, six- and seven-figure gifts. He is recognized not only for results but also for his ability to build authentic relationships with donors, board members, and community partners, always with the goal of inspiring generosity and advancing meaningful change.

Jon holds a Master of Public Administration from Saint Peter’s University and a Bachelor of Arts in Communications from the University of Scranton. Known for his personable, down-to-earth style, he brings humor, compassion, and dedication to his work every day.

Based in New Jersey, Jon lives with his wife and their three children. Active in his local community, he serves as a Little League and youth basketball coach, a Cub Scout den leader, and a proud theater dad. In his free time, he enjoys fishing, hiking, camping, and indulging in his love of all things 1980s nostalgia.

As Development Manager, Alyssa Nichols ensures accurate and comprehensive financial and donor records for the Foundation to help advance Selfhelp’s mission of providing compassionate, innovative, trusted care to older adults in New York.

At Selfhelp, Alyssa utilizes her organizational prowess to develop robust reconciliation and reporting systems, ensuring precision of information for the Foundation and Finance teams. She has also assisted with the production of many of Selfhelp’s events, including the annual Gala and Fall Classic as well as the creation of the Annual Report. Alyssa also helps coordinate the SCS Foundation Board to optimize participation and engagement.

After interning in multiple development and events-focused offices across New York City, Alyssa arrived at Selfhelp in 2020, shortly after graduating from Barnard College with a degree in Sociology and French.

When she is not in the office, you can find Alyssa at a Broadway show or cooking in her apartment in Brooklyn.

In the seven years that Spence Halperin has been with Selfhelp, he has written countless grants and reports, playing a key role in the organization’s ability to raise the funds it needs to provide critical services to 25,000 vulnerable older adults.

During his 25 years as a NYS Licensed Master Social Worker (LMSW) he has focused his practice on developing and managing programs serving people living with HIV, homeless individuals and families, low-income older adults, Holocaust survivors, and LGBTQ+ individuals. Concurrently, he has raised substantial government and foundation grant funds for 70+ non-profit groups across a broad range of service sectors including healthcare, behavioral health, housing, education, career development, business assistance, behavioral health, environmental justice, and more.

Spence holds a B.A cum laude from Columbia University and an MSW from the Silberman School of Social Work at Hunter College.

Spence had an entirely different first career working in theater and television, supporting new playwrights at the Eugene O’Neill Playwrights Conference in Waterford, Connecticut, producing for PBS’ Great Performances, and more. He also holds an MFA from Carnegie-Mellon University.