About Us

Jeremiah L. Wright, is a father, husband, and Executive Director of the Disability Empowerment Center (DEC).  DEC is the center for independent living serving Lancaster and Lebanon Pennsylvania. 

He graduated from Lebanon Valley College, earning a Bachelors Degree in Sociology with a minor in Social Work.  Mr. Wright has worked 14 years in the human services field.  Including 10 years working with families and children with disabilities and 3 years as Executive Director of DEC.

At the age of 26, he was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis.  As an advocate for people with disabilities his entire life, this provided him with the opportunity to increase his efforts of ensuring equality for individuals with disabilities. 

In addition to his service as Executive Director of DEC, he serves on the Executive Committee of the Pennsylvania Counsel on Independent Living, board member of the State-Wide Independent Living Board of Directors, and is an active member of several advocacy groups in Lancaster and Lebanon Pennsylvania.

His most recent accomplishment is becoming a proud father of his daughter, and looks forward to providing her with the same knowledge and acceptance DEC strives to teach the community each day.

Katrina Stirn came to Disability Empowerment Center in 2004 after working for 9 years in the hotel industry. She started as a Peer Mentor, but found she excels more in her current role as Office Administrator, focusing more on the day to day operations at DEC. She currently serves on the Board of Directors at the Spina Bifida Association of Greater PA. She also enjoys traveling and spending time with her friends and family

Deborah Stumpf, DEC Programs Coordinator
Deborah has worked as an advocate in the affordable housing field for over 25 years and is currently employed by the Disability Empowerment Center (DEC), as their Programs Coordinator. As such Deb is responsible for creating and directing, innovative programs to assist the over 90,000 residents of Lancaster and Lebanon Counties presently living with a disability, obtain needed services, including affordable housing.

Prior to her employment by DEC, Deb was responsible for coordinating affordable housing opportunities for the Center for Independent Living of Central Pennsylvania (CILCP) in Camp Hill, Pennsylvania. Deb accomplished this through the Self Determination Housing Project (SDHP) which encompassed 19 counties in central Pennsylvania where she worked with County LHOT’s; Housing Coalitions; developers; real estate representatives; and housing authorities.

Deb’s responsibilities at CILCP also included working with consumers one-on-one to find affordable “for sale” and rental housing, as well as working with others in the region to educate local officials, realtors, landlords, developers, non-profits, and the public with respect to: (1) the need for, and importance of, affordable accessible “for sale” and rental housing, and (2) how to go about developing and building same. Working with state officials, and speaking at and participating in regional meetings on this subject, was also a vital part of Deb’s responsibilities while at CILCP.

Prior to working at CILCP, Deb helped develop and implement one of the first Nursing Home Transition Programs (NHTP) in the state of Pennsylvania while employed by Abilities In Motion (AIM) the Center for Independent Living in Reading, Pennsylvania. Several people were successfully transitioned from nursing homes located in Lancaster and Lebanon Counties to independent living in a non-institutional setting in their own home or apartment. by Deb personally. The State of Pennsylvania chose Lancaster County for the NHTP Pilot Program to identify barriers in the program. Furnishing a home or apartment; coordinating in home services; working with nursing facility staff; case managers, medical equipment suppliers; a consumer’s personal physician and property management staff, was also part of Deb’s responsibilities at AIM.

Deb’s previous experience prior to AIM includes:

• Executive Director & Vice President of Government & Industry Relations for the NFMHO a national non-profit organization representing over 30 state organizations and over 20 million people.
• Founder and President of the Pennsylvania Manufactured Home Owners of America, which represented over 700,000 individuals living in manufactured housing in Pennsylvania. As President Deb worked directly with attorneys, the Attorney General’s Office and the Pennsylvania Legislature to (1) develop new legislation to protect the rights of manufactured housing consumers and (2) eliminate fraudulent business practices in the industry.
• Legislative Assistant for a member of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives.

DISABILITY EMPOWERMENT CENTER

313 West Liberty St.
Suite 107
Lancaster, PA 17603

Lancaster
(717) 394-1890

Lebanon
(717) 273-4256

toll-free
(866) 394-1890

tty
(717) 394-3228

dec.cil@verizon.net