top 25 women in business in nepa
Dr. Jessica Falk Chmil
Dr. Jessica Falk Chmil, owner/orthodontist of Orthodontist Specialists Dr. Jessica Falk and Dr. John Gershey, grew up an only child with a single mom who sacrificed most everything for her. She has followed her mother’s example of hard work and perseverance that taught her to set goals and diligently pursue them. “Because of her, I never took the education I was receiving for granted. I always worked hard to make her proud and I think I have.” she said. Falk Chmil has served as treasurer of the Scranton District Dental Society for the last seven years. Orthodontic Specialists sponsors events in the community, including school fundraisers, plays, sports teams, races, dance recitals, memorial fundraisers and more. This year, a new program, “Committed to our Community,” a local fundraiser/ event will be highlighted and in April the office will donate mouth guards to local school sports teams. Falk also performs a great deal of pro bono work for children who present to the office in financial need. “Not only do I straighten a person’s teeth, but I get to see their sense of achievement and confidence shine with their new beautiful smiles,” she noted. “ I have a wonderful staff that is very skilled at their different roles throughout the office so they help me tremendously with all the aspects of our business,” she said. Falk attended the University of Scranton earning her bachelor of science degree in biology. She and her husband, Corey, both attended Temple University School of Dentistry. She performed her orthodontic residency at St. Louis University Center for Advanced Dental Education, where she received a certificate in orthodontics and a master’s degree of dental science.
Her mentor has been her partner in practice, Dr. John Gershey. “We have a great relationship and have always worked well together. He is very conscientious and caring but also a very knowledgeable business person,” she explained. She and her husband, Corey Chmil, a general dentist, have two children, Cole Henry, 3, and Connelly Rose,1. “They are what bring me the most joy day in and day out,” she said. Falk Chmil has received the Valley Advantage Reader’s Choice Award and named the Times Tribune Best Orthodontist consecutive times and voted to the national list of Top Dentists in Orthodontics also consecutive times. “I take great pride in knowing that my patients and their families are happy and satisfied with their treatment and I am so thankful to have them vote for me for these awards,” she said.
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MARCH 2017
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sheri melcher
As owner/director of Creative and Performing Arts Academy (CaPAA) of NEPA, Sheri Melcher, along with her husband, Michael, have waded through many obstacles over the past 10 years before finding their footing and new home at the Ritz Theater in Scranton. Melcher works with an extremely passionate staff and more than 300 students and families at CaPAA which offers a children’s choir; acting classes and musical theatre dance class; and other productions. She also directs a nine week summer camp program. Melcher develops and implement CaPAA’s programming and curriculum; manages the ARTS ENGAGE program which, through Lackawanna County’s funding, provides children in Scranton and Carbondale school districts the opportunity to participate in CaPAA’s programming. She is also a member of the adjunct piano faculty at Marywood, where she teaches piano to undergraduate music and performance majors. She has enjoyed an extensive performance career, including chamber music recitals at Carnegie Hall’s Weill Recital Hall with Philadelphia orchestra musicians Richard Amoroso and Adam Unsworth. She has performed in recital with internationally acclaimed violinist Eugene Fodor at the Kennedy Center, bass-baritone Eric J. Owens and with members of the Baltimore and National Symphony Orchestras. She is also the music director for Northampton Community College’s fall musicals and the organist/choir director at Jarrettown United Methodist Church. Melcher taught upper and middle school music history, music theory and world music, at Springside-Chestnut Hill (SCH) Academy in Philadelphia. During her tenure at SCH, she was honored with the E. Perot Walker Prize for Teaching Excellence and named a Cy Nathan Faculty Chair. She was
recently awarded the PA Theater Person of the Year for 2016 by PA Theater’s Guide readers. A graduate of The Peabody Conservatory of Johns Hopkins University and Temple University’s Esther Boyer College of Music, Melcher holds bachelor’s degrees in piano performance and music education as well as master’s degrees in piano accompanying and pedagogy. Her mentors have included Lambert Orkis, a professor she studied under at Temple University and Roland Woehr, Jr. whose passion was a great inspiration. Her husband of 22 years and business partner of five years, is her greatest supporter; her late parents never missed a recital; and her daughter, Kayla, and son, Sam, have supported her tirelessly over the years.