Mary Roselle has been hired to oversee the Area Agency on Aging covering Luzerne and Wyoming counties, Luzerne County Human Services Division Head David Schwille announced Tuesday.
The agency has been without an executive director since mid-January 2015, when Teresa Osborne left the position after several weeks on the job to accept a promotion to secretary of the state Department of Aging.
Agency advisory board members had expressed concerns about delays filling the top position at Luzerne County Council meetings last fall.
Roselle has worked at the county agency around 14 years, most recently as director of administrative services, and has a master’s degree in business administration from Wilkes University, Schwille said.
There were four finalists for the position.
Roselle will be paid $75,000 in the new position, which took effect Tuesday, he said.
Schwille said Roselle is “very knowledgeable and competent,” and her promotion appeared to be well-received by staff.
“She was overwhelmingly the best choice for the job,” Schwille said. “She really knows the agency inside out.”
In addition to active-adult centers throughout the two counties, the agency provides services that allow aging residents to remain in their homes and investigate alleged elder abuse reports.
The promotion leaves two other county human service agencies without a director: Children and Youth and Mental Health.
Krista McIlhaney resigned as Children and Youth overseer at the end of 2015.
Schwille expects around six applicants who met minimum qualifications soon will be interviewed by a review committee.
Children and Youth Deputy Director Judi Omerza told advisory board members the county received around 100 applications for the administrator position.
The administration is still reviewing options for the director position but recently promoted Tara Vallet to deputy director of mental health, Schwille said.
Vallet has worked at the agency for more than a decade, most recently as children mental health program specialist, he said. She will be paid $59,200, he said.
Mental Health Administrator James Davis retired April 30.
