Greater Philadelphia Welcomes Captain Tawny Cowen-Zanders as Divisional Secretary
Greater Philadelphia Welcomes Captain Tawny Cowen-Zanders as Divisional Secretary
Philadelphia (March 18, 2019) – The Salvation Army Greater Philadelphia welcomes Captain Tawny Cowen-Zanders as Divisional Secretary for Greater Philadelphia. She takes over the role held by Major Willie Mae Lyle since July 2018. Major Timothy Lyle (General Secretary, The Salvation Army of Eastern Pennsylvania and Delaware) and Major Willie Mae Lyle have been appointed as the new Divisional Commanders of The Salvation Army of Southwest Ohio and Northeast Kentucky.
Captain Cowen-Zanders, a native of Newark, Ohio, has been the Administrator of The Salvation Army’s Ray and Joan Kroc Corps Community Center in Philadelphia since 2015. During her time at The Kroc Center, she has worked to strengthen the financial viability of the 7,500 member center, as well as ensure effective and efficient community programming.
Captain Cowen-Zanders and her husband Captain Kevin Zanders have been Salvation Army officers since 2005. Their appointments have included stints in Massillon, Ohio, where she completed a $3.4 M capital campaign to build the Massillon Family Life Center, as well as Toledo, Ohio where she served as Associate Area Coordinator of the Northwest Ohio Area Services, which included five counties. During her time in Toledo, she not only provided overall administrative oversight to The Salvation Army’s work, she served on the Lucas County Mental Health and Recovery Services Board and the Citizens Review Committee for the Toledo Lucas County Homelessness Board.
As Divisional Secretary for Greater Philadelphia, Captain Cowen-Zanders is responsible for all of The Salvation Army’s Corps community centers and residential programs across Greater Philadelphia, as well as a multitude of programs and services that benefit tens of thousands of individuals and families in need each year.
“As a Salvation Army officer, it is my honor to be the hands and feet of Christ to struggling individuals and families,” said Captain Cowen-Zanders.
Captain Cowen-Zanders holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Interdisciplinary Social Science from Malone University and a Master of Science degree in Nonprofit Management and Philanthropy from Bay Path University. She is also a Certified Fundraising Executive (CFRE.) Prior to becoming a Salvation Army officer, she was a public relations and fund development professional.
She and her husband of 20 years have two children, Kaleb (15) and Zoe (13). She has three passions in life –family, social justice, and laughing. In retirement, she would like to try her hand at being a stand-up comedian. Her personal motto is “Choose Joy!” and her life verse is “”He has shown you, O people, what is good; And, what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God” (Micah 6:8.)