Saratoga Bridges elected David Wickerham
as president and Rev. Richard Hoffman
as a member of the board of directors at the
recent annual board meeting.
Wickerham was the Saratoga County
administrator from 1984 until he retired
in 2011. Having been the youngest county
administrator in the state at his appointment,
he became one of the most senior
administrators during his tenure.
“The staff and board of directors of
Saratoga Bridges have been making a difference
in the lives of disabled citizens for
more than five decades,” he said. “I am proud
to be a part of that team and look forward
to continuing our efforts during these challenging
times.”
Wickerham first became involved in county government in 1977 and was appointed as the county’s first personnel director in 1979. He was a member of the Resolutions Committee for the state Association of Counties from 1995 to 2011 and former vice chairman of the state Association of County Administrators. He is a 1969 graduate of St. Louis University and served for more than 20 years in the U.S. Air Force and the Air Force Reserve where upon he retired as a lieutenant colonel in 1992.
Wickerham’s volunteer endeavors have included serving on the board of directors of the Saratoga Economic Development Corp., being a member of the Concerned Citizens for Saratoga Racing and the Saratoga Race Course Local Advisory Board. He is a former board member of the Wilton Wildlife and Nature Preserve, Capital District Regional Planning Commission, Saratoga County Chamber of Commerce’s Leadership Saratoga, Saratoga Springs Zoning Board of Appeals, 1983 Saratoga Springs Charter Revision Commission, and secretary of the Saratoga Springs Jaycees.
Since 1996, Hoffman has been the director of pastoral care services at Saratoga Hospital and the Saratoga Hospital Nursing Home. He was ordained in 1982 and has been a member of the Albany Presbytery of the Presbyterian Church (USA) in 1997. Hoffman has been in health care ministry since 1991, serving previously at Athens Regional Medical Center in Athens, Ga., and Duke University Medical Center in Durham, N.C.
Prior to then, he pastured two churches. He earned a master of divinity at Princeton Theological Seminary in Princeton, N.J., and a bachelor of arts in international studies at Miami University in Oxford, Ohio. He is a board-certified chaplain in the Association of Professional Chaplains and has served as its’ New York state representative.
“In my position at Saratoga Hospital, I have had the privilege of caring for the increasing number of patients with developmental disabilities who have been hospitalized with life-threatening conditions — including individuals served by Saratoga Bridges,” he said.
“I am aware of the complexities that families and other decision-makers face when confronting end-of-life and ethical issues. I hope to be a better advocate for them and their loved ones as they are cared for at Saratoga Hospital. I also believe it is important for Saratoga Hospital and Saratoga Bridges to work together to navigate the health needs of people with developmental disabilities. As someone who is deeply impacted by these individuals, I want to be part of that relationship and am vitally interested in ensuring there are the least burdens possible.”
Saratoga Bridges has been providing programs for people with developmental disabilities and their families for more than 55 years.
Photos Courtesy of Saratoga Bridges