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Sara Gorgone Peperno certainly earned her spot in the Times Leader’s Distinctive Women section through her dedication and service throughout a career in the nonprofit field.

But as CEO and president of Northeast Sight Services, Gorgone Peperno knows she’s following some women who were distinctive in their own right.

“What is really neat for me as a woman is that the agency was founded by a woman 100 years ago … by a woman that was blind actually,” she said recently, referring to Arline Phillips. “So to be able to follow in those footsteps …”

She also mentioned Eilene Kaska, who started the agency’s prevention of blindness program and is still involved with the agency.

Gorgone Peperno, 41, started working with nonprofits in college during an internship.

After college she landed a marketing job with the United Way.

“I basically went to Penguin games and helped fund raise there, and things like that,” Gorgone Peperno said. “And just built my career there to a vice president position overseeing all the fund distribution and all the marketing.

“So it was a great run there.”

And about the time that Gorgone Peperno was ready for a new challenge, the CEO/president’s position at Northeast Sight Services (then called the Greater Wilkes-Barre Association of the Blind) opened up.

“I really wanted to get into direct service,” she said. “At the United Way, it’s a little bit more hands off as to providing actual services to people who are in need.

“I was excited to come somewhere I could see what the need was and then help to grow the organization to help people in a specific area.”

And for the past five and half years, that’s exactly what Gorgone Peperno has been doing.

“I really like being able to see the direct effect of all the programs we have here,” she said. “I really get to know clients.”

The agency is dedicated to serving the needs of the blind and visually impaired community with pride and commitment.

Gorgone Peperno was quick to point to the agency’s Vision Resource Center, which was revitalized as part of Northeast Sight Service’s centennial celebration last year, as one of the ways it serves the community.

“This is something new that we are offering the community,” she said of the center. “It’s really just a resource for people to come and try out new items with our staff who are experienced with them and just try to determine what works best for them.”

She also mentioned that a big part of what the agency does is making sure its clients can live independently.

“We go right out into the home and are able to say, ‘What are your problems and what are the issues that you are having, and here are some of the solutions,’” Gorgone Peperno said.

However, helping the visually impaired live independently goes beyond just working with the agency’s clients.

“We are really going to start a push to get the community more accessible to people with visual impairments,” she said. “That’s going to be our goal for 2019 and 2020.”

The past year was a big one of the agency and Gorgone Peperno. Not only did Northeast Sight Services celebrate a century of service in 2018, it re-branded itself, changing its name from the Greater Wilkes-Barre Association of the Blind.

“My biggest accomplishment here has been the name change,” she said. “It was humbling to be here at such a momentous time for the agency.”

Gorgone Peperno was quick to credit her staff with making the transition a successful one.

“I love our team here,” she said. “We have a great team. Everyone is always full of new ideas and always trying to implement new and exciting ideas for the agency, so that’s been a incredibly rewarding piece to being here.”

Peperno Gorgone lives in Old Forge with her husband, Rob, and her 11-year-old daughter Mia.

To read more Distinctive Women stories, click here.

Sara Gorgone Peperno is the CEO/president of Northeast Sight Services.
https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/web1_TTL03xx19Peperno1.jpg.optimal.jpgSara Gorgone Peperno is the CEO/president of Northeast Sight Services.

Sara Gorgone Pepernoe started working for nonprofits during a college internship.
https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/web1_TTL03xx19Peperno2.jpg.optimal.jpgSara Gorgone Pepernoe started working for nonprofits during a college internship.

By Joe Soprano

[email protected]

Sara Gorgone Peperno

Position: CEO/President of Northeast Sight Services

Hometown: Old Forge

Family: Husband, Rob, and 11-year-old daughter, Mia

Quotable: “I was excited to come somewhere I could see what the need was and then help to grow the organization to help people in a specific area.”

Reach Joe Soprano at 570-991-6393 or on Twitter @TLnews.