WAVERLY TWP. — Gia Tugend originally came to the Waverly Community House to catalogue its history, but as she advanced her career, she became part of that history.
As executive director, she wants to continue the legacy of the Comm while expanding its offerings.
The center’s Board of Trustees named Tugend, 39, to the post over the summer. The Taylor native, who now resides in Clarks Summit, began her career at the center as an archive assistant in 2012 while attending Marywood University. She processed and digitized the center’s archives, which date to its founding in 1919.
She continued her work in the archives after graduating from Marywood in 2014, creating Destination Freedom: Underground Railroad Walking Tour, with then-Executive Director Maria Wilson in 2017. The interactive historical program examines the township’s history with a focus on its role in the Underground Railroad.
Tugend moved into administrative work at the center in 2016, writing grants to secure funding for the Comm’s programs. She continued fundraising, along with marketing, as director of advancement and digital media marketing beginning in 2023. Tugend became interim executive director in May when former Executive Director Michelle Hamilton left.
Being at the Comm for so long, she said she has become part of the center’s community, which comes from all over and supports the building in the township’s historic district.
“Everyone’s just so willing to help out and pitch in whatever way,” Tugend said. “I think that the community is so passionate about this place. They really truly love the Comm and it’s so obvious.”
Waverly Community House Executive Director Gia Tugend poses for a photograph outside of the Waverly Community House in Waverly Twp. Tuesday, Oct. 1,4, 2025. (SEAN MCKEAG / STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER)
Waverly Community House Executive Director Gia Tugend poses for a photograph at the Waverly Community House in Waverly Twp. Tuesday, Oct. 1,4, 2025. (SEAN MCKEAG / STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER)
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Waverly Community House Executive Director Gia Tugend poses for a photograph outside of the Waverly Community House in Waverly Twp. Tuesday, Oct. 1,4, 2025. (SEAN MCKEAG / STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER)
Over the years, Tugend said she has grown up with and gotten to know the people that make up the Comm. The center employs more than 25 people full and part-time.
“Getting to work with them on a leadership level and helping them improve their talents and helping them be the best version of themselves in the community, it’s really gratifying,” she said.
Tugend likes that the Comm offers something for people of all ages, including children’s programs, an art gallery, library, thrift store, post office, history programs and a gym open to the public. It also hosts events throughout the year, including a car show, holiday marketplace, concerts, a wine festival, 5K race and film festival, all of which are open to the public.
“I feel like no matter what your age, no matter what stage in your life you’re at, no matter what you enjoy doing, there are so many different things,” she said. “There’s something here for everyone.”
Tugend wants to ensure that the building, which was dedicated in 1920, continues to look its best, while also expanding programs like Destination Freedom, which is part of the National Park Service Network to Freedom.
She is interested in strengthening the center’s existing partnerships, which include the Lackawanna Heritage Valley and the Lackawanna Historical Society, and creating new ones, like with the Susquehanna County Historical Society. She also wants to get more school groups at the Comm.
“I think when you’re working with the community and you’re interacting with them on a daily basis and on a personal level, the partnerships happen organically and your relationships happen organically, so that’s definitely something I would definitely like to continue,” she said.
Tugend also wants to expand programs to include ones for senior citizens and veterans. She said the Comm offers a fitness class for those 50 years and older and many programs are for people of all ages, but there aren’t any that are specifically for those groups.
Emily Karam, a member of the center’s board, said Tugend is an example of someone who has proven her commitment to the Comm.
“She has stepped into her new role with grace and aplomb,” Karam said in an email. “She has been welcomed by our Board members, our donors, our partners, and our community as the Executive Director with support and appreciation. Gia has demonstrated her passion for leading our fantastic staff, serving the people of our area and beyond, and preserving and strengthening the Comm for generations to come.”
Originally Published: October 15, 2025 at 12:00 AM EDT