The Animal Rescue League of Berks County (ARL) has announced several leadership transitions within its Board of Directors, including the election of a new board president, the appointment of new officers and the addition of two new members to the Board of Directors.
The leadership changes reflect the organization’s continued commitment to strong governance as it advances its mission to protect animals, provide a safe haven and promote innovative programs and services that support both people and animals throughout Berks County.
New Board President
Eden Bucher was elected president of the ARL’s Board of Directors in June 2026. Bucher has served on the ARL’s Board of Directors for 4 years and is a partner in the Barley Snyder Law Firm’s Finance & Creditors’ Rights Practice Group. She concentrates most of her practice in the areas of commercial transactions, debtor/creditor law and general and commercial litigation. She considers herself a problem solver, and her MBA degree helps her better understand the business impact of a company’s legal issues. Outside of the firm, Bucher remains involved in various associations in the legal field. She is a member of the Berks County Bar Association and is the Berks County Credit Card Arbitration Master. Bucher also serves on the Eastern District of Pennsylvania (EDPA) and the Middle District of Pennsylvania Bankruptcy Court Mediation Panels.
“I’m honored to step into this role and continue working alongside such a dedicated team,” Bucher said. “As someone who has always had a deep love for animals, the mission of the Animal Rescue League is especially meaningful to me. I’m proud to support an organization that makes such a tangible difference in the lives of animals and the people who care for them, and I look forward to helping advance that work in the years ahead.”
In addition to the change in board president, several other officer transitions took place:
- Weslie Liana, of First Energy, was appointed vice president.
- Stephanie Ziegler, of Diamond Credit Union, was appointed treasurer.
- Susan Gerhart, of the PA DUI Association, was appointed secretary.
- Lorin Basden Arnold, of Kutztown University, joined the Board of Directors.
- Kyle Giles, of East Penn, joined the Board of Directors.
Meet the New Directors
Lorin Basden Arnold has been Provost and Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs at Kutztown University since 2021. She was previously the Provost at SUNY New Paltz and held the position of Dean of the College of Communication and Creative Arts at Rowan University. A graduate of Purdue University, her bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral education had a split focus in organizational and interpersonal communication. She has taught across the communication studies curriculum, with primary attention to interpersonal, family, and organizational communication, as well as qualitative methodology. Arnold’s research has primarily addressed issues related to family, often with embedded critical and/or feminist analytic frames. Her most recent work has been devoted to mothering and how cultural expectations of motherhood frame and restrict the experiences of mothers. Additionally, Arnold says she is “the dedicated servant of two resident cats and a variety of fosters across each year, as well as six koi (aka scaly cats).”
“As soon as I got settled in Berks County, I started looking for an opportunity to contribute to the local animal rescue community,” said Arnold. “This turned into fostering for ARL and I’ve happily fostered more than 35 cats and kittens in the last few years. I believe strongly in the power of companion animals to increase human wellbeing, and in our responsibility to provide as much care as we can for animals in our region that need our help. Being part of the ARL board is one way that I get to be part of this effort.”
Kyle Giles is a graduate of Shippensburg University with a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Management. He has been with East Penn for over 13 years with his current role being the Content/Catalog Manager. In that role, he oversees the Content Management department where they manage all the application and product information data that gets delivered to their customers on a monthly cadence.
“I am thrilled to be a part of the Animal Rescue Leagues Board of Directors because this organization is more than just an animal shelter,” said Giles. “From the Humane Officers they employ, who help protect the welfare of animals in our community to the animal medical services they provide to the community, I am proud to say I am a part of this organization.”
ARL Chief Executive Officer Ashley Mikulsky said the organization’s volunteer leadership is instrumental in shaping its future.
“We are so fortunate to have a team of individuals who genuinely care about the ARL and so passionately support our mission,” said Mikulsky, “It is exciting to bring on new members who can draw from their own experiences and expertise to help us advance our goals. We look forward to the ways their perspectives will strengthen our organization and help us continue building toward an exciting future.”
