César Córdova Collao brings a deep commitment to equity and community partnership to the role.
New Bethany Inc., a local nonprofit dedicated to providing food access, housing and social services to those experiencing poverty, hunger and homelessness, announced the appointment of César Córdova Collao as the president of the nonprofit’s Board of Directors.
“César brings a deep, lived understanding of our community to his role as board president,” said John Marc Rittle, executive director of New Bethany. “Having lived on both the South and West sides of Bethlehem and working on the Northside, he truly represents the heart of our neighborhoods. His strong relationships with the key community organizations and city leaders have already strengthened our work in meaningful ways.”
Córdova has been a member of New Bethany’s board since 2022 and began chairing the nominating committee in 2024.
Córdova is a health and physical education teacher at Liberty High School, and previously served as a community school coordinator at Marvine Elementary School for St. Luke’s University Health Network from 2017 to 2022. He received his master’s from Lehigh University’s College of Education and is pursuing his doctorate from the same institution. Additionally, he is a Leave No Trace level 2 instructor from the National Outdoor Leadership School (NOLS).
Since its founding in March 1985, New Bethany has provided more than 1.1 million meals, supported over 2,000 residents through its housing programs and received assistance from 12,000 volunteers, helping thousands of neighbors in need.
Learn more about New Bethany’s board by visiting https://newbethany.org/our-board/.
