Bill Wallen

Bill Wallen has been the Executive Director of the Greater Altoona Jewish Federation for the past 16 years. He represents the Jewish community on interfaith panels and speaks on various aspects of Judaism in schools, colleges and churches. Bill coordinates other Jewish cultural and educational programs through the annual Jewish Film Festival, book reviews/discussions and Holocaust speakers and programs.

Prior to “retiring” from his career in Social Work, Bill was a Human Services Administrator working in Behavioral Health Services. He had a leadership role in the development of community based mental health services at Altoona Hospital and the Home Nursing Agency. He oversaw the creation of community residences and educational programs for individuals with developmental disabilities and helped initiate the Drug and Alcohol programs in Blair county.

He has taught courses in Social Work and Psychology for Penn State Altoona, served on the Institutional Equity and Diversity Committee and has been a member of many social agency boards. Bill currently chairs the Msgr. Joseph M. Luddy Scholarship Board and the UPMC Altoona Partnership Board for a Healthy Community. He is the co-Founder of the interfaith committee of the Ecumenical Conference of Blair County and of Big Brothers/Big Sisters and is the vice-chair of the UPMC Foundation for Life Board. In his religious activities, Bill has served as President of his synagogue, principal and teacher in the Jewish community Sunday School and is a member of the B’nai B’rith scholarship committee.

Bill and his wife Carolyn reside on a farm outside of Petersburg, next door to their son, Kevin, daughter-in-law, Jamie, and 2 grandsons, Will and Eli. Bill also has a daughter, Joellyn, son-in-law, Ron, grandson, Zachary, and granddaughter, Aliza, residing in San Diego, California. Bill is a 1962 graduate of Penn State University and a 1965 graduate of the University of Pittsburgh School of Social Work. He has taken additional courses at Penn State and Saint Francis University.