Over the past 30 years, Gail Kass has not only helped transform an organization, but also helped transform the lives of seniors and care providers throughout Philadelphia.

As President and CEO of NewCourtland, Gail has launched innovative programs in community services, senior housing and nursing care, and education and workforce development. One of her many acheivements was the creation of the Ladder of Opportunity, a program that provides specialized training, scholarships, and educational services to NewCourtland employees looking to pursue and advance their nursing careers. Since its inception, more than 500 graduates have ascended the ladder. 

To recognize Gail’s accomplishments and the lives she’s touched over the years, Paragraph worked with NewCourtland to create It Takes a Ladder, a hand-bound book that celebrates the Ladder of Opportunity program and Gail’s work with NewCourtland.

Each chapter of the book represents a rung on the Ladder, beginning with the Ladder’s vision and culminating with the Kass Scholarship, an endowed fund that is awarded annually to a NewCourtland employee who is pursuing a degree from the Gerontology Nurse Practitioner (GNP) Masters program at The University of Pennsylvania School of Nursing.

Through personal anecdotes and reflections from coworkers, colleagues, and Ladder graduates, we paid tribute to Gail’s accomplishments and the Ladder’s impact.

The book and its custom wood carrying case were presented to Gail at a reception at the NewCourtland Education Center to mark her 30th Anniversary with NewCourtland and dedicate the Kass Scholarship Wall. Many who contributed their stories to It Takes a Ladder were on-hand to read from the book.