Board of Directors

Juanita Cox was born and raised in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, where she proudly graduated from Germantown High School. She continued her education at Advance Career Training School and later earned a scholarship to Lyons Institute of Technology, studying Medical Assisting.

Juanita built a successful career in retail, but her life took a profound turn when a family emergency led her to assume full guardianship of five of her grandchildren — then just 6 months to 13 years old. During this life-changing transition more than 25 years ago, Mrs. R. Richardson introduced her to Grands As Parents (G.A.P.'s), an organization dedicated to supporting grandparents raising their grandchildren. Inspired by the motto “Help a Child Keep a Smile,” Juanita became deeply involved, eventually serving as treasurer and now as Vice President.

In her leadership role, Juanita helps guide programs that strengthen families and uplift the community, including back-to-school drives, summer trips, arts and crafts, community shows, food giveaways, and more. Seeing the joy on children's faces continues to fuel her commitment.

Above all, Juanita's greatest joy is her family. She is blessed to be the mother of four, grandmother of twenty, and great-grandmother of sixteen — and she treasures every moment spent at sporting events, recitals, school programs, and family vacations.

Edward Amicone Jr. has been a life-long Philadelphia resident. Born and raised in South Philadelphia, Edward attended St. John Neumann High School, and then Temple University, where he graduated in 1983 with a Bachelor's of Business Administration degree, with a major in Accounting and a minor in Computer Science.

Edward has worked in the accounting profession for the past 38 years in various capacities. In 1988 he became a Certified Public Accountant while working for Laventhol & Horwath, an international accounting firm based in Philadelphia. He has since worked for several other accounting firms before deciding to work in private industry. He has worked in Real Estate, Construction, and Self Storage, and is currently the Controller for a national Wholesale Supplier.

In 2015, Edward began performing accounting services for the Uptown Entertainment & Development Corporation and in 2018, he was asked to become Interim Treasurer. He is currently the full-time Treasurer for the organization, and has been integral in working with the organization towards the restoration and development of the Historic Uptown Theater.

Edward is also the Chief Accountant and Consultant for Grands As Parents, a Philadelphia based non-profit organization that assists grandparents in the community who are raising their grandchildren. He worked very closely with Jean Hackney, the Executive Director of the organization, and assists in grant proposal writing and fundraising.

Edward has been married to his wife Ellen for 31 years. They have a 25-year-old daughter, Alexis, who recently graduated from Penn State University with a Bachelor's degree in English, and plans to continue pursuing her education in Library Sciences. He and his family reside in Northeast Philadelphia where they share a home with their two cats, Boo and Jack.