Posted on September 17, 2026
“It was an honor to represent the people Penn-Mar supports”
At age four, Robert Zerance was struck by a car, suffered severe brain trauma, and spent 21 days in a coma. Today, he works full-time, holds a fifth-degree black belt in Taekwondo, and earned his red belt in Kenpo Karate. In July, he retired after 10 years of service on the Penn-Mar Human Services Foundation Board, where he was the first person supported by Penn-Mar with an intellectual and developmental disability (IDD) to serve on the board.
Robert’s life has been shaped by challenges, some of which were unexpected and some that he deliberately pursued.
He spent eight years living year-round at The Benedictine School in Ridgely, Maryland, where he began to envision the life he wanted and develop the skills that would help him overcome obstacles.
Robert moved into a Penn-Mar community home in 1997 at age 21. For the past 19 years, he has worked five days a week at Graul’s Market in Hereford, MD.
Robert is bold and adventurous. “I have no fear in me whatsoever,” he said. He loves rollercoasters and has experienced the thrill of skydiving five times, flown in a hot air balloon, and ridden in a helicopter.
He is committed to daily exercise and has become a dedicated martial arts competitor. After earning a fifth-degree black belt in Taekwondo, Robert moved to a studio in Shrewsbury, PA to study Kenpo Karate, a practical self-defense discipline that combines Chinese kung fu and Japanese karate. In just two years, Robert earned a red belt, placing him three belts away from becoming a black belt.
David Muikia is the Residential Supervisor at Robert’s community home and has known Robert for the past three years. He describes him as “a gentleman with good character” who is kind and empathetic toward everyone.
When Penn-Mar CEO Greg Miller was looking for a person supported by Penn-Mar to serve on the Penn-Mar Human Services Foundation Board, Robert was an obvious choice. Confident, articulate, and committed to Penn-Mar’s mission, Robert went on to serve for 10 years, bringing his own perspective and lived experience to the board. At his final meeting in July, he received an engraved crystal memento honoring his service, and his fellow board members recognized him for his decade of service and contributions.
“When Greg asked me to join the board, I was humbled that he saw value in me,” Robert said. “He said he was impressed with my devotion to Penn-Mar, how I always wanted the best for the organization, and was involved in a lot of things. He also thought I was a good listener.”
Foundation Board Chair Beth Pitts-Madonna said Robert brought an important perspective to the board.
“It’s critically important that the people most directly impacted by our work have a voice in shaping our organization’s future. Robert’s board service brought something no one else could bring: his own lived experience as a person supported by Penn-Mar. His perspective ensured that every decision we made was grounded in our mission and the needs of the people we support,” Beth said.
Robert was proud to give his time to Penn-Mar and took his responsibility as a board member seriously. He enjoyed participating in conversations about Penn-Mar’s future but felt it was time to step down. Robert is excited to see the next person supported by Penn-Mar follow in his footsteps and experience what he calls “the honor of serving.”