Our Staff
Cletus Lyman
Founder
Cletus conceived of the Philadelphia Obituary Project partly due to his upbringing in Hazleton, Pa., where everyone from a bank president to a baker received an obituary in the local paper. He is a founding partner of the Center City-based law firm of Lyman & Ash and has a history of protecting the rights of individuals. His clients have included business owners, restaurant and hotel workers, school children, and victims of police misconduct, in a variety of matters, including constitutional, employment, and LGBT rights, personal injury, finance and estates.
Albert Stumm
Executive Director
Albert spent more than 10 years working in Philadelphia media, including as an assistant city editor at the Philadelphia Daily News and an editor at the Associated Press. He graduated with a master’s degree in journalism from Temple University and a bachelor’s from American University in Washington, D.C. As a freelancer he has written for the Associated Press, CNN, American Public Media, Philadelphia Inquirer, Philadelphia Weekly and other publications. He also founded the hyperlocal South Philadelphia website PassyunkPost.com.
Stephen Betts
Secretary/Treasurer
Stephen has worked for businesses in the greater Philadelphia arear for over 3 decades. He has assisted in the daily operational of these businesses in areas including Office Management, Bookkeeping, Accounts Payable/Accounts Receivable, Human Resources/Employee Benefits, Information Technology and Property Management. Stephen has been involved with the community and various fundraising efforts since moving to the city in 2002. As a founding member of the Board, he has helped set up the basic operations, assisted in creation of the website and managed the books for the project from inception.
Jennifer Lawson
Contributing Advisor
Jen spent more than a decade as a newspaper reporter on the crime beat, most notably at the Las Vegas Sun. Now, rather than running to crime scenes, she’s focusing on something daily newspapers often can’t do: telling the stories of homicide victims and showing who they were as people. In addition to writing, Jen is spearheading numerous initiatives around strategic planning, content strategy, fundraising and community outreach. She graduated with a bachelor’s degree in journalism from Temple University and lives in South Philadelphia.
Rica Perez
Research Coordinator
Rica received a master’s degree in nonprofit management from LaSalle University and currently manages the volunteers and staff members at Feast of Justice, a food bank in Northeast Philadelphia.