CONTACT of Mercer County has named Tony Ciavolella as its new executive director.
He will assume the role April 2, succeeding longtime leader Eleanor Letcher, who is retiring after 50 years with the organization.
Ciavolella currently serves as associate executive director of the Trenton-based nonprofit, which provides crisis intervention and suicide prevention services as part of the New Jersey 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline network.
He will oversee the organization’s strategic direction, operations, partnerships and service expansion as CONTACT continues supporting individuals experiencing emotional distress, mental health crises and suicidal ideation.
“With more than three decades of experience in crisis counseling, leadership, and communications, Tony brings a unique blend of compassion, expertise, and vision to this role,” said Michael Cilino, board president of CONTACT of Mercer County. “His deep commitment to our mission, combined with his proven leadership, makes him the ideal person to guide CONTACT into its next chapter of service and innovation.”
Ciavolella joined CONTACT in 2020 as a volunteer crisis counselor, providing support to people in distress.
He joined the organization’s board of directors in 2021 and later served as vice president.
In 2022, he helped secure federal grant funding that enabled the organization to expand from a small regional volunteer warmline into a national 988 Lifeline center providing chat and text services as a national backup center.
CONTACT, based in Pennington, now responds to thousands of interactions each year through the New Jersey 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline.
The organization also operates the CONTACT Listening Line, which offers confidential support for individuals facing mental health and personal challenges before they escalate into crisis.
“I am honored to step into this role at such a critical time when mental health and suicide prevention services are so needed,” said Ciavolella. “CONTACT’s work saves lives every day. I am deeply committed to ensuring that anyone who reaches out for help is heard, supported, and connected to care. I look forward to working with our dedicated staff, volunteers, community partners, and the State of New Jersey to expand our reach and impact.”
Letcher is retiring after five decades of service to CONTACT of Mercer County.
During her tenure, she guided the organization through decades of growth, strengthening crisis response programs, expanding services for vulnerable populations and helping establish CONTACT as a key mental health resource in the region.
Before joining CONTACT’s leadership team, Ciavolella built a career in communications and public service.
He previously served as director of communications for the New Jersey State Parole Board, overseeing media relations and public affairs for an agency responsible for about 16,000 individuals under state parole supervision.
Ciavolella also worked as a senior public information officer for the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, handling media inquiries during the period following the Sept. 11 attacks.
Earlier in his career, he worked in broadcast journalism as a television photojournalist and later as an assignment manager, producer and bureau chief for several television news affiliates.
CONTACT of Mercer County is a nonprofit organization dedicated to emotional support, crisis intervention and suicide prevention.
As part of the New Jersey 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline network, the organization provides confidential support by phone, chat and text, and operates the CONTACT Listening Line for individuals seeking non-judgmental support.
Tony Ciavolella,
