Marquis Who’s Who Honors Bethany Children’s Home CEO Joseph Birli

Dr. Joseph T. Birli, CEO of Bethany Children’s Home in Womelsdorf, Pa., has been selected for inclusion in Marquis Who’s Who. As in all Marquis Who’s Who biographical volumes, individuals profiled are selected on the basis of current reference value. Factors such as position, noteworthy accomplishments, visibility, and prominence in a field are all taken into account during the selection process. 

Birli is a distinguished professional in counseling and child welfare and has served as the chief executive officer at Bethany since 2019. Bethany Children’s Home is a residential care center that was established in 1863 as an orphanage during the Civil War and provided care for sibling groups who had lost one or both parents. Over the years, the organization has evolved to keep pace with trends in child welfare. Today, the greatest need they address is supporting children who have experienced trauma. Birli travels nationwide to discuss their work and attends conferences and universities to raise awareness of child welfare issues.

Overseeing a team of approximately 215 individuals, Birli emphasizes teamwork and collaboration to ensure the organization’s long-term sustainability. His philosophy of leadership is that everyone deserves to encounter healing from their unfortunate life circumstances brought on by trauma. Therefore, as a trauma informed clinical therapist, he believes his skills provide for an effective administrative leadership approach. Under his leadership, Bethany Children’s Home recently received recognition as one of the Top 100 nonprofit employers in Central Pennsylvania.

In addition to his role at Bethany Children’s Home, Birli is a full-time graduate faculty member at Alvernia University in Reading, Pa. He has contributed to the graduate counseling program since 2014, and has served as clinical coordinator since 2019. Birli also serves on the board of the Pennsylvania Council of Children, Youth & Family Services as vice chair, a position he has held for six years. Prior to his current positions, he served as president and chief executive officer at the Children’s Home of York from 2017 to 2019. Recently, Birli was elected to be the 58th president of the Pennsylvania Counselors Association, to begin in 2026.

Birli received a doctor of education degree in educational leadership and innovation from Wilmington University in 2007, a master’s degree in counseling community and higher education from West Chester University of Pennsylvania in 2001, and a bachelor’s degree in social work from Eastern University in 1994. He holds certifications as a licensed professional counselor supervisor from the National Board for Certified Counselors and as a certified investigator from the Department of Human Services. These academic achievements have been instrumental in his success, enabling him to provide expert witness testimony for the attorney general’s office and contract with the state of Pennsylvania for severe cases within the hospital system.

Beyond his professional roles, Birli is involved in several industry-related organizations, including the American Counseling Association and the Pennsylvania Counseling Association’s Government Relations Committee. He also is a member of Phi Lambda Theta, where he has provided clinical oversight for a local LGBT center that offers free counseling to vulnerable individuals.

An accomplished writer and speaker, Birli was the lead author of “Eating Disorders Among Male College Students,” published in 2012, and frequently speaks at conferences on topics related to his expertise. One of his forthcoming books emphasizes that achievement is possible for those who have experienced trauma, while others contain themes of human trafficking and implementing clinical techniques with vulnerable populations. Out of all the responsibilities and careers through his lifetime, parenthood has brought Birli the most immense joy and fulfillment, and he is proud of his influence in shaping his son, now 22, into the man he was meant to be.

Outside of his career, Birli enjoys reading, traveling, jet skiing, sunset cruises and spending time with his dog. Born in Sellersville, he is driven by a desire to achieve, drawing inspiration from public service announcements during his youth that emphasized education as a source of power. Looking toward the future, Birli plans to continue raising awareness of human trafficking by meeting with senators and representatives to discuss this critical issue. Additionally, he aspires to position Bethany Children’s Home as a provider and employer of choice in Pennsylvania as he continues to guide others in their healing journeys.