Honors
The 2024 Impact Awards
Meet the Pennsylvanians transforming their communities and the commonwealth for the greater good.
Cory Donovan, Co-Founder and Senior Vice President of Community Engagement, ImpactPHL Taylor Mickal Photography
This year's City & State Pennsylvania Impact honorees aren't just making a difference – they're creating novel ways to effect change in the commonwealth. On this year's list of Pennsylvania's premier changemakers are labor leaders and bankers bringing diversity to traditionally homogeneous fields, engineers thinking differently about sustainability and health professionals taking on some very modern challenges, from opioids to the behavioral health workforce. And more than one honoree draws on cultural inspiration to champion political power for previously underrepresented groups. From education to law, real estate to telecommunications, there's inspiration aplenty in these bold thinkers – and more than a little impact.
Miguel F. Alban
Attorney Miguel Alban, the honorary consul of Peru in Philadelphia, serves as the national director of multicultural banking at Customers Bank in Philadelphia, where he is a senior vice president. Alban previously was vice president of multicultural banking for Bryn Mawr Trust and director of Hispanic banking for First National Bank of Chester County; he also founded several multicultural marketing agencies. Alban is a past vice president of the Consular Corps Association of Philadelphia and has held leadership roles with Philadelphia-area civic and Hispanic organizations.
Pedro Anes
Puerto Rico-born Pedro Anes has been a senior U.S. Army officer, taught high school and college students, held workforce development roles and conducted multilingual outreach with the U.S. Census Bureau. In his Scranton community, he runs Inpact Learning, a diversity consultancy, and serves on the board of The Wright Centers for Community Health and Patient & Community Engagement. Anes also founded the Latino Community Services Office and the Familias Saludables program to support vulnerable families and organized community vaccinations during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Alaine K. Arnott
Alaine Arnott joined the National Liberty Museum in 2019 as its chief operating and financial officer, and was named CEO two years later. In this role, she rolled out a new interpretive plan and vision for the 25-year-old Philadelphia museum and recently launched its “Year of Free Speech,” a three-part exhibition series exploring the past, present and future of the First Amendment. Arnott previously held leadership roles at Acme Technologies, the Metropolitan Museum of Art and the University of Missouri.
Geoff Brandon
At TD Bank, Geoff Brandon is Pennsylvania’s commercial market president, ensuring a variety of financial resources to commonwealth corporations, not-for-profit agencies and municipal entities. Brandon oversees three regional teams managing commercial loan commitments topping $2.6 billion, with more than $5 billion in commercial deposits. He was recently appointed to Philadelphia Mayor Cherelle Parker’s Business Roundtable for Equitable Investment Advancement, enhancing connections to regional philanthropic organizations. Brandon also coordinates volunteer engagement and, through the TD Charitable Foundation, community sponsorship and grants.
Michele Briening
Environmental infrastructure specialist Michele Briening recently joined Pennoni, the Philadelphia-based engineering consultancy, as its environmental division manager. With degrees in industrial and environmental engineering, Briening has more than 20 years of experience in environmental due diligence and regulatory compliance assessments at industrial, commercial, and residential properties; she also has expertise in site remediation practices. Previously, Briening held a series of leadership roles at environmental consulting firms.
Bryan J. Bush
Bryan Bush, who started his career in 1989 as a coppersmith helper, recently assumed the role of president and business manager of Sheet Metal Workers Local 19. In a family with a history of over a century of union membership, Bush is a second-generation Local 19 member and has held several leadership roles, fortifying the union’s strategy and market share. A former journeyman, foreman and shop steward, he also serves as president of the Sheet Metal Workers Pennsylvania State Council.
LaToshia DeVose
LaToshia DeVose knows that supporting early-learning providers will yield outsize benefits for Philadelphia children – and society at large. As the program director for early childhood education at the Reinvestment Fund, DeVose develops culturally responsive initiatives that provide capital and technical assistance so that Philadelphia child care centers can increase program capacity, enhance facilities and strengthen business operations. An example is the organization’s Fund for Quality, which, under DeVose’s leadership, created 3,500 new, high-quality child care seats in communities citywide.
Patricia Canela-Duckett
At UnitedHealthcare, Patricia Canela-Duckett is the associate director of affordability, bringing over a decade of health care insights – from acute and long-term care to Medicaid and CHIP management – to her support for medical clinical operations. In this role, Canela-Duckett leads initiatives to enhance care accessibility and optimize affordability, collaborating with health plan leadership as well as external partners. She recently launched the “Wise & Well” radio show, which empowers listeners with health insights, and led a diabetes management initiative through UnitedHealthcare’s Community Catalyst Program.
Brad Cosgrove
Brad Cosgrove oversees emergency medical services for TowerDIRECT, the nonprofit EMS and patient movement organization for Tower Health. Under his leadership, TowerDIRECT’s EMS service has grown by 25% and now serves 19 commonwealth municipalities across three counties, along with community and educational outreach. Cosgrove is also a member of Pennsylvania Task Force 1, the FEMA Search and Rescue Team that responds to major incidents and natural disasters. He previously worked as a critical-care flight paramedic and held leadership positions with local fire and EMS organizations.
Christopher Crockett
After 30 years in the water, stormwater and wastewater industry, Christopher Crockett is tackling PFAS and greenhouse gas emissions as Essential Utilities’ chief environmental, safety and sustainability officer. Under his purview are 10 states, 1,500 drinking-water systems and over 200 wastewater systems for Essential’s Aqua America and Peoples Natural Gas subsidiaries. Crockett’s role includes identifying and reducing PFAS chemical contamination, improving safety and environmental compliance, and creating both the Philly Rivercast and the Delaware Valley Early Warning System to keep residents in the loop.
Michael Curran
Veteran health system leader Michael Curran currently heads Commonwealth Health-Scranton, which includes the Regional Hospital of Scranton, Moses Taylor Hospital, Great Valley Cardiology and the Physician Health Alliance. Since arriving in 2022, Curran integrated two independent hospitals into a Northeast Pennsylvania health system, fortifying essential regional services like maternity, behavioral health, and heart and vascular care. Under his leadership, Commonwealth implemented practices that halved its risk-adjusted mortality rate; Curran also partnered the system with Jersey College to open a nursing school.
M. Kit Delgado
Emergency physician and epidemiologist M. Kit Delgado serves as faculty director of Penn Medicine’s Nudge Unit, the world’s first behavioral design team embedded within a health system, where his teams have reduced distracted driving and increased seat belt use and secure firearm storage. Delgado is also an attending physician in the emergency department at Penn Presbyterian Medical Center, teaches at the University of Pennsylvania’s Perelman School of Medicine and co-chairs Penn Medicine’s Opioid Task Force, which has reduced opioid overprescribing through evidence-based treatment.
Tiffany Delgado-Bickley
As the enterprise director of community impact at Jefferson, Tiffany Delgado-Bickley heads outreach to reduce health inequities, particularly in underserved communities. She spearheaded Jefferson’s employee volunteer program and oversees charitable giving and sponsorships; she also launched a faith-based engagement initiative. Most recently, Delgado-Bickley streamlined language services across Jefferson’s 17 hospitals and 100 outpatient sites, improving health care access for diverse populations. Delgado-Bickley previously pioneered the Patient Experience program at Jefferson Abington Hospital.
Cory Donovan
Cory Donovan co-founded ImpactPHL to help individuals and organizations align their financial assets with their values, building a more inclusive, sustainable and resilient Philadelphia-area economy. Donovan oversees community engagement for the nonprofit, which recently hired its first CEO, has managed tens of millions in socially responsible investment and showcases $1 billion in local investment opportunities on its digital platform. Donovan, who holds an MBA, previously worked with a tech startup incubator and directed the Roanoke-Blacksburg Technology Council.
Elisa Downey-Zayas
Attorney Elisa Downey-Zayas, a specialist in probation and parole, oversees alternative sentencing for the Defender Association of Philadelphia. Since joining the association, Downey-Zayas has led efforts to reduce the number of people on active probation supervision and supported numerous specialty pretrial, parole and reentry programs to provide alternatives to the traditional criminal justice system. She recently secured a grant from the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency to fund a pilot program to support Philadelphia’s reentry goals.
Kristi English
Keeping Pennsylvania’s drinking water clean is the top priority of Kristi English, who developed and manages the source water protection program at Pennsylvania American Water. She coordinates outreach events and collaborates with community partners to promote watershed management, prevent pollution, advocate for clean-water policy and engage commonwealth stakeholders. An experienced environmental technician, she also works to implement technology and best practices that mitigate sources of water contamination.
Jeffrey Farma
Clinician, researcher, and educator Jeffrey Farma chairs the surgery program at Fox Chase Cancer Center, where he specializes in digestive, connective-tissue and skin cancers. He has published more than 100 peer-reviewed papers and 20 book chapters on his cutting-edge techniques. Farma, a Pennsylvania native who trained at Temple University Hospital and the National Cancer Institute, is currently state chair of the American College of Surgeons’ Commission on Cancer and routinely participates in community melanoma awareness events.
Dominic Folino
Dominic Folino founded the Pennsylvania Blockchain Coalition to bolster blockchain adoption through strategic advocacy and education, building a key organization that advocates for the technology. He has made his case before the Pennsylvania General Assembly and other state legislatures to help shape policy, and has presented at the North American Blockchain Summit. A member of the City of Philadelphia’s Online Business Resource Hub Steering Committee, Folino served on Gov. Josh Shapiro’s transition team, advising on consumer protection in finance.
Kristina Fransel
Kristina Fransel brings decades of nonprofit experience to the Alzheimer’s Association as regional vice president and head of the Delaware Valley chapter. Fransel leads work across Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Delaware to improve awareness and access to care and advance public policy – including $2 million in state funding to bolster the state’s readiness for an aging population. She also heads fundraising for the 750,000 people in the area impacted by dementia; a sponsorship walk is expected to raise $6 million this year.
Adrian Garcia
Adrian Garcia joined the Pennsylvania Human Relations Commission in 2020 and currently serves as its director of enforcement, ensuring compliance with the commission’s investigative functions. He previously oversaw the commission’s Fair Housing and Commercial Property division, co-authored a report on the state of fair housing in the commonwealth and hosted PHRC’s fair-housing TV program. Garcia began his career handling employment and housing for the Lancaster County Human Relations Commission, and more recently headed the Housing Equality and Equity Institute at the Lancaster Housing Opportunity Partnership.
F. Christopher Goins
Education leader F. Christopher Goins is the CEO of Philadelphia Academies, the only organization serving the School District of Philadelphia to be awarded Gov. Josh Shapiro’s Pre-Apprenticeship Grant. Goins, currently a doctoral student at Temple University, initially made his mark in Chicago, where he served as chief equity officer for Thrive Chicago and founded Butler College Prep, a charter school. More recently, he boosted enrollment as president at Girard College in Philadelphia and was named a 2025 Fellow for the National Allstate Executive Leadership program.
Carmen Gonzales
As the communications, government and community relations lead for Live! Casino & Hotel Philadelphia and Live! Casino Pittsburgh, Carmen Gonzales plays a role in pivotal projects for both cities’ economic and workforce development. She also serves on the development team for the Cordish Gaming Group; having led the company’s expansion into Pennsylvania, she is currently publicizing new casino projects in Louisiana, New Hampshire and Virginia. Gonzales previously handled communications and media relations for Pinnacle Entertainment, the Miss America Organization, ABC Daytime and Walt Disney Pictures.
Anuj Gupta
Anuj Gupta helped found The Welcoming Center in 2003 as a graduate-school research project and now serves as CEO of the organization, which promotes economic mobility for Philadelphia’s immigrant communities. Gupta was previously chief of staff to U.S. Rep. Dwight Evans and, as general manager of Philadelphia’s Reading Terminal Market, achieved record numbers of visitors and was named a Knight Foundation Public Space Fellow. Gupta began his career as an attorney at Ballard Spahr and is also an entrepreneur, having opened a fast-casual Indian restaurant.
Mia Haney
Mia Haney leads the Pennsylvania Homecare Association, an industry group catering to the needs of an older adult population that, by 2030, will comprise 1 in 3 Pennsylvanians. To prepare for this scenario, Haney spearheads workforce development efforts like the health worker training program she recently launched with a $600,000 state grant. Prior to her current role, she was CEO of Modivcare, overseeing 16,000 caregivers and home health professionals across seven states. She currently serves on the Office of Long-Term Living’s Quality Council.
Catherine Harper
Attorney Kate Harper, who represented Montgomery County in the Pennsylvania House of Representatives for 18 years, currently co-chairs the nonpartisan coalition Energy Future PA. She is also a partner at Timoney Knox, with a litigation practice focused on land use in Southeastern Pennsylvania and extensive experience in preservation and conservation matters. As chair of the Montgomery County Open Space Planning Board, she helped write the county’s Open Space Plan; Harper has also held leadership roles with the county Planning Commission and Lands Trust.
Matthew Holliday
Last year, Matthew M. Holliday became executive director of the Pennsylvania Bar Association, reversing a long-term membership decline and tripling fundraising for the association’s foundation. Holliday also expanded the Wills for Heroes program; last year, the organization held 70 clinics across the commonwealth, offering free estate planning for first responders and military veterans. Holliday previously led the Chester County Bar Association and the Chester County Bar Foundation, and, prior to that, was the elected Chester County prothonotary.
Danielle Dileo Kim
Architect Danielle DiLeo Kim brings urban design and community engagement experience to PHILADELPHIA250. She serves as CEO of the nonprofit leading the local commemoration of the 250th anniversary of American independence in 2026 through local celebrations and transformational civic projects. Kim is also the 2024 president-elect of the American Institute of Architects Philadelphia and an active member of the Urban Land Institute; her past clients include The Salvation Army Kroc Center, The Mann Center, University City District and Temple University.
Stephanie L. Kosta
At Comcast, Stephanie Kosta leads government and regulatory affairs and community impact for Comcast’s Freedom Region, which comprises Eastern Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Northern Delaware. Kosta, who previously was a partner at the law firm of Duane Morris, joined the telecommunications giant in 2016. She is also responsible for Comcast’s community partnerships, including Comcast Foundation grants, and programs like Internet Essentials, which has connected 23,000 K-12 students to free broadband. During the COVID-19 pandemic, she led the PHLConnectED initiative to ensure home internet access for Philadelphia schoolchildren.
Leila Lawrence
Leila Lawrence brings a lifelong commitment to service and social justice to the Community College of Philadelphia, where she directs the Office of Diversity, Equity & Inclusion. Lawrence began her career as a tenants’ rights attorney in New Jersey before devoting her career to DEI efforts. At CCP, she serves as the Title IX coordinator, implements anti-racist initiatives and, as chair of the ADA Accessibility Committee, helped draft the college’s new ADA Policy and an accessibility resource guide.
Juan Lopez
As executive vice president, CFO and treasurer at Independence Health Group, Juan Lopez leads financial functions for Independence Blue Cross and other subsidiaries. He also oversees critical programs that support economic equity, including procurement and partnerships that promote supplier diversity – a $317 million spend last year – and support for small and diverse businesses. A champion of IBX’s diversity, equity and inclusion efforts, Lopez is an executive sponsor for the Latino Associate Resource Group, Latinos con Propósito, and a member of the company’s Leadership Development Advisory Council.
Mark Lynch
As IBEW Local 98’s chief since 2021, Mark Lynch has presided over a new era for the storied Philadelphia electrical workers’ union, celebrating historic recruitment and diversity numbers for its apprenticeship program. Lynch has spearheaded initiatives that successfully bolstered women’s, minority and veterans’ participation and partnered the union with Rowan University to streamline a degree path for apprentices. Most recently, he inaugurated the union’s new Navy Yard headquarters and has spoken widely about the jobs a Center City NBA arena would bring to his constituency.
Morgan Madden
Through her work with both traditional and renewable energy industry clients, attorney Morgan Madden has considerable sway over Pennsylvania land use and environmental issues. Madden is an associate in the Public Sector, Energy and Natural Resources, and Employment and Labor groups of Babst Calland; she has also brought her expertise in zoning and planning to roles as a solicitor for commonwealth municipalities and public authorities, including Susquehanna Township. She currently serves on the board of directors for Communities in Schools of Pennsylvania.
Sarah Maginnis
Sarah Maginnis has led NAIOP Greater Philadelphia since 2018, quadrupling membership in this chapter of the national commercial real estate association and introducing a slate of events and fundraisers. She also coordinates the chapter’s DEI and career development initiatives – including the NAIOP-Drexel summer program, which introduces underrepresented populations to careers in commercial real estate, and the annual Developing Leaders program for young professionals. A rising figure in the city’s real estate community, Maginnis also helped launch the Philadelphia Real Estate Alliance.
Joseph Marrone
Attorney Joseph M. Marrone founded the Marrone Law Firm in 1993 and, as its managing partner, has built a high-powered litigation firm specializing in catastrophic injury, medical malpractice and wrongful death or conviction cases. Under his leadership, the firm has been repeatedly named among the “Best Law Firms” by U.S. News & World Report and “Best of The Bar” by the Philadelphia Business Journal. Marrone, a noted criminal defense attorney, appears regularly on television as a legal analyst.
Eric Marsh Sr.
Eric Marsh uses the reach of public radio to bring communities together. As community and engagement manager at WHYY, Philadelphia’s NPR affiliate, he launched the News and Information Community Exchange, a nationally lauded initiative bringing hyperlocal media creators into the legacy newsroom. Marsh also leads “Bridging Blocks,” WHYY’s civic dialogue series in partnership with the Free Library of Philadelphia. Marsh, the immediate past chair of Philadelphia’s Mayor’s Commission on African-American Males, previously led community outreach for PHMC and for City Councilmember At-Large Kendra Brooks.
Sharmain Matlock-Turner
The first woman to head the Urban Affairs Coalition, Sharmain Matlock-Turner has led transformative work in Philadelphia since 1999, uniting 50-plus partner organizations to support underserved communities. Under Matlock-Turner’s leadership, UAC manages $1 billion in public and private funds, driving impact through youth development, economic inclusion and nonprofit capacity-building. Matlock-Turner also serves as deputy chair of the Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia and is a founder of the National Network of Fiscal Sponsors and of the Civic Coalition to Save Lives.
George Matysik
George Matysik directs the Share Food Program, the Philadelphia region’s leading hunger relief organization, which last year distributed 26 million pounds of food. After joining in 2019, Matysik grew the organization fivefold to respond to the pandemic surge in need, going from 13 to 70 employees and raising $35 million in a capital campaign to expand warehouse space. The Northeast Philadelphia native, who previously led the Philadelphia Parks Alliance, currently serves as the elected chair for Philadelphia’s 38th ward.
Joanne McFall
Some 600,000 Pennsylvanians rely on health plans overseen by Joanne McFall, the market president for Keystone First, the commonwealth’s largest Medicaid managed care organization. McFall has worked her way up at Keystone First’s parent company, AmeriHealth Caritas, since 2000, shortly after earning her MBA from Widener University. Under her leadership, Keystone First has seen its membership expand across Southeastern Pennsylvania and recently negotiated an ongoing partnership with Temple Health.
Sierra McNeil
To both of her professional roles – overseeing workforce development for PMHCC and leading the National Association of Social Workers’ Pennsylvania chapter – Sierra McNeil brings a commitment to inclusivity and advocacy for the vulnerable. At PMHCC, a human services organization, she leads efforts to address the region’s mental and behavioral health workforce crisis. McNeil also created an empowerment group for Black women in leadership, as well as a roundtable forum for Black psychiatric residents whose insights inform diversity initiatives at the Pennsylvania Psychiatric Leadership Council.
Precious Mines
Committed to faith, civic engagement and education, Precious Mines is the executive Philadelphia director of College Possible, a nonprofit that helps students from disinvested communities attend college and succeed there. Mines leads events like the Community College Resource Fair and FAFSA Completion event, which draw hundreds of potential graduates; she also recently served as the keynote speaker for the 2024 National AmeriCorps Vista Program Convening. In her spare time, Mines leads voter registration campaigns and leadership development initiatives at her church.
Marnie Oakley
Marnie Oakley, who began her career as a dental officer with the U.S. Navy, was named dean in 2023 of University of Pittsburgh School of Dental Medicine, where she was a faculty member. Her priorities are improving dental care access in the commonwealth’s rural areas and addressing the ongoing national shortage of dental auxiliaries. Under Oakley’s leadership, Pitt Dental is expanding its dental assisting program in a hybrid format; in addition, Oakley frequently volunteers alongside students and colleagues at Mission of Mercy Pittsburgh.
Melissa Silva Ratnayake
As Crown Castle’s manager for supplier management and diversity, Melissa Silva Ratnayake ensures that the company’s year-over-year gains reach a goal of 16% supplier diversity spend by 2026. She joined Crown Castle’s Supply Chain team in 2022 and has spearheaded efforts to position woman-, minority- and veteran-owned businesses for certification. A 15-year veteran of the telecommunications industry, Ratnayake studied accounting and started her career at Deloitte; her roles have spanned internal audit, assets and engineering teams and company-wide transformation efforts.
Eric Fitzgerald Reed
Based in Washington, D.C., Eric Fitzgerald Reed guides Verizon’s public policy and state government affairs for the Pennsylvania and Delaware region. He is responsible for state-level legislative agendas as well as engagement initiatives, leading the company’s outreach to stakeholders representing technology, government, media and local communities. Last year, Reed advised Gov. Josh Shapiro’s transition team on rural/agricultural development and broadband; he has since joined the board of Team Pennsylvania, the governor’s economic development public-private partnership organization supporting initiatives to accelerate Pennsylvania’s economy.
Kristen Rotz
During 10 years at the helm of United Way of Pennsylvania, Kristen Rotz has led the organization through a period of growth and increased impact, including a revival of the nonprofit’s policy advocacy. Rotz launched Pennsylvania’s ALICE project, using grassroots economic data to coordinate effective advocacy; she also steered a merger with PA 211, the state’s resource helpline. Under her leadership, United Way was selected for a Clinton Foundation-sponsored early literacy program that will coordinate 250 literacy initiatives around the commonwealth for America’s 250th birthday in 2026.
Mohamed Rushdy
At the Riverwards Group, where he is managing partner, Mohamed Rushdy brings his engineering training to sustainably developing Philadelphia neighborhoods. Under his guidance, Riverwards has completed hundreds of affordable, quality homes for lower-and-middle-income Philadelphians. Rushdy also mentors minority developers and advocates for city policy advancing affordable, equitable housing and production.
He recently orchestrated a partnership with the Philadelphia Building Industry Association, The Accelerator Fund and The Urban Developers Association that generated $25 million in financing for minority-helmed development.
Kristen Sandel
Kristen Sandel, a Berks County emergency physician, became the 174th president of the Pennsylvania Medical Society earlier this year. The medical director of the emergency department at Wellspan Health in Ephrata, Sandel has long been active with PAMED, most recently leading a task force to address emergency department overcrowding across the commonwealth. Sandel will bring both her professional and board experience to advocacy on behalf of the state’s medical sector, with priorities that include mental health access, non-compete clauses, telemedicine and reproductive rights.
Mohan Seshadri
Mohan Seshadri marshals the growing political clout of Pennsylvania’s Asian populations as head of the Asian Pacific Islander Political Alliance, which doubled the state’s Asian American voter turnout in 2020 through a 22-language outreach campaign and co-founded Philadelphia’s Save Chinatown Coalition. Seshadri also leads the Asian American Community Fund of Pennsylvania and is a founding co-chair of the Asian American Power Network, a national coalition of state political groups. He was also executive director of the Governor’s Commission on Asian Pacific American Affairs from 2019 to 2020.
Brittany Smith
Marshaling the critical power of the Black vote in the Keystone State, Brittany Smith serves as the chair of Black Leadership Pennsylvania. In this role, she organizes a political action committee comprised of commonwealth leaders in business, labor, and the civic and nonprofit spheres committed to building Black political power and progress for Black Americans. Under Smith’s leadership, Black Leadership Pennsylvania prioritizes public safety, quality public education, intergenerational wealth, good jobs and inclusive development in Black neighborhoods and communities.
Marc Stier
Scholar and activist Marc Stier directs the Pennsylvania Policy Center, where he worked to create the State Revenue Alliance and the PA Tax Justice Campaign to advocate for fairer state and national tax systems. He also guides the PA Schools Work campaign, helping secure $1 billion in new state funding for K-12 education. Stier, a former professor of political philosophy, previously directed the Pennsylvania Budget and Policy Center and has led grassroots issues campaigns to raise the minimum wage and broaden health care access.
Maureen Tomoschuk
Maureen Tomoschuk, who chairs the National Association of Free and Charitable Clinics board, joined Community Volunteers in Medicine in 2008 as its second-ever CEO, bringing a quarter-century of health care experience and a passion for the free clinic model. At CVM, Tomoschuk coordinates 50 employees and 335 volunteers to provide free health care services for low-income, uninsured people in Chester County. Previously, she supervised emergency services for the Southeastern Pennsylvania Chapter of the American Red Cross; prior to that, she was a hospital administrator.
Christine Toretti
S&T Bank Chair Christine Toretti blazed a trail as the rare female CEO of an energy company, which inspired her to create an international retreat for female CEOs and launch a training program for Pennsylvania Republican female leaders. A one-time GOP national committeeperson, Toretti has led record-breaking fundraising this year with the RNC’s budget committee. In her home region, she oversaw development of a 1-million-square-foot Urban Outfitters distribution center and championed the creation of an Osteopathic School of Medicine at Indiana University of Pennsylvania.
K. Bernard Tynes
Through his work at Penn Community Bank and its charitable foundation, K. Bernard Tynes is expanding access to banking and lending. One of the area’s youngest executives, Tynes, 38, drives the $3 billion institution’s regional growth while championing financial inclusion, spearheading products and services, like the THRIVE Community Development Plan, aimed at historically underserved communities. In addition to his role as the bank’s executive vice president and chief experience and impact officer, Tynes directs the Penn Community Bank Foundation, overseeing millions in annual charitable contributions.
Baron Vanderburg
Baron Vanderburg, a career educator, guides inclusion, access and diversity initiatives at Muhlenberg College, where he is the associate director of admissions. Active in local politics, the Easton resident has managed and volunteered with numerous Lehigh Valley campaigns, and recently nominated Kamala Harris for president as a pledged delegate to the Democratic National Convention. He also chairs the Northampton County Democratic Black Caucus and previously served as vice president of Easton’s school board.
Andy Walker
Three years ago, Allegheny College graduate Andy Walker returned to campus as the school’s inaugural executive director for economic, civic and community engagement. He leads Allegheny’s renewed investment in Meadville and the Crawford County region – partnering with elected officials and community stakeholders and, earlier this year, helping launch the Meadville Community Revitalization Corporation, which he leads as executive director. Walker previously served as Meadville’s city manager and city clerk, where he led a 90-employee team and spearheaded investment in capital improvements.
Gabriel Weissman
Gabriel Weissman heads global public affairs for Cencora, the Conshohocken-based pharmaceutical giant formerly known as AmerisourceBergen. In this role, he leads the company’s communications, policy and advocacy efforts, and global environmental, social and governance function. Weissman is also president of the Cencora Impact Foundation, an independent, not-for-profit charitable organization that donated more than $6 million last year to nonprofit partners and recently committed $300,000 to emergency response efforts in the aftermath of Hurricanes Milton and Helene.
Darryl Williams
STEM education expert Darryl Williams is the Franklin Institute’s senior vice president of science, education and human resources. He leads science programming that reaches thousands of youths, families and educators across the commonwealth and nationally; Williams also heads the Philadelphia institution’s capacity-building talent management strategy. A chemical engineer by training, he joined the institute from Tufts University’s School of Engineering, where he was dean of undergraduate education and director of Tufts Center for STEM Diversity.
Susan Williamson
Susan Williamson works off the court, but she knows how to win. As senior vice president for business operations at Harris Blitzer Sports & Entertainment, she steers marketing and management strategy for the $12 billion Philadelphia-area sports conglomerate, whose brands include the Philadelphia 76ers and the New Jersey Devils. Williamson, who holds an MBA from the University of Michigan, previously held leadership roles with the 76ers and spent nearly a decade in marketing roles with the New York Knicks.
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