Power List
The City & State PA 2025 Pennsylvania Power 100
From left to right: John Bear, David Davis, Brian Fitzpatrick & Nicole Stallings Sally Belle Photography; Provided; Bill Clark/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images; HAP
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At a moment of profound transition for the commonwealth, the names on City & State's Pennsylvania Power 100 list represent the leaders who will guide us through a landscape of both uncertainty – financial and otherwise – and opportunity. They are the people shaping education to fit a changing economy and demographics, bolstering our health care infrastructure against new outbreaks and funding challenges, and representing business and the workforce as Pennsylvania steps up its economic competitiveness. And as always, our list names the major lobbyists, attorneys, labor organizers and public servants who make this all possible.
1. Josh Shapiro
He may have been passed over for the Democratic vice-presidential slot last year, but Pennsylvanians seem happy to keep Gov. Josh Shapiro in Harrisburg for a while yet. The Montgomery County politician’s proactive pragmatism has, according to a September 2024 poll, made him the state’s most popular politician, besting both then-presidential candidates and even Pennsylvania’s own Taylor Swift. With an ambitious budget proposal on the table – including legalizing recreational cannabis – and bipartisan praise for streamlining business transactions, Shapiro is among the presidential names most often mentioned for 2028.
2. Kim Ward
The Pennsylvania Senate’s president pro tempore, Republican Kim Ward, was recently elected to her fifth term in the chamber and her second as its leader, validating her congenial and pragmatic approach. Ward, who began her career as a respiratory therapist, was the first woman elected to represent her district in Harrisburg and, later, to serve as a General Assembly majority leader. Hewing to GOP priorities, Ward has lately promoted an agenda focusing on responsible spending, as well as bipartisan priorities like transportation.
3. Joanna McClinton
Recently reelected to her history-making role as the Pennsylvania House of Representatives’ first female speaker, Joanna McClinton has been using her platform to galvanize state Democrats against federal cuts to health and education funding. Most recently, the attorney-by-training championed a bipartisan suite of legislation to enshrine key protections of the federal Affordable Care Act. McClinton, who has represented her native Philadelphia and part of Delaware County since 2015, started as a public defender and was also the first woman elected Democratic Caucus chair.
4. Dave McCormick
Republican Dave McCormick pulled off one of 2024’s biggest upsets when he defeated Bob Casey, Pennsylvania’s popular three-term senator, riding a wave of conservative enthusiasm and donor cash on the way to shifting the state’s balance of power. McCormick is a Western Pennsylvania native whose father was the chancellor of Pennsylvania’s state university system. He previously worked in the George W. Bush administration, served with the U.S. Army in Iraq and, most recently, headed Bridgewater, one of the world’s largest hedge funds.
5. John Fetterman
Two years into his tenure as Pennsylvania’s now-senior U.S. senator, John Fetterman keeps ’em guessing about how he’ll vote – but not about what he’ll wear. Perpetually shorts-clad and sometimes progressive, he has surprised both the left (who knew he was such an avid supporter of Israel?) and the right (at Mar-a-Lago, President Trump praised the former Braddock mayor as “impressive.”). Most recently, Fetterman raised eyebrows by voting with Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer for the GOP spending bill that kept the government open. Stay tuned for his next act.
6. Cherelle Parker
Now in her second year as Philadelphia’s first female mayor, Cherelle Parker has continued to tackle the everyday issues Philadelphians want addressed, like cars in bike lanes and cleaner streets. Most recently, the former City Councilmember rattled the city’s nonprofit titans by suggesting that the “eds and meds” that power Philadelphia’s economy might contribute a bit more to city coffers. It’s Parker’s latest effort – and potentially more successful than last year’s failed arena proposal – toward realizing her goal of revitalizing Philly’s post-pandemic downtown.
7. Leslie C. Davis
With America’s public health funding in a state of flux, UPMC chief Leslie Davis knows this is a moment that calls for leadership. She arrived at the $28 billion health system at another such moment – in 2021, as the industry was feeling its way out of the COVID-19 pandemic. Davis has led Western Pennsylvania’s largest health provider, insurer and non-governmental employer through a period of expansion – unveiling new facilities and merging with Washington Health System – and must now confront the challenges of winnowed federal resources.
8. Brian Roberts
Brian Roberts, the CEO of Philadelphia-based Comcast, says he remains bullish on America – even amid economic uncertainty and bullying from President Donald Trump, who called the telecommunications giant “an illegal arm of the Democrat Party.” Roberts recently demonstrated his optimism with a $125 million gift to Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, the largest single donation in the 170-year hospital’s history and the latest of Roberts’ hometown investments. He’s also expanding his $170 billion global business, a division of which – NBC – famously launched Trump’s television career.
9. Rob Bresnahan Jr., Brian Fitzpatrick, John Joyce, Mike Kelly, Ryan Mackenzie, Dan Meuser, Scott Perry, Guy Reschenthaler, Lloyd Smucker, Glenn “GT” Thompson
With their party in control not only of the House of Representatives, but also – since November – of the Senate and, crucially, the White House, congressional Republicans wield more power over their agenda than they have for years.
Among the GOP delegation’s newest additions is Ryan Mackenzie, who ousted Democrat Susan Wild to represent the Lehigh Valley in what became one of the nation’s most-watched congressional races. Mackenzie, a Harvard-trained MBA, previously served a dozen years in the state House of Representatives alongside his mother, Milou Mackenzie, making them the first mother-son duo to serve in the chamber simultaneously.
The other newbie is Rob Bresnahan Jr., who rode last November’s red wave to flip the Northeast Pennsylvania district formerly represented by Democrat Matt Cartwright. Bresnahan, who previously ran construction and real estate businesses, has spoken out in favor of President Trump’s tariffs.
Brian Fitzpatrick, who faces a Democratic challenge next year from Bucks County Commissioner Bob Harvie, is known for his bipartisan legislation, including, most recently, a bicameral measure aimed at boosting the state’s natural gas industry. Fitzpatrick, a former FBI special agent and federal prosecutor, also led last year’s bipartisan effort to fund U.S. border security and military aid for Ukraine.
As a longstanding member of the House Energy Committee, John Joyce recently co-sponsored a bill to roll back California’s electric-vehicle mandate. Joyce, a dermatologist from Altoona, has also championed rural issues like greater access to broadband and health care.
Mike Kelly is well-known for his Butler-based car dealerships – and he brings that hands-on businessman’s perspective to his role as chair of the House Ways & Means Subcommittee on Tax. Kelly also keeps an eye on the borders as co-founder of the Northern Border Security Caucus, an issue very much in the spotlight.
Representing East-Central Pennsylvania, Dan Meuser is a new member of the so-called DOGE Caucus, a bipartisan and bicameral initiative aligned with Elon Musk’s cost-cutting Department of Government Efficiency. Meuser, a former state revenue secretary, has mused about a possible gubernatorial run next year.
In the Capital Region, Scott Perry garnered national attention for his hard-fought 2024 win – the U.S. Army veteran narrowly eked out a seventh-term victory. Perry is a vociferous supporter of Trump administration policies, which is no surprise: He was among the state’s highest-profile supporters of Trump’s baseless attempts to overturn the 2020 presidential election.
Pittsburgh native Guy Reschenthaler brings a diverse perspective to his longtime service on the House Appropriations Committee, where he serves on three key subcommittees. Reschenthaler was previously a state senator and served in Iraq as an attorney with the U.S. Navy JAG Corps.
From the Farm Bill to the impact of immigration crackdowns and SNAP cuts on Pennsylvania’s agriculture industry, Glenn “GT” Thompson brings authority to his leadership of the House Agriculture Committee. The Centre County dairy farming scion also serves on the Education and Labor Committee and co-chairs the bipartisan Congressional Career and Technical Education Caucus.
And finally, no expenditure goes unseen by Lloyd Smucker, who keeps a close eye on taxes as a senior member of the Committee on Ways and Means and the Budget Committee. The five-term member of Congress, who represents Lancaster and York counties, honed those bookkeeping skills while running a family construction business before entering politics.
10. Neal Bisno
Elected in 2024 to a third term as SEIU’s international executive vice president, veteran labor organizer Neal Bisno leads winning union strategies for a wide variety of workers, helping advance racial and economic justice and build long-term political power in Pennsylvania and other battleground states. Bisno previously led SEIU Healthcare Pennsylvania, where he helped lead successful campaigns to ban forced overtime for the state’s healthcare workers, dramatically expand Medicaid and organize 20,000 Pennsylvania homecare workers.
11. Luke Bernstein
PA Chamber CEO Luke Bernstein is celebrating a banner 2024 for the commonwealth’s business community, having led successful efforts to eliminate the state’s startup tax, reduce its corporate net income tax and streamline permitting. Bernstein, a former deputy chief of staff to then-Gov. Tom Corbett and a veteran of President George W. Bush’s administration, has headed the commonwealth’s largest business advocacy organization since 2022, representing 10,000 companies statewide. He is currently spearheading the Keystone Initiative, a research-driven blueprint for Pennsylvania’s economic future.
12. Brendan Boyle, Madeleine Dean, Chris Deluzio, Dwight Evans, Chrissy Houlahan, Summer Lee, Mary Gay Scanlon
It’s a demoralizing moment for the party nationally – but Pennsylvania’s Democratic congressional delegation brings a wealth of experience and diverse perspectives to the Trump opposition.
Witness the legal know-how of attorneys Madeleine Dean and Mary Gay Scanlon, who represent districts in the electorally crucial Philadelphia suburbs, as well as Western Pennsylvania’s Chris Deluzio. Scanlon is a longtime fixture on the House Judiciary Committee – which is likely to work overtime, given the volume of judicial issues raised by the current administration. In recent weeks, Scanlon has railed against the detention of a green-card-holding Columbia University graduate who led Israel-Gaza war protests and led a rally to save Social Security from potential budget cuts.
This session, Dean brings her legal and academic background (she is a former English professor) to the influential House Appropriations Committee, where she serves on the Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education Subcommittee. She also serves on the House Foreign Affairs Committee and chairs the Bipartisan Fentanyl Prevention Caucus, which focuses on an issue of great concern to her Philadelphia-area constituency.
Chris Deluzio, an Iraq war veteran, is a Georgetown Law graduate and onetime voting rights attorney. His experience working on election security and cyber threats at Pitt Cyber informs his service on the House Armed Services Committee’s Subcommittee on Cyber, Information Technology, and Innovation; he also serves on the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure.
He is joined on the Armed Services Committee by Chrissy Houlahan, an Air Force veteran who has urged an investigation into the Trump administration’s recent Signal messaging-app leak and is outspoken in her support of female service members. She also serves on the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence. Houlahan, a former entrepreneur from the Philadelphia suburbs, is known for her centrism and for spearheading the New Democrat Coalition, a pro-business caucus.
Her neighbor, Philadelphia’s Brendan Boyle, has forcefully taken on Trump’s mass layoffs, tax cuts and economy-damaging tariff policies on behalf of the most vulnerable constituents in his district and beyond. A ranking member of the House Budget Committee, Boyle is fiercely defensive of the entitlements his constituents depend on, railing against the potentially devastating impact of Medicaid cuts. He also serves on the Ways and Means Committee.
Dwight Evans, the delegation’s longest-tenured public servant – he was first elected to the General Assembly in 1980 – recently boycotted President Trump’s address to Congress, protesting what he decried as the president’s incivility toward visiting Ukrainian leader Volodomyr Zelenskyy, as well as Trump’s decidedly unfriendly cuts to public health. Evans, who is recovering from a stroke, is beloved by constituents for his ability to secure millions in funding for the district.
Representing the Pittsburgh area, progressive Summer Lee recently won reelection, despite a well-funded campaign targeting her anti-Israel activism. Lee, who sponsored a ceasefire resolution just days after Hamas’ October 7, 2023 attack, has kept up her crusade, sponsoring recent measures that would block arms sales to Israel. The former state representative has also sought to galvanize progressive outrage against the Trump administration as well as what she characterizes as insufficient Democratic response.
13. Debra Todd
At the Pennsylvania Supreme Court, Chief Justice Debra Todd presides over a body that hasn’t shied away from taking on high-profile issues, most notably mail-in ballots, the subject of recent legal back-and-forth. As the first woman to serve in the commonwealth’s top judicial role, Todd, a Democrat, has demonstrated the fortitude essential to guide the court through society’s thorniest issues, from reproductive freedom to election disputes. The onetime U.S. Steel attorney joined the court in 2007 after a Superior Court stint.
14. Joe Pittman
State Sen. Joe Pittman, a second-term Republican from Indiana County, has served since 2024 as Majority Leader of the Pennsylvania Senate, the chamber that is currently the main check on Democratic power in Harrisburg. Pittman, who also chairs the Rules & Executive Nominations Committee, recently joined his Senate colleagues in promoting legislation to regulate and tax skill gaming. He holds the seat previously occupied by his former boss and mentor, Donald White, for whom Pittman served as chief of staff.
15. Matt Bradford
For nearly two decades, state House Majority Leader Matt Bradford has been representing the interests of Montgomery County and the Keystone State. In his current role, Bradford leads his colleagues in championing a progressive agenda that invests in public education and the economy, reduces taxpayers’ financial burden and strives to ensure that all Pennsylvanians are treated equally. First elected as state representative in 2009, he served as Democratic chair of the House Appropriations Committee from 2019 to 2023 and has led the House Democratic Caucus since 2023.
16. Dave Sunday
State Attorney General Dave Sunday appears successful in his quest to be, as he put it, “a boring AG.” Thus far, he has left the headlines – and the legal provocations – to others, resisting calls to challenge President Trump’s disruptive federal funding freezes in court. The Harrisburg native and U.S. Navy veteran had served as York County district attorney before winning his current job in November’s election, part of a Republican sweep.
17. Jay Costa
State Sen. Jay Costa leads the chamber’s Democratic Caucus, a position he has held since 2010. The lifelong Allegheny County resident has championed his region, delivering over $500 million in state funding for economic development and spearheading a tax-exemption program for longtime Pittsburgh homeowners; he has also taken the lead on education, supporting measures to fund school mental-health programs and make higher education more accessible. Costa previously served as Democratic chair of the Senate Appropriations and Judiciary committees.
18. Jesse Topper
Last November, Jesse Topper was elected to lead the GOP caucus in the state House of Representatives, where he has served since 2014. Topper is known as a staunch conservative and a champion of rural issues, having lived all his life in Bedford County, which he represents along with Fulton County in the state’s Southwest. The former Methodist minister and Bedford Borough councilmember now leads House Republican opposition to Gov. Josh Shapiro’s agenda, highlighting differences on issues such as the legalization of cannabis use.
19. Stacy Garrity
Last year, Pennsylvania Treasurer Stacy Garrity was reelected with more votes than any previous statewide candidate had ever received, toppling Gov. Josh Shapiro’s record. The election validated her approach to fiscal vigilance, which has thus far returned more than $880 million in unclaimed property and boosted Pennsylvania’s Rainy Day Fund to more than $7 billion. Garrity, a former business executive and a veteran of multiple U.S. Army combat deployments, has also prioritized state programs around college savings, disabled Pennsylvanians and taxpayer transactions.
20. Scott Martin
As the Republican chair of the state Senate’s Appropriations Committee, Scott Martin is the chief foil to Gov. Josh Shapiro’s budgetary goals. Martin, a fiscal hawk, was recently reelected to his third term and has raised concerns over future budget shortfalls resulting from Shapiro’s ambitious proposals, especially around projected revenues from the legalization of recreational cannabis and skill games. Martin honed his cost-cutting skills as a Lancaster County commissioner, where he reduced debt by $40 million, and has also directed a Lancaster youth intervention center.
21. Jordan Harris
State Rep. Jordan Harris, a Philadelphia Democrat, was reappointed this year to chair the powerful House Appropriations Committee. Harris was the first African American to hold that position, as well as that of House whip, both testimony to his effectiveness over more than a dozen years in the chamber. Known for his support for anti-gun violence measures and criminal justice reform – he is a co-author of Pennsylvania’s Clean Slate Law – Harris recently co-sponsored a bill around criminal-justice diversion efforts.
22. Jeff Yass
Pennsylvania’s richest man just got a whole lot richer. Jeff Yass, the co-founder of Susquehanna International Group and a major supporter of Donald Trump, saw his personal wealth soar to roughly $63 billion last month – leapfrogging the sagging fortunes of numerous Wall Street and Silicon Valley peers – thanks largely to his investment in TikTok, whose impending shutdown Trump halted earlier this year. It’s a safe bet that Yass will use some of that windfall to continue supporting GOP candidates, along with pet causes like school choice.
23. David Taylor
It’s fair to assume that nobody believes in commonwealth manufacturing more than David Taylor, the Huntingdon native who has long headed the Pennsylvania Manufacturers’ Association. So when Taylor spoke out recently in favor of the proposed merger between U.S. Steel, a Pittsburgh industrial bulwark, and Japan’s Nippon Steel, policymakers listened – as they have frequently done over Taylor’s nearly 30 years at the trade group. Throughout that time, he has championed measures to promote growth through production, with a recent emphasis on the energy sector.
24. Timothy L. DeFoor
Timothy DeFoor’s reelection as the state’s auditor general ensures that the Republican will continue to act as a key check on Gov. Josh Shapiro’s agenda. The first African American to hold the position, DeFoor has won fans in both parties for his focus on anti-fraud measures and pragmatic approach. Previously, as Dauphin County controller, he won national recognition for his financial stewardship and created the county’s first audit division; he has also investigated fraud for UPMC and the state’s attorney general and inspector general offices.
25. Austin Davis
He might be Pennsylvania’s second-in-command, but Lt. Gov. Austin A. Davis takes seriously his role modeling singular achievements: In addition to being the country’s youngest lieutenant governor, he is the first Black lieutenant governor in commonwealth history, a perspective he brings to leadership of the Pennsylvania Advisery Council for Inclusive Procurement. Davis also currently leads the Democratic Lieutenant Governors Association and, at the behest of his boss, Gov. Josh Shapiro, chairs the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency.
26. Ryan Boyer
Three years into his leadership of the Philadelphia Building & Construction Trades Council, Ryan Boyer has established himself as a key figure not only in labor, but also in city politics. He championed the candidacy of Mayor Cherelle Parker, headed her transition team and lobbied hard alongside her for a proposed Center City arena. Now he’s boosting the campaign of Patrick Dugan, District Attorney Larry Krasner’s Democratic primary challenger, hoping to consolidate support for the equitable building projects Boyer has cited as a priority.
27. Kenyatta Johnson
At the helm of Philadelphia’s City Council is Kenyatta Johnson, who has represented parts of Center City and South Philadelphia since 2011 and was elected council president in 2024. He has promoted measures to create affordable housing, bolster economic and youth development and support diversity and inclusion. Prior to joining the body, Johnson served in the Pennsylvania House of Representatives; he also volunteered with AmeriCorps and was a founding staff member of City Year, the nonprofit AmeriCorps affiliate focused on citizen advocacy.
28. Gregory Deavens
Gregory Deavens leads two of Philadelphia’s most high-profile entities: Independence Health Group, where he is CEO, and the Chamber of Commerce for Greater Philadelphia, where he is board chair. Deavens joined IBX in 2017, became CEO in 2020 and plans to retire later this year, having grown revenue from $22 billion to $31 billion and expanded offerings nationwide. His legacy also includes IBX partnerships with Philadelphia’s marquee health systems, as well as the Regional Coalition to Eliminate Race-Based Medicine.
29. James Snell
Three decades after he first trained as a pipefitter, Steamfitters Local 420 Business Manager James Snell is working to expand opportunities for the next generation of fitters, plumbers, welders and HVAC technicians. He recently partnered the union with Rowan University, allowing apprentices to earn course credits online while working full-time. On behalf of his 350,000 members across 10 counties, Snell has represented the union on local and regional infrastructure committees, as an AFL-CIO delegate and as an advocate for energy workforce opportunities.
30. William Demchak
William Demchak is a 23-year veteran of PNC, the Pittsburgh-based financial outfit he joined as chief financial officer and later served as president. Most recently, he has guided the nation’s sixth-largest bank through the loss of his successor as president, Michael Lyons, after just a year, and overseen the rollout of an online banking platform alongside a $1 billion expansion that saw new branches across the U.S. Demchak has also served as downtown chair for the Allegheny Conference, bolstering his native region.
31. Mark Alderman
From his offices in Philadelphia and Washington, D.C., Mark Alderman steers the bipartisan public affairs outfit he founded, Cozen O’Connor Public Strategies, into its second decade. Alderman has managed the firm’s expansion into key state and local markets, where the lobbying division benefits from the influence of its parent outfit, the top-100 law firm Cozen O’Connor. A Democratic fundraiser and strategist, Alderman has held leadership roles with the party’s National Finance Committees and served on President Barack Obama’s transition team and inaugural committee.
32. Joe Hill
As managing director at Cozen O’Connor Public Strategies, Philadelphia-based Joe Hill brings a deep network of relationships and extensive experience with Southeastern Pennsylvania government. Hill recently advised Gov. Josh Shapiro’s transition team; he was also the Pennsylvania deputy political director for Hillary Clinton’s 2016 campaign, served as statewide political director for then-Gov. Tom Wolf’s reelection campaign and worked for then-U.S. Sen. Bob Casey. Hill, a Georgetown University graduate, has also served on the board of Philadelphia institutions like Mural Arts and the Kimmel Center.
33. John Fry
If the new president of Temple University looks familiar, that’s because John Fry hails from just across the river – Drexel University, where he recently completed a 14-year presidential tenure. At Temple, he’s hoping to continue his legacy of successful fundraising, which included major gifts for Drexel’s Dornsife School of Public Health and the Kline School of Law. Fry’s time at Drexel was also notable for a high-profile affiliation with the Academy of Natural Sciences and his stewardship of the $3.5 billion Schuylkill Yards project.
34. Michael Innocenzo
Exelon’s Mike Innocenzo has devoted his career to bolstering regional power at the utility giant, which he joined in 2010. Now executive vice president, he is responsible for operations and governance of Exelon’s utilities, including Atlantic City Electric, ComEd, Delmarva Power and PECO – the latter of which he stewarded for years as CEO. Innocenzo, who was named 2021’s Most Admired CEO by the Philadelphia Business Journal, is the immediate past chair of the board of The Chamber of Commerce for Greater Philadelphia.
35. William C. Sproule
As executive secretary-treasurer of the Eastern Atlantic States Regional Council of Carpenters, William C. Sproule has prioritized workforce development, organizing efforts and strategic partnerships on behalf of 43,000 members across Pennsylvania, five other states and Washington, D.C. Under his leadership, EASRCC has expanded job opportunities, strengthened apprenticeship programs and advocated for industry labor standards. Most recently, Sproule led the consolidation of training funds for the union’s Technical Centers, resulting in a streamlined, accessible training program and a standardized curriculum across 17 workforce-development locations.
36. Mike Long
With his business partner, Todd Nyquist, Mike Long founded and nurtured Harrisburg’s largest lobbying firm, Long Nyquist & Associates, as well as LN Consulting, which recently directed Attorney General Dave Sunday’s winning campaign, among others. Last year, Long helped steer the firm’s acquisition of the public-affairs outfit Pugliese Associates, bringing its client list to nearly 140 across sectors from gaming and health care to infrastructure and higher education. Long previously served a quarter-century as the majority staff administrator in the Pennsylvania Senate.
37. Todd Nyquist
Over three decades in Harrisburg, lobbyist Todd Nyquist has played a key role in many of the commonwealth’s significant public policy initiatives. The Cumberland County resident is a founding partner, with Mike Long, of Long Nyquist & Associates, of one of the largest public affairs firms in Pennsylvania state politics. Previously, as a top adviser to state Senate leadership, Nyquist was instrumental in shaping that chamber’s enduring Republican majority.
38. Kevin Mahoney
As its longtime CEO, Kevin Mahoney is charged with steering the University of Pennsylvania Health System through a landscape of financial uncertainty and reduced government investment in public health. So far, he’s been successful: In 2024, the system racked up a record $10.9 billion in annual revenue – a 9% increase over the previous fiscal year. More recently, Mahoney, who joined Penn Medicine in 1996, inked a deal to continue the system’s regional expansion with the acquisition of Doylestown Hospital.
39. Roy Wells
Triad Strategies owes its success largely to the vision of Roy Wells, the CEO and managing partner who built up the Harrisburg lobbying powerhouse. Over a quarter-century, Wells has cultivated Triad into an invaluable resource that numerous private and nonprofit clients count on to secure millions in state funding and to realize ambitious capital and business projects. Wells’ political insights come from a background in both chambers of the Pennsylvania legislature, as well as a stint in the state Treasury Department.
40. Doug Rohanna
Doug Rohanna oversees advocacy and communications at Triad Strategies, the Harrisburg lobbying firm where he is senior vice president. To the role, he brings more than 30 years of public policy experience, including directing communications for then-Gov. Ed Rendell and serving as deputy state treasurer and as the chief of staff to the Pennsylvania House minority leader. Proud of his bipartisan relationships, Rohanna has managed successful public affairs campaigns and advocated for clients at the local, state and federal levels.
41. Bob Shuster
In 2023, attorney Bob Shuster co-founded One+ Strategies, a comprehensive public affairs and communications agency that has grown to a 20-strong team of lobbyists and lawyers. Under his guidance, One+ represents clients ranging from nonprofits and corporations to local municipalities in funding and policy issues involving local, state and federal governments. With particular expertise in infrastructure, energy and technology, Shuster has helped clients secure funding for major development projects, and to transform brownfield sites into data centers and alternative energy hubs.
42. Laura Kuller
At Pursuit Advocacy, attorney-founder Laura Kuller brings three decades of Pennsylvania government and large law-firm experience to her clients’ legislative and state-agency challenges. Her recent wins include helping one client secure a state health care facility license, and another to pass early-literacy legislation and create a state literacy council. Kuller, who served on Gov. Josh Shapiro’s transition team, previously worked in the state attorney general’s office and as leadership staff at the General Assembly.
43. Vincent Hughes
When he’s not cheering his wife, actress Sheryl Lee Ralph, on “Abbott Elementary,” state Sen. Vincent Hughes is often out crusading against federal cuts to schools, health care and, potentially, Social Security. Hughes serves as the Senate’s Democratic chair of the Appropriations Committee, fighting for the progressive agenda at budget time. First elected in 1994, the Philadelphian is known for his leadership on education – securing recent monies for a state student-teaching program, championing a fair school funding formula and establishing a family scholarship fund.
44. Jim Struzzi
Keeping a check on the funding wishlists of a Democratic majority, state Rep. James Struzzi II is the newly installed GOP chair of the Pennsylvania House Appropriations Committee. Struzzi, a Western Pennsylvania native, has represented his Indiana County District since 2018 and is known as a champion of the region’s energy sector. He previously worked as a journalist, a press secretary with PennDOT and as head of the Indiana County Chamber of Commerce.
45. Dennis Giorno
Partner Dennis Giorno has racked up an impressive record of legislative successes at the contract lobbying firm of Malady & Wooten, which he joined in 2004. These include leading efforts to pass Pennsylvania’s groundbreaking Clean Slate Law, as well as state occupational licensure reform. Giorno has particular expertise in education, having secured a major education tax credit as executive director of the REACH Alliance; he currently chairs the Council of Trustees of Kutztown University, his alma mater, and is a senior associate with the Bridge Educational Foundation.
46. PJ Lavelle
For over a decade, PJ Lavelle has advocated for a range of clients at Malady & Wooten, where he is a partner. A native Pennsylvanian, Lavelle is highly effective at both the state and local government levels, with a focus on economic development, energy, transportation and utility-related issues. Prior to joining the firm, he served as a senior policy adviser to House Democratic leadership in the Pennsylvania General Assembly.
47. John Bear
John Bear brings decades of government affairs know-how to the helm of GSL Public Strategies Group and the executive committee of GSL’s parent organization, The Stevens & Lee Companies. He recently oversaw the opening of GSL’s Pittsburgh office and the launch of GSL Touring, a new division focused on the live events and concert touring industry. A former state representative from Lancaster County, Bear currently serves on the Manheim Township Board of Commissioners.
48. Ed Gainey
With his reelection campaign in high gear, first-term Pittsburgh Mayor Ed Gainey is celebrating the support of Western Pennsylvania’s most influential unions – including the United Steelworkers, SEIU Healthcare Pennsylvania and the Pittsburgh Federation of Teachers. Gainey, Pittsburgh’s first Black mayor, is running on his accomplishments in affordable housing – securing state tax credits as well as a $30 million bond for construction – and infrastructure upgrades. But the Democrat will have to overcome a primary challenge from the county controller and an energetic Republican field.
49. Daniel Hilferty
From the 2026 World Cup – for which he led Philadelphia’s successful host bid – to the Philadelphia Flyers, the National Hockey League team he governs, Daniel Hilferty stands astride the city’s athletic landscape. As CEO and chair of Comcast Spectacor, the telecommunications giant’s sports and entertainment division, he oversees the Flyers, the Wells Fargo Center and Spectacor Gaming. Most recently, Hilferty, a former CEO of Independence Blue Cross, partnered Comcast with the Philadelphia 76ers to develop a new sports arena in South Philadelphia.
50. Madeline Bell
Not to be outdone by Penn Medicine’s $1.6 billion Clifton Center or Jefferson’s $762 million Honickman Center, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia CEO Madeline Bell is planning to open a $2 billion patient tower – Philadelphia’s most-expensive-ever hospital expansion – on the Schuylkill River banks in 2028. It is the latest in a series of ambitious moves guided by Bell, whose decade-long tenure has included multiple capital projects across the region and grown annual revenue to $4.7 billion last year, up from $3.8 billion in 2022.
51. Wendell Young IV
Wendell Young IV has devoted over four decades to advancing workers’ rights with UFCW Local 1776, serving as a field rep, organizer, lead negotiator and, since 2005, as president. He led the 2018 merger that formed Local 1776KS and has championed initiatives around affordable childcare and education benefits for the union’s 35,000 members across Pennsylvania, Ohio, New York and West Virginia. Young, who began his career in retail, is also a vice president of the UFCW International Union.
52. Chris Franklin
A fixture of the Essential leadership team, Christopher Franklin is chair and CEO of Essential Utilities, one of the nation’s largest publicly traded water, wastewater and natural gas providers. During his decade-long tenure – which includes the 2020 acquisition of Peoples, Pittsburgh’s natural gas distribution company – Essential has expanded its reach to 5.5 million customers across nine states. Under Franklin’s leadership, Essential has also been recognized by the Forum of Executive Women in Philadelphia for recruiting a board that is 30% female.
53. Sara Innamorato
Last year, Democrat Sara Innamorato became the first woman sworn in as Allegheny County’s executive. The lifelong county resident and University of Pittsburgh graduate, who previously served two terms in the state House of Representatives, is a progressive whose “All In Allegheny Action Plan” addresses such priorities as expanding voting access and expanding housing access, with an initiative to create 500 affordable housing units in 500 days. Innamorato has also championed a policy that would allow 911 to dispatch mental health professionals for certain situations.
54. David Holmberg
As CEO since 2014, David Holmberg has steered Highmark Health to record revenues as it has grown into one of America’s largest Blue Cross Blue Shield insurers. Holmberg joined the Pittsburgh-based nonprofit system in 2007 and took the helm shortly after a merger that led to the creation of Allegheny Health Network. Under his leadership, Highmark has grown into a system with 14 hospitals and 44,000 employees and recently announced a $1 billion investment in Allegheny General Hospital.
55. Scott Sauer
Scott A. Sauer recently stepped into the role of interim general manager of SEPTA, the nation’s sixth-largest public transit system. Sauer has worked his way up the leadership ranks since beginning as a trolley operator at SEPTA in 1990; most recently, he served as COO and prior to that, he oversaw system safety. As interim chief, he has tackled SEPTA’s budget deficit through $27 million in cost-cutting and related efficiencies while carrying out policies that reduced serious crime by 33 percent.
56. Gerard Sweeney
Three decades after he founded Brandywine Realty Trust, CEO Gerard Sweeney is defying the commercial real estate naysayers by showcasing some of Philadelphia’s most iconic properties – from the towering FMC and Cira Centre buildings to West Philadelphia’s marquee Schuylkill Yards development. Sweeney has grown the firm to 22 million square feet of development, a $5 billion market capitalization and district-defining properties from Pennsylvania to Washington, D.C. and Austin, Texas. He also currently chairs the Schuylkill River Development Corp. and the Center City District Foundation.
57. Aaron Chapin
Representing 177,000 commonwealth educators, Aaron Chapin has headed the Pennsylvania State Education Association since 2023. The former Stroudsburg Area Middle School teacher is a prominent voice for higher pay and increased government funding for Pennsylvania’s public schools to address the sector’s challenges, including severe staff shortages and longstanding funding inequities. Chapin’s longtime advocacy includes service as PSEA’s vice president, as president of its Northeastern Region and the Stroudsburg Area Education Association, and service on the PSEA board of directors.
58. Andrew Lewis
Andrew Lewis is the president and CEO of the Commonwealth Foundation, a free market think-tank, where he has championed school choice and government accountability efforts. Lewis, a Centre County resident, is a former legislator and business executive, having scaled several companies and worked for a major homebuilder. He is also a U.S. Army combat veteran who has served in Iraq and Korea as well as the White House; he currently serves as a civil affairs officer in the Army Reserves.
59. Neeli Bendapudi
Three years into her Penn State presidency, marketing scholar Neeli Bendapudi has the job of selling the consolidation she says is necessary to put Pennsylvania’s flagship university on sound financial footing. Amid federal funding cuts and shifting demographics, Bendapudi has targeted for potential closure 12 campuses – out of 19 total – where enrollment has collectively dropped by 39% over 10 years. While the university’s Faculty Senate recently considered taking a no-confidence vote, Penn State’s board has remained supportive as Bendapudi continues navigating increasingly choppy academic and political waters.
60. Matthew Brouillette
A former history teacher, Matthew Brouillette brings his passion for American individualism to the Commonwealth Partners Chamber of Entrepreneurs, a policy organization he has led since 2016. In this role, he supports political candidates and government initiatives in Pennsylvania that promote free-market, pro-school choice measures, such as the pandemic-inspired campaign to rein in gubernatorial emergency powers. He also oversees the chamber’s three influential PACs. Brouillette previously led the Commonwealth Foundation, a free-market think tank.
61. Robert P. Mauch
Late last year, Robert Mauch succeeded Steven Collis as president and CEO of Cencora, the pharmaceutical giant ranked tenth on the Fortune 500. Mauch, who holds both a a Pharm.D. and a Ph.D. in pharmaceutical sciences, joined the Conshohocken-based pharmaceutical company – then called AmerisourceBergen – in 2007 when it acquired the pharmaceutical economics consultancy he founded, Xcenda. Most recently, as Cencora’s executive vice president and chief operating officer, Mauch helped drive the company to $262 billion in annual revenue across 50-plus countries.
62. Rochelle “Chellie” Cameron
Amid economic turmoil that has unsettled Southeastern Pennsylvania’s business community, Rochelle “Chellie” Cameron has stepped up initiatives and advocacy at the Chamber of Commerce for Greater Philadelphia, which she leads. She has championed City Council’s proposed tax reforms, partnered with Visit Philadelphia on a talent recruitment campaign and urged policymakers to reconsider reductions in the federal funding that powers Philadelphia’s life-sciences sector. Cameron, a U.S. Air Force veteran, joined the chamber in 2022 after a quarter-century managing the Philadelphia and Washington, D.C. airports.
63. Christine Toretti
Christine Toretti has been a revered figure in the state and national GOP for years – and never more so than now, having set fundraising records en route to securing victory for Pennsylvania’s newest senator, David McCormick. Toretti, a Republican national committeewoman, also chairs S&T Bank and is the former CEO of the family energy business, S.W. Jack Drilling Company. She is also the founder of the Anne B. Anstine Excellence in Public Service Series, which has cultivated a generation of Republican women political leaders.
64. Greg Rothman
As the newly installed chair of the Pennsylvania Republican Party, state Sen. Greg Rothman has set a goal of turning the purple commonwealth into a solidly red state in the MAGA column. Rothman, a first-term senator who previously represented Central Pennsylvania in the state House of Representatives, is a past chair of the Cumberland County Republican Party and, in 2020, the state House Republican Campaign Committee. He began his career in real estate and spent 10 years in the U.S. Marine Corps Reserves.
65. Stephen Fera
Last November, Stephen Fera was recognized with the March of Dimes 2024 Excellence in Healthcare Award for his commitment to health equity over three decades at Independence Blue Cross. In his role heading public affairs and government markets, Fera has led numerous community initiatives supporting vulnerable populations – including helping launch IBX’s charitable foundation, which, since 2011, has awarded $80 million-plus in grants for nonprofits and health programs. Fera also serves as a liaison to lawmakers and oversees IBX’s Medicare Advantage plans.
66. Al Schmidt
Al Schmidt is that rarest of aves: a politician respected across the political spectrum for his integrity and willingness to defy politics for principle. Tapped by the Democratic governor to serve as Pennsylvania’s secretary of the commonwealth, Schmidt proved his mettle as one of the few Republicans to buck GOP efforts to overturn the 2020 election, instead providing testimony for Congress’ January 6th Committee. The former Philadelphia city commissioner most recently led the Committee of 70, a nonpartisan Philadelphia-based organization promoting good government.
67. Mike Carroll
As the deadline approaches for REAL ID enforcement, Pennsylvania Transportation Secretary Mike Carroll has been expanding service at PennDOT offices and recently opened the newest drivers’ license center, in Berks County. Known for being proactive, he won plaudits early in his tenure for his handling of a 2023 Philadelphia highway collapse. His infrastructure know-how was honed during an early stint as then-Gov. Robert Casey’s PennDOT legislative liaison; later, as a state representative from Luzerne County, Carroll served as Democratic chair of the House Transportation Committee.
68. Nancy A. Walker
Since becoming the commonwealth’s secretary of labor and industry in 2023, Nancy Walker has presided over upgrades to the state’s unemployment compensation and career assistance programs, including the addition of 70 new apprenticeships enrolling 11,000 Pennsylvanians. Walker has also increased investigations of child labor cases by more than 40% through L&I’s Bureau of Labor Law Compliance. The University of Pittsburgh School of Law graduate previously served as the first chief deputy attorney general of the Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General’s newly created Fair Labor Section.
69. Reggie McNeil II
During his first year as the commonwealth’s first Black secretary of general services, Reggie McNeil II set a record for state investment in small, diverse and veteran-owned businesses – $1.24 billion worth of contracts in 2023-24. In the role, he oversees the state’s buildings, capital projects, maintenance and procurement – a similar portfolio to his previous role, as COO for the School District of Philadelphia. Among his accomplishments: McNeil enjoyed a 22-year career with the U.S. Navy, where he was responsible for worldwide infrastructure and engineering services.
70. Russell Redding
Having grown up on a dairy farm and devoted his government career to the state’s agriculture industry, Russell Redding brings decades of expertise to his role as secretary of agriculture. First appointed by former Gov. Ed Rendell, Redding was tapped again by then-Gov. Tom Wolf and again by Gov. Josh Shapiro; he also serves on the agriculture subcommittee of the U.S.Department of Agriculture’s Equity Commission. Redding, a former dean of Delaware Valley University’s School of Agriculture, runs a Gettysburg farm in his spare time.
71. Akbar Hossain
In addition to being one of the youngest members of Gov. Josh Shapiro’s cabinet, Secretary of Policy and Planning Akbar Hossain is the highest-ranking Muslim government official in Pennsylvania history. When he’s not traveling the state building coalitions to promote the governor’s agenda, Hossain helps craft budget proposals and has taken the lead on the Housing Action Plan and the Governor’s Behavioral Health Council. He also represents Shapiro on Pennsylvania’s State System of Higher Education and Workforce Development boards.
72. Rick Siger
At the Department of Community and Economic Development, Secretary Rick Siger spearheads the commonwealth’s efforts to build a better economic future. In 2024, Siger and the governor partnered on Pennsylvania’s first-in-a-generation Economic Development Strategy, catalyzing nearly $4 billion in private investment and securing more than $500 million in state funds for site development and downtown revitalization. The Pittsburgh native previously served as chief of staff and senior adviser to the president of Carnegie Mellon University, and held several roles in the White House.
73. Kelly Munson
Kelly Munson is the president and CEO of AmeriHealth Caritas, the Newtown Square-headquartered health insurer that operates in 13 states and the District of Columbia. A recognized expert in managed care and a fierce advocate for Medicaid members, Munson is known for orchestrating coalitions with business, government and community-based stakeholders to build healthy communities. She most recently served as president of Aetna Medicaid, where she oversaw that CVS Health division’s $18.5 billion, 3 million-member Medicaid program in 16 states.
74. Larry Krasner
To win a third term as Philadelphia’s district attorney, Larry Krasner won’t have to beat a Republican in November – there isn’t one running – but he is fending off a primary challenger. Little ruffles Krasner, the progressive who shook off an impeachment attempt by state House Republicans and national criticism when Philadelphia’s murder rate soared during COVID-19. Now homicides are at a decade-long low, validating an approach that Krasner insists is rooted not only in progressive principles, but also in data and the rule of law.
75. Sharif Street
Ask state Sen. Sharif Street: It’s not easy being a Democratic leader right now. But as he gears up for key local and midterm races, Street, who has chaired the Pennsylvania Democrats since 2022, can take heart in the energy evident in recent anti-Trump protests. The Philadelphia-based attorney was recently elected to a third term in the Senate, where he serves as minority chair of the Banking and Insurance Committee, and recently co-sponsored legislation around a longtime cause of his, regulating marijuana legalization.
76. Leslie Gromis Baker
Conservative strategist Leslie Gromis Baker chairs Buchanan Ingersoll & Rooney, the political strategy firm where she is senior principal of the government relations practice she helped create. As managing director for the federal, Pennsylvania and Florida teams, Baker draws on experience that includes working in the George H.W. Bush White House, leadership roles on campaigns for former President George W. Bush and former Gov. Tom Ridge – where she earned a reputation as an ace fundraiser – and serving as chief of staff to then-Gov. Tom Corbett.
77. Joseph Cacchione
Under the leadership of cardiologist Joseph Cacchione, Jefferson has mushroomed into Southeast Pennsylvania’s largest health system and one of America’s largest – with 32 hospitals and 65,000 employees – largely through a series of major acquisitions, including the Lehigh Valley Health System. Meanwhile, Jefferson facilities increasingly dominate Philadelphia’s Center City, most notably with last year’s splashy unveiling of the $762 million Honickman Center. Cacchione recently raised eyebrows – including those of Mayor Cherelle Parker – by musing about moving Jefferson’s headquarters outside Philadelphia.
78. Kenneth Lawrence
As Highmark Health’s senior vice president for corporate affairs, civic leader Kenneth Lawrence is guiding the insurance outfit’s ambitious expansion into Southeastern Pennsylvania. In January, he made history at SEPTA when he was named the first African American to chair its board of directors. Lawrence, who founded the consulting firm Public Affairs Strategies, is a former chair of the Montgomery County Board of Commissioners who currently leads the boards of the Schuylkill River Development Corporation and Temple University’s College of Liberal Arts.
79. Benjamin J. Connors
For the past decade, attorney Benjamin Connors has led the General Building Contractors Association, the influential Philadelphia-based organization that bridges management and labor. Connors has spearheaded the GBCA’s expansion to 19 counties across Pennsylvania, Delaware and Maryland, offering tuition-free construction training, advocating for safety practices and managing $6 billion in health, pension, apprenticeship and other benefits funds. The Philadelphia native previously headed government relations for the organization, drawing on his five years of experience working on Capitol Hill.
80. Angela Snyder
Financial services veteran Angela Snyder has served since 2024 as president of Fulton Financial Corporation, a Lancaster-based regional outfit that manages more than $30 billion. Snyder, a Saint Joseph’s University finance graduate, joined Fulton in 2002 as the president of Woodstown National Bank. Prior to assuming her current role, she was Fulton’s chief banking officer, senior executive vice president and head of consumer banking; she also led Fulton Bank of New Jersey for a decade.
81. Malcolm Kenyatta
Young and ambitious, state Rep. Malcolm Kenyatta scored a win in February when he was elected as one of three vice chairs of the Democratic National Committee. Kenyatta’s frustration was evident after he failed in last November’s quest to become the state’s auditor general, having previously lost the 2022 Democratic Senate primary. Elected in 2018 to the General Assembly, when he was 28, Kenyatta was tapped by then-President Joe Biden last year to chair a presidential advisory commission on racial equity.
82. John Bane
When it comes to energy issues, policymakers listen to John Bane: As government affairs director for Pittsburgh-based EQT Corporation, he represents America’s largest producer of natural gas. For nearly a decade, Bane has made the case in Pennsylvania and neighboring states for legislation favoring energy production, a sector historically critical to the Appalachian Basin. Before joining EQT nearly a decade ago, he honed his skills as an industry lobbyist and worked for then-Gov. Ed Rendell and then-U.S. Rep. Tim Holden.
83. Robert Bair
As the longtime president of PA Building Trades, Robert Bair is one of the most recognizable names in the state’s influential construction industry. He is also a 37-year member of IBEW Local 143, where he has held leadership positions; he has also served as president of the PA State Electrical Workers and the Eastern PA Business Managers Association. Bair is currently championing the workforce pipeline with the state apprenticeship council and its Workforce Development Board, and collaborating with stakeholders on building Pennsylvania’s future energy landscape.
84. Chad Dion Lassiter
International race-relations expert Chad Dion Lassiter helms the Pennsylvania Human Relations Commission, where he established a Civil Rights Division to resolve conflicts around the state. Lassiter, who also teaches social work students at West Chester University, has made the commission a national model through initiatives like school- and community-based civil rights clubs. For his work at home and abroad, he was named to the Presidential Advisory Commission on Advancing Educational Equity, Excellence and Economic Opportunity for Black Americans by President Joe Biden.
85. C. Frank Igwe
Not content to found a Philadelphia home health care agency from scratch and build it into a national provider – with top rankings and 5,000 patients across 21 states – Frank Igwe is now expanding Moravia Health’s philanthropic efforts via its nonprofit, Moravia Cares, which delivers multi-generational, community-based services to low-income families. Igwe, an engineer by training, holds an MBA and a public policy degree from the University of Pennsylvania, as well as a doctorate in information sciences and technology from Penn State.
86. David Davis
David Davis brings over 20 years’ experience managing large-scale government transformation projects to his role at Accenture, where he is a Philadelphia-based managing director. He currently leads the firm’s public sector practice in Pennsylvania, where he has worked closely with several state departments, the Pennsylvania General Assembly, the City of Philadelphia and the School District of Philadelphia. Previously, Davis headed Accenture’s Human Potential Practice for North America Public Sector. Since 2023, he has served on the Pennsylvania State University Board of Trustees.
87. Nicole Stallings
As president and CEO of The Hospital and Healthsystem Association of Pennsylvania, Nicole Stallings leads one of the nation’s largest state hospital associations, representing some 230 medical institutions in the commonwealth’s most comprehensive health advocacy efforts. Stallings, a founding member of the Chief women’s leadership network, previously led external affairs as an executive vice president for the Maryland Hospital Association; she has also worked as a senior policy adviser for the Maryland Department of Health.
88. Gregory Moreland
As the Pennsylvania state director for the National Federation of Independent Business, Greg Moreland represents what he calls “the hardest working people in America”: small-business owners. He has led successful recent efforts to secure expense deductions and reduce the commonwealth’s corporate net income tax, and is currently advocating for small-business tax parity. Moreland, a U.S. Army veteran and Purple Heart recipient, previously served as policy adviser and chief of staff to the speaker of the state House of Representatives.
89. Bill Johnston-Walsh
As the state director for AARP Pennsylvania, Bill Johnston-Walsh represents the interests of Pennsylvanians over 50 through advocacy and outreach. He has led efforts to reduce utility costs, protect seniors from fraud, increase the Property Tax and Rent Rebate program and broaden access to housing, health care and transportation services. Johnston-Walsh’s extensive public service record includes roles with the Pennsylvania Department of Aging, the U.S. House Select Committee on Aging and as director of public education at the Pennsylvania Attorney General’s Office.
90. Matt Smith
Matt Smith serves as chief growth officer for the Allegheny Conference on Community Development as well as president of its affiliate, the Greater Pittsburgh Chamber of Commerce. His tenure has helped lure nearly 1,500 jobs to the region, along with $361 million in capital investment. Smith is also responsible for the organization’s legislative and advocacy efforts, championing the state’s permit fast-track program and a successful measure to double the net operating loss deduction limit for local businesses by 2029.
91. Zach Shamberg
One of the state’s most influential health and elder care advocates, Zach Shamberg heads the Pennsylvania Health Care Association, an organization representing the long-term care industry. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Shamberg not only marshaled critical resources for his constituency, but also pushed Harrisburg to prioritize the most vulnerable Pennsylvanians, leading efforts to secure $1 billion in funding and Medicaid reimbursement. Shamberg, who previously led government affairs for PHCA, has also served as a state representative’s campaign manager and chief of staff.
92. Eric Fitzgerald Reed
As a result of Eric Reed’s advocacy, Verizon currently leads among Pennsylvania broadband service providers in state-funded internet deployment projects throughout the commonwealth. Reed, who is Verizon’s Pennsylvania and Delaware public policy and state government affairs chief, also recently spearheaded a partnership with the City of Philadelphia to wire city recreation centers with broadband – among the first large-scale, public private broadband partnerships nationwide. In addition to leading Verizon’s regional communications, policy and community engagement initiatives, Reed is also a board member of Team Pennsylvania, an economic development nonprofit.
93. Matthew Knittel
Since 2011, financial economist Matthew Knittel has directed Pennsylvania’s nonpartisan Independent Fiscal Office, which produces revenue projections and objective fiscal and budgetary analyses that help state legislators evaluate policy. He previously worked for the U.S. Treasury Department and the State of Michigan. Knittel, who holds a doctorate in economics from Michigan State University, has also taught at Johns Hopkins, Penn State and Temple universities and published articles in The National Tax Journal, State Tax Notes and the National Bureau of Economic Research.
94. Nathan Benefield
As the Commonwealth Foundation’s chief policy officer, Nathan Benefield drives the organization’s legislative agenda and communications, and is recognized as a leading voice on state policy around government spending, taxation, education and labor reform. Benefield’s efforts have recently helped bolster Pennsylvania’s Rainy Day Fund, reduce historically high corporate taxes, double Pennsylvania’s tax credit scholarship programs and reform the state pension system. The Ohio native has also played a key role in winning policy changes to expand alcohol sales, ease occupational licensing regulations and enable telemedicine.
95. Kevin Greenberg
Working at the intersection of government, Democratic politics and business, attorney Kevin Greenberg advises clients ranging from Fortune 20 corporations to political candidates at the Philadelphia office of Greenberg Traurig, where he is a shareholder. Greenberg has also counseled Democratic presidents (including Joe Biden and Barack Obama), governors and members of Congress and the state legislature, and recently served on Philadelphia Mayor Cherelle Parker’s transition committee. During the 2020 presidential election, Greenberg scored state and national Supreme Court wins.
96. A. Michael Pratt
A. Michael Pratt chairs the Philadelphia Litigation Practice at the firm of Greenberg Traurig, where he is a shareholder as well as a government relations adviser. He brings three decades of private- and public-sector experience to his management of complex commercial and product liability disputes, having previously served as a chief deputy city solicitor and in-house litigation counsel. Pratt has led numerous civic and bar organizations, including the Philadelphia Bar Association, and has been featured on numerous lists of the nation’s top lawyers.
97. Angela Val
Between America’s semiquincentennial and hosting the 2026 World Cup, Philadelphia will be a center of attention next year – and Angela Val, who heads Visit Philadelphia, is determined to make the most of it. Lately, she seems to be everywhere, from introducing a TED Talk series on democracy to America’s 250th in its birthplace, or celebrating millions in city funding for a 2026 marketing campaign. Val has spent the bulk of her career promoting Philadelphia, including overseeing the year-long initiative to revitalize the city’s post-pandemic economy.
98. Joan Gabel
Two years into her tenure as chancellor of the University of Pittsburgh, Joan Gabel has been forced to make hard choices – like pausing graduate admissions and imposing a hiring freeze – necessitated by the new federal funding uncertainty. But enrollment is up at Pitt nonetheless, and Gabel, a business law scholar, recently rolled out a strategic plan for the 34,000-student institution. With goals of boosting financial aid and graduation rates, she hopes to replicate the success she previously achieved as president of the University of Minnesota.
99. Kevin Flood
Kevin Flood is the longtime president of Ansys Government Initiatives, the U.S. national security branch of Ansys, an Exton-based global engineering firm specializing in large-scale space and satellite initiatives. Flood, an electrical engineering scholar who holds a master’s from Villanova and a doctorate from the University of Pennsylvania, joined Ansys in 2002. He has held numerous engineering leadership roles and is an inventor responsible for multiple patents in optics and optical communications.
100. Carrie Rowe
Carrie Rowe brings 25 years of public education experience to her role overseeing Pennsylvania’s Department of Education, which she joined in 2022. As acting secretary, she supports the commonwealth’s pre-K-12 field in areas ranging from literacy and student mental health to workforce recruitment and retention. Rowe began her career as a Spanish teacher and spent over two decades with the Beaver Area School District in Western Pennsylvania, most recently as a superintendent.