Honors
The CSPA 2026 Fifty Over 50
Meet the veteran entrepreneurs, educators and advocates whose decades of effort have kept the commonwealth humming.
From left to right: Douglas Oliver, Stacey Peeples & William Swahl Zakiyah Caldwell Burroughs of The Headshots; Provided; Constellation
This year’s City & State PA 50 Over 50 are a case study in superlatives. They include the first immigrant elected to Philadelphia City Council, the founder of the nation’s largest public art program, a borough’s longest-serving police chief, the first Iraq War veteran elected to Congress, and the first woman elevated to CEO of a major health system. Among these honorees are also numerous founders and firsts in their respective roles – a testament to the energy and determination of senior leaders who, whether in education or entrepreneurship, continue to shape the commonwealth through their legacies.
Nina Ahmad
When she was elected to the Philadelphia City Council three years ago, Nina Ahmad became the first South Asian and first immigrant to serve as a Councilmember. And it’s no coincidence: Her career as a scientist and public servant was powerfully shaped by growing up during the brutal Bangladeshi Liberation War, which saw 3 million people killed and thousands of women and girls sexually abused.
That experience drove her to become, in her own words, “a scientist by trade … and a longtime advocate for women’s rights and the rights of all marginalized people.” Ahmad earned a doctorate in chemistry from the University of Pennsylvania and completed a postdoctoral fellowship at Jefferson University. Prior to her election, she served as deputy mayor for public engagement under then-Mayor Jim Kenney and was appointed by then-President Barack Obama to his Asian American and Pacific Islander Commission.
As chair of City Council’s Public Health and Human Services Committee, Ahmad has fought for policies at the intersection of science, health, and women’s rights, most notably her successful legislation guaranteeing workplace accommodations and protection from discrimination around menstruation, perimenopause and menopause.
“I love finding solutions to the challenges our residents face every day,” said Ahmad. “I love the gritty resilience of Philadelphians, and how welcoming they are … I wanted to give back to this city I care deeply for, and to show Philadelphians that government can serve them.”
Connie Alston
Dr. Connie Alston is the chief administrative officer of the Greater Philadelphia Community Alliance, an organization dedicated to breaking the generational cycle of poverty through comprehensive social and educational services and resources.
Under Alston's leadership, the nonprofit has distributed hundreds of thousands of dollars in emergency rental and utility assistance to hundreds of families in need and helps families access public benefits like Medicaid, CHIP, SNAP, and food pantries. Alston’s team also coordinates workshops around housing and parenting; adult education, including ESL and associate degrees; and family and youth social services, including early childhood education and summer and after-school programming for toddlers through teens.
Alston graduated cum laude with an accounting degree from Temple University, where she was chosen as the commencement speaker; she remains a certified nonprofit accounting professional. She also holds a master's degree in management and leadership and a doctorate in organizational leadership.
Before joining the alliance, she worked as an auditor for a Big Four firm before bringing her skills to a North Philadelphia educational organization. There, she oversaw finances and operations while teaching GED, parenting and financial management workshops. She also established strategic partnerships with agencies and institutions across Philadelphia and launched her eponymous accounting and financial consultancy.
Pamela Armstrong-Pautz
The Commonwealth Foundation owes a good deal of its recent growth to the efforts of Pamela Armstrong-Pautz, who was recently promoted to chief advancement officer after previously overseeing development. “Within my first year, I rebuilt our development operation, turned an inherited deficit into a clear revenue plan, and built a team ready to grow from $11 million toward $30 million,” said Armstrong-Pautz of spearheading the Keystone Coalition Society, the organization's first formal donor society in 38 years.
Armstrong-Pautz credits her professional prowess to the skills she developed while building a business as a single parent, which “taught me how much opportunity matters and how hard people work to reach it,” she explained. “That led me to nonprofit work, where I've seen generosity change lives – from global health missions to expanding educational freedom for Pennsylvania families.”
Before joining the Commonwealth Foundation, she led development at Hope Rises International and directed three Lancaster County nonprofits, helping launch the county’s first human trafficking task force. Earlier, she grew sales at All American Housing from $400,000 to $4.6 million annually.
Armstrong-Pautz is the recipient of numerous recognitions, including the Lenny Walton Advocacy Award for work combating homelessness and human trafficking. “I love connecting people who care deeply about Pennsylvania with work that makes a real difference,” she said. “Every gift represents someone's hopes for their community.”
John Augustine III
Devoted to improving Northeastern Pennsylvania, John L. Augustine III has for the past dozen years served as president of Penn’s Northeast, the nine-county regional economic development organization. After a quarter-century of local efforts, he celebrates “the cumulative, tangible results that have transformed the region into a premier destination for businesses, families, and long-term career growth – by building a resilient, competitive region where people enjoy an exceptional quality of life.”
Augustine’s career in economic development began in college, when he helped lead the charge for an 8,500-seat regional sports and entertainment venue. After an initial setback, he rallied support, secured alternative funding and landed the Pittsburgh Penguins with an arena that generates $60 million annually – “a testament to what regional persistence can build.”
At Penn's Northeast, Augustine has facilitated over $10 billion in local economic impact through thousands of new jobs and millions of square feet of industrial development; his organization has established the region as a hub for international companies, advanced manufacturing and artificial intelligence. For his efforts, Augustine has received citations from the U.S. Congress and both chambers of the Pennsylvania Legislature, as well as Leadership Northeast’s Distinguished Leadership Alumni Award.
“The most rewarding part of my work is seeing economic development create lasting opportunities for local families,” he said. “Ultimately, my passion is building a strong economy so talented workers don't have to leave Northeastern Pennsylvania to build extraordinary careers.”
Michael Barnes
Third-generation theater worker Michael Barnes “was born and raised to be a stagehand,” as he puts it. “This work and this union have been part of my family for more than a century: My grandfather joined IATSE Local 8 in 1916, and my father, brothers, sister and children have all been part of the IATSE as well.”
For three decades, Barnes has served as the first international vice president of the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees, stewarding the interests of union entertainment workers throughout the United States and Canada. He also directs IATSE’s Stagecraft Department and serves as president of Local 8, which he has grown from 75 members to more than 900 during his tenure.
“Union careers build stable communities where families can thrive and children can have greater opportunities than their parents,” explained Barnes. “The union gave my family those opportunities, and I’m proud to create them for others.”
Barnes has played a leading role in the union’s national collective bargaining, organizing initiatives, and major sports and entertainment events. “I’m proudest of helping build Philadelphia’s hospitality and entertainment brand – from the Pope’s visit, the NFL Draft and national political conventions to opening the Kimmel Center, Xfinity Mobile Arena, The Met and theaters along the Avenue of the Arts, and helping transform the Pennsylvania Convention Center into one of the nation’s highest-rated convention centers.”
Scott Bohn
Scott L. Bohn has dedicated his career to keeping the commonwealth safe. A veteran Pennsylvania law-enforcement executive, author and public-safety advocate, he currently directs the Pennsylvania Chiefs of Police Association. Before that, he spent 34 years with the West Chester Borough Police Department, including cutting serious crime in half during his two decades as chief of police, the longest tenure ever in that role.
“For more than four decades, I’ve had the privilege of serving communities, leading law-enforcement professionals, and helping shape public-safety policy,” Bohn said. “There is no greater honor than earning the trust to serve others.”
A former president of the Chiefs of Police Association, Bohn has played a key role in statewide public policy initiatives, offering legislative testimony and serving on advisory committees. He is also a nationally recognized expert on policing, emphasizing ethical leadership, police professionalism and accountability, and organizational improvement.
In his off hours, Bohn is often found at the beach with his English bulldog, Charlie, or cheering on the Indiana University of Pennsylvania football team.
“Few callings are more meaningful than protecting communities, leading others, and serving the public,” he reflected. “The recognition I value most remains taking the oath to protect and serve – and striving to live up to it.”
Tracey Brand-Sanders
Cybersecurity expert Tracey Brand-Sanders is the inaugural global chief information security officer for UGI Corporation, an international energy distribution and services company serving 2.5 million customers. Based in King of Prussia, she built UGI's first global cybersecurity program from scratch and grew a team that safeguards operations across nine European countries and the U.S. “Building collaboratively gave everyone a stake in its success,” she explained.
Brand-Sanders holds an MBA and a master’s in cybersecurity. For more than 20 years, she has built risk-focused security programs that protect global enterprises while enabling business growth. Prior to joining UGI, she led information security at Prudential Group Life Insurance, a leading benefits provider.
Recognized as a 2026 Philadelphia Titan 100, she was also named a 2024 Philadelphia Business Journal Woman of Influence and a Cyber Defense Magazine Top 100 CISO three years running. A member of The Links, she serves on the board of Philadelphia’s Urban Affairs Coalition and is a trustee of Enon Tabernacle Baptist Church.
“Early in my technology career, a manager told me he saw leadership in me,” recalled Brand-Sanders. “That gave me the courage to take risks, tackle complex work and lead projects others avoided. Knowing our work safeguards millions of people's information gives real purpose to the risk we manage every day.”
Duncan Campbell
From national security to the commonwealth’s financial industry, Duncan Campbell has devoted his career to service and community.
Since 2012, he has led the Pennsylvania Bankers Association, where “every day, I see how important Pennsylvania's banks are to their customers and local communities. Bankers really do make people's dreams come true,” said Campbell, who holds a degree in government and history from Cornell University.
His first mentor was his father, James D. Campbell Jr.; later, he worked in several roles for former Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Ridge, including as his deputy chief of staff in Harrisburg and as his chief of staff at the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, where Ridge was the inaugural secretary. He also directed intergovernmental affairs for the White House Office of Homeland Security and the Republican Governors Association.
Most recently, Campbell served as managing director of operations for Ridge Global, the international security consulting firm founded by the former governor. “On the 25th anniversary of 9/11, I look back to my time supporting the stand-up of the nation's homeland security structure with great pride,” he reflected.
But his favorite hobby, Campbell said, is watching his own two sons play basketball. In his spare time, he also volunteers with the Live Like Levi Foundation, which educates families about online safety.
Christina Cassotis
Christina Cassotis has served as chief executive of the Allegheny County Airport Authority for the past decade, leading the transformation of the Pittsburgh International Airport, which served nearly 10 million passengers in 2025, while stewarding the Allegheny County Airport.
In Cassotis’ vision, airports aren’t just transportation hubs; they’re strategic assets driving regional innovation and economic opportunity. That philosophy drove the development of PIT’s new terminal, which incorporated the first American airport microgrid when it débuted just after the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Airports are drivers of economic and social mobility,” she explained. “The team at PIT has consistently shown that airports can provide value for their communities and the larger aviation industry.”
Cassotis was drawn to aviation early: her father was a pilot, which showed her that airports were “the ticket to an adventurous life,” she recalled. After earning an MBA from MIT, she began her career at Boston Logan Airport. She has since won numerous recognitions, including Pittsburgh Magazine’s 2024 Pittsburgher of the Year Award and Airport Experience News’ Director of the Year the same year; in 2026, she won Future Travel Experience’s Hall of Fame Award.
“I love supporting an industry that helps the world run,” she said. “Aviation helps businesses to grow, economies to thrive, and people to unite with loved ones and discover new parts of the world.”
Koleen Cavanaugh
Over a 35-year career with Independence Blue Cross, Koleen Cavanaugh launched major brand campaigns, modernized digital member tools and built high-performing teams that make health care easier to navigate. She is currently the health insurer’s senior vice president and chief marketing officer, where she leads strategy, marketing, communications, and digital and member experiences.
Over those three-plus decades, Cavanaugh regards her role leading the marketing launch of Independence’s Affordable Care Act coverage as a highlight, including consumer education about subsidies that put quality health insurance within reach. “Through those efforts, we helped more than 200,000 people enroll in ACA coverage in 2014,” recalled Cavanaugh, who currently serves on the board of Pennie, the state’s health insurance marketplace. “This reinforced my commitment to ensuring everyone has access to affordable coverage.”
A Villanova University graduate, Cavanaugh also serves on the boards of Villanova’s Center for Marketing and Consumer Insights and the Main Line Chamber of Commerce. She has always been drawn, she said, to work that leverages strategic communication to make a meaningful difference in people’s lives.
“Helping people navigate complex decisions, especially in health care, has made this work both personally rewarding and professionally fulfilling,” she reflected. “Seeing ideas turn into solutions that improve healthcare access and experiences is incredibly rewarding.”
Chris Chamberlain
Emergencies don’t faze Chris Chamberlain. In fact, they are what drives both his career – leading emergency management at the Hospital and Healthsystem Association of Pennsylvania – and his personal life, as a member of the Exeter Township Volunteer Fire Department and a former deputy fire chief.
“I grew up around hospitals and emergency responders, which inspired a lifelong passion for healthcare and preparedness,” he noted. “I’ve always admired those who move toward challenges, rather than away from them. Their commitment to solving problems and making things better inspired me early in my career – and that same sense of purpose continues to guide me today.”
Chamberlain holds degrees in nursing and disaster medicine and management. During his 25-plus years of experience in the field, he has served as an emergency preparedness coordinator, flight nurse, emergency department manager, nursing educator and public safety professional. At HAP, Chamberlain supports emergency preparedness efforts for more than 235 affiliated healthcare organizations; he also frequently speaks on crisis leadership, workplace violence, and healthcare preparedness.
Chamberlain is proud of his recent efforts to address workplace violence in healthcare, including convening Pennsylvania healthcare leaders, law enforcement, community stakeholders, and policymakers to collaborate on shared solutions that protect healthcare workers and create safer work environments. “I'm grateful that my work allows me to continue supporting Pennsylvania's hospitals and health systems every day,” he said.
Jacob Corman
Nearly four years ago, Jacob Corman took on a fresh challenge: applying his decades of state government experience to founding a new public strategy and communications firm. Today, it remains one of his proudest achievements – taking “a diverse group of professionals, and turning it into one of the largest governmental affairs businesses in Pennsylvania.”
Known in the Senate for his work on pension reform and his advocacy for transportation and economic development, Corman brings the bipartisan bent that shaped his legislative career to his work with clients across sectors.
Corman served 24 years in the Pennsylvania Senate, including six as majority leader, the last two as president pro tempore, and as appropriations chair (he is the only modern-day senator to hold all three roles). Being elected to leadership positions with the Senate Republican Caucus seven times “was a great honor,” he said.
It was also a tribute to his father, a two-decade state senator and role model who encouraged Corman to run after the senior senator retired. “All my accomplishments were built from his success,” he said.
A Centre County father of three, he has also long been involved with community and civic commitments, including volunteering with local social service organizations and coaching youth sports.
Rochelle Culbreath
Anyone who’s taken the train near Philadelphia lately owes a debt to Rochelle Culbreath, who has devoted nearly two decades to the Southeastern Pennsylvania Transit Authority, its riders and its communities.
As manager of legislative affairs, Culbreath oversees constituent services for the Senior Ride Free Program and serves as the primary liaison to lawmakers’ district offices. She brings civic spirit and policy savvy honed as a city councilwoman in Norristown, where she is a longtime resident and briefly served as interim mayor. (In 2022, she ran for a state House seat in the newly created 54th District 54.)
She said her mission is to serve “vulnerable populations who’ve been overlooked and marginalized by their community … I am inspired to help others; I believe in public transportation and the value it has on our region's economic system,” explained Culbreath. “Giving easy access to seniors to get the SEPTA ride free card means a lot.”
Culbreath’s mentor in public service was former state Rep. Louise Williams Bishop. Government affairs was a natural fit for someone who “loves the interaction with so many different people,” she said. Outside of SEPTA, Culbreath serves on numerous boards and task forces in Norristown and Montgomery County, with an emphasis on workforce, housing, community development and infrastructure.
Carrie Lewis DelRosso
Carrie Lewis DelRosso learned early that hard work matters, and that value has defined her success over the decades – from the Pennsylvania House of Representatives to Buchanan Ingersoll & Rooney, where she is currently a government relations principal.
“My work ethic was instilled in me from such a young age,” recalled DelRosso, a Northeast Pennsylvania native who was just 10 when she began working at her family’s fourth-generation business. As a teenager, she volunteered with Scranton’s Catholic Youth Center, which she parlayed into an after-school job as soon as she got her working papers. Type 1 diabetes, with which she was diagnosed at 16, was just one more thing to manage.
DelRosso’s energy never waned: She managed a household with three children while growing her eponymous public relations and marketing firm and building a career in government affairs. After serving a term in the state legislature, representing Allegheny County's 33rd House District, she joined Buchanan’s Pittsburgh office.
“I love helping Pennsylvania grow,” she said. “I grew up in the NEPA, Scranton; went to the University of Pittsburgh; live in a suburb of Pittsburgh; and have crisscrossed Pennsylvania while running for office. Every county is unique, every person or business has a story to tell, and every day brings on a new challenge.”
Eugene DePasquale
After a career that saw him representing Central Pennsylvania as a three-term state legislator and the state’s two-term auditor general, Pittsburgh native Eugene DePasquale recently settled back in his hometown. In addition to leading both the Pennsylvania Democratic Party and Natural Allies, a clean-energy organization, he’s teaching at the University of Pittsburgh and practicing law.
“I have always felt a sense of mission,” said DePasquale, adding that helping others is the through line and motivation behind his myriad roles. His environmental advocacy, for instance, was evident both during his tenure in the state General Assembly – where he championed the state’s largest-ever alternative energy legislation – and as auditor general, where he kept a close eye on environmental compliance by developers of the state’s shale gas reserves.
The first legislator to post his expenses online, DePasquale earned a reputation for transparency and accountability. As auditor general, he led high-profile investigations into failures of state child-abuse reporting and the commonwealth’s backlog of untested rape kits, both of which resulted in significant reforms.
DePasquale earned his law degree from Widener University and his master’s in public administration from the University of Pittsburgh. A fan of both the Pittsburgh Pirates and Star Wars, he recently completed an IronMan competition and was the 2022 world champion in his age group in CrossFit, a longtime passion.
Brian Edmonds
Licensed in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Delaware and New York, Brian K. Edmonds leverages nearly four decades of experience on behalf of his clients at Greenwood Commercial Real Estate, where he is a principal. Readers of the Philadelphia Business Journal will recognize his face: He has been featured in the “Dealmaker” series and recognized with the PBJ Minority Business Leader award.
But for this native Philadelphian, the deals he’s most proud of are those he’s made for two institutions that shaped him: the Philadelphia Housing Authority and the School District of Philadelphia. “Over the last decade I have had the pleasure of counting both as clients, and have assisted both in completing notable commercial real estate transactions,” said Edmonds, who grew up in public housing and graduated from public schools.
Earlier in his career, while serving as corporate real estate director for a Fortune 500 company, industry colleagues encouraged Edmonds to branch out into brokerage. Today, he specializes in office and industrial tenant representation, property sales and strategic real estate planning across the Greater Philadelphia area.
For his efforts, Edmonds has also received the Costar Power Broker Award and the Urban Affairs Coalition’s “Living Legacy” award. “I love interacting, collaborating and ultimately helping people,” he explained, “which is the foundation of my practice in advising my government, nonprofit and corporate clients.”
James Fisher
When Pennsylvania Western University was looking for an interim president to guide its recently consolidated, three-campus institution, James Fisher was an obvious choice. Fisher was not only a veteran administrator at PennWest and one of its legacy branches, Edinboro University; he is also a political science graduate of Edinboro who later returned as a professor and department chair.
The opportunity to steward his longtime academic home in his native region is a source of great pride, Fisher said, along with “helping (different) campuses and cultures meld into a single impactful university that spans and serves all of Western Pennsylvania and beyond.”
The Western Pennsylvania native earned his doctorate in political science from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and his law degree from William and Mary Law School. He returned to Edinboro University as a professor of politics and legal studies and a pre-law advisor, later serving as interim dean and provost for PennWest.
“I chose to teach and work at a university because I love seeing, and facilitating, the transformative effect a university education can have on the life of a student and a student's family,” reflected Fisher, who lives in Erie with his family and frequents diners and art museums in his spare time. “I love working together with others to serve the university's mission in imaginative ways – and seeing how our hard work results in real benefits for our students, colleagues and the broader community.”
Christopher Franklin
As the longtime chair and CEO of Essential Utilities, Christopher Franklin led the 2020 acquisition of Peoples Natural Gas, expanded the customer base to 5.5 million across nine states and saw his company named one of America’s Most Responsible Companies by Newsweek for five consecutive years.
“I believe deeply in our mission,” Franklin explained, citing his success at Essential, one of America’s largest publicly traded water, wastewater, and natural gas providers. “Most people simply expect safe, clean water when they turn on the tap, without considering the work behind it. I have tremendous respect for the colleagues who make that possible every day.”
Franklin originally followed his mentor and predecessor, Nick Benedictis, from PECO Energy to Essential Utilities when Benedictis became CEO in 1992. “Working for Nick was some of the best training I could have received,” he noted, “and the 33 years have gone by in the blink of an eye.”
Today, he chairs the Board of Directors for the Chamber of Commerce for Greater Philadelphia, the first CEO of a suburban-based company to do so in decades. He is also a member of the University of Pennsylvania’s Board of Trustees and a director for Independence Blue Cross and the National Association of Water Companies, among others. “Serving our communities through this important work has been a privilege and an inspiration,” he said.
Jane Golden
Jane Golden stepped down as executive director of Mural Arts Philadelphia in August, but she remains one of the best-known and most influential leaders in the city's arts and nonprofit landscape. Under her guidance, Philadelphia's mural program, which she founded in 1996, grew into the nation's largest public art program and a global model for how culture can transform cities.
The Philadelphia native was originally inspired by the Mexican American murals she saw as an art student in California. In her hometown, Golden emphasized artmaking as a way to build community and engage youth, and as a vehicle for social transformation. Mural Arts is the rare cultural initiative that is visibly present throughout the city, with programs that engage at-risk schoolchildren and prison inmates alike, and see to advance environmental and racial justice.
Over three decades and more than 4,000 projects, Golden never strayed from her vision of art as "a tool of illumination and a form of advocacy," as she told City & State. While she no longer runs day-to-day operations, she remains deeply involved, and is as optimistic as ever about art's potential to transform lives and communities.
Jennie Hagerty
During 10 years at the helm of Erie’s Mercy Center for Women, Jennie Hagerty has raised over $35 million dollars to expand shelter and services for women and children fleeing domestic violence, homelessness and addiction. “I love the women and children; I learn through them how to be stronger and advocate for their journey,” she said.
With a staff of 22, Hagerty also raised $14 million dollars to renovate vacant Catholic school buildings to house some 120 homeless families. Recently, one of the highlights of her career came when she was appointed by Gov. Josh Shapiro to sit on the Pennsylvania Children's Trust Fund as a board member.
Her devotion to helping women and children came from Hagerty’s own mother. “She believed in serving others with no recognition, just heart,” recalled Hagerty. “My mother passed along to me her commitment to be a voice and force to care … To work alongside passionate people to raise awareness for children living in difficult situations is an honor.”
For that work, Hagerty has been recognized with the 2025 Spirit of Erie Mayor Louis Tullio Award, the 2026 Liberty Bell Award from the Erie County Law Association and the Nonprofit Excellence Awards’ CEO of the Year in 2024, among others.
Karen Hanlon
After a dozen years guiding strategy, finances and operations for Highmark Health, Karen Hanlon was promoted this month to CEO, becoming the first woman to hold the position. She leads a Pittsburgh-based health organization with $32 billion in annual revenue and clients across all 50 states and the District of Columbia, with a focus on Pennsylvania and the mid-Atlantic.
A veteran healthcare administrator, Hanlon assumed the role of Highmark’s president last year. She first came to Highmark Health in 2014 as its executive vice president and chief financial officer, a role she held for four years. In that role, she helped Highmark achieve record net revenues in 2017 and 2018 and led the financial turnaround of its acquisition, Allegheny Health Network.
Later, as chief operating officer, she steered strategy and long-term operations for the growing organization, which includes one of America's largest Blue Cross Blue shield insurers. She oversaw the operations of Highmark's Penn State Health partnership, Gateway Health, and HM Health Solutions.
Hanlon holds a bachelor's degree in accounting from Grove City College.
Michael Harrington
As chief business officer at Jefferson, Michael Harrington has one of the most challenging jobs in academic healthcare, and he's doing it with aplomb, according to Becker's Healthcare, which recently recognized him as a "CFO to Know."
Harrington joined the fast-expanding Philadelphia-based health system as its CFO and executive vice president in July 2025. He now leads business and financial strategy for a 65,000-strong enterprise comprising 33 hospital campuses, more than 8,300 students at 10 colleges, and health insurance plans covering 360,000 members across two states.
Over the past year, he has steered Jefferson as it has absorbed Lehigh Valley Health System, its largest recent acquisition, growing to $15 billion in annual revenue – nearly twice that of the health institution whose finances he most recently stewarded, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in New York City. Harrington is also a former chief financial officer at the Cleveland Clinic, where his tenure overlapped with current Jefferson CEO Joseph Cacchione.
He holds a bachelor’s degree in accounting from Goldey-Beacom College and a master’s in business administration from Creighton University.
Allen Kukovich
Dubbed the “conscience of the legislature” and voted the “Biggest Credit to the Senate” during his time in office, Allen Kukovich served for nearly three decades in the Pennsylvania House of Representatives and Senate. He helped create Pennsylvania’s Ethics Act and authored its first hate crimes amendment; led a decades-long quest to enact state-level campaign finance reform; and worked to secure bipartisan support for the state’s moratorium on capital punishment.
A native of Westmoreland County, Kukovich graduated from Kent State University and Duquesne University School of Law; prior to the legislature, he served in the Pennsylvania National Guard and practiced law. He represented Westmoreland in the state House from 1977 to 1996, when he won election to the Pennsylvania Senate, serving there until 2004.
Kukovich was the prime sponsor of the legislation that created the Pennsylvania's Children’s Health Insurance Program, which became the model for the national program ensuring healthcare access for millions of children. He championed measures funding child-abuse prevention, protecting seniors from Medicare overcharges, and supporting Alzheimer’s caregivers and people living with disabilities.
In the early 2000s, Kukovich chaired the Pennsylvania Democratic Party; he is also a founder of the Pennsylvania chapter of Common Cause. Most recently, Kukovich published “The Work Is Never Done,” which he said is about one simple idea: “People have more power than they think they do.”
Chris Lammando
Chris Lammando has made a wide impact over nearly two decades with Gmerek Government Relations, including the last two as president. Rooted in “a commitment to service,” his role centers around helping clients navigate legislative, regulatory, and administrative challenges, advance their work across Pennsylvania, and contribute to their communities.
Lammando has always been interested in current events and civics, but an internship with a Pennsylvania House member cemented his path in public affairs. “Working to elect, and later serving, (then-)Gov. Tom Ridge reinforced my commitment to helping others and showed me how government can serve as a positive catalyst for change,” he recalled.
At Gmerek Government Relations, he brings the knowledge he gained over years of lobbying and state government experience to clients who lead across industry, education, healthcare, and government. He has also supported statewide small business development efforts and mentored students in legislative fellowship programs. Outside the office, Lammando volunteers with the National Ski Patrol, helping care for injured guests and promoting safe outdoor recreation.
“I am most proud of working with committed individuals and organizations to help create meaningful change in communities across Pennsylvania,” he said. “The opportunity to help clients navigate challenges, achieve their goals, and make a positive impact on the commonwealth is what continues to motivate me in my profession.”
Dale Lintner Jr.
In 1959, Dale E. Lintner’s father founded the family business, Philadelphia-based Dale Construction. Armed with an accounting degree from the University of Delaware, the younger Lintner has grown the firm into The Dale Collaborative, a family of autonomous companies spanning general contracting, subcontracting, consulting and IT services.
As president and chief financial officer, Lintner takes pride in extending the family legacy. “We built it for a market my father wouldn't recognize, and it still runs on his standards,” he noted. The senior Lintner “was direct, no-nonsense, and he built this company on respect, trust, and quality.”
The current CFO also serves as vice chair for the General Building Contractors Association, focusing on labor relations and workforce development in union construction; he is also a former treasurer of the Building Industry Association of Philadelphia. In his spare time, he has coached youth sports for 35 years and is a trustee of La Salle Academy, a North Philadelphia Catholic school serving children from low-income families.
“I grew up around the work, then returned and found my calling: supporting the family of tradespeople who take real pride in what they build,” Lintner said. “After nearly 40 years, I still find it remarkable what our crews can do – taking an idea from drawings on paper to a beautiful building, efficiently and on time.
“What we build will be in use long after everyone who built it is gone. The next generation inherits something worth having.”
Greg Mahon
Earlier this year, Greg Mahon capped off a 33-year career in state government by joining Pursuit Advocacy as a government relations specialist. He brings experience honed over 23 years in the state Senate, where he last served as deputy chief of staff to Senator Pro Tempore Kim Ward and held multiple roles, most recently focused on budget, finance and economic development.
Mahon was drawn to government early: His father, a high school social studies teacher, “instilled the importance of understanding civics, community, and government,” he recalled, and arranged for his son’s internship at the state House of Representatives. “I knew immediately I wanted to work in public policy. That summer in the state Capitol charted my professional path.”
Translating policy into benefit for local communities is at the heart of Mahon’s work –and most gratifying, he recalled, was helping develop the legislation that led to the creation of the first community college in northwest Pennsylvania. The Northern Pennsylvania Regional College, where he was a founding member of the Board of Trustees, brought accessible post-secondary education to 10 rural counties.
The Camp Hill resident, who has also logged time at the state Department of Environmental Protection, is excited about his latest chapter. “I appreciate the opportunity to continue to work in the Capitol – helping clients navigate the halls, carrying their message and educating about their successes and opportunities,” he said.
Elisabeth Russell McKenzie
Over a career in education, Elisabeth Russell McKenzie has helped build one of Pennsylvania’s strongest STEM talent pipelines. She currently directs professional development at Temple University’s College of Science & Technology, where she is an assistant professor and works to expand career access for students whose careers fuel the state’s scientific and economic vitality.
Her leadership extends beyond campus through community partnerships and service to organizations supporting education and civic engagement across Pennsylvania and the Caribbean diaspora; she has been recognized with the Team Jamaica Bickle Philadelphia International Community Service Award, the WhereItzAT Innovator and Gamechanger in Education Award, and the Pennsylvania Psychological Foundation Education Award.
“I was inspired by the communities that raised me and the teachers who believed education could change entire futures,” said McKenzie. “Their example taught me that service is a responsibility, not a role. I entered this field to expand opportunity, strengthen equity, and help underrepresented students build lives filled with possibility.”
She is especially proud of her work with a program that has supported hundreds of under-resourced STEM scholars at Temple, with 80% earning graduate degrees and 98% entering the STEM workforce. “Their journeys, not my titles, define the legacy of my service,” said McKenzie, “and the enduring power of access, confidence and community.”
Adrienne Miles
At UPMC, Western Pennsylvania’s largest nongovernmental employer, Adrienne Miles creates opportunities for underserved populations, supports small and local businesses, and advances inclusive economic growth. As construction & community impact manager for UPMC Corporate Construction, she leads workforce and local engagement and supplier diversity initiatives, as well as the community partnerships associated with the UPMC Presbyterian Tower project.
Educator, community leader and healthcare veteran, Miles frequently collaborates with schools and organizations to expose students – many from underserved communities – to career pathways in healthcare, construction, engineering and the trades. “I love helping people discover opportunities that can change their lives,” she noted. “Early in my career, I saw how one opportunity could transform someone’s future, and that lesson has stayed with me.”
Miles models that community engagement in her off hours, holding leadership roles with organizations like the U.S. Minority Contractors Association, Construction Real-Estate Women, The Trade Institute of Pittsburgh and Fraternal Order of Police Auxiliary #1. She is also an alumna of Leadership Pittsburgh’s Leadership Development Initiative and was recognized as GlobeSt.’s 2025 Woman of the Year.
“I’ve always believed that one opportunity can change a life,” she said. “I’m grateful to work for an organization that values community needs and invests in meaningful partnerships.”
Patrick Murphy
A former U.S. congressman, Army officer and national security leader, Patrick J. Murphy has for 20 years headed Taking the Hill, the political action committee he founded to promote veterans and military family members running for office.
Murphy was the first-ever Iraq War veteran elected to Congress, representing Northeast Pennsylvania for two terms and helping lead the repeal of the military’s “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” policy. He also served as under secretary and acting secretary for the U.S. Army. Trained as an attorney, he has lectured at the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania.
Of all his roles, he considers the highlight to be bringing his team back from combat in Iraq. “As their Army captain, my greatest responsibility was to accomplish the mission and bring my soldiers home,” said Murphy, who was awarded the Bronze Star for Service. “My family taught me that service to others is a responsibility, not a résumé line. That belief led me to the Army at 19, to public service, and ultimately to a career focused on strengthening our country and creating opportunities for others.”
Today, Murphy works at the intersection of national security, emerging technology, business and strengthening America’s defense industrial base: “What I love most is to bring people together, solve hard problems, and leave things better than I found them.”
Douglas Oliver
Douglas I. Oliver’s career spans leadership roles at Philadelphia Gas Works, the City of Philadelphia, the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and now PECO, where he is a senior vice president for governmental, regulatory and external affairs. He also guides the utility’s philanthropy and its corporate communications.
“I’m proudest of leading strategies and partnerships that turn community needs into action, from advancing equitable energy access to expanding workforce pathways,” said Oliver. “In 2025, that work helped PECO connect thousands of customers with assistance, invest $7 million in regional nonprofits, and support scholarships and career opportunities.”
The Philadelphia native was inspired by his own childhood, attending six public schools before the Milton Hershey School, which “showed me how education, mentorship and community can redirect a life,” said Oliver, who was named Hershey’s Alumnus of the Year in 2024. “That experience led me to work at the intersection of people and opportunity, helping institutions serve communities more effectively.”
Today, Oliver leverages his cross-sector experience to build partnerships that expand opportunity across the region. He chairs the Urban League of Greater Philadelphia and serves on the boards of Philadelphia Industrial Development Corporation and United Way of Southeastern PA and Southern New Jersey; he is also the Philadelphia Business Journal’s 2026 Diversity in Business honoree. In his spare time, Oliver restores classic cars and enjoys well-written television dramas.
Nichole Parker
At the Parker Strategy Group, Nichole Parker crafts the economic impact models and advocacy reports that universities, nonprofits and corporate clients use to make their cases to state and local officials.
Her feasibility study helped bring a community college to Erie, her home region. And her economic analysis for U.S. Steel informed the public case for its partnership with Nippon Steel – and was cited in The Financial Times. Those projects are her proudest, she says, “because they changed outcomes.”
Outside work, Parker makes an impact closer to home as president of the board of the Iroquois School District Foundation – supporting students and educators in the district she graduated from.
As managing principal at a women-owned consulting firm, Parker has more than 600 economic impact and feasibility studies to her credit. She has earned a reputation for translating complex economic findings into clear, defensible numbers that hold up in budget debates and legislative testimony.
Her career path was inspired by Dr. Hector Correa, a professor at the University of Pittsburgh’s Graduate School of Public and International Affairs. “He gave me a love of applied mathematics, statistics, research and economics – and showed me how those tools can answer real public policy questions,” Parker explains. “Every project is a new puzzle to solve, and the field is constantly evolving.”
Steve Patras
At the Philadelphia office of KPMG, the global consultancy, Steve Patras leads the Pennsylvania Audit Practice and drives growth as the firm’s National Audit & Assurance Market Activation leader; he also serves as a Global Lead partner and a partner with KPMG’s Securities & Exchange Commission reviewing team.
After an early stint at Arthur Andersen, Patras joined KMPG 25 years ago; his specialties include SEC reporting, acquisitions and divestitures, private equity transactions and IPO readiness. He oversees a team of nearly 600 audit professionals and managing directors at the Pennsylvania Audit Practice, delivering services to clients spanning the chemicals, healthcare, manufacturing, power & utility, and service industries, from Fortune 250 multinationals to smaller private companies.
An accounting graduate of Penn State University, Patras has contributed to shaping the future of the profession as a member of the university’s External Advisory Board for the Accounting Department at the Smeal College of Business, collaborating with leaders from business, government, and academia to advance accounting education and practice. In addition, as Partner-in-Charge of KPMG’s national recruiting at his alma mater, Patras has partnered with faculty and administrators to attract top-tier talent.
Stacey Peeples
When Penn Medicine envisioned an ambitious museum in the nation’s first hospital, it tapped Stacey C. Peeples to turn a colonial-era brick building – Pennsylvania Hospital – into a major attraction. For a quarter-century, Peeples has served as the Philadelphia health system’s curator and lead archivist, collaborating with researchers and overseeing hundreds of years of manuscripts, rare books, fine art, artifacts and antique furniture.
It stands to reason, then, that Peeples counts the creation of that brand-new museum in the heart of Philadelphia as her crowning professional accomplishment. Under her leadership, the historic Pine Building opened earlier this year, educating the public about the proud roots of American medicine; Peeples has been nominated for the hospital’s Hubschmann Award for her contributions.
“I have loved history my whole life,” said Peeples, a former college history major who interned at the New Jersey State Archives and the National Archives in Washington, D.C. Before Penn Medicine, she worked at the Princeton University Archives. “Each experience taught me the importance of storytelling in history,” she added. “My job is always evolving and keeps me from ever being bored.”
Rodney Ridley Sr.
Rodney S. Ridley Sr.’s legacy includes launching the John Post School of Engineering at Alvernia University, where he is vice president of research, economic development and strategic initiatives and COO of the O’Pake Institute for Economic Development & Entrepreneurship.
Innovation comes naturally to Ridley, a semiconductor engineer by training who has 28 patents to his credit – and has been recognized with the Ben Franklin Technology Partners of NEPA Innovation Award. A graduate of Lincoln University, he holds master’s and doctoral degrees in engineering from Penn State. He worked for decades in semiconductor engineering and served as the distinguished professor of the Allan P. Kirby Center at Wilkes University before joining Alvernia, where he was the founding dean of Alvernia’s Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts & Mathematics College.
Since then, he has played a key role in growing Alvernia and expanding its programs to meet the needs of students and the evolving workplace. Most gratifying is “seeing the transformation and impact made on students, staff, and several hundred small businesses,” said Ridley. “Seeing ventures and people go from idea to execution is the best part of my job, along with the impact that we are able to make to people’s lives.”
Pedro A. Rivera
Of all his accomplishments over a three-decade education career, Pedro Rivera is proudest of helping establish Pennsylvania's historic fair school funding formula. “The law brought transparency and predictability to school funding, accounting for equity and the needs of students while directing resources to vulnerable communities,” said Rivera, a former state secretary of education who, since 2020, has led the Thaddeus Stevens College of Technology.
Rivera credits his passion for helping young people to succeed to his own early experiences. As the only child of a teenage mother who had dropped out of high school, he struggled in school – and “became a teacher to be the advocate I never had,” seeking to provide the kind of guidance and support that would have made a difference to his younger self. “That mission grew from classroom to system leadership – and now, to connecting students with high-wage careers.”
A first-generation college graduate of Pennsylvania State University, Rivera went on to earn a master’s degree from Cheyney and an education doctorate from the University of Pennsylvania. In 2014, the White House recognized his transformative efforts in urban education with the Champion of Change Award for Latino educators, which gave Rivera a national platform for advising education leaders.
More recently, he is proud to have helped spearhead state workforce standards, creating clear pathways for learners. Since 2022, he has served on the Pennsylvania State Board of Education, where he now chairs the Council of Higher Education.
Bill Ryan
In 40 years of political consulting and lobbying, Bill Ryan has helped secure millions in healthcare funding and advance nationally recognized arthritis policy. His advocacy led to the creation of the Pennsylvania Arthritis and Osteoporosis Legislative Caucus and the nation’s first state-developed Arthritis Action Plan – a measure that eventually served as a model for the World Health Organization’s own Arthritis Action Plan.
He is currently a senior lobbyist at Saxton & Stump’s Regulatory and Government Affairs Group, leading the firm’s Philadelphia regulatory and government relations work while supporting business and healthcare clients across the Delaware Valley and Harrisburg.
Previously, he held senior government affairs roles at Einstein Healthcare Network and the Arthritis Foundation of Eastern Pennsylvania. He began his career in politics, “inspired to become politically active by the civil rights movement, in particular the leadership of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and former Congressman John Lewis,” Ryan recalled. “Robert F. Kennedy Sr. was also an important source of inspiration.”
The Hospital and Healthsystem Association of Pennsylvania and Delaware Valley Healthcare Council have recognized Ryan's contributions. “I love the opportunity to help shape policies that strengthen our communities and improve society,” he said.
James Sanders
Financier, capital allocator and a leader of leaders, James Sanders has spent nearly 30 years advancing business growth and economic mobility across Greater Philadelphia and beyond. As senior vice president and community development officer at Univest Bank, he connects institutions and entrepreneurs with the capital they need to grow. He also expands opportunity by chairing the African American Chamber of Commerce of PA-NJ-DE.
He also serves on the boards of the Redevelopment Authority of Montgomery County, the Philadelphia Accelerator Fund and The Enterprise Center. What all these commitments have in common is “advancing economic mobility by helping businesses and communities gain greater access to the 4Cs: capital, contracts, capacity and control,” he said.
Sanders was a teenager when he noticed how families could rise from poverty into the middle class, yet still fall back into financial hardship. “I looked around and noticed this trend. Those formative years shaped my career path,” he recalled.
For his dedication to improving opportunity in his hometown, Sanders was recognized as Philadelphia's Most Influential African American of 2026 by The Philadelphia Tribune, which had previously named him Philadelphia's Most Influential Leader.
“What I love most about my work is the opportunity to help businesses grow, communities strengthen, and people gain access to the tools and resources to actualize their American dreams,” he said.
Julius Sharpe Jr.
At the Fulton Mortgage Company, Julius Sharpe Jr. has made the dream of homeownership a reality for thousands of his fellow Philadelphians. For nearly a decade, he has served as senior mortgage loan officer at the bank, where he first spearheaded lending operations across the Philadelphia Metro area.
Born and raised in the city, Sharpe holds a bachelor’s degree in psychology from Howard University. “I wanted a vocation that would allow me to fulfill my passion of improving the lives of others in my community,” he explained. “To whom much is given, much is expected.” In Sharpe’s case, that has meant a number of roles in the financial services industry, including as a loan officer as well as in loss mitigation.
He serves as vice chair for the Sullivan Charitable Trust and is active with the NAACP, the African American Chamber of Commerce Philadelphia and the Mortgage Bankers Association of Eastern Pennsylvania. What continues to drive him, decade after decade, is “being an ongoing conduit to assisting first-time homebuyers fulfill their quest to own a home,” he said. “My role allows me to positively impact families' lives in the present and into their future.”
Bill Smith
A veteran entrepreneur in Pennsylvania’s energy sector, Bill Smith is the founder and CEO of Firepoint Energy, drawing on decades of high-level experience in alternative energy and deep knowledge of hydrogen, gas-to-liquids and ethanol technologies.
“I feel like I was led by God to choose the field of mineral recovery and renewable energy creation, because I have always looked for work of vital significance,” reflected Smith. “At this space and time in life, the world needs these minerals, and Pennsylvania has an abundance of them. My proudest professional accomplishment is discovering large quantities of valuable rare-earth elements and critical minerals in the waste coal piles of Pennsylvania, and developing the technologies to profitably extract them.”
A frequent presence at the Environmental Protection Agency and other state and federal government agencies, Smith has taken multiple companies public across different industries. But working in renewable energy and critical minerals excites this entrepreneur most. “It means that I get to discover new things every day. That makes my work very exciting and fulfilling,” he explained.
“My favorite hobby is helping people create viable businesses on their own and enabling them to realize the full potential of their visions for financial security. I enjoy seeing local businesses thrive, and do whatever I can to assist them.”
Scott Stephenson
For nearly 20 years, Scott Stephenson has worked to make the Museum of the American Revolution a must-see destination for Philadelphia visitors and American history buffs.
He joined the fledgling institution in 2007 as its founding director of collections and interpretation, moving on to oversee collections, exhibitions and programming in preparation for the museum’s 2017 opening. As a core member of the senior leadership team, he was integral to raising $173 million for the effort, exceeding the $150 million campaign goal.
Since 2018, he has served as president and CEO of a destination whose main exhibition was lauded with national awards when it opened – including the American Association of Museums Excellence in Exhibition Award for Special Achievement and the PA Museums Institutional Award. Under his leadership, the Museum of the American Revolution has firmly established itself as one of Philadelphia’s marquee sights – and among its most sustainable, housed in a LEED Gold-certified building with a green roof.
A lifelong scholar of history, Stephenson majored in the subject at Juliana College and earned master’s and doctoral degrees in American history from the University of Virginia. Over the years, he has contributed to various historical research projects, exhibitions and television programs, including the PBS series “The War That Made America.” Before joining the Museum of the American Revolution, he served as a curator at the Senator John Heinz History Center in Pittsburgh.
William Swahl
At Constellation Power, operations chief Bill Swahl is responsible for organizing Constellation’s natural gas, renewable energy and battery storage fleet following its recent acquisition of Calpine, a major expansion. “I love that I get to work in a complex industry with incredibly talented people who I learn from every day, people who are committed to one common purpose,” he said, “safely delivering reliable, clean energy.”
Swahl grew up in Delaware County, where many family members worked for the Philadelphia Electric Company. “I could see how dedicated they were to their work that powered the homes, schools and businesses of my community,” he said. “Building upon their sense of purpose and public service continues to motivate me.”
After graduating from Villanova University, Swahl held a number of leadership and management positions with PECO, Exelon Power and Constellation, where he is currently the executive sponsor of Constellation Militaries Actively Connected. He has carried the sense of community purpose he was raised with into his off hours as well – having served on the board for the American Red Cross of Southeastern PA and as a longtime ice hockey player at Cardinal O’Hara High School and West Chester University (he was honored with the Cardinal O’Hara Hall of Fame Award in 2023).
Angelo Valletta
At Ben Franklin Technology Partners of Northeastern Pennsylvania, CEO Angelo Valletta leads efforts to establish the region as a hub of innovation and entrepreneurship. During his six-year tenure, Valletta has secured nearly $10 million in funding to expand laboratory capacity by 50%, helping alleviate the region’s critical shortage of lab space.
“By fostering strong partnerships with federal, state and regional leaders, we are advancing technology commercialization to create new opportunities for startups across Pennsylvania,” he said.
With a computer engineering degree from Temple University and an MBA from Philadelphia University, Valletta credits his success to his wife, Andrea – “my inspiration and rock for more than 50 years” – and his late brother, Lou, “who ignited my passion for innovation and leadership,” said Valletta, who founded the Louis A. Valletta Scholarship at Temple. “Their influence instilled a lifelong commitment to developing the next generation of business and engineering leaders.”
Valletta has held executive roles with FISGlobal, Sun National Bank and PNC Bank; he also served on Gov. Josh Shapiro’s Innovation Transition Team and has repeatedly been named a top business leader by local organizations.
“My commitment and passion for Ben Franklin Northeast stems from the knowledge that our investments do more than fund startups,” Valletta said. “Helping transform promising ideas into successful companies and establishing economic opportunities is deeply rewarding.”
Deborah R. Willig
Veteran labor attorney Deborah R. Willig has dedicated her career to championing working people. Most recently, as the managing partner of Willig, Williams & Davidson, she’s been changing the game for women in professional sports.
As outside special counsel to the Women’s National Basketball Players Association, she recently secured a landmark 2026 agreement that increased players’ salary cap by 367%, the largest contract-to-contract boost in pro sports history.
Before that, Willig helped the National Women’s Soccer League Players Association negotiate the U.S. sport’s first-ever collective bargaining agreement – winning higher minimum salaries, free agency, and paid parental and mental health leave.
Previously, Willig had heled secure some of Philadelphia’s most significant contracts – including agreements between the Philadelphia Federation of Teachers and the School District of Philadelphia, AFSCME and the City of Philadelphia, and the United Steelworkers and Merck. She also won a landmark arbitration that secured domestic partner benefits for Philadelphia Inquirer employees.
Breaking barriers came naturally to Willig, a cum laude graduate of the University of Pennsylvania. The first woman to lead Temple Law’s Student Bar Association, she went on to become the first female chancellor of the Philadelphia Bar Association, in 1992, and has since earned the American Bar Association’s Margaret Brent Women Lawyers of Achievement Award; Lifetime Achievement Awards from The Philadelphia Inquirer and The Legal Intelligencer; and the Philadelphia Bar Association’s Sandra Day O’Connor Award.
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