City & State Pennsylvania 102021 by City & State PA

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October 2021

Contents | OCTOBER 2021

City & State Pennsylvania

SENATE REPUBLICAN COMMUNICATIONS

KIM WARD The Senate Majority Leader is making power moves

EDITOR’S NOTE … 4

Why the role of a good mentor is so important

LET’S PLAY BALL … 7

State lawmakers trade in their suits for jerseys during charity softball game

SUBPOENA SHOWDOWN … 8

We explain why state Democrats are suing their Republican colleagues

DEJA ALVAREZ … 10 She’s running to be the first transgender Latina in the General Assembly

THE WOLF WAY … 12 The governor is hoping his successor will continue to champion women’s rights

FIFTY OVER 50… 18

Some of the most distinguished leaders in Pennsylvania

WINNERS & LOSERS … 46

Who was up and who was down last month

CityAndStatePA .com

October 2021

EDITOR’S NOTE

Editor-in-chief

JARED GRUENWALD

JENNY DEHUFF

A FEW PEOPLE who helped shape my early career are no longer around anymore, and I’ll never be able to repay my debts to them. One person stands out to me. He was my first mentor and desk mate at The Bulletin – the second iteration of the old Philadelphia Evening Bulletin – the largest circulation newspaper in the city for nearly 100 years. His name was Jim McCaffrey, a big, soft-hearted, pony-tailed spiritualist who gave me great advice on how to navigate the city’s murky political waters as a cub reporter fresh out of college and new on the Philadelphia scene. McCaffrey, who I affectionately called, “Caff,” showed me how to cut through the crap of frequently handed out press releases and go for the real story. He taught me so much in such a short time that I never felt like I got to thank him fully. He passed away seven years ago this past August. He was 59. It’s willful, open and straight-shooting people like Caff that we need more of in life. A good mentoring relationship is a two-way street: It relies on the mentee showing interest, paying attention, asking questions, giving feedback and showing improvement. The person giving the advice has to have enthusiasm, empathy, a good attitude, an interest in their mentee and a belief in their mentee’s ability to grow, to learn and to develop. We’ve seen a lot of the opposite of that lately in cities like mine, where riding your dirt bike or ATV down the middle of a sidewalk or city street is more the type of thing that’s glamorized and celebrated. And when the lukewarm response to behaviors like this from some of our elected officials amounts to C’est la vie, it doesn’t inspire much hope for the future. The people named in our Fifty Over 50 list are featured here for a good reason: They have been inspirations to others, cornerstones of their communities and catalysts for change. They know about resilience, responsibility, integrity, critical thinking, and having a clear vision and a strong voice. Unlike our previous lists, this one is not ranked, and those who are named were either nominated or carefully selected by our editorial board. Also within this issue, we feature Senate Majority Leader Kim Ward, the first woman to hold the position in the General Assembly’s 244year history. She opens up about her party’s petition for an audit of last year’s general election, how she handles the arguments surrounding child sex abuse survisors as well as her battle with breast cancer. October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, so don’t forget to tell a woman in your life you appreciate her – especially if she led you to your own path of success.

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Compiled by CITY & STATE Compiled by CITY & STATE TUESDAY, JUNE 2021 TUESDAY, JUNE 1, 1, 2021

WEATHER: Philadelphia: partly sunny, high of 79; Harrisburg

WEATHER: Philadelphia: partly sunny, highhigh of of79; cloudy, high of 78; Pittsburgh: mostly cloudy, 76. Ha cloudy, high of 78; Pittsburgh: mostly cloudy, high of FROM CITY & STATE

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* the unemployment programs provided by the CARES NEW THIS MORNING: motivate unemployment claimants to find jobs by offe * Republican leaders of the state House of Representatives t bonus for finding work.

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NEW THIS MORNING:

* With the state’s wide-open races for governor and U.S. Se shape, Republican candidates with strong ties to Donald Tru * Republican thecontenders state House of Represent and leaders consideredof strong for the party’s nomination ated Press reports. Friday to impeach Philadelphia elections officials if th

ballots from the May 18 primary, The Philadelphia Inq * Democratic state Rep. Amen Brown is crafting legislation t

get rid of a $5 copay state prison inmates are required to pa

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care after prison officials said inmates had avoided COVI * With the cal state’s wide-open races for governor and U because of the fee, NBC Philadelphia reports. shape, Republican candidates with strong ties to Don * Peoplestrong receiving contenders unemployment are about nom the s and considered forconcerned the party’s weeklong shutdown of the online unemployment claims syst ated Pressoverhaul, reports. Spotlight PA reports.

* U.S. Sen. Bob Casey called GOP senators who haven’t sup * Democratic state Rep. Amen Brown is crafting legis January 6 commission, voting rights protections or gun cont get rid of a“impediments $5 copaytostate prison inmates require change” in an interview withare MSNBC. care after prison officials said inmates had avoided C

October 2021

State lawmakers stepped up to the plate during charity softball game.

g: mostly

City & State Pennsylvania

Not the “Boys of Summer,” but the “Lawmakers of Fall” – State Rep. Amen Brown was pitching that night for the Youse.

FROM THE DOME TO THE DIAMOND

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By Harrison Cann

State Reps. Daniel Deasy, Chris Sainato and Robert Matzie came together for the Capitol All-Stars charitable softball game.

EMOCRATS and Republicans were competing for runs instead of votes at the fifth Capitol All-Star Game last month. The annual charity softball game benefitting food banks and pantries is another reminder that people need more than just peanuts and Cracker Jacks. At FNB Field, home of the Harrisburg Senators, lawmakers tried to show off their athleticism. For some, the keyword is “tried.” The game pits the Yinz, representing western Pennsylvania slang, against the Youse, repping the eastern side of the state. Senate President Pro Tempore Jake Corman and House Democratic Leader Joanna McClinton captained the Youse, while House Speaker Bryan Cutler and Senate Democratic Leader Jay Costa headed the Yinz. Yinzers now lead the series 4-1 following a 16-10 win over the Yousers in this year’s matchup. It’s safe to say the Phillies and Pirates could certainly use that kind of run support. Fun and games aside, the teams have raised more than $250,000 to fight food insecurity in the commonwealth to date.

CityAndStatePA .com

October 2021

SUBPOENA SHOWDOWN 5 reasons why Pennsylvania Democrats are suing Republicans over election subpoenas State Sen. Vincent Hughes has called the GOP election investigation a “scam” and insisted there is no evidence to warrant it.

By Justin Sweitzer

ENATE DEMOCRATS have filed multiple lawsuits challenging a GOP committee’s efforts to subpoena the voting info of nearly 9 million Pennsylvanians as part of a partisan probe into the state’s recent elections. Attorney General Josh Shapiro followed suit a week later, arguing that the subpoenas would expose sensitive voter information in a manner that violates the state constitution. Republicans say their “forensic investigation” into the state’s elections will help policymakers update the state’s election laws and improve confidence in elections while also helping to discern whether allegations of voter fraud have any merit. But Democrats view the investigation as a thinly-veiled political ploy to appease former President Donald Trump, who has called for state-level election “audits” as he pushes conspiracy theories about the 2020 general election. Democrats are hoping that their legal challenges will succeed and result in the subpoenas being blocked. Here are 5 reasons why state Democrats are dueling with their Republican counterparts:

1 - They say the legislature doesn’t have the authority to contest elections. Democrats on the committee undertaking the review argue that the GOP-led election investigation amounts

PENNSYLVANIA SENATE DEMOCRATIC CAUCUS

September 2021

City & State Pennsylvania

State Sen. Jay Costa and his colleagues argue that the GOP subpoena is a violation of the separation of powers.

to an effort to contest the results of the 2020 general election, which, they maintain, the legislative branch has no authority to do. In their 178-page filing, the Democratic members of the Senate Intergovernmental Operations Committee cite a provision in the state constitution that assigns the judicial branch with the “trial and determination of contested elections.” The filing refers to the Senate investigation as “a de facto untimely election contest, disguised as a legislative investigation, in a venue without jurisdiction,” and asks the court to declare the investigation to be unconstitutional. 2 - They argue that lawmakers can’t conduct election audits. Democrats’ second argument centers around the idea that only the executive branch can conduct audits and that auditing powers rest with the state auditor general’s office. In the court filing, Democrats cite a provision in the Administrative Code that determines it is “unlawful for any other administrative department, any independent administrative board or commission, or any departmental administrative or advisory board or commission, to expend any money appropriated to it by the General Assembly for any audit of its affairs.” Democrats will have to make a compelling case to the court that the review is, in fact, an audit. They

maintain that because the intent of the committee is to “gather large swaths of private voter information to investigate allegations of wrongdoing and fraud” that the review is just that. 3 - They maintain that the subpoenas would violate privacy protections. Shapiro says the GOP-issued subpoenas would violate privacy protections in both the U.S. and state constitutions and has pointed to language in the documents, as well as legal precedents, to back up his arguments. Citing a 2016 opinion, Shapiro’s office argues that the state constitution “protects the right of Pennsylvanians to informational privacy, which includes the right to control access to and the dissemination of personal information.” The Democratic attorney general says that because the subpoenas would violate constitutional privacy protections, the Commonwealth Court should block them. 4 - They say the election review would jeopardize protected information. Now comes the argument against allowing the committee – and potentially a third-party vendor – access to personal voter information. The committee subpoenaed the Department of State for access to the names, dates of birth, addresses, driver’s license numbers and last four digits of the Social Security numbers of all registered voters in the state, as

well as all voters who cast ballots in the 2020 general election. Democrats are asking the court to block the release of this information to the committee, arguing that “only a very limited number of officials review and retain the information that an applicant provides to register to vote.” The filing continues: “The security and confidentiality of this system is so important that the General Assembly included a criminal provision for the unauthorized access” to a database housing voter registration information. 5 - They argue that the investigation serves no legislative purpose. In his lawsuit against Senate Republicans, Shapiro argues that the Senate Intergovernmental Operations Committee lacks a clear legislative purpose behind its probe. He references comments made by Senate Intergovernmental Operations Committee Chair Cris Dush, who said the committee’s election review will help determine whether election fraud allegations have any merit. Shapiro countered that the committee hasn’t presented any evidence of fraud and so it has overstepped its authority. “Fraud investigations are the domain of the executive branch, and thus the search for election fraud does not serve any legitimate legislative purpose,” the suit reads. Shapiro asserts that concerns about the 2020 and 2021 elections have been created on false, partisan claims.

CityAndStatePA .com

Deja the disruptor

N A LITTLE OVER a year’s time, Philly’s Deja Alvarez could disrupt the status quo in Harrisburg in a big way. Not only would she bring a rare public health background to Harrisburg at a time when the state is still trying to crawl its way out of a pandemic, but she would also be the first transgender Latina Pennsylvanian ever elected to the General Assembly. If her campaign for the State House’s 182nd District proves successful, Alvarez plans to bring a fresh voice and new perspectives to a legislative body that, she says, is in desperate need of a new outlook on how to craft policy. Alvarez is open about her past. She came to Philadelphia in the early 1990s and had to scrap her way through personal struggles. “I’m someone that has experienced a lot of what people talk about in the city. I’ve experienced homelessness. I’ve experienced drug use and all the other things that come with being someone who didn’t have access to resources,” Alvarez told City & State. “Back then, nobody was really hiring transgender people, so my life wasn’t always easy. I think that gives me a different perspective than most politicians that we usually see, because I tell people I’m not really a politician. I’m just someone that ended up getting into politics.” Alvarez currently works as the director of community engagement at World Healthcare Infrastructures, a Philadelphia nonprofit focused on providing food, social services and health care to those with HIV/ AIDS. She is also an LGBTQ care coordinator for the Philadelphia Department of Public Health, co-president of the Women’s March on Philadelphia and a trainer and educator for the city’s Transgender Training Institute. And while Alvarez has served on several Philadelphia-based panels, including the Philadelphia District Attorney’s Office’s LGBTQ Advisory Board and Mayor Jim Kenney’s Commission of LGBT Affairs, she has her sights set higher – on Harrisburg. She’s looking to replace outgoing state Rep. Brian Sims (known for his own historic election as the first openly gay man elected to the state House of Representatives) and bring her own dedication to

October 2021

Philly’s Deja Alvarez plans to shake things up in Harrisburg.

By Justin Sweitzer

October 2021

City & State Pennsylvania

If elected, Deja Alvarez would represent the 182nd district in Center City Philadelphia.

PATRICK HAGERTY PHOTOGRAPHY

LGBTQ issues to the state level. Alvarez never intended to get into politics; but realized that her advocacy work frequently overlapped with public policy. After initially thinking she didn’t fit the mold for public office, she had a change of heart. “I just never thought of myself of becoming one of the people to run for office because I had this idea in my head … that you had to come from a certain background, then be of a certain kind of breed and have lived a certain type of life in order to be a politician,” she said. “And then at some point, I realized that actually is the wrong train of thought and that’s how we have ended up with a lot of what we [have] today, because we have too many people that are creating legislation – pushing legislation – for issues that they really don’t have any experience in and so they don’t understand what actually needs to be done. “I think having a voice that understands marginalization to the degree that I do is definitely a voice that’s missing,” she said. “And it’s a voice that’s needed.” LGBTQ advocates in Pennsylvania say they haven’t seen the progress they have hoped for in terms of advancing LGBTQ-inclusive legislation in recent years. Advocates, as well as a bipartisan collection of lawmakers, have attempted to advance nondiscrimination protections for LGBTQ residents, but the proposal has stalled in multiple legislative sessions. Efforts to ban conversion therapy and expand hate crimes laws to protect LGBTQ individuals have struggled to gain traction. Meanwhile, some lawmakers have floated a proposal that prohibits transgender student-athletes from playing on sports teams that match their gender identity. Sean Meloy, vice president of political programs for the LGBTQ Victory Fund,

said the election of Virginia Delegate Danica Roem in 2017 – the first transgender person to be seated in a state legislature in the U.S. – has inspired more transgender candidates to run for office. Meloy said if Alvarez wins in 2022, she could have the same impact in the commonwealth. “It inspired many other trans candidates to step up and run, not only for state legislature, but for all offices,” Meloy said of Roem’s victory. “There’s probably a lot of Republican legislators, and probably some Democrats, who have never met a trans person in Harrisburg,” Meloy said. “It’s easy to other someone who is not in the chamber with you, or is a minority that is far, far away – 100 miles away, right? I think that [Alvarez] would definitely help change hearts and minds.” Sims, who is running for lieutenant governor and not seeking to regain his seat in the legislature, has endorsed Alvarez to succeed him. “The history that Deja is going to make as a candidate – as a proud, trans woman running for the House of Representatives in Pennsylvania – isn’t lost on any of us. It is certainly not lost on me,” Sims said at Alvarez’s campaign launch event. “There is one thing and one thing I want in my future. I want to be represented by Representative Deja Lynn Alvarez.” If elected, Alvarez said she wants to address homelessness, housing insecurity, addiction, poverty and gun violence, as these are some of the most pressing issues facing her community. She said the state needs to unleash federal aid dollars to support educational programs that will direct people to good-paying jobs. She also stressed the need to help businesses still struggling from the economic impacts of the coronavirus pandemic.

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There is one thing and one thing I want in my future. I want to be represented by Representative Deja Lynn Alvarez. –State Rep. Brian Sims

CityAndStatePA .com

October 2021

Fears grow over abortion rights after Wolf’s exit

Pro-choice advocates worry his replacement may go the opposite way.

By Justin Sweitzer

The governor has cemented his legacy as a fierce defender of a woman’s right to choose.

strikes me that the person who ought to make that choice, who knows most about what’s going on, is the person most directly involved and that’s the woman.” With a little over a year left in office, Wolf and advocates who support abortion access view the governor’s looming exit as bittersweet. On one hand, Wolf has been a crucial backstop who has steadfastly sup-

ported their cause. The other side of the coin, however, reveals an uncertain political landscape in Harrisburg that will be guided by who wins the governor’s office in 2022. “Wolf’s veto pen has stopped multiple attacks on abortion access in Pennsylvania,” said Signe Espinoza, the interim executive director of Planned Parenthood Pennsylva-

OFFICE OF GOV. TOM WOLF

HEN GOV. TOM WOLF leaves office in 2023 after eight years as Pennsylvania’s chief executive, his legacy will be marked not just by the bills that he signed into law, but also by the ones that he rejected. A former Planned Parenthood volunteer, Wolf will be remembered for his unabashed support of abortion rights – turning away bill after bill that would have restricted access to abortions. Supporters of abortion access have heralded Wolf as a key defender of the right to choose amid efforts from legislative Republicans to ban abortions. But now that the U.S. Supreme Court has declined to block a Texas law banning most abortions in the state, abortion-rights advocates in Pennsylvania are fearful that the court’s conservative majority could jeopardize longstanding abortion precedent. That, coupled with Wolf’s impending departure, could result in a perfect political storm that leads to a drastic rollback of abortion rights. And that has some advocates worried. Since first taking office in 2015, Wolf has fended off attempts from lawmakers to curtail access to abortions in Pennsylvania. In 2017, he vetoed Senate Bill 3, which would have banned abortions after 20 weeks and did not include exceptions for victims of rape or incest. In 2019, Wolf turned away a bill from state Rep. Kate Klunk that would have banned abortions made on the basis of a prenatal Down syndrome diagnosis. And just last year, he vetoed a bill establishing telemedicine regulations because it would have barred health care providers from prescribing drugs used to induce abortions. In an interview with City & State, Wolf said his devotion to protecting access to abortion was born from the idea that politicians shouldn’t dictate decisions made between a patient and their doctor. “I don’t think politics has any place in the doctor’s office,” Wolf said. “I think the position that I and other pro-choice folks take is simply that nature has burdened all of us with a very difficult decision here. The question is not whether we have a choice to make – we do. The question is who’s going to make that choice. And it

October 2021

nia Advocates. “Without that commitment to block all the anti-abortion attacks we’ve seen, barriers to accessing care would be much harder than they already are for most people in the state.” That’s not to say Wolf doesn’t have his critics. Anti-abortion advocates feel that Wolf’s firm stance on protecting abortion access fails to factor in the lives of unborn babies. Dan Bartkowiak, a spokesman for the Pennsylvania Family Institute, a conservative nonprofit that recently organized Pennsylvania’s first “March For Life” event, said Wolf’s views on abortion are “extreme” and “out of touch.” Bartkowiak accused Wolf of doing “the bidding of Planned Parenthood” and criticized the governor for vetoing Klunk’s legislation that would have banned abortions on the basis of a prenatal Down syndrome diagnosis. Bartkowiak said Wolf has advocated for “abortion at all stages, without restriction” throughout his two terms. “I think that’s just very extreme and out of touch with Pennsylvanians’ values,” Bartkowiak said. Wolf had a different view. He said his vetoes represent a determined effort to defend abortion access, and said that once his time in office reaches an end, he wants Pennsylvanians to remember one thing: “That I was the one who held fast.” Despite their ideological differences, Wolf, Espinoza and Bartkowiak all agreed

City & State Pennsylvania

that 2022 will be a pivotal year for the future of abortion access. Espinoza said control of the executive branch will determine the direction that abortion policy takes. “We’re quite literally one election away from essentially becoming Texas,” she said. The new Texas law, signed into law by Texas Gov. Greg Abbott, prohibits abortions from being performed if cardiac activity can be detected in the womb. That activity can typically be detected around six weeks gestation, making the Texas law one of the most restrictive abortion laws in the country. The new statute also includes a mechanism for citizens to file civil actions against anyone who performs, induces, aids, abets or pays for an abortion. In stark contrast to Wolf, Abbott has made outlawing abortions a focal point of his legislative agenda since taking office. In his State of the State address in February, Abbott vowed to protect unborn children from abortions, saying the state needed “a law that ensures that the life of every child will be spared from the ravages of abortion.” Abbott got the law he was looking for in Senate Bill 8, which he promptly signed into law. It took effect in September, with the Supreme Court declining block the law from going into effect – a decision that worried supporters of abortion access, who fear that the lack of action by the high court may be a sign of how it may rule on an upcoming case centered around Mississippi’s 15-week abortion ban. But where some see a dangerous precedent, others see opportunity. The developments in Texas have reignited a nationwide conversation about abortion policy, and with a gubernatorial race on the horizon, anti-abortion advocates in Pennsylvania see a chance to re-write Pennsylvania’s abortion laws in the nottoo-distant future. State lawmakers in Harrisburg have repeatedly introduced bills that would ban abortions once a heartbeat is detected in the womb. The most recent versions of those bills have been sponsored by state Rep. Stephanie Borowicz and state Sen. Doug Mastriano, the latter of whom has been rumored to have an interest in run-

ning for governor in 2022. Other Republican candidates that have formally declared their candidacy – including former U.S. Rep. Lou Barletta, former U.S. Attorney Bill McSwain, political strategist Charlie Gerow and attorney Jason Richey – have pledged to support more conservative abortion policies if elected. Having a conservative in the governor’s mansion would change the political calculus in Harrisburg in a significant way, meaning past attempts to restrict abortion access could find new success. “This issue is going to have a significant impact on the upcoming election,” Bartkowiak said. “Obviously, having someone that more recognizes the humanity of the unborn is going to help save lives and help more in Pennsylvania.” With Republicans in control of both chambers of the General Assembly, the

”[Remember] I was the one who held fast.” –Gov. Tom Wolf

political support is there to get more restrictive abortion policies passed. House Speaker Bryan Cutler and Senate Majority Leader Kim Ward have both expressed their support for advancing such legislation. But Wolf is hopeful his successor will share his stance on abortion. Attorney General Josh Shapiro is rumored to run for governor, and while he hasn’t announced his candidacy yet, he has pledged to defend abortion access at every turn. The race to replace Wolf is still in its infancy, and while there will be plenty of disagreements and political battles along the way, it’s clear that the future of the state’s abortion laws will be a major focal point among gubernatorial candidates in 2022.

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CityAndStatePA .com

October 2021

How the senator from the Meadowlands toppled the status quo.

Epel iniet ipsuntestrum volorerunt. Otas et et dolutat emporumet et restis rernamusam laut eium

By Harrison Cann

September 2021

City & State Pennsylvania

Kim Ward made history last year when she became the first female elected floor leader. Her journey took a stark turn just weeks later.

JUSTIN SWEITZER

HE PAST YEAR has presented countless challenges to Pennsylvanians across the state. For state Sen. Kim Ward, the challenge of taking over as Senate Majority Leader came with a twist. Just two weeks after being elected the Republican caucus leader and becoming the first woman in the commonwealth’s history to serve as Senate majority leader, she was diagnosed with breast cancer. “Are you kidding me?” was her first thought, Ward said. “How am I going to navigate all of this?” After four chemotherapy treatments in early spring, Ward disclosed her diagnosis in May. She said her routine checkup was scheduled for February 2020, right as the COVID-19 pandemic forced elective procedures and appointments to be delayed. When she got the results of her mammogram in November of last year, she was diagnosed in stage 1. Any later, and the results could’ve been direr. Ward underwent a lumpectomy after receiving her diagnosis, and following the passage of the state budget in June, she had a prophylactic mastectomy and her ovaries removed. Throughout the spring session and summer meetings, Ward didn’t miss a single day of work. “Any weaker person would have resigned and said this is too much to handle,” said Joe Scarnati, friend of Ward and former lieutenant governor and president pro tempore. “Kim Ward’s ability to man-

age her own personal life and continue the public commitment is nothing short of amazing … She is tough as nails.” Ward developed a reputation as a public servant in western Pennsylvania, but that wasn’t always her plan. She told City & State she originally wanted to be a respiratory therapist. While working at Vanderbilt University Hospital in the 1980s at the beginning of the AIDS epidemic, she saw someone else turn their grim situation into political action. Ward and fellow hospital employees were concerned that not everyone had access to patients’ charts when treating them. Dr. Hacib Aoun, whom Ward knew, contracted AIDS when a glass tube holding a blood specimen shattered and cut his finger. From that point on, Aoun became a staunch advocate for the rights of infected health care workers and urged compassion for AIDS patients. He succumbed to the virus in 1992. “He was before Congress. He was doing all the national talk shows and it just kind of got me off my butt to say, ‘Our government needs to respond to this and they need to listen,’” Ward said. “It just really lit a fire under me and a passion and I have been active in one way or another ever since.” That flame has been burning ever since, and it inspired her legislation allowing first responders to be alerted to confirmed COVID-19 cases at the address where they were responding during the height of the pandemic.

CityAndStatePA .com

Ward hit the ground running once back in her home state. She started as a volunteer for the Republican Party in Westmoreland County and served as county chair for Rick Santorum’s Senate campaign in 1994. From that experience, Ward learned how to lay her cards on the table and tell people what she thinks. “You can agree or disagree with that guy, but he never would tell anybody anything just because it’s what they wanted to hear,” Ward said. “He is a ‘what you see is what you get’ official and I really loved that.” From there, Ward went on to help other campaigns before taking on her own. She won an election as a Hempfield Township supervisor in 2001, and in 2007 she ran for Westmoreland County commissioner, becoming the first woman elected as county commissioner there in more than three decades. Just a few months into her time as a commissioner, the 39th Senatorial District seat opened up. Ward said many people are afraid of running for office but that the worst thing that can happen is you lose, which happens to everyone. “I can compare it to the question: Is it ever a good time to get pregnant?’ It’s never a perfect time to put your face out on a billboard and have people throw eggs at it, but if you have a passion and you want to do it, do it,” she said. The fear subsided and the confidence came out, and Ward was making good impressions among her Republican colleagues. “I was impressed immediately with her charisma and her political prowess,” Scarnati said. “She really turned the tide for western Pennsylvania. Her win cemented that Republican district.” Once established in Harrisburg, Ward made a name for herself as an advocate of families and children. Among her many legislative accomplishments, Ward said her effort to reform child abuse laws and provide greater protections for children was her most significant. Most notably, Senate Resolution 250 of 2012 created the Child Abuse Protection Taskforce to examine and analyze laws affecting the state’s child welfare system. That title is under question by some child advocates now, however, as they continue to call on Ward to pass legislation giving child sex abuse victims a window to sue their predators. Advocates have fought

October 2021

Ward says many are afraid of running for office, but the worst thing that can happen is that you lose, which happens to everybody.

for a change in the statute of limitations for child sex abuse victims in the state for years. Just as commonwealth voters were set to vote on a constitutional amendment to create a retroactive window for victims to sue their abusers, the Department of State failed to properly advertise the amendment and the state is back at square one. The ongoing saga has cast a shadow over her time as majority leader. Advocates of child sex abuse victims are now pushing for Ward to pass House Bill 951, which would create a two-year civil liability window for victims to take their abusers to court.

Ward is criticized for not prioritizing this, but she says the bill is not the best way to rectify the situation. She argued that another constitutional amendment has the strongest path and that the proposed legislation could open up the state to a flood of retroactive lawsuits. “I think it’s a slippery slope because you do this for one issue, the statute issue, and next time somebody wants to go after an employer or a school for something else,” Ward said. “I really think we need to do this the right way, and if it goes to the ballot in 2023 and it passes, it’s over.”

September 2021

City & State Pennsylvania

“

She has a motor on her that is unrivaled.” –State Sen. Joe Pittman

SENATE REPUBLICAN COMMUNICATIONS

Kim Ward and her colleagues celebrate the passage of Senate Bill 445, which benefits the PA Breast Cancer Coalition.

The issue involving victims of child sex abuse is not the only controversy hanging over the Senate’s head. As the General Assembly returned to session this fall, Republicans renewed their efforts to conduct a “forensic investigation” of the 2020 and 2021 elections. Ward and Senate Republicans are facing harsh criticisms for their efforts to subpoena the private information and records of Pennsylvania voters. Ward has said, “the election audit in Pennsylvania is not about Joe Biden or Donald Trump. It’s about the distrust in our election process among voters.” Ward’s political moves may be questioned now, but her work during the pandemic has been commended by her colleagues. And with the news of her battle with cancer coinciding with the pandemic

response, that hard work is even more admirable. “Given all the massive issues we had in front of us, to do it in a way that brings confidence to our colleagues, we’re in good hands with her,” state Sen. Joe Pittman told City & State. “She has a motor on her that is unrivaled.” Ward’s intensity and pragmatic approach are what helped her gain a good standing among her Republican colleagues. When the departures of Mike Turzai and Scarnati in 2020 created openings in leadership, many knew Ward was the right fit. Scarnati said Ward showed her strength to him early on when they had a disagreement over policy. “I’d rather have my wife mad at me than Kim Ward,” he said. “She stood her ground to the pro tempore and

that shows some courage.” After Ward won the election as majority leader, she said it didn’t hit her that she was the first female floor leader in the General Assembly’s 244-year history. When a reporter asked how it felt to be in that position, Ward said, “Oh, I am a female, and I am a senator.” Ward said she began to receive calls from women across the country, and it was at that point she came to terms with the job at hand. The cancer diagnosis two weeks later didn’t make it easier, but that didn’t stop her. She said she didn’t tell anyone about her diagnosis besides close staff because it was business as usual. “I didn’t want anybody considering that as we move forward trying to get our job done. So it made it easier to not have that hanging over my head and having folks constantly worrying about me,” she said. “I also managed to keep my hair, so that made it even harder to realize that I was going through some stuff.” Scarnati applauded Ward for not letting her health issues get in the way of her duties. “I can tell you from experience that the job is demanding on you mentally and physically,” he said. “Let’s not forget she’s still a mother, grandmother, and a wife, and I don’t think she shirked those duties at all, either.” Now, Ward has become a vocal advocate for breast cancer awareness. This fall, she’s working with the Pennsylvania Breast Cancer Coalition and WellSpan to launch a statewide initiative promoting early detection for breast cancer. The partnership will also bring mobile mammogram vans and free exams to areas around central Pennsylvania. “To be able to take her personal challenges and turn them into a positive – she’s become a tireless advocate for breast cancer awareness and a support network for others who are going through it. To me, that just speaks to the person,” Pittman said.

CityAndStatePA .com

October 2021

THE 2021

PENNSYLVANIA FIFTY OVER T

HROUGH A CAREFUL PROCESS of nomination and in-house re-

search, City & State has put together a first-class lineup of achievers over the age of 50 in the Keystone State. Though they work across various industries, the people on this list are highly skilled at what they do and many have broken records and glass ceilings to get where they are today. They are being recognized because they were once open-minded and attentive protégés who later developed into diplomatic and compassionate mentors. Developed in partnership with AARP, this list also highlights the work of 10 Lifetime Achievement award winners. These people have made lasting contributions to Pennsylvania by helping shape their communities through successful business endeavors, civic engagement and service to local and state government. Here are the 2021 Fifty Over 50 – consider them an inspiration to anyone who wants to make a considerable difference in Pennsylvania.

Lifetime achievement portrait gallery by Jared Gruenwald

50 JARED GRUENWALD

Leaders from around the state who see success has no age limit.

October 2021

JEFF BROWN PRESIDENT AND CEO Brown’s Super Stores, Inc. Jeff Brown, a fourth generation grocer, has made a national name for himself through his efforts to bring communitycentered grocery stores to food deserts. Brown was even recognized by President Barack Obama at the 2010 State of the Union Address, where he attended as a guest of the First Lady. With more than 30 years in the business, Brown credits his company’s longevity and success to listening to his customers and stocking his shelves with products from the community, for the community. From South Philadelphia’s 10-year old lemonade magnate Micah Harrigan to a PhillyChinese fusion called the Better Box, local entrepreneurs have found both a marketing partner and a cheerleader for their small businesses. And it’s Brown’s support of local Black-owned business owners and underserved communities that has caught the attention and adoration of many community leaders. Unlike Brown’s supermarket shelves, which require regular restocking, Philadelphia’s political rumor mill never runs out of material. With an open mayoral seat in 2023, Brown, who resides in Center City, is frequently mentioned as a potential candidate to mount a run for the office. Frustration abounds in Philadelphia. Business leaders see a bureaucracy mired in red tape and high taxes, making it difficult to grow. Community leaders are fighting to reduce poverty and violence plaguing many neighborhoods. Brown could prove to be one of the few candidates that could garner major support from both groups. He would come to the table with the rare combination of progressive bona fides and a businessman’s mindset for growth. And he has decades of experience marketing his product to Philadelphia residents. If his supporters get their way, they’ll get the opportunity to market Jeff Brown – the man himself – to Philadelphia voters.

City & State Pennsylvania

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MORTIMER “TIM” BUCKLEY CEO Vanguard Group

VANGUARD

Serving as a CEO of a company is a high-pressure job. Employees, customers and shareholders rely on you to make critical decisions that have the potential to impact their lives. And when your company is the Vanguard Group, the nation’s largest provider of mutual funds, the employer of almost 18,000 workers, and the holder of more than 25 million individual accounts, the pressure to perform is enormous. That’s why when William McNabb stepped down as CEO in 2018, the board of directors unanimously elected Mortimer J. “Tim” Buckley to fill those shoes. Buckley, who joined Vanguard in 1991 as assistant to founder John Bogle, had a variety of senior roles within the company before taking the top spot. As Chief Investment Officer and Chief Information Officer, Buckley was responsible for both investment strategy and navigating the everchanging technology fueling the financial sector’s explosive growth. Buckley, a Massachusetts native, is only the fourth CEO in Vanguard’s history. He received both his undergraduate degree in economics and master’s degree in business administration from Harvard University. A former chair of the board of the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, he was recently appointed as governor to the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, the agency charged with safeguarding the integrity of the financial market. Today, Vanguard oversees $7.5 trillion in assets under management, making it the second largest money manager in the world. Buckley’s focus is on identifying technologydriven solutions to drive better investment outcomes and lower costs for clients and to ultimately put Vanguard in the world’s top spot.

Business Manager Laborers’ District Council of Philadelphia & Vicinity

ESTEBAN VERA, JR. Business Manager Stanley Sanders George Hutt William Williams Confesor Plaza

Secretary-Treasurer President Vice President Recording Secretary

Executive Board, Membership & Staff

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FORMER PRESIDENT Urban League of Greater Pittsburgh Looking back over Esther Bush’s 40year career with the Urban League of Greater Pittsburgh, it’s difficult to measure her positive impact on the city. Bush, a Pittsburgh native, graduated from Westinghouse High School and started her career as a high school teacher. After joining the Urban League movement in 1980 as an assistant director, Bush quickly

rose through the ranks, becoming the first female director of the Staten Island, Manhattan and Hartford branches. When the call came to serve as the president and chief executive officer for the Greater Pittsburgh branch, Bush jumped at the chance to return home to western Pennsylvania. She reflects, “I always thought Pittsburgh was home, so you grow up, you go off and see the world, and then you come back home. I always assumed that I would come back to Pittsburgh.” Under her leadership, the Pittsburgh Urban League has thrived and has been recognized as one of the nation’s top-performing affiliates. As Pittsburgh

has transitioned from a city known for its heavy industry to one known for its tech scene, Bush has been a vocal advocate for ensuring that Black and under-resourced communities are not left behind. A fierce fighter for social and economic equity, Bush has helped launch several critical programs designed to help with housing security, aid formerly incarcerated parents find jobs, and facilitate early childhood and youth services. While Bush and the League’s accomplishments are many, she reflects on the work that remains, observing, “You can work for what is right, you can win, and then you still have to continue to work for what is right.”

JIM JUDKIS

ESTHER BUSH

October 2021

City & State Pennsylvania

DONNA COOPER EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

When it comes to shaping public policy in Pennsylvania, few people have had as great an impact as Donna Cooper. Cooper, who leads the Greater Philadelphia child advocacy organization Children First, has built her career in service of the commonwealth’s most vulnerable residents. In her decades in government, Cooper gained a reputation as one of the smartest and fiercest policy staffers first in Philadelphia’s City Hall, then in Harrisburg. Serving as Deputy Mayor for Policy and Planning under thenPhiladelphia Mayor Ed Rendell, Cooper helped create programs to reduce gun violence and generational poverty. Her role in the operation of a welfare-to-work program was nationally recognized for helping more than 4,000 unemployed parents become gainfully employed. In Harrisburg, Cooper served as Pennsylvania’s Secretary of Policy and Planning, where she dedicated herself to improving the lives and futures of the commonwealth’s children. Cooper’s accomplishments included the expansion of access to affordable health care, advocacy for a fair funding formula and increased investment in public schools and state funding in Pre-K and Head Start programs. Today, Cooper continues fighting to better the lives of children through her leadership of Children First, a child advocacy organization that directs local, regional and statewide campaigns to ensure every child reaches their full potential. Even with her long list of accomplishments and decades of public service, Cooper shows no signs of slowing down her efforts. Under her leadership, Children First is planning major new initiatives, including a Parent Advocacy Institute and an Equity Collaborative designed to ensure students of color equal access to advanced courses and other educational resources.

JARED GRUENWALD

Children First

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EZEKIEL EMANUEL VICE PROVOST FOR GLOBAL INITIATIVES

It’s not unreasonable to imagine that the age-old question of “nature versus nurture” is one that must come up at Emanuel family gatherings. For parents, raising one child that would go on to reach the top of their field is something to celebrate. To have two children whose careers and accomplishments you can follow in the national press is remarkable. But to have three children do so means you must be an Emanuel. Dr. Ezekiel “Zeke” J. Emanuel is one of the world’s leading bioethicists and oncologists. He also happens to be the older brother of former Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel and Hollywood super agent Ari Emanuel. Emanuel’s work as one of the world’s leading bioethicists has never been more relevant and important than during the COVID-19 pandemic. He received his medical degree from Harvard Medical School and his doctorate in political philosophy from Harvard University. From 1997 to 2011, he served as the founding chair of the Department of Bioethics at the National Institutes of Health. Like most of the medical community, the pandemic has kept Emanuel busier than ever as doctors are forced to treat a novel virus impacting an unprecedented number of patients. Emanuel, like his colleagues, has risen to the occasion, providing guidance and advice on everything from “how to build trust [in government] in the face of coronavirus” and whether countries should make “vaccines available to other countries before offering domestic booster vaccinations.” With his packed teaching schedule, prolific publishing calendar and advisory roles, Emanuel is an incredibly busy man. But as an Emanuel brother, he couldn’t imagine, or want it any other way.

STEPHEN ZIPP

University of Pennsylvania

READY TO LEAD. READY TO INSPIRE. Citizens Commercial Banking celebrates Dan Fitzpatrick on his Lifetime Achievement Recognition for having demonstrated superior decision-making, dedication and leadership as Region Executive with our Corporate Banking team, as well as his commitment to the Pennsylvania community. Congratulations to Dan and all of the inspiring Fifty over 50 Award recipients.

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Corporate Finance | Capital Markets | M&A Advisory | Treasury & Risk Management ©2021 Citizens Financial Group, Inc. All rights reserved. Banking products and services are offered by Citizens Bank, N.A. Member FDIC. Securities products and services are offered through Citizens Capital Markets, Inc., Member FINRA, SIPC. Citizens is a brand name of Citizens Bank, N.A.

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DANIEL FITZPATRICK PRESIDENT

For many corporate leaders, civic engagement is an ancillary activity to their main job of successfully running their companies. But for Daniel Fitzpatrick, his civic engagement is critical to the long-term success and growth of his company. While his official title may be president of Citizens Mid-Atlantic Region, city and corporate leaders know Fitzpatrick as one of Philadelphia’s biggest cheerleaders. A Philly native, Fitzpatrick grew up the seventh of eight children in the northeast section of the city. A proud Father Judge High School graduate, Fitzpatrick would go on to receive his undergraduate degree from LaSalle University and his master’s of business administration from Drexel University. When not overseeing Citizen Bank’s Mid-Atlantic operations, Fitzpatrick dedicates his time and expertise to various boards and organizations with the common goal of facilitating economic growth and employment opportunities in the Philadelphia region. As former chair of the Greater Philadelphia Chamber of Commerce and the CEO Council for Growth, Fiitzpatrick helped lead the development of programs and initiatives aimed at workforce development. With a focus on innovation, regional mobility and talent attraction and retention, the CEO Council for Growth’s mission is to lead the region forward by envisioning a stronger, more competitive community, convening decision makers and advocating policies and practices that strengthen the regional economy. The pandemic has forced Fitzpatrick, like many of his peers, to reevaluate how his company delivers services to its customers. But if there’s one advantage that Citizens has with Fitzpatrick at its helm, it’s that it’s led by someone who has spent the past decade proactively thinking about the future of work.

JARED GRUENWALD

Citizens Mid-Atlantic Region

SALUTES The 2021 Fifty Over 50 award honorees, including our own Rev. Dr. Lorina Marshall-Blake We recognize Lorina and all of the outstanding honorees for their commitment to making Pennsylvania a better place to live and work.

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October 2021

LORINA MARSHALL-BLAKE PRESIDENT Independence Blue Cross Foundation

JARED GRUENWALD

The Rev. Dr. Lorina Marshall-Blake is a woman who wears many hats, both literally and figuratively. As president of the Independence Blue Cross Foundation, Marshall-Blake heads the $73 million organization’s strategic, programmatic and operational efforts. In this role, Marshall-Blake guides the foundation as it works to fulfill its mission of improving the health and wellness of neighborhoods in southeastern Pennsylvania. And she does it with what has become her trademark: a stylish hat complemented by her always beaming smile. Marshall-Blake is the rare corporate leader that is as comfortable behind the boardroom table as she is behind the pulpit. An associate minister at the Vine Memorial Baptist Church in Philadelphia, Marshall-Blake received her undergraduate degree from Antioch University and her master’s in government administration from the University of Pennsylvania. She spent more than a decade in government relations at the Philadelphia Gas Works, the city owned-utility, before joining Independence Blue Cross. Her years of corporate experience coupled with her commitment to service have made her a highly desirable advisor, mentor and partner. She is affiliated with more than 30 professional and civic organizations, including the Anti-Defamation League and the United Negro College Fund and previously served as president of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. A woman of deep faith, MarshallBlake seeks to inspire those around her through example. She serves on 25 non-profit boards and committees at the local state and national levels, including the board of Albright College, Blue Cross Blue Shield Association, Pennsylvania Conference for Women, the Urban Affairs Coalition and the Urban League of Philadelphia.

Congratulations! UAC joins City & State PA and AARP in saying

SHARMAIN

MATLOCK-TURNER 2021 Lifetime Achievement Award Honoree UAC is home to 80+ nonprofits and initiatives that work to improve the quality of life in the Greater Philadelphia region Learn more at uac.org

Congratulations to all the 50 over 50 honorees i n c l u d i n g t h o s e f r o m o u r U A C F a mi l y : Joann Bell, UAC Program Partner Jeffrey Brown, Thanksgiving Basket Program Partner Donna Cooper, Summer Youth Employment Cabinet Member Daniel K. Fitzpatrick, UAC Board Member State Senator Vincent Hughes, 2019 Doer Award Recipient Rev. Dr. Lorina Marshall-Blake, UAC Board Member Dr. Ala Stanford, M.D., 2021 Community Leadership Award Recipient Councilwoman Marian B. Tasco, UAC Board Member

www.UAC.org

@UACoalition

1207 Chestnut Street, Philadelphia, PA 19107

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SHARMAIN MATLOCK-TURNER PRESIDENT AND CEO Urban Affairs Coalition Housed in a modest building on Philadelphia’s Chestnut Street, the Urban Affairs Coalition recently celebrated its 50th anniversary serving as a home for nonprofits throughout Philadelphia. Leading the coalition is the charismatic and well-connected Sharmain MatlockTurner, the first woman to lead the organization since her appointment in 1999. For the last 20 years, MatlockTurner’s UAC has been the home to more than 80 organizations working to tackle some of the city’s most intractable problems. Through fiscal sponsorships, shared services, program development and capacity building, the UAC brings together key stakeholders to implement programs designed to improve the quality of life in the region, build wealth in urban communities and solve emerging issues. The UAC board is made up of some of the city’s boldest and brightest leaders. Together, the board and Matlock-Turner oversee more than 500 employees and the successful management of more than $1 billion in public and private funds over the organization’s history. As the country grapples with a racial reckoning prompted by last summer’s protests, Matlock-Turner and the UAC have emerged as key conveners in that conversation. Recently, the UAC and Independence Blue Cross co-convened “the Ending Racism Partnership,” a participatory project that brings together key stakeholders to end racial injustice and economic inequality. The ultimate goal of the partnership is “an equitable Philadelphia where laws, policy, and human interaction are governed by a common belief in our shared equality, irrespective of race, nationality, ethnicity or color of skin.” While most people would buckle under the weight of the work Matlock-Turner and her organization take on everyday, she seems to be energized by it, recognizing that the harder the challenge to overcome the greater the benefit to those you’ve helped along the way.

October 2021

MICHAEL SMERCONISH HOST/AUTHOR

UAC; PROVIDED

‘Smerconish,’ CNN With a daily radio show on SiriusXM, a weekly “Smerconish” show on CNN, countless newspaper columns and seven books, Michael Smerconish is seemingly everywhere. In a time of hyper-partisan politics, Smerconish has stood out as a rare beacon of independence. His latest book, “Clowns to the Left of Me, Jokers to the Right: American Life in Columns” is a collection of his columns that tracks his

City & State Pennsylvania

political journey and evolution. We are living in a time when confronted with past wrongs or misjudgments, our political class is taught to “attack, counterattack and never apologize.” That’s what makes Smerconish such a breath of fresh air – he’s a principled thinker willing to issue a mea culpa when he thinks he’s gotten it wrong and is able to wage a passionate defense when he believes he has it right. Growing up in the Philly suburbs, Smerconish cut his teeth in politics at a young age working on his father’s campaign for the state legislature during the halcyonic heyday of Reagan’s Republican party. Smerconish would throw himself into politics, running for

office himself and working to elect other Republicans like Arlen Specter and Frank Rizzo. After a stint in the George H.W. Bush administration, Smerconish would go on to launch incredibly successful legal and media careers. His one-man, live performance, “Things I Wish I Knew Before I Started Talking” is currently streaming on Hulu. Filmed during the pandemic, Smerconish reflects on the past, present and future of politics in America. Whether party leaders will heed Smerconish’s warnings about party extremism remains to be seen. That Smerconish will have a lot to say about it – is guaranteed.

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MARIAN TASCO FORMER PHILADELPHIA CITY COUNCIL MAJORITY LEADER

JARED GRUENWALD

It’s a winding and twisted path from Greensboro, N.C. to the gilded City Council chamber of Philadelphia City Hall, but it’s one that former Councilwoman Marian B. Tasco traversed with grace and some sharp political instincts. In the 1970s, Tasco’s job with Philadelphia Urban Affairs Coalition introduced her to some of the city’s most powerful Black political leaders. Working on campaigns soon led to a Democratic committeeperson seat in the 50th ward where Tasco was responsible for turning out her East Mount Airy neighborhood’s votes – something she’s been doing almost better than anyone for the last 50 years. After years working to elect other Black leaders, Tasco herself broke through to become the first AfricanAmerican city commissioner in 1983. She soon traded that job for one that she would hold for more than 30 years – city councilwoman for Philadelphia’s 9th councilmanic district. While on Council, Tasco was nationally recognized for her work protecting residents from predatory lending, with President Barack Obama honoring her with an invite to his bill signing on federal financial regulatory reform. Tasco retired from City Council in 2015, but she has not retired from politics. As co-founder of the politically powerful Northwest Coalition, Tasco’s endorsement has proven invaluable in winning elections. Her support is credited to helping elect Mayor Jim Kenney, District Attorney Larry Krasner and most recently, President Joe Biden. That a woman who grew up in the segregated south would be instrumental in electing the nation’s first Black woman as vice president is something few might have predicted, but something for which many are grateful.

Congrats to PA Top 50 Over 50 Winner

KIM PIZZINGRILLI Chair, Pennsylvania State Government Relations Co-Chair, Energy Industry Team

1 OF ONLY 5 LAW FIRMS NAMED A LAW 360 PENNSYLVANIA POWERHOUSE Full-Service Legal and Government Relations Harrisburg

Pittsburgh

Philadelphia

15 Offices Nationwide

BIPC.com

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PHIL ARMSTRONG LEHIGH COUNTY EXECUTIVE Sworn in as Lehigh County Executive in 2017, Phil Armstrong could not have predicted how challenging his new role in public service would prove thanks to a historic presidential election and the pandemic. Harnessing his past leadership experience as an educator, girls’ basketball coach and Whitehall Township commissioner, Armstrong worked to distribute funds to fuel small business support, protect seniors in nursing homes and ensure Lehigh County’s continued growth.

are inextricably intertwined. That’s why so many visionary developers rely on Darwin R. Beauvais to help turn those sketches and drawings into glass and steel. A former Philadelphia City Council staffer and member of the Zoning Code Commission, Beauvais’ subject matter expertise and stakeholder relationships are hard to match. The next time you look up and see a crane rising above the Center City sky, take note – there’s a good chance that Beauvais helped get it there.

CHRIS BARTLETT EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR William Way LGBTQ Community Center Even with 30 years of advocacy under his belt, Chris Bartlett is still finding ways to blaze new trails for the LGBTQ community. Bartlett recently helped create “Remembrance,” a project that will focus on documenting memories of the early years of the AIDS crisis in Philadelphia. He’s also working to improve the lives of homeless LGBTQ residents. “Way Home,” a partnership with the City of Philadelphia and Project HOME connects homeless LGBTQ residents with housing opportunities, job training and mental health resources.

DARWIN BEAUVAIS PARTNER Dilworth Paxson In Philadelphia, land development and city politics Bartlett’s William Way Community Center offers a host of services for members of the LGBTQ community.

JOANN BELL DIRECTOR Philadelphia Government Office, Pugliese Associates As Director of the Philadelphia Government Office for Pugliese and Associates, Joann Bell uses her experience serving for multiple gubernatorial and mayoral administrations to help influence public policy at the state and local levels. But her close relationships with elected officials doesn’t stop her from demanding accountability for her community. Bell is co-founder of the Black Women’s Leadership Council, a fierce advocacy organization aimed at improving economic, political, educational and health outcomes for Black women and their families.

Bell has worked for both Democratic and Republican governors in her career.

October 2021

City & State Pennsylvania

During her time at Geisinger, Castro was credited with creating career opportunities for thousands of underprivileged students.

ANN BENZEL PRESIDENT

WILLIAM WAY LBGT COMMUNITY CENTER – SUSAN NAM; PUGLIESE ASSOCIATES; PROVIDED; IC ALLIANCES GROUP

Benzel Bretzel Bakery With a century-old pretzel company to run, one might think that Ann Benzel wouldn’t have time for anything but work and family. But don’t get it twisted. Benzel has also risen to become one of the commonwealth’s top arts patrons. Her efforts to help restore the Historic Mishler Theater are well-known in Altoona, but it has been her work in communities across the commonwealth to provide access to arts and culture that has earned her a reputation as one the top supporters of Pennsylvania arts.

RYAN N. BOYER BUSINESS MANAGER Laborers’ District Council of Philadelphia and Vicinity In a town full of powerful labor leaders, Ryan N. Boyer is quickly rising to the top, becoming one of the most sought-after political allies. Boyer’s position as leader of the 5,000-member Laborers’ District Council gives him both a bully pulpit and deep financial and field resources to help propel a candidate to victory. With an open mayoral seat in 2023, Boyer could prove to be Philadelphia’s next king- or queen-maker.

SANDRA BROOKS SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT AND CHIEF MEDICAL OFFICER Thomas Jefferson University Hospitals Eighteen months into the pandemic and our nation’s health care system has remained pushed to its breaking point. COVID-19 has also magnified the existing inequities in access to health care, particularly among

Brooks’ work has been recognized by the National Academy of Medicine.

marginalized communities. That’s why the work of Dr. Sandra Brooks has never been more important. As senior vice president and chief medical officer, Brooks has led the critical efforts to train doctors to become trusted messengers, leveraged vaccine resources, dispeled virus myths and built vaccine confidence in vulnerable communities.

IDA CASTRO

career fighting for civil and employment rights. She recently retired from her work as a founding executive of Geisinger Commonwealth School of Medicine, where she set her sights on breaking down the barriers faced by economically disadvantaged students seeking to pursue a career in medicine. The first lawyer in her family, Castro proudly credits all of her accomplishments to her Puerto Rican parents.

FORMER EXECUTIVE

SCOTT CHARLES

Geisinger Commonwealth School of Medicine

TRAUMA OUTREACH COORDINATOR

Ida Castro, the first Latina to serve as chair of the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, has spent her

Temple University Hospital Before COVID-19 gripped the nation, Philadelphia

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was already battling its own epidemic of gun violence. One of the leaders in this fight is Scott Charles, founder of the Trauma Victims Support Advocates and Cradle to Grave programs at Temple University Hospital. Cradle to Grave gives at-risk youth a firsthand look at the harsh reality and impact of gun violence. Through the Trauma Victims program, Charles and his team help coordinate resources for those impacted by gun violence.

GUY CIARROCCHI PRESIDENT & CEO Chester County Chamber of Business & Industry Ciarrocchi is president and CEO of the Chester County Chamber of Business & Industry.

Celebrating your vision and wisdom.

Jay Spector, President & Chief Executive Officer

Don’t let Guy Ciarrocchi’s title as president of the Chester County Chamber fool you into thinking that his home turf is all that’s on his mind. Ciarrocchi is one of the commonwealth’s

fiercest advocates for growth. With COVID-19 devastating small and large businesses alike, Ciarrocchi has been fighting to ensure that every business not only survived the pandemic, but came back full-strength. His unwillingness to accept the status quo and passionate advocacy for change make him one of the commonwealth’s loudest champions.

DARRELL CLARKE PRESIDENT Philadelphia City Council While Philadelphia may have a strong-mayor form of government, the reality is that no mayoral agenda can advance without support from City Council. Ever since his election to Council’s top leadership position in 2011, President Darrell Clarke has had a tight grip on that majority. Clarke has

October 2021

City & State Pennsylvania

masterfully managed the politics of his body while advancing some serious policy items of his own. The most recent is the $400 million Neighborhood Preservation Initiative aimed at addressing racial and economic disparities.

representing his constituents in the 34th Senatorial District. With major policy wins like pension reform under his belt, Corman is working to help ensure Pennsylvania emerges from the pandemic in an economically competitive position.

JAKE CORMAN

KATHY DAHLKEMPER

SENATE PRESIDENT PRO TEMPORE

ERIE COUNTY EXECUTIVE

The Senate chamber in Harrisburg is where politics and policy collide. To be successful, you can’t have one without the other, a lesson that state Sen. Jake Corman has learned over the last 20-plus years of

The Hon. Kathy Dahlkemper, the first woman to represent northwest Pennsylvania in the House of Representatives, is no stranger to breaking new ground. As she finishes serving her second-term as Erie County Executive, Dahlkemper witnessed one of

PROVIDED; SENATE REPUBLICAN COMMUNICATIONS OFFICE

Erie County residents will not see a tax hike next year, thanks to Dahlkemper.

Porter Wright is proud to celebrate partner Ron Hicks for being named to the City & State PA 2021 Top Fifty Over 50. Through his steadfast dedication to the legal profession and his passionate advocacy for his business and political clients and the communities they serve, Ron possesses an unyielding commitment to make Pennsylvania a better place to live, work and succeed.

The field of Republicans running for governor is ever increasing, with Corman rumored to be next to declare his candidacy.

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her biggest accomplishments – September’s opening of Erie County’s Community College. After years of fighting to bring a community college to Erie, enrollment and interest in the school is already outpacing expectations. It’s a fitting sendoff for a career of public service.

the House’s impeachment managers related to the Jan. 6 Capitol insurrection.

MADELEINE DEAN

Few people can boast a 40-year long relationship with the same company, but for Michael DelGrosso, he’s been working in the family business ever since the age of 10. The Altoona-based DelGrosso empire stretches across multiple industries, including food products and an amusement park. But it’s not just consumers who get the benefit of DelGrosso’s decades of experience in the food industry. DelGrosso regularly shares his valuable business and marketing expertise with college students across the commonwealth.

MEMBER OF CONGRESS In 2018, Pennsylvania’s 18 congressional seats were represented by zero women. The Hon. Madeleine Dean, then a state representative, was part of a slate of women across the commonwealth who ran to change that. Midterm election voters swept Dean and three other southeastern Pennsylvania women into office. Although her tenure in Congress has been brief, Dean’s national profile has risen quickly with her appointment as one of

MICHAEL DELGROSSO CHIEF SALES AND MARKETING OFFICER DelGrosso Foods

DelGrosso Foods is the oldest major family-owned producer of pasta sauce in the U.S.

Lobbying | Appropriations | State Procurement Philadelphia Government Affairs

Experience. Integrity. Results.

Pugliese Associates would like to congratulate

Joann Bell CONGRATULATIONS TO YVONNE ROBERTS FOR BEING NAMED TO

for being named in the CSPA Fifty over 50!

CITY AND STATE PA'S TOP 50 OVER 50 PuglieseAssociates.com Harrisburg 717.238.9078

Philadelphia 215.977.7206

October 2021

Gainey won a big victory in May when he beat out incumbent Mayor Bill Peduto. Can he do it one more time?

City & State Pennsylvania

MARGARET DINNENY

ED GAINEY

CHIEF PEOPLE OFFICER

DEMOCRATIC NOMINEE

Wawa

Mayor of Pittsburgh

Overseeing all of Wawa’s Human Relations functions, Margaret Dinneny is responsible for the company’s 35,000 associates working in 900 stores across the eastern U.S. Despite the challenges of an incredibly tight labor market and an aggressive expansion plan, Dinneny’s leadership positioned Wawa as a highly-desirable place to work, ensuring Wawa’s 1.5 million daily customers continue to receive the highlevel of customer service associated with the brand.

Ed Gainey is poised to make history. Should he be elected the mayor of Pittsburgh in November, he will be the first Black mayor in the city’s history. After almost a decade serving as state representative for the 24th district, Gainey seized his moment and convinced voters to oust an incumbent mayor. Running on a platform of criminal justice reform and economic justice, Gainey says he looks forward to fighting for a fairer and more prosperous future for his city’s residents.

Dinneny makes sure that Wawa locations continue to grow and expand.

RAY KAUFFMAN PHOTOGRAPHY; STATE REP. ED GAINEY FOR MAYOR CAMPAIGN

We’re proud of Temple Health’s

SCOTT CHARLES On being recognized in City & State’s Top 50 Over 50

Temple Health refers to the health, education and research activities carried out by the affiliates of Temple University Health System (TUHS) and by the Lewis Katz School of Medicine at Temple University. TUHS neither provides nor controls the provision of health care. All health care is provided by its member organizations or independent health care providers affiliated with TUHS member organizations. Each TUHS member organization is owned and operated pursuant to its governing documents. Non-discrimination notice: It is the policy of Temple University Hospital, Inc. that no one shall be excluded from or denied the benefits of or participation in the delivery of quality medical care on the basis of race, ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity/expression, disability, age, ancestry, color, national origin, physical ability, level of education, or source of payment.

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ADRIAN GARCIA DIRECTOR OF FAIR HOUSING Pennsylvania Human Relations Commission Pennsylvania’s population has been buoyed by the thousands of immigrants choosing to call the Keystone State home. It’s up to the Pennsylvania Human Relations Commission and its director of fair housing, Adrian Garcia, to ensure that they don’t face discrimination in finding a place to live. Colleagues cite Garcia’s appreciation of cultural differences that make him so effective in building trust and in communicating with the various communities that he serves.

An advocacy campaign including City & State First Read provides a targeted way to reach decision makers in New York government and politics. Campaigns Include:

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October 2021

City & State Pennsylvania

MICHAEL GARMAN

ROBERT GLEASON

PETER GONZALES

SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT OF HUMAN RESOURCES

FORMER CHAIR

PRESIDENT AND CEO

Republican Party of Pennsylvania

The Welcoming Center for New Pennsylvanians

The Gleason family name has been synonymous with GOP politics in Pennsylvania dating back to the 1940s. And Robert Gleason, who served as chair of the Pennsylvania Republican Party from 2006 to 2017, is as fired up as ever. Most recently, he was seen at a campaign event for Bill McSwain, who recently announced his candidacy for the upcoming governor’s race. Gleason remains a powerful ally and an important key to winning over Republicans in western Pennsylvania.

As an immigration attorney, Peter Gonzales has centered his legal practice on immigration law, helping family and individuals obtain visas, lawful permanent residence and citizenship in the U.S. His work supporting immigrants doesn’t end once the paperwork is signed. As president and CEO of The Welcoming Center for New Pennsylvanians, Gonzales and his team help new immigrants thrive by promoting inclusive economic growth and providing integration support. To date, The Welcoming Center has served more than 17,000 people from more than 150 countries around the world.

PHEAA A retired U.S. Army Command Sergeant Major, Michael Garman is a natural leader and perfectly suited for his role managing human resources for the Pennsylvania Higher Education Assistance Agency. Garman just celebrated his 10th year with the PHEAA, where his colleagues say “he has led the charge in creating a work environment and culture that allows current and future employees to have a passport to success.” In the 1960s, before politics, Gleason served four years active duty in the U.S. Air Force before joining the reserves.

Garman just celebrated his 10th year with the PHEAA.

Start hiring now on Pennsylvania’s highestquality job site.

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October 2021

Catherine Hicks is the second woman to lead the NAACP’s local branch and Ron Hicks has been a trial lawyer for over three decades.

RETIRED PRESIDENT AND CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER Philadelphia Museum of Art Many of America’s most prestigious museums, including the Met and Guggenheim, have benefitted from the talents of Gail Harrity, but none so more than the Philadelphia Museum of Art. During her time at the PMA, Harrity spearheaded a number of ambitious projects, including one that created global, digital access to the museum’s collection and another known as the “Core Project.” A $233 million Frank Gehry-designed renovation stands as a symbol of her legacy and a nod to her decades of leadership of the institution.

CATHERINE HICKS PRESIDENT Philadelphia NAACP As publisher and co-owner of the Philadelphia Sunday Sun

newspaper, Catherine Hicks is used to writing about the gun violence crisis in Philadelphia. Now, as the president of the Philadelphia chapter of the NAACP, she’s in a position to do something about it. Elected this past summer, Hicks has pledged to use her new leadership platform and extensive relationships to fight for educational equity, promote entrepreneurship and reduce violence in the Black community.

training and advice on election processes and procedures. Hicks also helped launch and co-chairs the Porter Wright LGBTQ+ Business Practice Group, where he lends his corporate law expertise to LGBTQ+ business owners. Well-respected by his clients and adversaries alike, Hicks is a regular on “Best Lawyers” lists throughout the commonwealth.

RON HICKS

STATE SENATOR

PARTNER

State Sen. Vincent J. Hughes knows a thing or two about elections, having been winning them since he was first elected to the General Assembly in 1987. Now Hughes co-chairs the National Commission for Voter Justice, an organization fighting to ensure fair and accessible

Porter Wright Ron L. Hicks Jr. is a busy man. As co-chair of his firm’s Election Law Practice Group, Hicks has been a key figure in Republican Election Day operations, where he provides

VINCENT HUGHES

Katz ran for – and nearly was – elected mayor of Philadelphia twice.

elections. These days, Hughes’ fight for election integrity hits closer to home. He recently joined his colleagues in a lawsuit to block the Senate Republican subpoena of the Department of State for “sensitive voter information” related to Pennsylvania’s 2020 presidential election.

SAM KATZ

EXECUTIVE PRODUCER AND FOUNDER History Making Productions With decades of experience in politics and public service, Sam Katz was used to being in front of the camera contributing to Philadelphia’s history. Now he finds himself leading the effort to document it. Katz’s History Making Productions has undertaken a number of ambitious documentaries, including the Emmy Award-winning 13-episode “Philadelphia: The Great Experiment.” Currently, Katz is busy completing a new documentary, “Gradually, Then Suddenly: The Bankruptcy of Detroit.”

MOSES WORRELL; JEN BARKER WORLEY PHOTOGRAPHY; ALLEGHENY CONFERENCE

GAIL HARRITY

October 2021

City & State Pennsylvania

Pashman is CEO of the Allegheny Conference on Communuity Development in the Pittsburgh metropolitan area.

STEFANI PASHMAN CEO Allegheny Conference on Community Development If there’s one region that has mastered the art of the pivot, it’s southwestern Pennsylvania. An area once known for its steel industry, it’s now known for its technology sector. Helping fuel this continued growth and investment is the Allegheny Conference on Community Development, under the direction of Stefani Pashman. Pashman, who

spent years in the health care field, has brought a renewed focus on economic inclusion and sustainability. Under Pashman’s leadership, the Allegheny Conference and southwestern Pennsylvania continue to be a magnet in the region for new investments and new jobs.

MICHAEL PEARSON CONSULTANT AND SENIOR ADVISOR Econsult Solutions Looking at Michael Pearson’s portfolio, one could be

Pearson has more than 24 years of entrepreneurial and business experience.

tempted to call him a jack-ofall-trades. That would belie the fact that Pearson has achieved business mastery in quite a few arenas, a mastery which C-Suite decision-makers have come to rely on. As a consultant and senior advisor at Econsult Solutions, Pearson dispenses advice in business strategy and operations. His expertise draws on his success as founder and CEO of prominent Philadelphiabased Union Packaging, LLC and his work at Iron Stone Real Partners.

SHARON PINKENSON EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR Greater Philadelphia Film Office If you’re one of the many Philadelphians who have recently run into Adam

Sandler on your way home, you can thank Sharon Pinkenson for that celebrity encounter. As executive director of the Greater Philadelphia Film Office, Pinkenson has grown her operation into a competitive film commission which has created nearly $6 billion in economic impact for southeastern Pennsylvania. Pinkenson’s team helps filmmakers access local incentives, identify filming locations and secure necessary government approvals, all while fostering the talents of Pennsylvania’s local filmmakers.

MARK PINSLEY LEHIGH COUNTY CONTROLLER Mark Pinsley boasts a head for dollars and cents. Being

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Pinsley is running for state Senate in the 16th District. Pizzingrilli helps clients like him navigate the campaign season.

a product manager for a $14 billion company gave Pinsley the confidence to strike out on his own and launch his own successful small business. It was his appreciation for wise money management and his passion for public service that motivated him to run for office. Currently serving as Lehigh County Controller, Pinsley has his eyes set on a state Senate seat, where he hopes to lend his skills to the General Assembly’s upper chamber.

KIM PIZZINGRILLI SENIOR PRINCIPAL, GOVERNMENT RELATIONS Buchanan Ingersoll & Rooney PC With more than 25 years of experience in state government, Kim Pizzingrilli delivers a wealth of firsthand experience to her state government relations practice. A former commissioner of the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission and a former Secretary of the

Commonwealth, Pizzingrilli’s understanding of state bureaucracies is unrivaled. When not helping clients navigate complex regulatory procedures, Pizzingrilli lends her talents to the United Way and the American Heart Association as a volunteer.

MARIA QUIÑONES-SANCHEZ PHILADELPHIA CITY COUNCILWOMAN When it comes to passing ambitious legislation, few in Philadelphia can compete with 7th District Councilwoman Maria Quiñones-Sanchez. Quiñones-Sanchez’ first election itself was an ambitious undertaking where she upset the machinebacked incumbent. Since joining the body in 2008, Quiñones-Sanchez has been one of the fiercest advocates for affordable housing and business tax reform. Known for both her brains and her boldness, Quiñones-Sanchez was the architect of the Philadelphia Land Bank, an

agency designed to make the disposition of city-owned land more efficient.

YVONNE ROBERTS DIRECTOR, PHILADELPHIA OFFICE

bring key stakeholders to the table make her one of the most-respected and effective lobbyists on the scene.

MARLENE SAMPLE PRESIDENT

Triad Strategies

Sample News Group

Forty years of working in state and local politics has made Yvonne Roberts an invaluable asset to her clients at Triad Strategies. Beyond her decades of experience and the deep relationships she’s formed along the way, it’s Roberts’ multi-faceted approach to resolving issues that stands out. Her understanding of the importance of community engagement in the political process and her ability to

If you’ve picked up a local newspaper lately, there is a good chance you’ve read a Marlene Sample publication. Sample runs the Sample News Group, a media organization with almost 70 publications in New England, New Jersey and Pennsylvania. A former reporter herself, Sample understands how important newspapers and magazines are to communities. In an increasingly digital and global media, hundreds of thousands

Sample has been involved in newspapers and magazines for the past 37 years.

October 2021

City & State Pennsylvania

of readers have come to rely upon the Sample News Group’s portfolio to provide them with coverage they care about.

CYNTHIA SHAPIRA CHAIR, BOARD OF GOVERNORS PASSHE As chair of Pennsylvania’s State System of Higher Education’s board of governors, Cynthia Shapira helps lead the state system’s redesign efforts aimed at achieving student success outcomes, affordability, equity and financial sustainability. Under Shapira’s leadership, the board recently launched its latest effort to support students most at-risk for dropping out of school: the Keystone Extraordinary Emergency Program (KEEP). The program provides immediate financial support to students in danger of dropping out because of unforeseen financial need.

DAVID SKERPON SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT OF ENTERPRISE MARKETING

PROVIDED; BUCHANAN, INGERSOLL & ROONEY; CAPITAL BLUE CROSS; PACDC

Capital Blue Cross With public health at the forefront of everyone’s minds, David Skerpon’s work has never been more important. As the head of sales and marketing for Capital Blue Cross, Skerpon and his team are responsible for brand and market strategy and the company’s signature Connect program, which provides access to health and wellness centers, health coaching, and personal training to members. Skerpon is also a committed volunteer in his community. He currently chairs the board of the Capital Region Arts and Education and serves as a board member of Joshua Group and PA STEAM Academy.

ANDY TOY POLICY DIRECTOR Philadelphia Association of Community Development Corporations

Skerpon joined Capital Blue Cross in 2007 after 23 years in the banking industry.

JAY SPECTOR

ALA STANFORD

PRESIDENT AND CEO

FOUNDER

JEVS Human Services

Black Doctors COVID-19 Consortium

Since its founding in 1941, JEVS has helped hundreds of thousands of individuals overcome physical, developmental, economic and emotional challenges to achieve independence. At its helm is Jay Spector, a respected thought leader in the national human service arena who works with local, state and national partners to expand workforce development, rehabilitation and in-home care programming in the Philadelphia region. Spector’s passion for innovation is driven by seeing the pride on the faces of those who achieve self-sufficiency, with the help of JEVS.

Dr. Ala Stanford, a pediatric surgeon, has quickly gone from a local hero to a national one. Stanford founded the Black Doctors COVID-19 Consortium to provide testing and vaccinations to underserved and vulnerable communities in Philadelphia. With mistrust of the medical community running high, the BDCC quickly established itself as a safe and trustworthy resource. Appreciating the need, Stanford recently announced BDCC plans to open a primary care clinic to further combat health inequities in Philadelphia.

Stanford received the George H.W. Bush Points of Light Award for her work.

Andy Toy likes to get things done and South Philadelphia is a greener and more delicious place for it. As community development director for SEAMAAC, Toy organized a planning effort for Mifflin Square Park improvements and helped launch the SoPhiE Food Truck immigrant chef incubator program. Now, as the new policy director for PACDC, Toy has the opportunity to share his commercial corridor, community and economic development experience with the diverse membership of his new organization.

CALVIN TUCKER MANAGING DIRECTOR Eagles Capital Advisors With razor-thin margins of victory becoming the norm, Calvin R. Tucker knows the Republican Party of Pennsylvania is counting on him to deliver. As deputy chair of the Pennsylvania GOP, Tucker is tasked with broadening his party’s base and creating a more diverse and representative party. When not politicking, Tucker serves as managing director of Eagles Capital Advisors and the capital manager for West Philadelphia Financial Services Institution. He knows numbers and how critical his political work is to ensuring Pennsylvania swings back red.

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CITY & STATE PENNSYLVANIA MANAGEMENT & PUBLISHING Publisher Susan Peiffer speiffer@cityandstatepa.com Group Publisher Tom Allon Event & Sales Director Lissa Blake Vice President of Operations Jasmin Freeman Comptroller David Pirozzi

Who was up and who was down last month

LOSERS MELISSA MANN The PHMC has a new HBIC. Mann was appointed director of the Pennsylvania Historical & Museum Commission last month, where she’ll oversee the state’s 24 historic sites and museums. During her time with PHMC, Mann has been an advocate for inclusion and accessibility. We can all agree no one should be barred from learning.

ADVERTISING advertising@cityandstatepa.com Senior Sales Executive Michael Fleck mfleck@cityandstatepa.com Sales and Events Coordinator Laura Hurliman events@cityandstatepa.com

MARK COMPTON An internal Pennsylvania turnpike report found that more than $104 million in tolls went uncollected last year as the agency was shifting to all-electronic tolling. Nearly 11 million of the 170 million rides generated no revenue last fiscal year, which PTC CEO Mark Compton said is “a big number.” For once, it paid off to not have an E-ZPass.

DIGITAL Digital Director Michael Filippi Digital Marketing Manager Caitlin Dorman ADVISORY BOARD Chair Governor Ed Rendell Board members Leslie Gromis-Baker, Gene Barr, Samuel Chen, Joseph Hill, Teresa Lundy, Anne Wakabayashi, Ray Zaborney, Tricia Mueller

THE REST OF THE WORST

JEFFREY LYNN THOMAS Even those sworn to protect the law can break it, and in this case, may have in horrific fashion. Last month, Somerset County D.A. Jeffrey Lynn Thomas was arrested and charged with rape, strangulation and criminal trespass following an incident where he allegedly entered a female friend’s home and attacked her. Thomas will be taking a leave of absence to focus on the his case and charges that PA Attorney General Josh Shapiro described as “deeply disturbing.” TANISHA JACKSON Jackson, alongside two accomplices, were indicted last month on charges of ripping off the state for millions in reimbursements for federal low-income meals programs. They reportedly failed to deliver thousands of meals to children and instead used the money to buy cars, vacations and other luxuries. To them, FTK clearly didn’t mean “for the kids.”

Vol. 1 Issue 4 October 2021

Fifty over

Advocates, entrepreneurs, philanthropists & visionaries. Service & success have no age limit.

fifty Lorina Marshall-Blake CIT YANDSTATEPA .COM

@CIT YANDSTATEPA

OCTOBER 2021

Cover photography: Jared Gruenwald

CITY & STATE PENNSYLVANIA is published monthly, 12 times a year by City & State NY, LLC, 61 Broadway, Suite 1315, New York, NY 10006-2763. Subscriptions: 202.964.1782 or subscribe@cityandstatepa.com Copyright ©2021, City & State NY, LLC.

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THE BEST OF THE REST

TOM WOLF The Wolf of State Street has been riding high, earning a bipartisan win in the legislature and a narrow victory from a state regulatory board – all in a month’s time. A state regulatory panel approved Wolf’s plan to put a price on carbon emissions. Then the General Assembly voted unanimously to extend hundreds of waived regulations designed to help combat COVID-19, which were originally implemented by Wolf’s administration. Wolf draws a lot of strong reactions from both sides of the aisle, but it’s hard to argue that he had a good month.

OUR PICK

TIMOTHY DeFOOR Last month, the auditor general revealed findings from a performance audit into a controversial COVID-19 business waiver program rolled out by the Wolf administration. It found that the process was flawed and inconsistent. A state agency later said DeFoor’s recommendations were “very constructive.”

CREATIVE Creative Director Andrew Horton Senior Graphic Designer Aaron Aniton Photo Researcher Michelle Steinhauser Junior Graphic Designer Juliet Goodman

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WINNERS

Leaves are beginning to change color and temperatures are starting to cool. Pennsylvania’s political drama, though, remains as hot as ever. There’s always a strong field of winners and losers each month, and this month’s inductees are no different. From people holding their government peers accountable to those making a mockery of their professions, read on for our most recent cast of characters.

EDITORIAL editor@cityandstatepa.com Editor-in-Chief Jenny DeHuff jdehuff@cityandstatepa.com Senior Reporter Justin Sweitzer jsweitzer@cityandstatepa.com Staff Reporter Harrison Cann hcann@cityandstatepa.com NY Editor-in-Chief Ralph Ortega

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Articles inside

SUBPOENA SHOWDOWN

THE WOLF WAY

DEJA ALVAREZ

EDITOR’S NOTE

LET’S PLAY BALL

WINNERS LOSERS