Current Council
Patricia Wellenbach
President
Patricia D. Wellenbach was named Strategy Advisory to the CEO of Please Touch Museum in November of 2015 as part of a planned leadership succession, and in March 2016, she assumed the helm of the Museum as its President and CEO. Founded in 1976, Please Touch Museum is an internationally recognized leader in integrating play and early childhood learning. She was selected as the incoming CEO based on her demonstrated experience in managing complex organizations undergoing transformational change and creating business models that assures long-term sustainability for those businesses.
In 2021, she was elected as the first female Chair of the Board of Thomas Jefferson University, one of the largest employers in Philadelphia. During her career she has received numerous awards for visionary leadership and civic contributions. In 2023 she was recognized with a Directorship 100 Award from the National Association of Corporate Directors.
A cum laude graduate of Boston College School of Nursing, Wellenbach also holds a certificate from the UCLA Anderson School of Management’s Healthcare Executive Program. She is frequently invited to speak on topics including leadership, organizational change, and governance.
Evan S. Frazier
Vice President
Evan Frazier is the president and CEO of The Advanced Leadership Institute (TALI), an organization aimed at cultivating Black executive leadership to strengthen companies, institutions, and communities. In this new role as of March 2021, Frazier guides the mission of The Advanced Leadership Institute to educate, develop, connect, and position African American leaders for executive advancement.
Before joining TALI fulltime, Frazier served as senior vice president of Community Affairs at Highmark Health. Prior to his 11-year tenure at Highmark, he served as president and CEO of the Hill House Association; vice president in Strategic Planning and Finance Communications at PNC Financial Services Group; senior vice president at the Manchester Bidwell Corporation and director of Community Relations for Eat’n Park Restaurants.
Frazier holds a bachelor’s degree from Cornell University’s School of Hotel Administration, a master’s degree from Carnegie Mellon University’s Heinz College of Public Policy and Management and completed the Wharton Executive Development Program at the University of Pennsylvania.
In 2015 he received the President’s Volunteer Service Award from The White House. He was selected as one of 2020’s Most Influential Black Executives in Corporate America by Savoy magazine, and he currently serves on the board of directors for Dollar Bank and its parent company Dollar Mutual Bancorp.
Frazier is married to Dr. Holly Hatcher-Frazier. They have three children: Evan Jr, Nia, and William.
Gregory S. Bentley
Secretary
Gregory S. Bentley is CEO of Bentley Systems, the second largest software company headquartered in Pennsylvania. Mr. Bentley earned a bachelor’s degree in Decision Sciences in 1976 and an M.B.A. in Finance in 1977 from the Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania. He serves as a member of the Board of Overseers for Penn’s School of Design.
In 2003, Mr. Bentley was recognized as CEO of the Year by the Chester County Chamber of Commerce. He was chairman of Campaign 2000 for the United Way of Chester County, and has served on the boards of organizations for the developmentally disabled. In July 2002, Mr. Bentley participated in President Bush’s Crawford Economic Forum in Waco, Texas, and in January, 2010 he performed a similar role at the White House Jobs Summit. He frequently contributes to governmental policy determinations by representing the Business Software Alliance and the American Business Conference.
In 2009, Mr. Bentley was inducted into the Chester County Hall of Fame. In May 2012, Mr. Bentley became a trustee of Drexel University, where he also serves as Chairman of the Advisory Board for the Pennoni Honors College.
Mr. Bentley and his wife Caroline reside in Unionville, Pennsylvania. He enjoys tennis, church choir, and steeplechase horseracing.
Timothy G. NeCastro
Treasurer
Timothy G. NeCastro is president and chief executive officer of Erie Insurance. NeCastro joined ERIE in 1996, starting a career that has spanned finance, services and sales. He managed ERIE’s Internal Auditing Department and was then promoted to senior vice president of the Controller Division in 1997. He moved into operations in 2008 as senior vice president of the Product and Policy Services Division. He expanded his experience to field sales operations in 2010, when he was promoted to senior vice president and regional officer. His territorial oversight included Ohio, Indiana, Tennessee, West Virginia, Illinois and Wisconsin. In 2014, NeCastro led the entry into ERIE’s 12th state, Kentucky.
Prior to joining ERIE, NeCastro worked for The Plastek Group in Erie, Pa., as director of finance. He previously worked for 10 years progressing through senior manager at Ernst & Young, one of the then "Big Five" public accounting firms, in its Cleveland and Erie offices. An Erie native, NeCastro is a graduate of Cathedral Preparatory School and earned a bachelor's degree in accounting from Gannon University. He serves on the boards of the American Property Casualty Insurance Association, Insurance Information Institute, Erie Regional Chamber and Growth Partnership and UPMC Hamot, as well as the Gannon University board of trustees. He is a founding board member and president of the Erie Downtown Development Corporation’s board of directors.
Michael Brody
Michael Brody is the founder of Brody Group Public Affairs, a national consulting firm based in Washington, DC. The advisory firm focuses on novel technology integration, supporting the U.S. Department of Defense and federal agencies partnering with his clients to harness advances in aerospace, robotics, automation, additive manufacturing, and artificial intelligence.
Prior to founding Brody Group Public Affairs, Mike managed the Capitol Hill office of Duane Morris Government Strategies. In this role, he represented a portfolio of contractors, manufacturing interests, port authorities, non-profits and universities before Congress.
A native of Western Pennsylvania, Brody graduated cum laude from the University of Pittsburgh in 2002. Mike Brody works to help bridge the divide between industry and government in Washington and aligns his vision and goals with those of his clients. He was previously named to the “Top 30 under 30” by PoliticsPA. Brody splits time between Washington and Pennsylvania, frequently visiting family, friends and colleagues.
Michael Brubaker
Mr. Brubaker is Partner of Principled Strategies, a consultancy that offers personalized, highly confidential project management and government relations services to its clients, and owner of TeamAg, Inc., an environmental and agricultural consulting service, serving clients throughout Northeastern U.S.
Mr. Brubaker is a former member of the Pennsylvania State Senate, 36th Senatorial District, having served from 2006 - 2014. While in the Senate, he held numerous positions, including Chair of the Senate Finance Committee and Chair of the Senate Agriculture and Rural Affairs Committee, and he chaired and founded the Legislative Hunger Caucus and the International Commerce Caucus. He also chaired the Chesapeake Bay Commission. He holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Agronomy from West Virginia University.
Mr. Brubaker is active with numerous business and community organizations, serving on the boards of PEDFA, The Chesapeake Conservancy, Lancaster County Solid Waste Management Authority, Donegal Mutual Insurance Company, Hunger-Free Lancaster County, and Lancaster County Career & Technology Foundation. He is a life member of The Pennsylvania Society and The Churchill Society, and has received numerous awards, including an Honorary Doctorate, Public Service, from Thaddeus Stevens College of Technology, Small Business Person of the Year, Lancaster Chamber and The Impact Award from the U.S. Dept. of State.
Louis DeNaples, Jr.
Louis DeNaples Jr. serves as the President of Emergency Service, P.C. responsible for the management of a regional Hospital Emergency Department/Level II Trauma Center and 10 Emergency Medicine Physicians. Dr. DeNaples is the Director for Department of Emergency Medicine Community Medical Center/Geisinger Community Medical Center. Since 2013 he has been a partner with Pennsylvania Ambulance and in 2015 he became a partner with Trans Med Ambulance where he is responsible for business development and client relationships.
In 2015 he also became a Franchise Owner for NAHL Tier II, Jr. Hockey. Dr. DeNaples is a Board Member of First National Community Bancorp, Inc., First National Community Bank of Dunmore, and Goodwill Industries of North Eastern Pennsylvania.
In 1989, he received a Bachelor of Science degree in Biology from the University of Scranton, then went on to the University of Michigan School of Medicine where he graduated in 1993. Dr. DeNaples did his Emergency Medicine Residency at Henry Ford Hospital from 1993 to 1996. He resides in Moscow, Pennsylvania with his wife, Pamela and their 5 children.
Michael DeVanney
Mike DeVanney is a founding partner at ColdSpark, a Pittsburgh consultancy that provides strategic and communications counsel to elected officials, candidates for public office, advocacy groups, non-profit organizations and Fortune 500 companies. Twice, Mike has been rated as a “top operative” by PoliticsPA news site and has been the leader of creative teams that have won multiple industry awards.
He currently serves as Pennsylvania Finance Chairman for the National Republican Senatorial Committee. DeVanney was among the elected delegates to the 2016 Republican National Convention. He served as Western Pennsylvania Finance Chairman for the Pennsylvania Republican State Committee and Western Pennsylvania finance chairman for Marco Rubio’s 2016 presidential campaign.
Active in the Pittsburgh community, DeVanney is a trusted board member of several non-profit and charitable organizations. He serves as vice-chairman of the board of the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra, where he chairs the government affairs committee. He is also a member of The Dick Thornburgh Forum for Law and Public Policy Advisory Committee at the University of Pittsburgh. He is a past board member of the AMD3 Foundation, past chairman of the Jack Heinz Society, Central Catholic High School Board of Directors, and the major gifts committee of The Pittsburgh Promise, which provides college scholarships to the city’s high school students.
Active in Catholic causes, DeVanney is a member of the Order of Malta, where he serves in a leadership role. He was recently Co-Chair of the successful capital campaign for The Pittsburgh Oratory.
A graduate of the Pennsylvania State University, Mike resides in the Shadyside neighborhood of Pittsburgh with his wife, Angela, and their daughters, Eleanor, Margaret and Catherine.
Stephen P. Fera
Steve Fera is executive vice president of Public Affairs and Government Markets at Independence Blue Cross (Independence). Over his 30-year career at Independence, he has led multiple lines of business, advised top leaders in government, and championed health equity and public-private collaboration. Mr. Fera brings a community-oriented approach to his work at the intersection of health care, public policy, and social impact.
Today, he has overall corporate responsibility for Independence’s nationally recognized and top ranked Medicare Advantage plans as well as the company’s public affairs division. This includes leading government and community affairs and Independence’s $140 million charitable foundation, which was founded under his leadership in 2011.
Through collaborative partnerships and innovative programs, Mr. Fera has worked to expand access to care and improve the lives of millions of Americans. Most notably, earlier in his career, he led Independence’s work with the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania to launch the Children’s Health Insurance Program, which became a national model for providing health coverage to kids across the country.
Mr. Fera serves on several boards, including Vista Health Plan, Tandigm Health, Pennsylvania’s Chamber of Business and Industry, Public Affairs Council, and the Ed Snider Youth Hockey Foundation. He also co-chairs the Ending Racism Partnership, a citywide, participatory collaboration of Philadelphia residents, leaders, and influencers from community, business, government, and philanthropy to end racial injustice and economic inequality.
Elizabeth Preate Havey
Elizabeth Preate Havey is the 47th president of The Pennsylvania Society and is a partner at the law firm of Dilworth Paxson LLP. Ms. Preate Havey is a transactional attorney representing corporations and nonprofit organizations such as the National Constitution Center, providing general corporate and transactional advice. Ms. Preate Havey also specializes in public and private finance matters involving tax-exempt and taxable bonds and notes and counsels municipalities in monetization through the sale or lease of municipal assets such as wastewater systems. In addition to her transactional practice, Ms. Preate Havey assists clients with government relations needs, utilizing her long-standing professional relationships with key political players at the local, state, and federal levels.
Ms. Preate Havey is an active leader in the community, having served as a governing member of the National Constitution Center Board, PA Economic Development Financing Authority, PA Convention Center Authority, Belmont Charter School Network, and the Mid Penn Bank Advisory Board. She is the Secretary of the Pennsylvania Republican Party, a member of the Forum of Executive Women, and sat on the Merit Selection Panels for Federal Magistrate Judges in 2020 and 2022.
Maria Sordoni Hudacek
Maria Sordoni Hudacek currently serves as president of the Sordoni Foundation, Inc. a private entity devoted to philanthropy. The foundation has supported initiatives in Arts and Culture, Economic Development, Education and Health and Human Services. Her interest in education continues through service as a Trustee to Springside Chestnut Hill Academy. Maria also serves as Trustee of the AllOne Foundation Charities Board, a community foundation in Wilkes Barre, PA.
Prior to taking on her role at the Sordoni Foundation, Maria spent 18 years in the financial services industry, first with Morgan Stanley and then with Merrill Lynch serving institutions and high net worth individuals.
Maria graduated from the University of Delaware with a BS in Political Science. She and her husband Stephen, and their daughter Reese, split their time between Harveys Lake and Philadelphia.
Michael A. Innocenzo
Michael A. Innocenzo is president and CEO of PECO. Based in Philadelphia, PECO is Pennsylvania’s largest electric and natural gas utility. He is responsible for leadership of PECO’s overall performance associated with service reliability, customer satisfaction, financial management, and regulatory and external affairs. Innocenzo previously served as senior vice president and chief operating officer, where he was responsible for leadership of PECO’s overall performance associated with operations, safety, service reliability, customer satisfaction and financial management.
Innocenzo serves on the boards of the Philadelphia Free Library, the Philadelphia Police Athletic League, the Southeastern Electric Exchange, the American Gas Association, the Energy Association of Pennsylvania, the Franklin Institute, the Satell Institute, and the Chamber of Commerce for Greater Philadelphia. Innocenzo also led special projects with the Edison Electric Institute and the North American Electric Reliability Corporation. Innocenzo holds a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering from Widener University and a MBA from Villanova University.
Dusty Elias Kirk
Dusty Elias Kirk is a partner at Reed Smith LLP where she concentrates her practice on all aspects of real estate development, acquisitions and economic incentives, with an emphasis on real estate litigation, including real estate tax-assessment appeals, land-use and zoning appeals, and eminent domain proceedings. She represents real estate developers, property owners and nonprofit institutions in real estate assessment appeals of industrial, commercial, office, retail and exempt properties in issues regarding valuation of real estate, tax-exempt status, taxation of mineral rights, and tax abatements for newly constructed and reconstructed properties. Dusty litigates matters throughout Pennsylvania before administrative hearing boards, as well as in trial and appellate proceedings.
She is the recipient of numerous award and honors including the 2014 Honorable Sylvia A. Rambo Award and the Pittsburgh Business Times 2013 Business Women First Award.
Dolly Lalvani
Dolly Lalvani is a tax director in the Private Company Services practice of PwC US Tax LLP (Philadelphia, PA). With over 23 years of experience in public accounting, she manages the day-to-day delivery of tax services for private companies and works closely with them to identify tax planning ideas that increase cash flow.
Her clients have included companies in the real estate, law, retail, manufacturing, and pharmaceutical industries. She has assisted clients with a full range of tax planning services and has significant experience providing compliance and planning services to partnerships and other "pass-through" entities.
Dolly received her undergraduate degree in Business Administration in Accounting from Texas A&M International. She is a licensed, certified public accountant in Pennsylvania and was a member of the PA State Board of Accountancy (2013-2018), Pennsylvania Institute of Certified Public Accountants (PICPA), the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA), and the National Association of State Boards of Accountancy (NASBA), where she currently serves on the association's Examination Review Board committee.
John Lawn
John Lawn was appointed a Director of the Hershey Entertainment and Resorts in June 2017 and elected Chairman of the Board in September 2019. John was named Chief Executive Officer in June 2017 after serving as President since September 2016. John joined the company in 2004 and previously served as Vice President and Chief Operating Officer, and held other leadership positions in the Entertainment division, including Director of Food & Beverage and Assistant General Manager of Hersheypark®.
Prior to joining the company, John worked with clients at Yankee Stadium, FedEx Field, and the Men’s US Open Championships, as well as at other sporting venues and premier hospitality events throughout the country.
John serves on the Board of Directors of the Harrisburg Regional Chamber & CREDC and the Pennsylvania Chamber of Business and Industry, and he is a member of the Penn State Harrisburg Board of Advisers. John is also a member of the Pennsylvania Restaurant & Lodging Association, serving as Vice President of the Tourism Coalition, and the International Association of Amusement Parks and Attractions (IAAPA).
Suzanne S. Mayes
Suzanne Mayes is a nationally known public and project finance attorney, chair of Cozen O’Connor’s Public & Project Finance Practice, co-chair of the Business Law Department, and a senior member of the firm’s board of directors and management committee.
Suzanne holds several senior management roles at the firm. She is charged with helping optimize the Business Law Department’s culture, financial metrics, national and international growth, lateral integration, client outreach and cross marketing, and individual attorney growth and development. She also serves on the boards of directors of Inolex, a global leader in sustainable personal care product
ingredients, and several non-profit organizations.
As one of the first women ever to lead an Am Law 100 public finance practice, Suzanne is a tireless advocate for women’s professional advancement. She founded the first organization on the East Coast for women in public finance and is a former president of The Forum of Executive Women.
Mike Molewski
Mike Molewski is a Principal and financial advisor with CAPTRUST, an investment advisory and financial services firm. Mr. Molewski is responsible for leading the Strategic Advisor Group, a division within the firm that provides multigenerational business and estate preservation, wealth planning, and investment advisory services.
Prior to becoming a Principal at CAPTRUST, he served as founder and CEO for MFP Strategies, Chairman of the firm’s investment, management, and compliance committees. He also leads the M Financial Group relationship for CAPTRUST, where he has been a member firm principal and shareholder for over 25 years.
Mr. Molewski graduated from King’s College with a double major in economics and psychology and completed graduate work in taxation at the McGowan School of Business. He is a Certified Financial Planner™ (CFP®) and Chartered Financial Consultant™ (ChFC®). He has been a Member of the Board of Directors of American Bank since 2005 and currently serves as Chairman of the Asset Liability, Audit Committee, Technology Committee, Nominating Committee, Loan Committee, and Compensation Committee and serves on the Technology Committee for the M Financial Group. Mr. Molewski resides in the Lehigh Valley with his wife Diane.
Lisa Smith Presta
Lisa Smith Presta is a senior partner at the law firm of MacDonald Illig Jones & Britton LLP and the Chair of its Litigation Department. Ms. Presta handles complex, multiparty litigation matters involving commercial disputes, employment issues and professional services in state and federal court, appellate courts, administrative agencies, arbitration tribunals, and alternative dispute resolution settings. By appointment by the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania, Ms. Presta serves on the statewide, 12-person Rules of Evidence Committee. She also serves by appointment on the federal Lawyers Advisory Committee of the Judicial Council of the Third Judicial Circuit, which comments on proposed rules and acts as a liaison between the Third Circuit Court and the legal community.
Ms. Presta is an active leader in the community, having served on the Board of Directors of several nonprofit organizations and as Chair of a substantial capital campaign. She is a past president of the Erie County Bar Association and past Chair of its Civil Litigation Section. Ms. Presta currently serves as Chair of the Board of Directors of UPMC Hamot, as a member of The Pennsylvania Society Council, and as member of the Erie Club Board of Directors. Ms. Presta graduated from the University of Pittsburgh School of Law, the University of Pittsburgh and Pennsylvania State University and is a frequent speaker and author on issues of substantive law and trial practice.
Velma A. Redmond
Velma A. Redmond is the retired Divisional General Counsel of American Water and served as Vice President, Corporate Counsel and Secretary of Pennsylvania American Water. She was formerly Chief Counsel for the Pennsylvania Department of State, Chief Counsel to the Pennsylvania Independent Regulatory Review Commission and Assistant Attorney General in the Pennsylvania Department of Justice.
Ms. Redmond was Chairman of the Board of Managers of the Milton Hershey School and the Board of Directors of Hershey Trust Company. She is Chair Emeritus of the Board of Trustees of the Harrisburg Area Community College. Ms. Redmond graduated from Princeton University and holds a Juris Doctor degree from Villanova University School of Law.
Deborah Rice-Johnson
Deborah Rice-Johnson is president of Highmark Inc. and chief growth officer of Highmark Health. She is an innovative health insurance leader, driven by a passion for reinventing health care experiences and pioneering provider relationships designed to keep care close to home and change antiquated reimbursement methods. Through diverse and inventive relationships ranging from joint ventures to equity interest partnerships, she has spearheaded affiliations and clinical alliances with Penn State Health, Geisinger Health System, Lehigh Valley and many regionally-based health care providers.
Ms. Rice-Johnson has more than 30 years of experience in the health insurance industry. She has held a variety of management positions at Highmark and its predecessor company. Her leadership has not only redefined the payerprovider relationship and yielded unparalleled financial performance, but she has also delivered innovative clinical solutions that aim to improve health outcomes for Highmark’s members. She is also keenly focused and committed to positively impacting the employment situation of our nation’s military veterans through championing private-sector hiring efforts.
James D. Schultz
Jim Schultz is an attorney in Holland & Knight's Philadelphia and Washington offices. Mr. Schultz is a member of the firm's Public Policy & Regulation Group and leads the Northeast Government Advocacy Team and is a co-leader of the State Attorneys General Practice.
Mr. Schultz has served in various high-profile government positions. He was a Senior Associate Counsel and Special Assistant to the President of the United States in the Office of White House Counsel, where he provided counsel to the White House on matters involving government contracting, procurement, trade and transportation, and infrastructure.
In addition, Mr. Schultz served as an ethics official for the White House, with the responsibility of providing counsel on ethics and compliance matters, including those involving the Ethics Act, Hatch Act, Stop Trading on Congressional Knowledge (STOCK) Act, gift rules, financial disclosures and conflicts of interest. Mr. Schultz also served as counsel to the presidential transition and was a member of the legal team during the 2016 Republican National Convention. He is often called upon as a political and legal contributor to local and national media outlets.
Mr. Schultz is active in state and local politics and has served as a campaign adviser and legal counsel to candidates running for office. From 2011-2014, he served as general counsel to Gov. Thomas W. Corbett, his executive staff and the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.
Mr. Schultz managed a legal organization of nearly 500 lawyers who served as counsel to 36 executive agencies and independent boards and commissions. He provided counsel on all major procurements, transactions, litigation, and the preparation of legislation and regulations on behalf of the administration and Commonwealth agencies under the governor's jurisdiction.
Karen Winner Sed
Karen Winner Sed is Chief Executive Officer of Winner International, headquartered in Sharon, Pennsylvania. She started in the family business over 25 years ago. Winner International is a consumer products company that specializes in safety and security items. Its best known product, The Club steering wheel lock, can be seen on millions of steering wheels across the globe. In addition to Winner International, Karen is Chief Executive Officer of Winner Water Services, a company that today focuses on water supply. She is also Chief Executive Officer of Allegiant Security Cameras. Her experience includes hospitality and lodging, retail, tourism, marketing and advertising, and manufacturing across a wide variety of family owned businesses.
She served as a board member of Team Pennsylvania Foundation from 2004-2015 where she spent 3 years as Co-Chair representing the private sector. She is active in numerous community based efforts, including the revitalization efforts of the downtown area in which she both resides and works. A native of Pennsylvania, Karen holds a Bachelor of Science degree from Thiel College and earned her MBA in management from Youngstown State University. Ms. Sed resides in Sharon with her husband Thomas.
Susie Shah
Dr. Susie Shah has been practicing Diagnostic Radiology, specializing in Breast Imaging, since 1998 in Philadelphia. After earning a B.S. in Biochemistry as an undergraduate at Pennsylvania State University, she continued with graduate work earning a M.S. in Chemical Engineering at Columbia University, and an M.D. at Hahnemann Medical School. She completed her internship at Pennsylvania Hospital and residency training at Albert Einstein Medical Center in Philadelphia. She was board certified in 1998 by the American College of Radiology, and has been practicing Diagnostic Radiology. Susie worked at Regional Radiology in New Jersey from 1998 to 2002, and since 2002 has practiced at Chestnut Hill Hospital in Philadelphia.
While navigating a busy life, married to Jay Shah for over 26 years, and raising her now 22 year old twins, Aryana and Avikar, Susie has maintained a work-home life balance with intention. Daily exercise, few minutes of silent meditation and prayers center her for the day. Reading, travel and knitting are a few of her favorite hobbies, and wanting to provide assistance to underserved areas in India is where her focus is
headed next. She currently resides in Wynnewood, PA with her husband and two dogs.
Edward J. Sheehan Jr.
Edward J. Sheehan, Jr. was the 46th president of The Pennsylvania Society. He serves as President & CEO and Vice Chairman of the Board of Directors at Concurrent Technologies Corporation (CTC). CTC is an independent, nonprofit, applied scientific research and development professional services organization based in Johnstown, Pennsylvania. Mr. Sheehan has over thirty-seven years of corporate, management, and programmatic experience associated with a variety of assignments for large and small businesses located throughout the United States.
Mr. Sheehan serves as a member of the Board of Directors for a number of Pennsylvania-based economic development, public service, and charitable organizations in a volunteer capacity. He serves on the Board of Directors and the Executive Committee of the Pennsylvania Chamber of Business and Industry and the Board of Directors of Friends of Flight 93 National Memorial. He is a member of the Western Region Advisory Board of Highmark, Inc. and is a University of Pittsburgh at Johnstown Advisory Board Member. He is former Chair of the United Way of Pennsylvania and a former member of the Board of Trustees of Mount Aloysius College. Mr. Sheehan also serves on the Board of Directors of 1stSummit Bank and holding company.
Mr. Sheehan earned his degree from the University of Virginia. He and his wife, Julie, have four daughters, one son-in-law, and one grandson.
Michelle Singer
Michelle W. Singer is Senior Vice President for Political Engagement at Comcast. Michelle’s portfolio includes political engagement and government affairs work in Philadelphia, Washington, D.C., and throughout the company’s national footprint.
Before joining Comcast in 2009, Michelle served as former Pennsylvania Governor Edward G. Rendell’s chief political and fundraising strategist for nearly a decade. On behalf of Governor Rendell, she served in lead finance roles for the National and Democratic Governor’s Associations. As a Democratic strategist and fundraiser, Michelle has worked closely with all five Democratic presidential campaigns since 2000, including in her various roles at Comcast.
Michelle played an integral role in delivering the 2016 Democratic National Convention in Philadelphia, notably leading the $60M national fundraising effort and coordinating critical telecommunications infrastructure at the Wells Fargo Center.
In 2023, President Joe Biden named Michelle to the President’s Export Council, the principal national advisory committee on international trade. Additionally, Michelle served on the Transition Leadership Board for Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro and Lieutenant Governor Austin Davis following the 2022 election. Michelle is Vice Chair of Philadelphia Soccer 2026, the city’s host committee for the 2026 FIFA Men’s World Cup.
A native of Pittsburgh, Michelle graduated from the University of Pittsburgh with dual degrees in English Writing and International Relations. Michelle began her career at Edelman Public Relations Worldwide in 1998 and was an advance staffer for the Clinton White House and Vice President Gore’s 2000 presidential campaign.
Christine Toretti
Christine Toretti is heralded as a change agent, a reputation she has earned through building successful relationships and businesses. She has effected change as Chairman and CEO of the largest privately-held land-based natural gas drilling company in the United States, and was named one of the most influential Republicans by helping to support and advance women in numerous ways: by creating the Women Lead PAC and the Anne Anstine Excellence in Public Service Series programs, engaging women in all facets of the political process and encouraging their increased involvement in leadership roles.
Ms. Toretti received a Bachelor of Science degree in Commerce from the University of Virginia, a PPL from Harvard Business School, and is a graduate of the Leadership Program at Oxford University. She is Chairman and CEO of Palladio, LLC, and serves as President of The Jack Company. She serves on the boards of EQT Corporation and S&T Bank. Ms. Toretti is the recipient of numerous honors and awards, including an Honorary Doctor of Laws degree from Indiana University of Pennsylvania in 2002; Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, Governor Tom Ridge and the Commerce Department Award; Pennsylvania’s Best 50 Women in Business, 1996; Top 50 Influences of 2014, “Campaigns & Elections;” and the RNC Mary Louise Smith Trailblazer Award, 2014. She resides in Indiana, Pennsylvania.
LeRoy S. Zimmerman
LeRoy S. Zimmerman is a former president of the Society, serving from 2008 to 2010. He was Pennsylvania’s first elected Attorney General, a position he held for eight years, beginning in 1981. Immediately preceding that, he served as Dauphin County District Attorney for 15 years. Currently, Mr. Zimmerman is Senior Counsel for the firm of Eckert Seamans Cherin & Mellott, LLC and a member of the Board of Overseers of The Dickinson School of Law of Pennsylvania State University and a Trustee of The Hall Foundation. He is former Chairman of the Milton Hershey School Board of Managers, the Hershey Trust Company Board of Directors and Hershey Entertainment and Resorts Company. He served on the corporate boards of The Hershey Company and Select Medical Corporation.
Active in numerous professional and civic organizations, he is the recipient of many honors and awards for public service and leadership. LeRoy S. Zimmerman is a graduate of Villanova University and the Dickinson School of Law.
Heather Greenleaf
Executive Director
Heather Greenleaf serves as the seventh executive director of The Pennsylvania Society. She is a native of Montgomery County and a graduate of The George Washington University. Heather, her husband Stewart, Jr., and their two children reside in Willow Grove, PA.