Tara is a graduate of Cumberland Valley High School and holds a B.S. in Business Administration and Marketing from West Virginia University. For 20 years, Tara worked for and eventually took ownership of L. L. Brown, Inc., a family-run machining business founded by her grandfather, Lawrence. Tara sold her share of the business a few years ago to pursue her passion for health and wellness. Currently, she is the Community Coordinator for Athleta Harrisburg and co-owner of Dexterity Depot, Central PA’s first facility dedicated solely to ninja warrior and parkour training.

Tara proudly serves on the Development Committee for the Whitaker Center for Science and the Arts. Through her position with Athleta, she enjoys bringing awareness and support to a multitude of local nonprofits. Serving the community is also a priority at Dexterity Depot, which Tara opened with partner Tim Dexter earlier this year, hosting events for organizations such as Girls on the Run and the Make-A-Wish Foundation.

Tara resides in Camp Hill and is the proud mom of two boys and two dogs.

Tressia Pankewicz recently launched Vista Wealth Management, LLC, with her partners after 5 years with Morgan Stanley and 16 years in the pharmaceutical and nutritional industry. She started in the financial field to follow her true passion of educating and empowering people to take control of their financial lives. Tressia works with individuals, families, and businesses, offering strategies to their unique financial situations and goals. She offers a personal touch and process to her practice that assures her clients that they are receiving an individualized, holistic approach to manage them to and through retirement. She creates relationships across generations, seeking to build a level of trust by listening and responding genuinely to every client. Tressia is active in the community, volunteering her time as a board member of CPAFE, Central PA Associations for Female Executives, The Fund for Women and Girls, and The Conference for Women-Be Extraordinary. She has been active with the LGBT Chamber of Commerce, Junior Achievement of South Central PA, and recently began Leadership Harrisburg Area Community Leadership Series.

Securities and advisory services offered through LPL Financial, a Registered Investment Advisor, Member FINRA/SIPC.

Nancy Bittinger is the owner of Carlisle Bowen Works. Nancy has dedicated her life and career to best understand the cause of pain in the human body and uses that knowledge to help her clients recover from pain. Because of this dedication, Carlisle Bowen Works has earned the title of “Best of Cumberland County” for holistic health provider for the last three years. Nancy is president of the board of the Blue Lotus Buddhist Temple, Pennsylvania, she on the community council of the Amethyst Foundation, and volunteers for the Charles Bruce foundation and UUCV.

Securities and advisory services offered through LPL Financial, a Registered Investment Advisor, Member FINRA/SIPC.

Alexandria Resetar is the Marketing Specialist for AmeriChoice Federal Credit Union and has worked for the credit union in various roles since 2007. Alex is a lifelong resident of the West Shore and attended Cedar Cliff High School in Camp Hill. She graduated with honors from Elizabethtown College and holds a Bachelor of Arts in Corporate Communications. As the Marketing Specialist, Alex is able to work not only with AmeriChoice members and employees, but also teach the community about the credit union difference, what credit union membership means and give financial literacy presentations to local schools and organizations. Alex serves on the Pennsylvania Credit Union Association’s (PCUA) Young Professional Network council and the PCUA Harrisburg Chapter board, along with the West Shore Chamber of Commerce’s Business & Industry Night Committee. In her free time, Alex enjoys traveling and checking out new places, cooking and going to barre classes.

Angela is passionate about helping others and reinvesting in our awesome community. She started on this path via the Bridges Society at the United Way of the Capital Region, followed soon after by membership and a leadership role in the Rotary Club #23 of Harrisburg. Her father’s battle with lymphoma led to her run for Woman of the Year 2016 with the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, finishing as runner-up with $58k raised over ten weeks, and also introduced her to Hospice of Central PA where she is presently co-chair of the Brunch & Birdies event. As the oldest of seven children, and mom to an 8-year old boy, Angela believes it is our responsibility to give back to our community and involve the next generation in our volunteer and philanthropic efforts. Angela is also on the board of the West Shore Chamber of Commerce, and Hope Station, Carlisle. As a business banker at M&T Bank, she is proud to work for a company that so emphatically supports her involvement in our community.

Nancy is a survivor of domestic violence having lived in an abusive marriage and experiencing the violent murder of her daughter on January 10, 2003. She is an advocate for domestic violence and sensitivity toward victims. Nancy created Randi’s House of Angels (RHOA), to fulfill her dream to help children who are victims of domestic violence. RHOA provides trauma informed programs to both individual and group therapies to help traumatized children. She established her credibility in the community by hosting over the past 15 years Randi’s Race: a 5K Run/Walk for Hope and Courage and has raised over $473,000. Nancy has been recognized for her efforts as a community leader, co-authored a book and received several awards for her efforts. She is honored to have received an Honorary Doctorate from Central Penn College.

Sara Firestone is the Community Relations Manager at Members 1st Federal Credit Union. Sara and her team are responsible for the credit union’s community involvement throughout the seven-county service area of Members 1st. A 2017 graduate of Leadership Harrisburg Area, Sara is proud to continue her involvement with LHA by serving on the public relations committee. Other organizations that Sara is honored to support through Board and committee work include the Harrisburg Symphony Society, Central PA Food Bank, Global Women’s Leadership Network- PA Sister Society, and TFEC’s Fund for Women and Girls.

Rebecca West Hensinger is an Early Childhood Educator, Ironman Triathlete, Group Exercise Instructor and mother of three from Allentown, Pennsylvania. She is the current Mrs. Pennsylvania. She has completed triathlons on four continents and was a member of Team USA triathlon 2018 alongside her husband and high school sweetheart, Brandon. She has been awarded All World Athlete Ironman status 3 years in a row and currently holds Silver status for her international top 5% age group finish times.

Rebecca is passionate about serving her hometown community through inner city school mentoring programs, such as Big Brothers and Big Sisters of the Lehigh Valley. As a young girl, Rebecca received a community mentor who changed the path of her life in many positive ways. She firmly believes that children are a most valuable asset to our communities and is constantly searching for ways to support local families. She is currently training to climb Mt. Kilimanjaro with her husband in 2020.

Peter Russo is the founder and Managing Attorney at The Law Offices of Peter J. Russo, P.C. Since 1994, Peter has represented individuals and companies in a variety of legal matters while focusing on finding common sense solutions for his clients. Owning several other businesses beyond the law practice, Peter’s entrepreneurial nature and business experiences developed a unique perspective which has proven to be powerful asset for clients.

Starting the practice right after graduating from law school, Peter gained a fast appreciation for the need to give back to the community which supported him as he grew his practice. Affiliating himself with numerous local non-profit organizations and board service with organizations like the Cultural Enrichment Fund, Jake Gittlen Memorial Golf Tournament, Jump Street and Cumberland County Bar Foundation have solidified that “giving back” attitude. Fundraising has developed into a passion for Peter and, over the years, he has assisted in raising millions of dollars for local non-profit organizations.

Peter lives in Mechanicsburg with his wife, Amber and their dog, Zita. Between managing the law firm and his community service, Peter finds time to enjoy golf, cooking and the occasional ride on his Harley.

Todd Snovel was appointed by Pennsylvania Governor Tom Wolf as the inaugural Executive Director for the Pennsylvania Commission on LGBTQ Affairs. In this role, he works alongside 36 commissioners, from across the Commonwealth, advising the Governor on policies, practices, legislation, and systems that impact LGBTQ individuals and communities.
Prior to this appointment, Todd served as the Assistant Dean for Engagement and Inclusion at Lebanon Valley College where he led the team working with students in the co-curricular experience and initiated campus-wide efforts in equity, diversity, and inclusion. Todd has taught college-level courses on the studies of genders, sexualities, and identities and holds an M.A. in Organizational Leadership from Mansfield University.

Todd is passionate about contributing to his community and advocating for equality and access to education, the arts, and healthcare. He has served on the boards of Lebanon Family Health Services, the Lebanon Community Theatre, The Sexual Assault Resource and Counseling Center, and the Keystone Business Alliance. Todd is also a past chair of the Lebanon County Commission for Women.

He is a proud member of the Dream Team for the Fund for Women and Girls of the Foundation for Enhancing Communities and serves on the Women’s Fund Advisory Committee. He was the 2014 recipient of the Athena Award from the Lebanon Valley Chamber of Commerce and was named Advocate of the Year by the Keystone Business Alliance in 2018.

Todd has provided workshops and trainings on issues of diversity, inclusion and global engagement for businesses, organizations, and conferences and is an active presenter, contributor, and foundation trustee for ACPA: College Student Educators International.

Securities and advisory services offered through LPL Financial, a Registered Investment Advisor, Member FINRA/SIPC.

As Managing Partner and Founder of Freedom Financial Wealth Management, an independent financial services firm, Jeffrey brings almost 20 years of experience to his clients which include individuals, families, and organizations providing financial literacy services to their employees. Much of Jeffrey’s services include a focus on empowering women to make independent financial decisions and providing Financial Literacy Programs to Pennsylvania’s workforce. Jeffrey began his career with American Express Financial Advisors. He implemented training programs for other advisors and quickly was promoted to a senior leadership role prior to starting FFWM in 2005 to fulfill his need to provide high quality services to his clients. The team at FFWM is vested in supporting local schools and Jeffrey is feverishly working on plans to increase his support within the next few months.

In 2020, he will be joining other prominent male leaders in Pennsylvania as a catalyst in spreading the message to stop domestic violence, redefining what it’s like to “be a man.” Jeffrey is a general securities representative and a licensed insurance agent and investment advisor representative. Jeffrey is a loving father of two children and lives in Mechanicsburg with his wife, Shawn. He enjoys traveling and spending time with his family.

A graduate of Messiah College with a BS in International Business, Twila decided to pursue a career in Real Estate after 8 years in customer service and portfolio management in the Banking Industry. After a successful start during a “poor” market in 2006, Twila has continued to grow her business, establishing her team, the Twila Glenn Group, to enhance her strengths and supplement her abilities. Twila manages a team of “Realtor Moms” who strive to live a balanced work and family life and show that the relationship is always more important than the transaction. In her free time, Twila and her husband Ryan enjoy spending time with their 7yr old daughter and 5-year-old son, traveling, biking and doing house projects as a family. She also enjoys reading and spending time with friends and family.

Bili Mattes has over twenty-five years of experience in higher education administration and leadership, academic outreach, and program innovation and development. Bili serves as Provost and Chief Academic Officer at Harrisburg University of Science and Technology. Harrisburg University is, a young STEM-focused institution of higher education built on a competency-based and technology-integrated educational model. As Provost, she is responsible for all aspects of academic and student affairs at the university to include development of all new academic programs and approvals; recruitment and supervision of faculty; oversight of curricular, academic policy, and student success. Bili is also the Executive Director of the STEM-UP Network, a social enterprise powered by HarrisburgU that supports the recruitment and advancement of women in STEM professions through leadership development, a strong and growing network of woman professionals, and mentoring programs. The STEM-UP community is expanding to Philadelphia and Maryland and beyond.

Lisa Lickers is a native of Buffalo, NY. Determined to live a life of service, Lisa obtained her B.A. in Psychology from Buffalo State College and her M.A. in Human Services Counseling to better understand the needs of those she would serve. Lisa has several years’ experience in serving marginalized populations as a manager for the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. In 2019, Lisa decided to transition her skill sets into a role that allows her to work with families to create lasting financial breakthrough in their households and on an individualized basis as an agent with New York Life. Outside of her professional career, Lisa is a certified Crisis Advocate for Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault victims, a certified life coach, and the founder/CEO of her own non-profit organization; the Young Women Empowerment Academy. Lisa dedicates her time to mentoring teen mothers and works diligently with theyouth in her community to give them the tools and resources they need to be successful. Lisa has a passion for serving her community and empowering the next generation.

Masai Lawson loves connecting passionate people with opportunities where they will thrive. The Philadelphia native (go Sixers!) serves as Manager of Talent Acquisition at Gannett Fleming, Inc., where she and her team develop innovative recruiting and engagement strategies to attract top talent while promoting an employee-centric culture. Prior to joining Gannett Fleming, Lawson held key positions in marketing, business strategy, operations, and global delivery. Her diverse list of clients during her 20-plus years in the field includes Pfizer, Microsoft, Bank of America, Siemens, Deloitte Consulting, and the cities of Atlanta and Philadelphia.

A graduate of University of Phoenix, Robyn Waters RN, BSN is the Staff Educator at Messiah Lifeways where she is responsible for education, development of training programs, skills fairs, mentoring of future nursing and nurse aide students and more all for the staff in the Nursing Care Neighborhoods. Her passion comes from within, what she has been through however don’t allow these experiences to define her rather they guide her to teach and mentor. She strives each day to inspire, encourage, and equip others to believe in themselves and be the positive change. She lives everyday with passion and a smile on her face. In Robyn’s spare time she loves to spend time with family and friends. Robyn lives in Mechanicsburg with her rambunctious, furry, fun loving chocolate labordoodle Tucker.

A career-long marketer in the architecture, engineering, and construction industries, Amy Collins, FSMPS, CPSM, is passionate about giving back. A former president of the Society for Marketing Professional Services (SMPS) Central Pennsylvania chapter, Amy now serves as secretary and trustee of the national SMPS Foundation and has managed the development of multiple Foundation research projects. Amy is dedicated to transforming companies through marketing leadership, raising the bar for marketing strategy and deliverables, and achieving measurable results to advance business goals and works to achieve this through her role as Facilities Business Line Marketing Manager at Gannett Fleming. A busy mom of two boys, she is a devoted member of the BSA Troop 196 and Cub Scout Pack 196 Committees, helping to build positive learning experiences and events for Scouts.

Mary Clayton has devoted her career helping companies and nonprofit organizations build better brands through creative marketing. In her current role as Marketing Event Planner for PA Media Group, Mary is devoted to creating meaningful experiences for businesses and members of the community through top-notch events. Passionate about her community, Mary currently serves on committees and boards for the West Shore Chamber, Leadership Cumberland, and Central Pennsylvania College. When not at a networking event or committee meeting, Mary enjoys cooking four-course meals, winning her family’s hard-earned pennies at poker, and matching her outfits to one of 20+ pairs of cat-eyed glasses!

Candice S. Coleman, IEWP is the owner and principal planner of Iparty4aliving Events, a professional event planning company, Throne Chair Rental Services and Online Premium Party Shop. Candice started her event planning business in 2011 after realizing she had a gift of planning and decorating events. She went on to further her education to become a certified International Event and Wedding Planner. Candice is the Director of Programs and Events for the African American Chamber of Commerce of Central PA where she has planned well over 50+ events and educational programs for entrepreneurs and those who are looking to become entrepreneurs. In 2017, Candice received the Women of Heritage Award by The Urban Connection magazine after serving as a panelist where she spoke about Entrepreneurship and the Power of Perseverance. She was featured in the book titled Dare to Dream, written by author Vera Cornish, The Urban Connection, Weddings In Style and TheKnot.com. Candice’s workshop titled Earn Money In Your Sleep: How to Build an E-Commerce Business in 24 Hours has helped many individuals start their very own online e-commerce business.

Candice is the proud mother of three boys, Chance, Caden, and Aubre. Although Candice has a love for events, her mission is to inform and bring awareness to the world of mental health and the importance of self-care. Candice has her Bachelors in Human Services from Elizabethtown College and is set to graduate currently at the top of her class this spring 2020 with her Masters in Human Services from Lincoln University of Pennsylvania.

Anne Parmer earned her bachelor’s degree in English and piano performance from Lebanon Valley College. She went on to complete an MBA at Penn State and has spent almost two decades advising startups, planning national conferences, fundraising, and coordinating of countless projects. Anne works with andculture’s clients to craft engagements that add value to both organizations. She is fascinated by the areas where disciplines overlap (syncretisms like mindfulness and business, or music and literature) and is compelled to support people who find win-win solutions. Anne connects passionate, curious, strategic people together on projects that matter.

Jessica obtained her Real Estate License from the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania in 2001 and joined Campbell Commercial Real Estate, Inc. in 2006. She currently serves as the company’s Chief Operating Officer and is involved in all aspects of the day-to-day operation, as well as sales & leasing of commercial properties. She is a former Co-Chair of Harrisburg Regional Chamber & CREDC’s Chamber Business Women, a past President of the Paxtonia Elementary School PTA, and a current member of several real estate affiliations, including the National Association of REALTORS, Greater Harrisburg Association of REALTORS and CCIM (Certified Commercial Investment Member). In 2017, Jessica received the prestigious CoStar Power Broker Award. She was the only woman in the entire Philadelphia region, which includes Harrisburg, to receive the honor that year for office lease transactions.

Jessica is also involved in various local charity organizations, including having run a record-setting campaign in the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society’s Man & Woman of the Year Campaign and is currently a member of the Salvation Army’s Women Auxiliary Group WIN Women Involved. She lives in Harrisburg with her husband, Nick, and two very active children, Stella and Rockne.

Danette was born and raised in the Harrisburg area, a graduate of Central Dauphin High School and Kutztown University. Danette spent 18 years in the Temporary Staffing Industry, with Manpower International. Ten of those years were spent in Dallas, Texas. Since 2000, Danette has been the Executive Director of Vision Resources of Central Pa, where she administers the day-to-day operations of the agency. With a staff of approx 95 full time and part time employee and seven service areas, Vision Resources provides numerous invaluable services to the Dauphin, Cumberland, Perry and Franklin county Blind and Vision impaired community. 

Active in her community, Danette is involved with the Harrisburg Chapter of Executive Women International, United Way, Chamber Women ,WCAN networking group, and the Linglestown Area Civic Association and she serves on the executive board of PAB, Uniquesource, Harrisburg Lions Club and her local community pool. Danette is also very involved in her church.

She has one son, 2 grown step daughters , son in laws and a wonderful 10 year old grandson and a granddaughter coming in February 2020. She resides in Linglestown with her husband Keith and their 2 dogs.

Susan has worked in the Call Center industry for more than 30+ years with a variety of products and clients ranging from cosmetics, telephone services, and yellow pages advertising to coins and collectibles. Her current role as Director of Client Services with American Mint—an international direct mail marketer—has her overseeing several departments including Customer Service, Outbound Telemarketing, Data Entry, Mail Room, Bookkeeping and IT. Her role also includes frequent travel around the globe to corporate offices located in Germany, as well as the Customer Service and Telemarketing overflow center in Belize City.

When not managing her departments, Susan spends her off-hours giving back to her community. In addition to teaching classes at the Operation Summit trade show, she has written several training seminars on Customer Service; has volunteered with the Central Pennsylvania Animal Alliance and BackYard Benefits, which produces the annual BackYard Bash and Strawberry Ball; is a board member with Safe Harbour; and has her own non-profit, After the Darkness Ninja Angels, which provides resources for counseling services and financial assistance to families affected by suicide.

A longtime resident of Carlisle/Camp Hill area and a graduate of Cumberland Valley High School and Purdue Global University, Susan has been married for 10-years to her best friend Daniel and has 4 children, 7 grandchildren, 6 dogs and 5 cats and 2 birds.

Linnie S. Carter, Ph.D., APR is the vice president of college advancement at HACC, Central Pennsylvania’s Community College, and executive director of the HACC Foundation. She joined the HACC team in March 2012. Linnie serves all five of HACC’s campuses. She oversees the HACC Foundation and advertising, alumni affairs, branding, fundraising, grants, graphic design, marketing, photography, public relations, publications, scholarships, special events, sponsorships, videography and website development. Linnie earned a Ph.D. in community college leadership from Old Dominion University in Norfolk, Va. She earned a master’s degree in mass communications (media management) and a bachelor’s degree in mass communications (public relations), both from VCU. She earned the prestigious Accredited in Public Relations (APR) designation from the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA). Her many professional and community memberships include the Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Inc., National Council for Marketing and Public Relations and PRSA. Linnie has been happily married to her husband for more than 23 years.

Kelly Powell Logan joined Harrisburg University of Science and Technology in 2015 as Vice President for Strategic Workforce Development and University Centers. Through partnerships with public and private sector employers, Kelly leads the development and promotion of professional development education programs and oversees Career Services for HU students. Over her career Kelly has held leadership positions in academia, the public sector and the private sector. She has served as Cabinet Secretary for three different Pennsylvania Governors, served as Executive Director of Public Services at PHEAA and lead marketing and procurement in private sector organizations. Kelly holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration from Villanova University; a Master of Business Administration (MBA) degree from The Pennsylvania State University; and completed the Strategic Leadership for State Executives program at the Governors Center, Duke University. She is a graduate of Leadership Harrisburg Area’s Executive Leadership program, is past chair of the Capitol Regional Economic Development Corporation (CREDC) and past president of the National Association of State Chief Administrators (NASCA).

AmeriChoice Federal Credit Union has been a part of Central Pennsylvania for nearly 50 years. A full service, not-for-profit financial cooperative, AmeriChoice members have a say in how their credit union is being run with the opportunity to vote for the board of directors. All who live, work, worship and attend school in Cumberland, Dauphin, and Perry counties may join, along with family of current members. AmeriChoice prides itself on truly being a part of the communities we serve, and each staff member volunteers in the community throughout the year. With five local branches to serve members and a full array of digital banking options, AmeriChoice is proud to grow and evolve with our members while improving our communities, one member at a time.

Carlisle Bowen Works has earned the reputation of “the place to go to get relief from pain”. It is the home of 11 independent contractors that all work in a wide range of alternative therapies. It has earned the title of “Best of Cumberland County” for holistic health provider for the last three years. Local orthopedic surgeons and pain management doctors are referring their patients regularly. Carlisle Bowen Works supports many local nonprofits, including Blue Lotus Buddhist Temple, Amethyst Foundation, UUCV, and the Charles Bruce Foundation.

We believe HR is a partner that limits risks, positively impacts your bottom line, and alleviates the stress associated with managing people. We recognize that it takes an artful approach to obtain buy-in from you and your team. We are ready to provide a creative approach that fits your business and its unique HR needs. We also work with passionate professionals to inspire them to stay connected. We believe that work should be meaningful and organizations should engage you as their employee. You have a unique combination of knowledge, skills, and abilities to offer the world and you deserve the opportunity to excel professionally. It would be our privilege to guide you to realize your professional aspirations.