NEW Leadership™

Ashleigh Deemer

Ashleigh is the Deputy Director of PennEnvironment, a statewide environmental non-profit organization working to protect our air, water, and beautiful natural places across the commonwealth. In this role, Ashleigh advocates for policies to reduce single-use plastic waste, promote climate solutions, and reduce industrial air pollution in the Pittsburgh region. Over her six years at PennEnvironment, she has also contributed to the management of the organization and team, and has raised more than $2.7 million for the organization and electoral programs from foundations and individual donors. This year, she also served as the co-chair of the Sustainability, Environmental Justice, and a Green Economy Committee of County Executive Sara Innamorato’s All In Allegheny Transition Team.

Prior to joining PennEnvironment in 2018, Ashleigh served as the Chief of Staff to Pittsburgh City Council District 4, where she wrote and built support for important bills to establish the Pittsburgh Gender Equity Commission, provide paid family leave to City employees, and establish Pittsburgh’s first open data policy. She also managed and advocated for cross-department team projects, including the renovation of a historic building to be a multi-generational community center, and a successful $600,000 state grant proposal to launch a multi-modal complete streets project.

Ashleigh also ran to represent Pittsburgh City Council District 4 in 2017. She built a grassroots campaign and personally knocked thousands of doors, engaged hundreds of voters and brought attention to issues including early childhood education, the opioid crisis, investments in public spaces, and creating a welcoming community for all. Her campaign was endorsed and supported by a variety of local leaders, organizations, labor unions, and national groups, including Planned Parenthood Pennsylvania, the Sierra Club Pennsylvania Chapter, the Pittsburgh Federation of Teachers, Steel City Stonewall Democrats, and Democracy for America, among others.

Joining with other women in Pittsburgh politics, Ashleigh co-founded Women for the Future Pittsburgh, a political action committee aimed at achieving gender parity in elected offices in our region. Women for the Future Pittsburgh contributed over $65,000 to local women running for office who have demonstrated bold and thoughtful leadership. Over seven years, Women for the Future endorsed 45 candidates for local and state offices, 60% of whom won their general elections. Those candidates now hold office in the Pennsylvania House and Senate, borough councils, school boards, and even Congress.

Ashleigh has a B.A. in Environmental Studies from Chatham University, and a Master’s of Public Management from the Heinz College of Information Systems, Public Policy, and Management at Carnegie Mellon University. She lives in the Pittsburgh region with her eight year old son, and she spends her free time reading (currently about music and the nineties) and gardening.

Marita Garrett

Marita Garrett is the Founder & President of CIVICALLY, INC, a social enterprise that focuses on community development by promoting civic and socially literacy to instill self-reliance. In addition to Free Store Wilkinsburg, Community Conversations, she has established Fresh Market and initiatives for health education, urban farming, and others.

In 2019, Civically, Inc. acquired the Hunter Building – the largest commercial building in downtown Wilkinsburg to stabilize an anchor building and catalyze economic development in the Borough. Largely influential for the renewed interested in Wilkinsburg’s revitalization, she was awarded the Governor’s Award for Local Government Excellence for Promoting Community & Economic Revitalization in 2020.

In January 2014, Marita Garrett was sworn in as a Councilwoman for Wilkinsburg Borough. As a member and Vice-President of Council, Marita was instrumental in seeking and receiving over $2 million in grant revenue for the Borough; additionally, led the charge to increase capacity in Borough Department. Recognizing a need to increase community engagement, she started “Wilkinsburg Community Conversations” to connect and empower residents to work together for neighborhood improvement.

In 2023, Ms. Garrett was selected to be in the inaugural cohort of the American Enterprise Institute's Civic Renewal Fellowship.

In 2017, after being elected Mayor, she reinstated the Public Safety Forums to highlight updates in the Wilkinsburg Police Department and provides an opportunity for community members to express their safety concerns. She has been recognized for her diligence in civic and community engagement by numerous organizations and media outlets. Currently, she serves on the advisory boards for Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra, Allegheny Regional Asset District (RAD), Phipps Conservatory, among other organizations. Additionally, Ms. Garrett has served on panels at the Brookings Institution and United Nation’s World Urban Forum 9.

As an advocate for women in leadership, Ms. Garrett was the co-host of Shattered Glass Podcast, where stories of extraordinary women shattering the glass ceiling are highlighted. She was featured in Pittsburgh Magazine’s Women & Business.

Ms. Garrett has a Bachelor’s in Psychology from the University of Pittsburgh, where she now serves as an adjunct professor; and a Master’s in Psychology from Chatham University, where she also received an Honorary Doctorate for Public Service.

Nancy Bocskor

Nancy Bocskor, tagged a “Democracy Coach” by a major German newspaper, teaches citizens in the United States and internationally how to communicate with passion to affect change in their communities.

Nancy recently served as Interim Executive Director of the Public Leadership Education Network, a nationwide organization that trains college women for leadership in public policy positions in government, corporations, and associations. (www.plen.org) Chosen as “Mentor of the Year” in 2017 by PLEN for her work advising college women interested in careers in public service, Nancy is a member of their national board.

Nancy is the former Director of the Center for Women in Politics & Public Policy at Texas Woman's University in Denton, TX, where she launched its programs to promote civic engagement and leadership in public service, and created a gallery celebrating the history of women leaders from Texas. She also secured a partnership with Justice Sandra Day O’Connor’s legacy project, www.iCivics.org to promote civic education; iCivics developed a specific game and curriculum about Texas state government for all school students.

The author of Go Fish: How to Catch (and Keep) Contributors: A Practical Guide to Fundraising, Nancy Bocskor is an adjunct professor at George Washington University’s Graduate School of Political Management where she teaches both online and classroom fundraising courses. She also taught a class on “Women, Democracy and Global Politics.”

Nancy is also on the board for Running Start, an organization that encourages young women to run for office, an advisor for Veteran’s Campaign, a program that encourages Veterans to enter public service, and serves on the board of the LBJ Women’s Campaign School at the University of Texas.

She also served on the board of the Women’s Campaign School at Yale for seven years, where she chaired the school’s Curriculum Committee for five years.

For her service as a Senator Robert J. Dole Institute Fall Fellow, where she moderated panels on “Women, Democracy and Global Politics”, Newman’s Own Foundation recently recognized her as a “Newmanitarian.”

In 2016, she was selected by the Washington Academy of Political Arts & Sciences as one of the “Top 12 Women Changing the Face of Political Communications in Latin America.” Nancy was the recipient of the 2010 Distinguished Alumni Award at Otterbein University in Westerville, Ohio for “her passion to affect change in national and international communities, training and consulting with the nation’s and world’s political leaders, and commitment to educate others, particularly women, around the world.”

Nancy Bocskor spreads democracy throughout the world…..the lively American travels from one country to the next coaching candidates on how to win elections, especially encouraging women to make it into parliament.

*Translated from Die Welt, 11/07

Becky Corbin

Becky Corbin served three terms in the Pennsylvania General Assembly (2013-2018) representing Chester County’s 155th Legislative District.

During her tenure, Corbin served on the following House committees: Judiciary, Environmental Resources and Energy, Health, Liquor Control, Gaming Oversight, and Urban Affairs. She was also co-chair of the Nuclear Energy Caucus and the Pennsylvania House Life Sciences Caucus.

As a state representative, Corbin worked to improve the business climate in Pennsylvania by reducing the tax and regulatory burdens on companies doing business in the Commonwealth. By creating a business-friendly environment, Pennsylvania will attract companies that bring jobs and promote economic development.

Public safety was another of Corbin’s priorities. As the former Commissioner of Brandywine Regional Police, she supported initiatives that empowered law enforcement to carry out their jobs and protect them in the line of duty. One of the bills she authored that became law makes strangulation a felony offense in Pennsylvania. Act 111 of 2016 closed a loophole in state law that allowed some domestic abusers to escape prosecution. In addition, in 2017, she received a District Attorney Commendation from Tom Hogan for her outstanding work supporting Chester County law enforcement in its fight against domestic violence and drug abuse.

Corbin strongly advocated for laws to battle Pennsylvania’s growing heroin epidemic. She was actively involved in the first effort to place prescription drug drop boxes in public locations in Chester County so that residents could properly dispose of unused or unwanted narcotics, keeping them off the streets and out of the hands of addicted persons. She supported legislation that gave police officers and firefighters the ability to administer a life-saving heroin antidote.

A graduate of Chatham University in Pittsburgh, Corbin majored in chemistry, knowledge that has been invaluable to her throughout her public life. After college, she worked as a forensic chemist in the state crime lab of the Commonwealth of Virginia before returning to Pennsylvania to pursue a career in the pharmaceutical industry.

In addition to being police Commissioner, she served as a member of the East Brandywine Township Zoning Hearing Board and the Board of Auditors. In 2008, she was recognized as the Township Volunteer of the Year. Currently, she serves on the Board of Pope John Paul II Regional Catholic Elementary School and is active in the Chester Delaware County Farm Bureau.

She and her husband, Mike, have called Chester County home for over 40 years. They have two children and three grandchildren.

Marita Garrett

Recently, elected as the 10th Mayor of Wilkinsburg, PA. Marita Garrett served on Wilkinsburg Borough Council from 2014-2018.

During her term on Council, Marita Garrett started "Wilkinsburg Community Conversations", an initiative to connect and empower residents to work together for neighborhood improvement, co-founded the Free Store Wilkinsburg - where donations of new and slightly used material goods are available to residents and families; and was elected Vice-President of Council, where she served as Chair of the Borough's Social Media & Promotions Committee and sat on the Capital Planning & Public Safety Committees.

Ms. Garrett is the co-owner and managing partner of Admintrinsic, which provides a wide range of outreach and engagement services to small businesses, non-profits, and mid-level corporations. She has successfully coordinated small business educational events, 2016 Vacant Home Tour with the Wilkinsburg Community Development Corporation (WCDC), consulted on a research study at Carnegie Mellon University among other outreach programming. Currently, she also serves as the Program Trainer for Coro Pittsburgh's Women in Leadership, 2017-2018 Cohort.

Building on her mission of promoting women empowerment, Marita is also the co-host of Shattered Glass Podcast, where stories of extraordinary women shattering the glass ceiling are highlighted.

Ms. Garrett received a Bachelor's in Psychology from the University of Pittsburgh where she was employed as outreach coordinator for the Alzheimer's Disease Research Center for 7 years - starting there as a senior intern. She continued in Psychology receiving a Master's from Chatham University and has been a panel speaker on several occasions for the Center for Women and Politics. She has been recognized for her diligence in civic and community engagement by numerous organizations and media outlets such as the University of Pittsburgh African American Alumni Council, Pittsburgh Magazine's 40 Under 40, City Paper, The Incline's "Who’s Next in Politics", NAACP - Greater Pittsburgh chapter, and most recently named, "Young Democrat of the Year" from the Allegheny County Democratic Committee.

Currently, she serves as Chair of the Congress of Neighboring Communities (CONNECT) as well as on the advisory boards for Allegheny Regional Asset District (RAD) Advisory Board, National Leaders Council - Pittsburgh chapter, and Emerge Pennsylvania.

Natalia Rudiak

Councilmember Natalia Rudiak represents Pittsburgh's fourth district on City Council. District 4 is the area covering the neighborhoods of Beechview, Bon Air, Brookline, Carrick, Overbrook, a portion of Mount Washington. On November 3, 2009, Natalia was elected to City Council with more than 98% of the vote after winning the Democratic Primary the previous May. She was re-elected on November 5, 2013 and was sworn in for a second term on January 6, 2014.

Natalia's professional experience is in management and technology. She previously worked at Deloitte Consulting, where she implemented a state-wide information technology system. She has also done press work for the United States Senate in Washington, D.C. and worked for a public health organization in New York promoting safe and healthy motherhood.

Natalia earned her bachelor's degree from George Washington University through scholarships from the Pennsylvania and national AFL-CIO. During her undergraduate career, she studied at the London School of Economics and Political Science as well as the Jagiellonian University in Poland. Born and raised in South Pittsburgh, she graduated from Carrick High School and Carnegie Mellon University, where she earned a master’s degree in Public Policy and Management.

Natalia was named one of the 40 Under 40 by PUMP and Pittsburgh Magazine in 2009, and was voted Young Democrat of the Year in 2011 by the Young Democrats of Allegheny County. She was then named a 2012 Outstanding Elected Democratic Woman by the Pennsylvania Federation of Democratic Women. In April of 2013, Natalia was named Pennsylvania State Director of the Young Elected Officials Network.

Natalia is currently a Board Member of both the Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh as well as the Pittsburgh Economic & Industrial Development Corporation. The Young Elected Officials Network in 2014 awarded Natalia the prestigious Leadership Award for her work engaging young elected officials in the State of Pennsylvania.

Representative Mauree Gingrich

Mauree Gingrich was elected to represent Lebanon County’s 101st District in the Pennsylvania House of Representatives in November 2002. Throughout her career in the state legislature, she has earned a reputation as an intelligent, hardworking lawmaker, focused on the needs of her constituents and the citizens of Pennsylvania.

Citing her strong leadership experience and interest in economic and business development, Gingrich was selected by House Leadership to serve as chairman of the Labor and Industry Committee for the 2015-16 legislative session. The committee addresses often controversial legislation that helps shape and sustain Pennsylvania’s business climate and workforce.

Gingrich’s attention to business development, job creation and advancing the role of women has been a common thread throughout her lengthy career in public service. The recipient of the National Federation of Independent Business’s Guardian of Small Business Award for 14 consecutive years, Gingrich recognizes the need to attract and retain businesses to the Commonwealth that will bring family-sustaining jobs and have a positive impact on the state’s economy and the lives of Pennsylvania’s citizens.

During her 14 years in the House, Gingrich has held leadership positions on the Appropriations, Aging and Older Adult Services Committees. Gingrich was appointed to the House Rules committee and the Bipartisan Local Government Commission. She has focused significant attention on protecting the interests of Pennsylvania’s most vulnerable citizens – children, the elderly and victims of domestic abuse – and on ensuring that taxpayer dollars set aside for welfare programs go to the citizens in greatest need. She is the recipient of the Children’s Hero Award from both the Lebanon County Sexual Assault Resource Counseling Center (SARCC) and the Joe Allegrini Children Hero Board of which she is now a member.

Gingrich is a founding member of the Lebanon County Commission for Women and an enthusiastic supporter and mentor of women, both individually and through numerous bipartisan leadership excellence programs. She is frequently called upon to speak to women’s groups, including entrepreneurs and business leaders.

“I am grateful for the extraordinary women who came before me and paved the way. I will continue to mentor and encourage women to consider public service roles. A legislative body or business team functions best when it includes a variety of perspectives and differing points of view that make it truly representative. For that reason, women are an essential part of any leadership team.”

Before her election to statewide office, Gingrich was the owner of Mature Market Concepts, a qualitative market research company focusing on the older adult consumer. Prior to opening her own market research company, she was the Director of Marketing at Cornwall Manor in Cornwall, Pennsylvania.

In addition to serving 14 years in the Pennsylvania House of Representatives, Gingrich served 12 years on the Palmyra Borough Council, including nine years as council president. She also previously served as a member of the Borough Planning commission. Gingrich served on the Board of Trustees of the Lebanon Valley Chamber of Commerce, was past chairman of the Leadership Lebanon Valley Board and is a recipient of the prestigious Athena Award, given annually in recognition of women in leadership roles who encourage other women to achieve their potential.

Currently, former State Representative Gingrich has been nominated to serve on the Harrisburg Area Community College Board of Trustees and the Dauphin County ARC Board of Trustees.

Gingrich lives in Hershey Pennsylvania with her husband. They have four children and seven grandchildren.

Commissioner Barbara Cross

The Honorable Barbara Bechtol Cross was appointed to the Cumberland County Board of Commissioners by the Ninth Judicial District, Cumberland County Court of Common Pleas on May 5, 2008, to fill an unexpired term. She was then elected to the Board of Commissioners in November, 2011 and served as the Chairman of the Board.

Born and raised in McKeesport, PA, Barbara is a 1975 graduate of Chatham College for Women (now Chatham University) where she serves as member of the Alumni Board.

Upon graduation she was commissioned an officer in the US. Marine Corps where she would continue her 25 year career, retiring in 1999 with the rank of Lt Col. LtCol Cross was re-called to Active Duty from 2004-2006 to support the Global War on Terrorism.

Lt. Col. Cross's extensive military background includes Logistics, Finance/Budgeting and Intelligence. In addition to various military schools and programs she received a Master of Science degree in Organizational Development and Leadership, from Shippensburg University.

Barbara's community service includes membership on the Carlisle Regional Medical Center's Bio-Medical Ethics Committee, Board member of Leadership Cumberland, Lay Ministry at St John's Episcopal Church, and past Board member of the United Way of the Capitol Region. Governor Tom Corbett appointed Barbara to serve on the PA Commission for Women.

In her role as a County Commissioner, Barb served as a member of the Cumberland County Cooperative Extension Board, Cumberland County Conservation District, Cumberland-Perry Drug & Alcohol Commission, and Victim Witness Policy Board. She was an active member of the County Commissioners Association of Pennsylvania (CCAP), serving as Chair of the Governance Committee, a member of the Election Reform Committee, and also serving on the Military Family & Veterans Committee.

Barbara and her husband reside on a small farm near Carlisle where she served her township as a member of the Planning Commission and as Vice-Chairman of the Zoning Hearing Board.

Justice Cynthia A. Baldwin

Justice Cynthia A. Baldwin has indeed enjoyed a prestigious career. Justice Baldwin dedicated eighteen years of her life to the Pennsylvania judiciary where she served with distinction. She was nominated by Governor Edward G. Rendell to the Pennsylvania Supreme Court to serve an interim term in December 2005 and was overwhelmingly confirmed by the Senate on February 15, 2006. She retired from the Court January, 2008. On March 3, 2008 she became a partner at Duane Morris LLP in the trial practice group.

Prior to her nomination to the Supreme Court, she served on the Allegheny County Court of Common Pleas for over 16 years in the Civil, Family and Juvenile Divisions. On February 15, 2010, she became the Vice President and General Counsel for the Pennsylvania State University, a public state-affiliated university with an annual budget at that time of $3.8 billion, 25 campuses throughout Pennsylvania, a medical school, a law school, a total enrollment of more than 90,000 students and 39,000 employees. Baldwin served as the university's first in-house legal counsel, where she launched and developed a legal counsel's office at Penn State before retiring in July, 2012. Currently she utilizes her considerable legal experience to do mediations and arbitrations.

Hon. Erin C. Molchany

Erin C. Molchany was appointed in 2015 to serve as Director of the Southwest Office of Governor Tom Wolf. In this capacity, Ms. Molchany assists communities and stakeholders by representing the Governor and serving as his liason in 16 Counties within Southwestern PA.

Prior to working in the Wolf Administration, Ms. Molchany was elected to the Pennsylvania House of Representatives where she served from 2013-2014. During her tenure in the PA House, Rep. Molchany represented the 22nd legislative district in Allegheny County prior to redistricting. She was a member of several standing committees of the House including; the Education Committee, Consumer Affairs Committee and Human Services Committee. Rep. Molchany also served on the PA House's bi-partisan and bi-cameral Equality Caucus, Women's Health Caucus and co-chaired the Life Sciences Caucus.

Rep. Molchany's path to public service started in the non-profit sector. From 2005 through 2012, Ms. Molchany served as Executive Director of the Pittsburgh Urban Magnet Project (PUMP). During her 7-year tenure as Executive Director, PUMP's annual operating budget more than doubled, an additional staff member was added for the first time in a decade to accommodate the high demand for programming, and the organization became 90 percent sustainable thanks to its successful social enterprise, the Pittsburgh Sports League (PSL). Her tireless commitment to the organization helped to connect young people in the Pittsburgh region to their communities, an effort that inspired many to stay and invest in its growth and prosperity.

Valerie McDonald-Roberts

A native and life-long resident of Pittsburgh, Valerie is married to Theodore Roberts, Jr., has four adult children, a son-in-law and ten grandchildren.

She earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Medical Technology and Master of Science degree in Forensic Chemistry from the University of Pittsburgh, both summa cum laude.

Valerie brings 24 years of diverse governmental experience having served as appointed Allegheny County Manager of the Department of Real Estate, elected Allegheny County Recorder of Deeds, City of Pittsburgh Council Member, and Pittsburgh School Board Member.

She has served on over 30 non-profit boards and organizations, and has received over 25 awards for her public service including the Pittsburgh Business Times Women in Business, YWCA Tribute to Women Leadership Award, Carlow College Woman of Spirit, and the New Pittsburgh Courier Woman of Excellence.

She has been a children’s Christian educator for 30 years and had served as Girl Scout leader for 8 years.

As Chief Urban Affairs Officer, Valerie oversees all housing, non-profit and faith-based initiatives of city government, with responsibilities over the Housing Authority, the Commission on Human Relations, and with a particular focus on underserved neighborhoods.

Nancy Bocskor

Nancy Bocskor is a sought-after speaker and internationally renowned expert in applied democracy. She is a trainer and consultant whose client list includes citizen activists and organizations in the U.S. and abroad who desire to communicate with passion to affect change in their communities. In a report on the global influence of Nancy’s work as a political educator, a major German newspaper described her as a “democracy coach.” She is equally recognized as a passionate and inspirational advocate for women’s participation in leadership, politics and government.

The author of Go Fish: How to Catch (and Keep) Contributors: A Practical Guide to Fundraising, Nancy is a professor at George Washington University’s Graduate School of Political Management where she teaches courses in strategic communication and fundraising.

Nancy serves on the board of Running Start, an organization that encourages young women to enter public service. She served as a faculty member of The 2012 Project, a program sponsored by the Rutger’s University Center for American Women and Politics to encourage women to run for political office. A past Vice President of the Women’s Campaign School at Yale, she chaired the school’s Curriculum Committee for five years. Nancy recently joined the Board of Advisors for the Center for Second Service, an organization dedicated to getting veterans elected to Congress and sponsored by George Washington University.

Marjorie Margolies-Mezvinsky

In 2012, the Practitioner-in-Residence was former Congresswoman Marjorie Margolies-Mezvinsky.

Marjorie is a graduate of the University of Pennsylvania and a CBS News Foundation Fellow at Columbia University. She began her career as a television journalist at WCAU-TV in Philadelphia. In 1992, Marjorie was the first woman elected to Congress from Pennsylvania in her own right and she was the first Democrat since 1916 elected from Pennsylvania’s 13th District. In 1995, Marjorie served as the Director of the United States delegation to the United Nations Fourth World Conference on Women in Beijing, China. Today she is the President of Women’s Campaign International (WCI), a group that provides advocacy training for women throughout the world and a member of the Vietnam Education Fund, a Presidential Commission that focuses on scientific education and exchange between the United States and Vietnam. She also teaches" “Women Leaders in Emerging Democracies” and “Dealing with the Media” at the Fels Institute of Government at the University of Pennsylvania and has lectured at universities throughout the country.

Congresswoman Kathy Dahlkemper

Congresswoman Kathy Dahlkemper served as a Practitioner-in-Residence during NEW Leadership Pennsylvania™ 2011.