Patricia Schaefer is Chair for the 3 Rivers Wet Weather Board. The President of Edgewood Borough Council, she serves as a borough representative to the Turtle Creek Council of Governments and is Chair of the 3 Rivers Wet Weather Eastern Basin Group, a position she has held since the creation of the basin groups in 2001. She is First Vice Chair and an Executive Board Member of CONNECT (Congress of Neighboring Communities), an organization that promotes cooperation and collaboration between the City of Pittsburgh and the 35 municipalities that share a common border with the City.

Elected to the Pennsylvania State Senate in 1996, Senator Jay Costa is serving his fifth full term as state Senator for the 43rd District. He is currently the Democratic Floor Leader, a position which makes him the highest-ranking member within the Senate Democratic Caucus. Formerly, he served as Allegheny County Deputy Sheriff (1984-1989) and Register of Wills (1992-1996). The Senator has also served as an adjunct professor to the Community College of Allegheny County and currently serves as Treasurer for their Board of Trustees.

Michael Lamb took office as Controller of the City of Pittsburgh on January 7, 2008. As Controller, he created Open Book Pittsburgh, a website that allows citizens to search and view all City contracts, and campaign contributions and expenses of all candidates running for office in the City of Pittsburgh. Michael was instrumental in the creation of CONNECT (Congress of Neighboring Communities) and was an outspoken supporter of row office consolidation.

Kathy Coder has 20 years’ experience in consulting, training, sales and leadership development. She is the President of Inta-Great, a professional development company that serves as catalyst to help organizations grow to their greatness. She is a member of the American Society of Training and Development, the National Speaker’s Association and certified in a wide variety of training programs. Kathy holds degrees in Communications, Business, and a Graduate Degree in Organizational Leadership.

In 2013, Ty Gourley became a Program Officer for the Hillman Family Foundations, where he is responsible for diverse grant-making and administrative functions for their 18 foundations. Prior to this position, he was Principal of Gourley Consulting where he specialized in project management, government relations, policy analysis, community outreach and strategic planning for nonprofit and government clients in southwestern Pennsylvania.

A shareholder in the Environmental, Health and Safety and Natural Resources Groups of Babst Calland, Kevin Garber is an attorney who specializes in natural resources law and water law. He leads the firm’s municipal environmental services practice area, which concentrates on sewage facilities planning and permitting, storm water management, and related development issues facing developers, municipalities and municipal authorities. Kevin graduated with Distinction from The Pennsylvania State University with a B.S. in Biology/Chemistry, an M.S.

In 2012, lifelong citizen of Allegheny County, Senator Randy Vulakovich, was elected to serve the 255,000 residents of the 38th Senatorial District in the Pennsylvania. Prior to joining the Senate, he was elected to three terms in the state House of Representatives. He serves as Chairman of the Veterans Affairs & Emergency Preparedness Committee and as Vice Chairman of the Aging and Youth Committee.

Paul Supowitz is Vice Chancellor for Governmental Relations at the University of Pittsburgh, overseeing the University’s interactions with all levels of government – federal, state and local. Prior to joining the University, he was an Associate in the Pittsburgh law firm of Klett Rooney Lieber & Schorling from 1989 through 1997, where his practice focused on environmental law and litigation.

John Weinstein has served as the elected Allegheny County Treasurer since 1999, being re-elected countywide to four consecutive terms. In addition to overseeing the collection, investment and disbursement of over $1 billion in county funds on a daily basis, he also serves as President of the Retirement Board of Allegheny County and oversees the pension investment portfolio of nearly $800 million.