Nicole has dedicated over two decades to Pennsylvania local government, beginning in 2001 in data entry and systematically advancing through Secretary, Treasurer, and Borough Manager positions across multiple municipalities. As Borough Manager of Lehighton Borough from 2011-2022, she managed one of Pennsylvania's 35 public power communities, overseeing a $20.5 million budget, 65+ employees, and the complex dual responsibilities of municipal operations in a full service borough and electric utility management. Since joining the Meyner Center in 2022, Nicole has served nearly 50 municipalities through executive recruitments, organizational assessments, and various projects benefiting communities in Pennsylvania. Her passion centers on solving complex municipal challenges through organizational development, mentoring emerging leaders, and building sustainable governance structures that serve communities effectively both today and into the future.

Chief Brown has served as the Chief/Director of the Allegheny County Department of Emergency Services since 2015. Chief Brown previously served as the Executive Director for the Pittsburgh Regional Business Coalition for Homeland Security. Chief Brown also served as the Director of Protection Services- US for United States Steel Corporation where he held several titles over 27 years for U.S. Steel. Chief Brown has over 39 years of experience in emergency services, emergency management, industrial safety and hazardous materials, security, investigations and close protection. Chief Brown is also a Life member of Munhall Volunteer Fire Company #1 where he has held many ranks up to the level of Deputy Chief – Munhall Bureau of Fire and is currently a member of Glassport Citizen’s Hose Company. He holds a bachelor’s degree from the University of Phoenix and is a graduate of Steel Valley High School.

Rebeca Chieffallo is an Associate with the Pittsburgh law firm of Campbell Durrant, P.C. Ms. Chieffallo practices in the areas of labor and employment, and municipal law. Ms. Chieffallo is a graduate of the University of Scranton, B.A. 2021, and the Thomas R. Kline School of Law of Duquesne University J.D. 2024. She was admitted to practice in Pennsylvania in 2024. Ms. Chieffallo is a member of the Pennsylvania and Allegheny County Bar Associations, Allegheny County Bar Association Women in the Law and Young Lawyers Divisions.

Thomas Cook has more than 36 years of experience in emergency services, and an extensive background in public and nonprofit administration — having served at the municipal, county, and state levels, with a primary focus on public safety and emergency management. Most recently, Cook served as Assistant State Fire Commissioner. He was responsible for the day-to-day operations of the Office of the State Fire Commissioner. Prior to that, Cook was administrator of the Pennsylvania State Fire Academy, with oversight of the firefighter training system for the Commonwealth. Cook attended the Allegheny County, Pennsylvania State, and National fire academies. He is a Pennsylvania state fire instructor, and has taught extensively for local fire and emergency management training agencies. He is an associate professor for the Point Park University, teaching programs in public administration.

Jason Dailey is the owner of Dailey Operation Consulting LLC, providing municipal and authority-focused consulting services across Pennsylvania. He previously served as Utilities Director and Public Works Director for Cranberry Township, overseeing a 50-person department spanning infrastructure, utilities, and public works operations. A former Township Manager in Allegheny County, he has also held leadership roles with APWA, APMM, and MEIT. Jason holds degrees from Waynesburg College and Point Park University, and teaches for PSATS, PSAB, and LTAP. He continues to advise municipalities statewide on public works, asset management, and operational efficiency.

Chief DeWick is in his 28th year of law enforcement, 26 years of which have been with Northern Regional Police. He worked his way through the ranks and was appointed as Chief of Police in August 2024. Chief DeWick was an instrumental part in the formation of the North Hills Special Response Team and has served 17 years with the team with the last eight years as Team Commander. He is a member of the International Chiefs of Police Association, the Allegheny County Chiefs Association, and the Western Pennsylvania Chiefs of Police Association, where he currently serves on the executive board as third Vice President. Chief DeWick has a bachelor’s degree in criminology from Indiana University of Pennsylvania and is a 2016 graduate of the FBI National Academy.

Irving S. Firman is a shareholder in Tucker Arensberg’s Municipal & School and Real Estate Practice Groups and serves as the firm’s Managing Shareholder. He concentrates his practice in municipal law, land use and zoning, eminent domain, and general real estate matters. Irv currently serves as Solicitor for the Township of Upper St. Clair, South Park Township, Whitehall Borough, and Indiana Township. With more than two decades of experience representing public sector clients, Irv acts as legal counsel to municipalities, housing authorities, municipal authorities, and zoning hearing boards. He previously served as in-house counsel to the Housing Authority of the City of Pittsburgh from 1998 to 2001 and has represented the Authority on a wide range of legal matters for more than 20 years.

Dennis J. Flynn, P.E. is a Project Manager with Gateway Engineers, where he represents multiple municipalities across Western Pennsylvania. With nearly two decades of experience, Dennis specializes in the planning, design, and implementation of municipal water, wastewater, and stormwater projects, as well as other infrastructure and park projects. He has been actively involved in all phases of the region’s sanitary sewer consent order and regularly assists communities in meeting regulatory compliance goals. At Gateway Engineers, Dennis draws on the firm’s full-service capabilities to help local governments develop practical, cost-effective solutions to infrastructure challenges.

Allison Genard is a senior associate in the law offices of Campbell Durrant, P.C. in Pittsburgh Pennsylvania practicing labor and employment law. Allison represents public and private employers in labor relations, personnel issues, and defending public and private employers in litigation. Allison has conducted investigations for employers into misconduct, harassment, and policy violations. Allison has obtained positive results for employers in employment and labor related litigation at arbitration and in state and federal courts. Allison graduated with her law degree from Duquesne University and a bachelor’s degree from Saint Vincent College.

Peter J. Halesey advises public-sector clients on a wide range of matters pertaining to labor and employment issues. He regularly represents school and municipal employers in matters such as grievance arbitrations, collective bargaining negotiations, and employment related litigation. Following law school, Pete worked at a law firm near his hometown in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, where he practiced in a number of areas. Most importantly, he was fortunate enough to represent several public sector entities as solicitor and special labor counsel, including the career and technical center where his father served as executive director. Just prior to joining the firm, Pete worked at another Pittsburgh law firm where he represented a number of municipalities and school districts as solicitor and counseled them on a wide range of matters. As part of his representation, Pete worked closely municipal managers, school administrators, and elected officials to advise them of their legal obligations in a variety of areas, with special concentration in labor and employment matters.

Paul N. Lalley is a shareholder with Campbell Durrant, P.C., where he handles labor and employment issues for public sector clients. Paul has argued cases involving local governmental issues before the Pennsylvania Supreme Court, the Commonwealth Court of Pennsylvania, and the United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit. He has represented municipal clients in state and federal court in cases involving employment and constitutional claims, as well as in proceedings before the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, the Pennsylvania Human Relations Commission, the Pennsylvania Labor Relations Board and the National Labor Relations Board. He has conducted personnel training for public school administrators and municipal managers. Paul received his Bachelor's Degree in History at the University of Pennsylvania in 1993 and his Juris Doctorate degree from The Dickinson School of Law in 1996.

Laura has extensive experience as a community organizer, municipal government employee, and consultant. In the private sector, Laura assisted municipalities with ordinance amendments and the development of comprehensive plans. She also conducted research and provided guidance related to downtown revitalization and housing and urban development. In the public sector, Laura served as the community development director for North Fayette Township. She was responsible for reviewing development plans, managing the community development, and building department operations budget, negotiating agreements with developers, and ensuring all developments met the requirements of township ordinances and the Municipalities Planning Code.

Lori is a skilled urban planner with multi-faceted experience in local and regional government. She has a strong background in transportation, land use, scenario, corridor, and comprehensive planning with additional practice in site plan and local ordinance review. She has a passion for shaping the built environment to help improve communities and the lives of their residents. As a community planner, her responsibilities range from developing planning studies and reports in support of new or updated plans, programs and regulations, to collecting a variety of statistical data for preparation of reports and maps to acting as a liaison between community groups, government agencies, developers and elected officials throughout the planning process. Prior to joining HRG, Lori was a Transportation Planner with the Champaign County Regional Planning Commission in Urbana IL.

Ashley J. Puchalski is a senior counsel attorney whose practice primarily focuses on the representation of municipalities and school districts. Ashley currently serves as Solicitor to the Borough of White Oak and the Borough of McDonald. She is Assistant Solicitor to Derry Township in Mifflin County. Ashley frequently advises clients with regard to zoning, land use, code enforcement issues, and pension issues, as well as Right-to-Know Law and the Sunshine Act. In addition, she assists municipal clients by attending monthly municipal meetings, magisterial hearings, and summary appeal hearings. Ashley also has a growing practice in public and private sector labor and employment matters. Ashley routinely litigates on behalf of municipal clients in various magistrate courts, at the Court of Common Pleas of Allegheny County, at the Board of Property Assessment Appeals and Review, and before the Board of Viewers.

Gavin A. Robb is a shareholder at the firm and an experienced municipal lawyer providing advice to public sector clients on all aspects of municipal law, including zoning, code enforcement, employment, and general governance issues. Gavin currently serves as the appointed Solicitor of Churchill Borough, Brentwood Borough, West Deer Township, the Wilkinsburg and Plum Borough Zoning Hearing Boards, and the North Hills Council of Governments. He has served as Special Counsel to municipalities throughout Western Pennsylvania on zoning and land development matters including oil and gas development and solar energy facilities.

Elizabeth P. Sattler is an Associate at Weiss Burkardt Kramer LLC, having joined the firm in January 2023. She focuses on general solicitor and taxation matters, overseeing the firm’s tax collection and tax assessment departments. Elizabeth is also the solicitor for the Hempfield Area School District, and Assistant Solicitor for the Pittsburgh Public School District. Prior to joining WBK, Elizabeth worked with a regional firm in its Municipal and School Section, concentrating on tax collection, assessment, and solicitor representation. Elizabeth is a proud alumnus of the Pennsylvania State University, and received her Juris Doctorate from the University of Pittsburgh School of Law in 2006. She is admitted to practice in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the United States District Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania. Elizabeth is a member of the Pennsylvania Bar Association and the Allegheny County Bar Association.

Megan M. Turnbull is a Shareholder at Weiss Burkardt Kramer LLC, where she works with municipalities, school districts and nonprofits in the role of Solicitor, Labor Counsel and Special Counsel. Additionally, she oversees the firm’s Tax Assessment and Tax Collection practice groups. Megan currently serves as the (W-2) Sectional Director for the Pennsylvania School Board Solicitors Association (PSBSA). She recently ended a two-year term as the Chairwoman of the Pennsylvania Bar Association‘s Municipal Law Section. Megan is an active member of the Allegheny County Bar Association, where she has served as the Chair of the School and Municipal Section and the Political Action Committee. She is a Fellow to the Allegheny Bar Foundation, which provides legal support to indigent and underrepresented persons in our community. Megan is admitted to practice in the Courts of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, the United States District Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania, and the United States Supreme Court. Megan received her Bachelor of Arts degree from Penn State University, and her Juris Doctor from the University of Pittsburgh School of Law in 2004.

Rick first joined the Department of Community and Economic Development (DCED) in March of 2015 as the Executive Director of the Governor’s Center for Local Government Services. He was appointed as Deputy Secretary for Community Affairs and Development in February 2017. As Deputy Secretary, Rick oversees the work of the entire deputate including: The Governor’s Center for Local Government Services; The Center for Community Enhancement; The Center for Community and Housing Development; The Center for Community Services; and The Whole-Home Repairs Office. Before coming to DCED, Rick served four terms as Mayor of Lock Haven and was previously President of the Pennsylvania Municipal League.

Chief Wilhelm’s fire service career has spanned four decades, starting as a junior member in 1982 and has served in volunteer and combination departments, both in administrative and operational positions. His career included serving as a dispatcher, police officer and detective for nearly 10 years, spent 12 years in the corporate world working in management for two Fortune 50 companies, before building a successful company of his own. He returned to a full-time public safety career in 2010 as Chief of the Swissvale Fire Department. During his tenure as Chief, he successfully consolidated a career and volunteer department; implemented training and certifications to national standards; reduced the ISO rating from a Class 6 to a 2; advanced the agency’s EMS program from BLS to ALS and facilitated cooperation between regional departments. While Fire Chief, he also served as the Borough Manager from 2014 through 2020, inheriting a municipal government near fiscal insolvency. He brought forth a change in culture and paradigm shifts within the local government’s administration and operations. Without raising taxes, he increased revenues, services and capital investment, ending each year with a surplus.

Shon K. Worner is a shareholder with the Pittsburgh office of Campbell Durrant, P.C. Mr. Worner practices in all areas of labor and employment law for public sector entities. Mr. Worner’s practice includes labor negotiations; interest and grievance arbitration proceedings; defense of matters before administrative agencies; and, providing risk management and preventative counseling to employers in every facet of employment. Mr. Worner has a B.A., cum laude, from Ohio University and J.D. from the University of Pittsburgh School of Law. Mr. Worner is a member of the Board of Directors for the Local Government Academy and a frequent presenter on labor and employment matters for organizations supporting local governmental entities in Pennsylvania. He, his wife, and two daughters reside in Upper St. Clair, where he is a member of the Upper St. Clair Civil Service Board.