Expand AllClick here for a more accessible versionRob Alcock AIC, WCLA is the Complex Claim Supervisor for Eastern Alliance Insurance Group. Rob has over 33 years of experience in the Workers' Compensation industry and is committed to including a focus on the biopsychosocial model with an injured employee's return to wellness journey. He is currently the President of the Board of Directors for Kids' Chance of PA. Rob has a passion for working with youth and has served as a high school soccer coach, club soccer coach, baseball coach, and basketball coach in the Central PA area. Prior to joining Eastern Alliance in 2013, Rob worked for several carriers in Central Pennsylvania supervising Workers' Compensation and Auto/GL claims. Rob is a graduate of Messiah College with a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science- Pre-Law. He has obtained his AIC and Workers' Compensation Claim Law designations.
Amie Allanson-Dundon has worked in the behavioral health field for over 30 years and currently is the Network Director of clinical therapy services at St Luke's University Health Network. Amie maintains a clinical practice at SLUHN while overseeing clinical care pathways and treatment in all ambulatory psychiatry and psychotherapy programs. Amie is passionate about both teaching and facilitating clinical psychotherapy in systems so that clinicians and providers fully embrace the voice and knowledge of the people they serve. Her keen areas of interest are the integration of physical and behavioral health, developing cultures of wellness, trauma, addiction treatment, supporting recovery and peer cultures, mental health services for first responders, and critical incident stress management. Amie graduated Cum Laude from Muhlenberg College in Allentown, PA in 1993 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology with a minor in English. She received her Master of Science degree in Counseling and Human Relations from Villanova University in 1995. Amie holds licenses in professional counseling in the states of New Jersey and Pennsylvania and is nationally certified. Amie is a certified forensic addictions specialist, a certified advanced alcohol and drug counselor, a certified co-occurring disorders professional diplomat, and a certified clinical trauma professional.
Robert J. Baker is a partner in Chartwell's Harrisburg, PA and Arlington, VA offices. Rob focuses his practice on the defense of general employment and workers' compensation matters. He routinely represents employers in labor and employment matters, including PHRC/EEOC litigation. He has handled a myriad of human resources including hiring, firing, progressive discipline, payroll, compensation and benefits, OSHA/risk management, and training and development. Before joining the firm, Rob was corporate director of human resources for a large regional continuing care retirement organization, where he was responsible for employment law compliance, employee relations, workers' compensation management of insured and self-insured programs, and other human resources issues. This experience helps him guide his clients through any issues that might arise, having handled them firsthand in his client's position himself. Some of Rob's significant accomplishments include the coordination of WARN, reductions in force, successful OSHA investigations resulting in zero deficiencies, managing the transition of multiple employee benefits programs from insured to self-insured status, management of welfare and retirement plan documents and summary plan descriptions, and discontinuing retirement plans with the implementation of replacement programs. He has also handled matters before the PHRC and EEOC. Rob is a frequent writer and lecturer concerning all aspects of employment law and workers' compensation. He has admissions in Pennsylvania and Virginia, the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania and of Virginia, the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Pennsylvania, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit, and the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania.
Judge Lawrence Beck is a Workers’ Compensation Judge in the Philadelphia Office of Adjudication. Prior to his appointment as a Workers’ Compensation Judge in 2012, he was in private practice for nearly 15 years in the Lehigh Valley and Philadelphia regions. While initially a general practitioner, including both civil and criminal matters, Judge Beck’s concentration on workers’ compensation matters began, in earnest in 2000. In private practice, Judge Beck primarily represented primarily public and private employers, carriers, and third-party administrators before the Office of Adjudication, Appeal Board, Commonwealth Court, and Supreme Court of Pennsylvania. Judge Beck has authored, and co-authored, numerous articles for the Legal Intelligencer and taught and prepared materials for continuing legal education seminars on the subject of workers’ compensation, both within the Office of Adjudication and for state and county bar associations. Judge Beck is a graduate of Elizabethtown College and the University of Dayton School of Law. He resides in Bucks County with his wife and daughter.
Sean Beggs is the Director of Carnegie Mellon University’s Master of Information Systems Management (MISM) program. Sean is an experienced technology management practitioner and system administrator. Prior to joining Heinz College, Sean worked as a jet engine mechanic for the United States Air Force. Sean earned a bachelor’s degree in Psychology from the University of Pittsburgh and a master's degree in Information Technology from Carnegie Mellon University.
Alexis Berg-Townsend is the head of the Workers’ Compensation Department at Cohen, Feeley, Altemose & Rambo located in the Lehigh Valley. Ms. Berg is passionate about fighting hard for the working class and focused on doing everything she can to get her clients the benefits they deserve. Ms. Berg obtained her B.S. at Tiffin University where she graduated magna cum laude in 2003. She then attended Ohio Northern University Pettit College of Law where she earned her Juris Doctorate in 2006. For the past 16 years, her primary practice has always been in defending claimants in Pennsylvania Workers’ Compensation law. Ms. Berg is a member of the Board of Directors for the Lehigh County Bar Association where she also serves as the Chairwoman for the Workers’ Compensation Committee. Since 2014, Ms. Berg has been recognized by the Pennsylvania Supreme Court as a Certified Workers’ Compensation Specialist and has been actively serving on the statewide Certification Committee since 2020. Ms. Berg has been recognized for Workers’ Compensation Law – Claimants by Best Lawyers® and selected to Pennsylvania Super Lawyers since 2022. She was also previously selected to the list of Rising Stars every year from 2014 through 2017. In addition, Alexis Berg-Townsend received the 2017 Lehigh Valley Business Forty Under 40 Award, the 2016 Tiffin University Alumni Award, and 2022 Women of Influence Award. In 2019, Ms. Berg was awarded the honor of ‘Labor Partner of the Year’ by the AFL-CIO Lehigh Valley Labor Council. She has presented and led seminars on Workers’ Compensation at the Labor School, Penn State University, Lehigh Valley Chamber of Commerce, Pocono Chamber of Commerce, and before various local union organizations. Ms. Berg is a member of the Lehigh County Bar Association, Northampton County Bar Association, and the Monroe County Bar Association. In addition, she is also admitted to practice in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania and the United States Supreme Court. In 2021, Attorney Berg proudly solidified the rights of traveling employees in the case of Peters vs. Workers’ Compensation Appeal Board. The unanimous Supreme Court decision overturned numerous local court rulings that unfairly held that a traveling employee was not within the course and scope of employment after leaving a work-sponsored event. The Supreme Court stated, “An employee’s course of employment does not end simply because the employee passed his or her home during the workday”. The Supreme Court also opined that, despite the work-related event being voluntary and social in nature, the claimant did not abandon the course and scope of employment. Ms. Berg can be reached at 610-435-1029 and aberg@cohenfeeley.com. The firm’s website is http://cohenfeeley.com/
Brittany Blythe is a bilateral above-the-knee amputee due to a congenital condition. She uses her story of physical and mental health recovery to empower and connect with others. She is a Mental Health Therapist, Life Coach, and Certified Amputee Peer Specialist. She received her Master of Arts Degree in Counseling Psychology from Rosemont College with a concentration in Forensic Psychology and is working toward her LPC. In November of 2023, Brittany earned her National Certified Counselor credential. She has experience in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Motivational Interviewing, and Trauma Informed Care. She also has experience in resource coordination and crisis prevention intervention. Brittany is a strong advocate for her clients' care and believes in using a team approach to build a trusting relationship that focuses on the empowerment and growth of the client. She is passionate about normalizing person-centered care and improving accessibility to mental health care for all.
Dr. Bill Bookwalter is a neurosurgeon who practiced neurosurgery in Western Pennsylvania from January 1986 through June 2019. He continues to do medical consulting work. His neurosurgical practice included all aspects of neurosurgical diagnosis and treatment. He practiced at multiple hospitals in southwestern Pennsylvania. He wrote one of the seminal papers on ambulatory spine surgery, which has been cited multiple times as that trend has continued and expanded. During his long career, he was one of those who expanded the type and number of procedures that could be safely accomplished in the outpatient arena. He has engaged in medical missionary work in multiple locations throughout the world. He provided neurosurgical missionary care in St. Petersburg, Russia, and Tashkent, Uzbekistan. The inherent difficulties of finding suitable facilities with appropriate diagnostic and operative and postoperative medical care made continued overseas neurosurgical medical missionary work virtually impossible. Consequently, he has been working with Surgicorps, a Pittsburgh-based medical missionary group. They provide plastic and reconstructive surgical services for congenital and traumatic injuries throughout the world. He has participated with Surgicorps in providing care in Guatemala, Vietnam, Western Samoa, and Kazakhstan. Dr. Bookwalter has been opposed to the use of chronic narcotics for the treatment of chronic non-cancer pain since the days of his residency in the early 1980s. He has worked with many patients with multiple types of chronic pain issues to move away from dependence on narcotics. This led to an interest in medical cannabis. He has been an early participant in the medical cannabis industry in Pennsylvania. He also obtained an MBA in Pharmaceutical and Healthcare Management with a specialty interest in cannabis to aid in the management of the dispensary group in which he is one of the investors. He has become versed in the use of medical cannabis products to diminish the symptoms that plague patients with chronic pain, especially. He is aware of the broad uses of medical cannabis in treating other conditions.
Toby Borcoman has been in HR in both internal and consulting positions for the last 20+ years. He worked with both start-up medical device manufacturers and billion-dollar organizations. Toby Borcoman has held roles of Talent Acquisition Manager, International HR Manager, Senior Director of HR, and VP of HR. Toby is responsible for all HR functions, training, safety, and facilities for Tyber Medical, a 70M dollar medical device company in Bethlehem, PA. Toby is a veteran of the armed forces and holds multiple service medals and certifications.
Tim Brennan graduated cum laude from Widener University School of Law, where he was a Leadership Scholar, a member of the law review, and a recipient of the Widener Law Journal Outstanding Student Article Award for his work on redistricting law. He also studied international law at Trinity College in Ireland and Charles University in the Czech Republic. He earned his bachelor's degree from Ursinus College. Mr. Brennan is a member of the Pennsylvania State House of Representatives, where he serves on the following committees: Appropriations, Labor, Ethics, Insurance, State Government, and Tourism & Economic Development. He previously served as a member of the Doylestown Borough Council, as a municipal solicitor for nearly two decades, and as a panel member for the Disciplinary Board of the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania. Mr. Brennan founded Brennan Law Offices in Allentown, Doylestown, and Pottsville, which focuses on workers' compensation, social security, and personal injury cases (www.brennanoffices.com). He is a Workers' Compensation Law Certified Specialist. He has lectured for the Pennsylvania Bar Institute and other groups on municipal law, government issues, animal law, and equine law. He has been involved in several high-profile cases involving professional athletes, elected officials, and the 2020 Presidential Election. He was also an adjunct professor at Northampton County Community College. Mr. Brennan is a member of both the Pennsylvania and New Jersey Bar. In addition, he is involved with numerous religious, political, community, and charitable organizations.
Adrienne Breslin is a graduate of Princeton University and a cum laude graduate of The Dickinson School of Law of the Pennsylvania State University. Adrienne is Deputy General Counsel with Clear Spring Property and Casualty Group. In this position, Adrienne evaluates complex claims, analyzes claims data to identify and strategically address emerging issues/potential abuses, manages outside counsel performance, collaborates with internal business units to formulate effective policies, interprets contracts and policies for coverage determinations, handles regulatory and licensing issues and represents the company in Pennsylvania legislative matters. Prior to this in-house corporate role, Adrienne litigated claims on behalf of insurance companies, self-insured employers, and third-party administrators.
Edward (Ted) R. Carpenter, Jr. is a 1979 graduate of Villanova University, cum laude, with a B.A. in History. He attended Delaware Law School of Widener University and received his Juris Doctorate in 1982. After graduating from Widener, Ted entered the practice of law in 1983 with the law offices of William F. Holsten, II, Esquire in Media, Pennsylvania. His practice was devoted to the handling of insurance defense litigation matters with an emphasis on municipal tort litigation and workers' compensation. In 1985, he joined the law firm of Marshall, Dennehey, Warner, Coleman & Goggin as an associate where he assisted in the handling of general liability matters, complex products liability, and workers' compensation claims. He litigated matters throughout the Eastern part of Pennsylvania, trying cases in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, the Delaware County Court of Common Pleas, as well as numerous matters before Workers' Compensation Judges in the Southeastern Pennsylvania area. In April 2002, Ted left the firm, and together with Michael McCadden and Lisa Lane formed the law firm of Carpenter, McCadden & Lane, LLP. With offices in West Chester, Pennsylvania and Wexford, Pennsylvania, Ted's firm's practice is devoted to the litigation of workers' compensation cases on behalf of self-insured employers, insurance companies, and self-insured administrators throughout the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, New Jersey, West Virginia, and Delaware. Ted is a frequent lecturer on a variety of topics related to workers' compensation matters and has been a presenter at the Pennsylvania Annual Workers' Conference in 2009, 2010, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2021, and 2022. Ted has also authored numerous articles on various topics involving workers' compensation. In 2005, Ted was selected as a Pennsylvania Super Lawyer and has maintained that status every year since that time. Ted is a former Executive Board Member for the Philadelphia Workers' Compensation Claim Association where he served as the Editor for the Organization's Publication, “The Newsletter". He has held several positions within the workers' compensation section of the Pennsylvania Defense Institute, including co-authoring the Pennsylvania Defense Institute's Publication, PDI News. He also served as the Co-Chair of the Section. Ted is an active member of the Pennsylvania Self-Insured Association and a board member where he served in various roles, including Chairman of the Newsletter Staff and Co-Chair of the Legislative Committee. Ted is a member of the Pennsylvania and Delaware County Bar Associations, and a former member of the Insurance Society of Philadelphia where he participated in the organization and presentation of programs dealing with workers' compensation insurance issues.
Dr. Ashley Catapano is a Misericordia University Alumni and began her Physical Therapy career 18 years ago. Ashley's clinical passion involves treating patients who have sustained work-related injuries. Her primary focus is to provide the highest quality of care to the injured worker while achieving the best outcomes. She incorporates ergonomics and safety to reduce the likelihood of injury reoccurrence, promoting safe and timely return to work. She has extensive training in Workers' Compensation, Industrial Services, Employer Wellness, Injury Prevention, and Occupational Medicine. As a licensed outpatient physical therapist, Ashley has experience in treating a variety of musculoskeletal and neuromuscular dysfunctions that involve traditional workers' compensation physical therapy and work conditioning. She is a certified functional capacity evaluator and performs both job-specific workers compensation and baseline disability functional capacity evaluations. Ashley has experience performing fit-for-duty/post-offer employment testing and is a Level 1 and Level 2 Certified Ergonomic Assessment Specialist. During her employment with Ivy Rehab, she has had experience in various industrial rehab settings including post-offer employment testing, performing onsite job analysis assessments, work risk assessments, ergonomic evaluations/assessments, job-specific stretch-flex program, non-recordable care provider, and has developed several "train the trainer" programs for employers. The focus of the prevention programs has been to provide safe work environments to employees and decrease the number of injuries and their associated costs for employers. In her role as Director of Workers' Compensation and Industrial Services, Ashley has developed Ivy Rehab's Ivy@work comprehensive clinical care program including ongoing education with a strong focus on return to work, work conditioning, and specialty services to facilitate safe return to work. She has implemented a Centralized Scheduling Department for Workers' Comp referral sources, manages workers' compensation contracting, serves as the Workers' Compensation network provider representative, oversees the Workers' Comp Utilization Review team, and collaborated to build Ivy@work return and stay at work outcome database. She has experience in treating collegiate athletes for concussions and vestibular dysfunctions and is dry needling trained. She believes in providing outcomes-orientated solutions for musculoskeletal care and pain management. She places a high emphasis on safe, effective return to work for injured workers. She currently specializes in Workers' Compensation and Industrial Services. She serves as Ivy Rehab's Director of Workers' Compensation & Industrial Services.
Lawrence R. Chaban practices in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania as a member of Alpern Schubert, P.C.. His primary area of practice is in workers' compensation, in which he is a Certified Specialist, social security disability, and labor/employment law, representing plaintiffs and employees. He received his BA (1977) and JD (1980) degrees from the University of Pittsburgh, both with honors, and is a member of the Order of the Coif. Mr. Chaban has been admitted to practice in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania since 1980 and is also admitted in the Court of Appeals for the Third, Fourth and Sixth Circuits and the District Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania. He is a member of the Allegheny County, Pennsylvania and American Bar Associations, the Pennsylvania Association for Justice and the National Organization of Social Security Claimants Practitioners. He is also recognized for his workers' compensation practice in The Best Lawyers in America and as a Pennsylvania Super Lawyer. He lectures frequently for the PBI, PAJ, employer/insurer organizations and the Bureau of Workers' Compensation on workers' compensation. Mr. Chaban has also written a number of amicus briefs for PAJ's amicus committee on important workers' compensation topics before the Supreme and Commonwealth Court. For this work, he has been awarded the George F. Douglas Amicus Curiae Award in 2007 by PAJ. Mr. Chaban served as the Chair of the Workers' Compensation Section of PAJ from 2005-2007 and served as chair of its Amicus Committee from 2009-2011. He has also served as Comptroller for the PAJ from 2013-2018. Mr. Chaban was awarded the prestigious Milton D. Rosenberg Award in 2018 for leadership and advocacy for injured workers and service to the PAJ. He sits on the council for the PBA Workers' Compensation Section, serving as Chair in 2011-2012. In March 2013, he was inducted as a Fellow of the College of Workers' Compensation Lawyers. Mr. Chaban was appointed to the Pennsylvania Workers' Compensation Advisory Council in October 2015 and serves as Employee Co-Chair. He assumed the position of Zone 12 Governor on the PBA Board of Governors in May 2021, for a 3-year term. Mr. Chaban is the 2021 Irvin Stander Memorial Award winner presented by the PBA Workers' Compensation Section for dedication to the administration of workers' compensation law, and whose professionalism and regard for clients and colleagues serves as an example to others.
Kelli Chapman, CPCU, joined Eastern Alliance Insurance Group, located in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, in 1999 as a Senior Claim Representative and became a Claim Supervisor in 2000. She was later promoted to Regional Claims Manager in 2007. Kelli became the Director of Claims in January 2011 and was named Vice President of Claims in 2022. Prior to joining Eastern, she was a Claims Service Adjuster with the PMA Insurance Group. Kelli has 30 years of experience in workers' compensation claims management. She earned a degree in Psychology from Washington and Lee University in Lexington, VA. She then obtained her CPCU designation in 2000. In 2020 she became a member of PRA's (Eastern's parent company) inaugural Diversity Equity and Inclusion Council.
Carol Cingranelli graduated cum laude from Boston College Law School in 1984. Throughout her career she has been involved in workers' compensation law from multiple perspectives: as a private practitioner on behalf of injured workers, employers / insurance companies, and as Deputy Chief Counsel to the Department of Labor & Industry, heading the legal office of the Bureau of Workers' Compensation and the WCAB. While at the BWC, Ms. Cingranelli worked closely with senior Labor & Industry management to draft proposed legislative amendments to the WC Act, culminating in Act 44 of 1993. Subsequently, she was instrumental in drafting regulations to effectuate the 1993 amendments, especially the medical cost containment regulations addressing utilization reviews, medical fee caps, re-pricing procedures, and the medical fee review process. Ms. Cingranelli joined PMA in 2002, and since 2013 she has managed the PA house counsel operations, supervising attorneys and support staff in branch offices in the Greater Philadelphia area and Harrisburg. The primary focus of the office is to represent PMA clients in litigated workers' compensation claims. As part of her responsibilities at PMA, Ms. Cingranelli has a significant practice in litigating medical fee review matters before L&I fee review hearing officers, and handling appeals to the Commonwealth Court. In this role, she has been involved in fee review hearings challenging controversial billing practices of several high-profile treatments, including VAX-D and TMR litigation.
Lenard Cohen is a graduate of Temple University, where he received his Undergraduate Degree in Political Science, cum laude, in 1979. He then attended Temple University Business School where he took graduate courses toward a master’s in business administration. Before completing that program, he enrolled at the Delaware Law School of Widener University where he received his J.D in 1984. He then joined the firm of Margolis, Edelstein, Scherlis, Sarowitz and Kramer as an attorney defending workers’ compensation claims from 1984 through 1986. In October of 1986, he became a founding partner in the law firm of Foglietta and Cohen, P.C. The firm name was changed in 1995 to the Law Offices of Lenard A. Cohen, P.C. In 2017 he became “Of Counsel” to Lundy Law, managing its Workers’ Compensation Department. Since the beginning of his career in 1984, Mr. Cohen has limited his practice to representing injured workers in Pennsylvania as well as injured individuals in motor vehicle accidents and premise liability cases. In 1996, Mr. Cohen was the co-chair of the Philadelphia Bar Association Workers’ Compensation Section. From 1998 - 1999 and 2004 - 2005, he was the Philadelphia Bar Association Workers’ Compensation Section Representative to the Board of Governors. From 1999 – 2001, he sat on the Pennsylvania Bar Association Workers’ Compensation Section Counsel. From 1996 to 2002, he was a member of the Philadelphia Trial Lawyers Board of Governors, and from 1999 – 2005, he was a Board Member of the Homeless Advocacy Project and has co-chaired the annual April Benefit since becoming a Board Member. In 2004, Mr. Cohen was appointed Vice President of the Homeless Advocacy Project. He was named a Pennsylvania Super Lawyer from 2005 to 2022 and received the Martha J. Hampton Memorial Award in 2004. Mr. Cohen has frequently written articles for the
Legal Intelligencer on topics involving workers’ compensation. He has also been interviewed by the Legal on numerous occasions involving workers’ compensation issues. He has been a presenter on numerous Worker’s Compensation CLE panels. He became certified as a specialist in the practice of workers' compensation law by the Pennsylvania Bar Association's Section on Workers' Compensation Law, as authorized by the Pennsylvania Supreme Court, when the test was first administered.
Frank Comparato III, SCLA, CRIS, is a Regional Claim Supervisor for Eastern Alliance Insurance Group in Lancaster, Pennsylvania and has been with Eastern since 2019. He is responsible for providing oversight of claim handling for Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Maryland, Delaware, and West Virginia jurisdictions. He has over 18 years of claim experience, which includes 13 years in claims management, with a focus on workers' compensation claims. He earned his bachelor's degree in Business Administration/Management from Alvernia University.
Elizabeth A. Crum is currently an attorney with HP Law, LLC Philadelphia, representing employers, insurers, and TPAs in workers' compensation matters. She previously served the Commonwealth and PA Department of Labor & Industry for over 30 years in a variety of positions. Ms. Crum served as Deputy Secretary for Compensation and Insurance with oversight responsibilities for the State Workers' Compensation Insurance Fund (SWIF), WC Office of Adjudication (WCOA), the Bureau of Workers' Compensation (BWC) and the Bureau of Disability Determination (BDD). She also served as Director of WCOA with management responsibilities for Pennsylvania's Workers' Compensation Judges (WCJs), Judge Managers and staff in 22 offices located throughout Pennsylvania; as Judge Manager for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania; and as a WCJ in Philadelphia and Harrisburg. Prior to her appointment as WCJ, she served as an Attorney and Chief of the Compliance Division with BWC. She began her legal career as an attorney/advisor with the U.S. Department of Labor in Pittsburgh. Ms. Crum is a 1987 graduate of the University of Pittsburgh School of Law, a fellow with the College of Workers' Compensation Lawyers, member of the Pa Bar Association Workers' Compensation Section's Council and Past President and Board member of Kids' Chance of PA and the International Association of Industrial Accident Boards and Commissions (IAIABC).
Patrick T. Cusick is a Principal and Chair of the Firm's Workers' Compensation Department and Administrative Principal of the Firm's Lancaster, PA Office. He has over 30 years of experience in the area of workers’ compensation, having worked as a claims adjuster, claims manager, and solicitor for the City of Pittsburgh prior to coming to Post & Schell, P.C. Mr. Cusick has been with Post & Schell since 1985 and was instrumental in building the firm’s workers’ compensation departments in the central Pennsylvania area. Mr. Cusick's practice at the firm is limited to representing local and nationally known employers, insurance companies, and third-party administrators in all phases of litigation, as well as providing guidance and advice in the area of claims management and risk management of workers’ compensation issues. He has extensive trial experience and experience arguing before the Workers’ Compensation Appeal Board and the appellate courts of Pennsylvania, including the Pennsylvania Supreme Court. He is well-known and well-respected throughout the state’s workers’ compensation bar and lectures frequently for clients and continuing legal education courses. In 2005, then from 2009 - 2021, and in 2023, Mr. Cusick was named by his peers as a Pennsylvania Super Lawyer in the category of Workers' Compensation. The Best Lawyers in America™ recognized Mr. Cusick in its 2018 through 2024 editions in the Workers' Compensation Law- Employers category.
Alexandra D’Angola Fetzko is the Director of Legislative Affairs for the Pennsylvania Association for Justice (PAJ), a non-profit organization whose mission is to promote a fair and effective civil justice system in the Commonwealth and protect citizens’ constitutional right to a trial by jury. She was hired in December 2016 and is the first woman to lobby for the organization since it was founded in 1977. As the Director of Legislative Affairs, Mrs. Fetzko oversees all the legislative initiatives for PAJ and is the primary lead on workers’ compensation issues. She also manages PAJ’s political action committee, LawPAC. Prior to joining PAJ, she worked at a contract lobbying firm based in Harrisburg where she represented clients in tourism, education, healthcare, and labor. Mrs. Fetzko graduated from Elizabethtown College with Bachelor of Arts degrees in Political Science and Philosophy.
Jaclyn Day has been an Assistant Counsel within the Office of Chief Counsel at the Department of Labor and Industry (L&I) since 2014. Prior to L&I, Ms. Day was a Prosecuting Attorney within the Office of Chief Counsel at the Pennsylvania Department of State. Currently, Ms. Day represents the Uninsured Employers Guaranty Fund in workers’ compensation matters. In addition to representing the UEGF, Ms. Day engages in civil collection efforts and facilitates criminal prosecutions against uninsured employers pursuant to Section 305 of the Workers Compensation Act. Ms. Day also represents the Department of L&I before the State Civil Service Commission in matters involving civil service employees. Ms. Day received a B.A. in Corporate Communications from Robert Morris University, as well as a J.D. and Certificate in Administrative and Constitutional Law from Widener University School of Law.
Dara DeRoiste (De-ROW-shh-tah) is an ASC-certified Training Specialist for the Department of Labor and Industry's Bureau of Worker's Compensation (BWC) in the Health and Safety Division. He works on the development, evaluation, and delivery of health and safety-based educational courses. These courses are available free of charge to members of the BWC's regulated community within Pennsylvania, as well as to a global audience interested in industry-leading safety training. Dara also has 20+ years of experience in Human Resources, where he's directed all areas of HR, including safety program operations. He decided to focus on safety full-time because a good safety program is a win for everyone.
James F. Devine is a partner in the firm's Lancaster, PA and Atlanta, GA offices. With almost 25 years of litigation experience, he concentrates his practice in employment law and workers' compensation matters. His broad range of experience includes handling cases involving the interplay between the Americans with Disabilities Act, the Family and Medical Leave Act and employment law concerns surrounding discipline and discharge and drug and alcohol abuse. Mr. Devine also has extensive experience defending employers in EEOC and PHRC claims. In addition to maintaining a full caseload, he is a popular speaker, lecturing throughout the year on current employment law issues including discrimination, harassment, internet policies and the maintenance of an aging workforce. Mr. Devine also provides in-house training for insurance carriers and specialized employers, such as hospitals, to keep staff updated on case law and other issues resulting from legislative updates to the ADA, FMLA, EFCA, HIPAA and COBRA. He was named a Select Lawyer by Susquehanna Style in 2015 for Employment Law. Mr. Devine is admitted to practice in Pennsylvania and Georgia, as well as the U.S. District Courts for the Western, Middle and Eastern Districts of Pennsylvania and the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit. Mr. Devine is an active member of the Lancaster Bar Association, having served as chair of the Workers' Compensation Section, and is a former chair of the Lancaster Bar Foundation. In addition, he is a member of the Pennsylvania and American Bar Associations, as well as various trial lawyer associations. Mr. Devine is also actively involved in his community, volunteering in church and youth activity leagues and serving on boards for non-profit and healthcare. facilities. He received his B.A. from Franklin & Marshall College in 1990 and his J.D. from University of Pittsburgh School of Law in 1993.
Christopher DiMeo is a partner at the firm of Carpenter, McCadden & Lane, LLP. He is certified as a specialist in the practice of Workers’ Compensation Law by the Pennsylvania Bar Association’s Section on Workers’ Compensation Law as authorized by the Pennsylvania Supreme Court since May 1, 2013, recertified in 2018 and 2023. In addition, Chris holds a certification as a Certified Medicare Secondary Payer Professional (CMSP) since 2018. He is a member of the Pennsylvania Self-Insurers’ Association (PSIA), the Greater Philadelphia Executive Claims Council (GPECC), CLM, and the Delaware County Bar Association. Chris received a B.A. in Political Science from The Pennsylvania State University and his Juris Doctorate from Widener University School of Law, where he graduated cum laude. Chris has concentrated his legal practice on the representation of employers and insurance carriers in the area of Workers’ Compensation since 2001.
Neil Dombrowski, Esq., The Dombrowski Group. No bio provided.
Heather Eversole is the MSP Compliance Manager at Gordon & Rees. Heather focuses on addressing Medicare Compliance issues in workers’ compensation, liability, and no-fault cases, as well as heading up MMSEA Section 111 Mandatory Insurer Reporting projects. This includes conditional payment lien investigation and negotiation (including Part C/D Plans) to assist parties in coming to a settlement that protects all interested parties and providing counsel and implementation of best practices pursuant to MMSEA Section 111 Mandatory Insurer Reporting. She is a member of the National Medicare Secondary Payer Network and the Section 111 & Conditional Payment Committee. Heather earned her B.A. from Waynesburg University in 2000.
Victor Fiore has been a union member from 1960 to 2007 and has served as an officer & consultant to members of unions from 2007 to date. From 1960 to 2007 he has represented members of Locals 140, 142, 144, 147, 148 & 149, of Joint System Council U-10 and then Local 29 0f the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, as well as AFL-CIO. During his career Victor has served as a negotiator, represented his members in arbitration, workers’ compensation, health care insurance, disability pension, social security disability benefits, and unemployment compensation. He received numerous credits and certifications: from DeVry Institute of Technology, AFL-CIO Department of Education, Pitt University, Penn State University, CCAC, West Virginia University, George Meany National Collage, Pennsylvania Bar Institute, and continues to serve as a consultant to Local 29 IBEW, as well as other Unions.
Gregory J. Fischer is certified as a specialist in the practice of workers’ compensation law by the Pennsylvania Bar Association’s Section on Workers’ Compensation Law as authorized by the Pennsylvania Supreme Court. Mr. Fischer recently joined Vaughan Baio & Partners, having previously been part of the team at Carpenter, McCadden & Lane, and prior to that, Gaitens, Tucceri & Nicholas, where he was a partner and head of the firm’s workers’ compensation practice group. Mr. Fischer has over 23 years of experience defending employers and insurers in all aspects of Pennsylvania workers’ compensation litigation. This includes both trial and appellate level work up to the Pennsylvania Supreme Court, having primarily focused on this practice throughout his career. He also has experience representing employers and insurers in Federal Black Lung litigation. He was among the first group of attorneys in Pennsylvania to take, and pass, the test for certification as a workers’ compensation specialist in March 2013 and has maintained that certification since. Mr. Fischer has served multiple terms as a member of the Allegheny County Bar Association Workers’ Compensation Section Council, serving as an at-large member. He is also a member of the planning committee for the 2020 Workers’ Compensation Bureau Conference and has served on the committee since 2015, working with representatives from all facets of the workers’ compensation community to develop the program for the bureau conference. Mr. Fischer will also serve as a panelist and moderator for certain sessions at the conference, concerning topics relevant to the workers’ compensation insurance industry. He has also served for several years on the committee for the Workers’ Compensation Section Golf Outing, which is the section’s largest charitable event, benefiting Kids’ Chance of Pennsylvania. Mr. Fischer is a 2000 graduate of the University of Pittsburgh School of Law, having also obtained his undergraduate degree from the University of Pittsburgh in 1997. He is licensed in both Pennsylvania and West Virginia and regularly practices workers’ compensation law in both states.
Dr. Guy Fried, M.D. has taken on the role of Associate Chief Medical Officer of both Magee Rehabilitation Hospital and Moss Rehabilitation (Jefferson Moss-Magee), a position that has been established over the last year with Magee Rehabilitation Hospital and Moss Rehabilitation joining The Jefferson Enterprise. As the Senior Vice President for Medical Affairs and Chief Medical Officer at Magee Rehabilitation Hospital, he helps to operate one of the largest outpatient spinal cord injury services in the region. In addition to administrative responsibilities, Dr. Fried continues to actively treat a caseload of spinal cord-injured inpatients and outpatients. He is actively involved in ongoing spinal cord injury research through NIDILRR and the Neuro-Recovery Network (NRN). Over the last 25 years, he has evaluated and treated an extensive range of spinal cord-injured patients and has lengthy clinical experience with the course, evolution, and complications of spinal cord injury. In his clinical practice, Dr. Fried has taken care of hundreds of patients with these injuries and has performed thousands of urodynamic procedures to evaluate and effectively treat neurogenic bladder. In addition, as a Professor in the Department of Rehabilitation Medicine at the Sidney Kimmel Medical College at Thomas Jefferson University, he actively contributes to the education and clinical rotation experiences for the residency program and allied health students. He also mentors and co-authors numerous students and residents with research, publications, and presentations. He has had the pleasure of lecturing extensively on Spinal Cord Injuries, Neuropathic and Neurogenic bladder and bowel, and Pain and Spasticity. All the above contributions have led to improved quality of care for his patients and their ongoing needs. Dr. Fried has been part of various research projects, committees, boards, and professional organizations. He is the recipient of many honors for his work, including most recently being recognized as one of Philadelphia Magazine's Top Docs™, annually since 2018, and in 2017 was named among the top 5% of America's Most Honored Professionals, along with The Leading Physicians of the World that same year. He received his B.A. from Hofstra University in 1981 and his M.D. from Yale Medical School in 1985.
Judge Robert Goduto is currently the Judge Manager for the Central District of the Workers' Compensation Office of Adjudication. Prior to his appointment as a Judge in 2008, he was in private practice and a shareholder/partner with a number of regional/national mid-sized to larger law firms where he represented employers, insurance carriers, and individuals in matters pertaining to Workers' Compensation claims, unemployment compensation claims, as well as various other employment law related matters. Judge Goduto has been a frequent speaker at Worker's Compensation seminars on a variety of issues. He also has presented seminars and given training on various employment-related topics including FMLA, ADA, and other employment statutes/regulations. Judge Goduto is a graduate of Rutgers University, where he received a Bachelor of Arts degree and a master's in education. He received his law degree from Duquesne University School of Law.
Jonathan C. Greer has an undergraduate degree in government from Franklin and Marshall College and holds a master’s in government administration from the University of Pennsylvania. Jonathan joined the Insurance Federation in 2003, following four years in the Insurance Department during the Ridge administration, in which he held the positions of director of policy and legislative liaison. Prior to that, Jonathan worked for four years as a legislative aide for the Senate of Pennsylvania. Jonathan is based in the Insurance Federation’s Harrisburg office. Jonathan was named President and CEO of the Insurance Federation of Pennsylvania in June of 2022.
Abigail Gross is the owner of Gross Law Office, LLC in Allentown. She has been practicing workers’ compensation law for 15 years. She began her career representing employers and insurers. In 2013, she founded Gross Law Office and for the last 10 years, she has been representing injured workers. Abigail also handles Social Security Disability matters as she has a passion for advocating for those who cannot help themselves due to their disabilities. Abigail is a member of the workers’ compensation section of the Lehigh County Bar Association and the Pennsylvania Bar Association. She serves as a Council member on the Pennsylvania Bar Association’s Workers’ Compensation Section. She is certified as a specialist in the practice of workers’ compensation law by the Pennsylvania Bar Association’s Section on Workers’ Compensation Law as authorized by the Pennsylvania Supreme Court. She has led seminars on workers’ compensation practices and procedures for employers/insurers and various labor unions. Abigail serves as a member of the Board of Directors for the National Slovak Society of the USA and has continuously served on that Board since 2014. In 2016, she was selected as recipient of the Top Forty Under 40 by Lehigh Valley Business, and in 2020 she was selected as a recipient of the Women of Influence Award. Abigail earned two bachelor’s degrees from Shippensburg University and Cedar Crest College, respectively. She received her J.D. from the Pennsylvania State University Dickinson School of Law. She can be reached via her firm’s website: GrossLawLLC.com.
Mr. Jeffrey Gross is a partner with the Philadelphia law firm of Gross & Kenny, LLP. He concentrates his practice in workers' compensation litigation and has been representing injured workers for over 30 years. Mr. Gross is a certified specialist in the practice of workers' compensation law by the Pennsylvania Bar Association's Section on Workers' Compensation Law as authorized by the Pennsylvania Supreme Court. Mr. Gross is currently the Chair of the Pennsylvania Bar Association's Workers' Compensation Section. He is the Treasurer of the Alexander Barbieri Workers' Compensation Inn of Court and has been serving in that role since its inception in 2011. He served on the Philadelphia Bar Association's Board of Governors from 2008-2010. Mr. Gross is a past co-chair of the Philadelphia Bar Association's Workers' Compensation Section and has served on the Section's executive committee for the past 23 years. He has served as the Chancellor of the Brandeis Law Society and is a founding member of the Brandeis Law Foundation. Mr. Gross is actively engaged in fundraising activities for the Philadelphia and Pennsylvania Bar Associations. Mr. Gross was awarded the Martha Hampton Award in 2003 in recognition of his strong advocacy and compassion for injured workers as well as his professional and community service. He has been recognized by Philadelphia Magazine every year since 2004 as one of the area's leading attorneys in workers' compensation litigation and has been selected for inclusion in The Best Lawyers in America, published by Woodward & White. Mr. Gross is a Board Member of the Philadelphia Trial Lawyers Association and is a past-chair of the Workers' Compensation Section of the Pennsylvania Association for Justice, where he is also currently a Board Member. He is also a Board Member of Kids Chance of PA. He is a frequent lecturer on various workers' compensation issues and has authored numerous articles involving workers' compensation issues in several publications, including The Legal Intelligencer. Mr. Gross received his J.D. from the Dickinson School of Law and his B.S. from Muhlenberg College. Mr. Gross is also an FAA licensed pilot.
Dan Hessel has been practicing law for over 25 years, initially with a national law firm where he was vice-chairman of the workers’ compensation subrogation department, and then, in 2008, he co-founded Golkow Hessel, LLC, a Philadelphia-based law firm dedicated to the practice of workers’ compensation subrogation. Dan is a long-time member of the National Association of Subrogation Professionals, and frequently presents at national conferences, podcasts, and webinars on subrogation issues. As lead counsel, Dan obtained the largest workplace accident verdicts in Pennsylvania in 2016 and 2019.
Eric Hoffman, Manager of the Health & Safety Division's Certification and Education Section, is responsible for overseeing the certification of workplace safety committees. In addition, he is the Managing Director of the Division's safety training institute, “PATHS." Eric is involved with interagency and statewide health and safety initiatives, including the Governor's Award for Safety Excellence Committee, the Governor's Occupational Safety and Health Advisory Committee, the local chapter of the American Society of Safety Professionals (ASSP) and the Capital Area Safety Council. Eric has over 25 years of experience as a safety, health, environmental, and training professional. Prior to joining the Bureau of Workers' Compensation, Eric worked for the Bureau of PENNSAFE as an Occupational Safety Training Specialist. Eric also worked in private industry before entering public service, as the Safety Coordinator for Stauffer's of Kissel Hill, as the Computer Manager for TSR Wireless, and as a Safety Specialist for the Hershey Medical Center. Eric is a graduate of Millersville University of Pennsylvania and holds a Bachelor of Science in Occupational Safety & Hygiene Management with a minor in Computer Science.
Barbara L. Hollenbach has been a member of the course planning committee team that plans and presents the biennial PBI program Pennsylvania Workers' Compensation Practice & Procedure since 1999. She has more than 40 years' experience in defending workers' compensation matters on behalf of insureds and self-insureds and is a frequent writer and lecturer on workers' compensation topics. Ms. Hollenbach has been recognized as a Super Lawyer in the field of workers' compensation and selected for inclusion in “The Best Lawyers in America," published by Woodward & White, for the last several years. She has served as a member of the faculty of PBI's Medicine for Lawyers series and PBI's program Tough Problems in Workers' Compensation. A past president of the Northampton County Bar Association (1991), Ms. Hollenbach is also a member of the Pennsylvania Bar Association. She currently serves on the PBA's Council on Judicial Independence, is a past chair of the Workers' Compensation Law Section, and has served on the PBA's Review and Certifying Board. Ms. Hollenbach is a Fellow of the College of Workers' Compensation Lawyers. She was the recipient of the Irv Stander Memorial Award from the Pennsylvania Bar Association's Worker's Compensation Section in 2012, which is presented to an attorney whose dedication to workers' compensation law and professionalism serves as an example to others. In 2013, Ms. Hollenbach was certified as a specialist in the practice of workers' compensation law by the Pennsylvania Bar Association's Section on Workers' Compensation Law as authorized by the Pennsylvania Supreme Court and was recertified as a specialist in 2018 and 2023. She received her J.D. from the Dickinson School of Law and her B.A. from the Pennsylvania State University. A member of the firm of Norris McLaughlin, P.A., Ms. Hollenbach is based in the firm's Allentown, Pennsylvania office.
Barbara E. Holmes is a partner in the law firm of Blaufeld, Schiller & Holmes LLP, located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, where she practices on behalf of injured workers in workers’ compensation claims and disability applicants in Social Security claims. Barbara is a 1980 graduate of Chatham University in Pittsburgh, where she majored in communications, and administration and management. She obtained her J.D. degree from the University of Pittsburgh School of Law in 1984 and is a member of the American, Pennsylvania and Allegheny County Bar Associations. She is past president of the Allegheny County Bar Association’s Workers’ Compensation Section and is past chair of the Pennsylvania Bar Association’s Workers’ Compensation Section. Ms. Holmes was admitted to the College of Workers’ Compensation Lawyers in 2012 and is admitted to practice before all courts of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the Third, Fourth and Sixth Circuit courts. She is privileged to serve as a faculty member through the Pennsylvania Bar Institute and as an adjunct professor at the University of Pittsburgh School of Law.
Tara Hooper, CPCU, AIC, joined Eastern Alliance Insurance Group, located in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, in 1999 as a Senior Claims Representative and became a Claim Supervisor in 2008. She was promoted to Regional Claims Manager in 2010 and has been in her current role of Regional Claim Director since 2017. Tara has 25 years of experience in workers' compensation claims management. She earned a degree in Political Science from the University of Vermont. Tara obtained her CPCU designation in 2023.
Dr. Paul Horchos is a partner at Northeast Rehab and has been with the practice in the Scranton location since 1997. He is certified by the American Board of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation with a subspecialty in Brain Injury Medicine. He received his Bachelor of Science Degree from the University of Scranton and his Osteopathic Degree from the Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine. Dr. Horchos’ area of practice includes inpatient and outpatient rehabilitation, independent medical examinations, utilization/peer reviews, and concussion diagnosis and treatment. Dr. Horchos is a certified evaluator of Immediate Post-Concussion Assessment and Cognitive Testing (ImPACT) and treats both children and adults with mild traumatic brain injuries.
David Hoy has 25 years of outpatient experience, with an emphasis on musculoskeletal injuries. This includes involvement in the treatment of work injuries, workplace consulting, and ergonomic education. He performs functional capacity evaluations as well as hundreds of post-offer screening tests annually. His treatment emphasizes a combination of perceptual, sympathetic, and fascial systems to treat injuries and maximize performance. He is a 1998 graduate of Misericordia University.
Joseph C. Huttemann is a partner at Martin Law and has concentrated his practice in the area of workers' compensation litigation since 1992. Mr. Huttemann was the Chairman of the Workers' Compensation section of the Pennsylvania Association for Justice, the leading organization for the protection of injured workers' rights in the Commonwealth. Prior to joining the firm in 1997, Mr. Huttemann defended workers' compensation claims for insurance carriers and employers. In addition to the litigation of many workers' compensation claims for over 30 years, he has also written extensively on the Pennsylvania Workers' Compensation Act. He is the author of “The Pennsylvania Workers' Compensation Act: An Employer's Guide" and “Act 57: A Legal Analysis," and has also written multiple articles published in The Legal Intelligencer. In the Spring of 2013, Mr. Huttemann became a certified specialist in Pennsylvania Workers' Compensation by the PA Bar Association's Section on Workers' Compensation Law as authorized by the PA Supreme Court. Mr. Huttemann has presented lectures on workers' compensation and social security disability to the Philadelphia Trial Lawyers Association and the Bucks County Bar Association. In 2016, Mr. Huttemann obtained an amazing settlement of $3.2 million for his client who was an automotive technician who became paraplegic after suffering a cervical fracture and arterial dissection from a car accident on his way to a training seminar. He is a member of the Board of Governors of the Pennsylvania Association for Justice and was the chair of its' Workers' Compensation section in 2017 where he provided expert testimony on workers' compensation issues to the Pennsylvania House of Representatives Labor committee. In 2021, Mr. Huttemann was appointed by the National Football Players Association to represent their members for workers' compensation matters in Pennsylvania. He is an active member of the Philadelphia Trial Lawyers Association, the Bucks County Bar Association, the Pennsylvania Association for Justice, the American Association for Justice, and the Workplace Injury Litigation Group. Mr. Huttemann has served as Chairman of the Board of Directors of Serenity House, a non-profit, charitably funded hospice care group. Since 2010, he has sat on the Board of Governors for the Pennsylvania Association for Justice and was the past Chair of their Workers' Compensation section. Outside of the courtroom, he enjoys long-distance swimming, flyfishing, skiing, and traveling to the Adirondacks.
Marla A. Joseph, Esquire, an AV-rated lawyer and Principal of the Law Offices of Marla Joseph, LLC, has been representing workers’ compensation and Social Security Disability claimants for over a quarter of a century. Ms. Joseph earned her B.A. from Pennsylvania State University in 1991, majoring in Psychology, and minoring in Business. In 1994, she earned her J.D. from Temple University’s Beasley School of Law, where she was honored with an award for achievement in trial advocacy and had the privilege of working as a Teaching Assistant for Lynn Abraham, who was the Philadelphia District Attorney at that time. She is certified as a workers’ compensation specialist by the Pennsylvania Bar Association’s Workers’ Compensation Section, as authorized by the Pennsylvania Supreme Court. The Best Lawyers of America just named Ms. Joseph the 2023 Lawyer of the Year, an honor she also earned in 2020. This is a distinction earned by only .4% of lawyers. In 2022, Ms. Joseph was inducted as a Fellow of the College of Workers’ Compensation Lawyers, a national organization that honors workers’ compensation lawyers who have exhibited the highest professional qualifications, ethical standards, character, integrity, professional expertise, and leadership. In 2019 Philadelphia City Council honored Ms. Joseph with a Citation, acknowledging her selection in the Philly Labor Who’s Who in Injured Workers Advocacy. She became a Kids’ Chance of PA Board member in 2018 and instituted an annual Silent Auction, for which she was honored with the PA Merit of Achievement Award. The auction has raised over $60,000 in scholarships for students whose parents died or were catastrophically injured in a PA work accident. She is a former Chair of PBA’s Workers’ Compensation Executive Council, has been a course planner for their premier Fall Section Meeting for decades, and was the 2021 Co-chair of the Section’s Electronic Deposition Committee. Ms. Joseph was voted by her peers and a Blue Ribbon Panel as one of Pennsylvania’s Top 50 Women Lawyers by the Super Lawyers and has continued to be voted a “Super Lawyer” in the field of workers’ compensation since its inaugural year. She received the 2004 Lawyers on the Fast Track Award from The Legal Intelligencer and Pennsylvania Law Weekly. She frequently lectures on workers’ compensation issues and received an award from the American Bar Association (ABA) for her program on Civility in the Law. She served in numerous leadership roles with the Philadelphia Bar Association, including serving as YLD Chair in 2002, an elected member of its Board of Governors from 2003-2006, Chaired its Women’s Rights Committee in 2001, was a member of its Workers’ Compensation Executive Committee in 2003 and the Judicial Commission in 2001.
The Honorable Barry W. Keller has served as a Medical Fee Review Hearing Officer for the Workers' Compensation Office of Adjudication since 2017. He is assigned to the Harrisburg District. He obtained his B.S. from Albright College and M.A. from Penn State University. He spent approximately 17 years in both local law enforcement and the Pennsylvania State Police. He has worked for the Commonwealth for over 17 years.
Dr. Maryanne Kezmarsky received her Doctorate in Psychology from Seton Hall University. She is an active lecturer and has made numerous professional presentations on issues pertaining to neuropsychology and psychology. She has served on a number of panels for Worker's Compensation injuries, motor vehicle accidents, and independent medical examinations. She has also served as an expert witness for medical legal issues, Worker's Compensation, personal injury, and malpractice suits. Licensed as a psychologist in New Jersey with a specialty in neuropsychology, Dr. Kezmarsky has proven business and professional leadership expertise as seen in her prior responsibilities as Senior Neuropsychologist and Clinical Coordinator at JFK Johnson Rehabilitation Institute - Center for Head Injuries, as well as her present duties as a member of Ramapo College Foundation Board of Governors, member of NJM Insurance Group Medical Advisory Panel, member of Horizon Casualty Service Clinical Quality Improvement Committee with exemplary status as an Outcome Focused Network (OFN provider) which recognizes consistent high-end evidence based high-level care. She has over 30 years of experience in hospitals, mental health clinics, colleges, and public schools and has been in private practice since 1991. As a lead developer of Work Comp Psych Net and Cambridge Rehabilitation Services rigorous protocols and co-founder and board member of Four Points Forensics IME and MAKRAF IME, Dr. Kezmarsky is committed to a transparent treatment regimen as well as quality evidence-based conclusions in her work.
Dr. Rebecca Kronk is Associate Dean for Academic Affairs at Duquesne University School of Nursing. She is a board-certified pediatric nurse practitioner and certified nurse educator. Dr. Kronk is a fellow in the American Academy of Nursing (FAAN) and the NLN Academy of Nurse Educators (ANEF). Dr. Kronk earned her MSN from the University of Pittsburgh School of Nursing and a PhD in Applied Development Psychology at the University of Pittsburgh, School of Education. She was a fellow in the Maternal and Child Health Training program providing leadership and education in neurodevelopmental disabilities and autism (LEND) at the University of Pittsburgh. Her clinical and research expertise is in the area of genetic conditions and developmental disabilities. She was selected for numerous competitive programs: the NINR Summer Genetics Institute (2011), the NINR Sleep Methodologies Boot Camp (2013), NINR Big Data Methodologies Boot Camp (2015), and the National Human Genome Research Institute Summer Workshop (2015). In 2021 she was awarded a five-year NIH/NHGRI R25 grant entitled “Genomic Competencies for Nurses from Theory to Application: An Online Long Course”. She is a long-time member and current past president of the International Society of Nurses in Genetics (ISONG). As a board member of ISONG and a recognized advocate for genetic literacy in nursing education.
Richard Kucharski is currently Division Chief of TPA Service for the Department of Labor and Industry's State Workers' Insurance Fund. Richard has over 20 years of experience in the Workers' Compensation Industry and currently has a committed focus on overseeing UEGF and SIGF claims. Throughout his career, he has been an adjustor who served claimants all over Pennsylvania. Richard is a longtime resident of Northeastern PA, has a passion for sports, and enjoys coaching and umpiring baseball.
Gerald Lee is a dedicated safety professional with a decade of experience serving as the USW Local Health and Safety chairman at North American Hoganas in Hollsopple, PA. With a passion for ensuring workplace safety, Gerald has been an advocate for fostering a safe and secure work environment within his local. Gerald brings a wealth of knowledge and experience, sharing insights gained over his years of experience.
D. Cody Lehman is the Senior Manager of Worker’s Compensation for Chewy, Inc., an e-commerce company striving to be the most trusted and convenient destination for pet parents (and partners), everywhere. In his role, Cody manages the fulfillment center and pharmacy self-insurance worker’s compensation program in the following territories: Pennsylvania (3 fulfillment centers and 1 pharmacy), Massachusetts (corporate hub), North Carolina (1 fulfillment center), Kentucky (2 pharmacies), and Tennessee (1 fulfillment center). Cody has worked with Chewy since 2021, working closely with safety, legal, and risk management stakeholders both internal and external to the organization. In his role, Cody utilizes over ten years of experience in the worker’s compensation realm as both an adjuster as well as a case manager to facilitate prompt communication through the company’s claims advocacy program. Cody holds dual designations as a Certified Disability Management Specialist (CDMS) as well as a board-certified Case Manager (CCM). He recently joined the Pennsylvania Self-Insurance Association as an active board member in 2023.
Melissa Leininger is a defense attorney at the Law Office of Nathaniel M. Holmes, LLC. Prior to joining NMH Law, Ms. Leininger worked for the Office of Chief Counsel, Workers' Compensation Division, and represented workers' compensation Claimants in private practice. She is an active member of the Dauphin County Bar Association and the Pennsylvania Bar Association where she currently serves on the Judicial Evaluation Commission and the Executive Council for the Women in the Profession. Ms. Leininger has held various officer positions within the PBA's Women in the Profession and Young Lawyer's Division, as well as co-chair of the Membership Committee. Ms. Leininger was awarded the Michael K. Smith Excellence in Service Award in 2019. She has also been named to the Pennsylvania Super Lawyers as a Rising Star and to Susquehanna Magazine's Susquehanna Valley's Select Lawyers. She has lectured on various topics pertaining to workers' compensation and Social Security Disability. Ms. Leininger received her J.D. from Widener School of Law and her B.A. from Shippensburg University.
Ari Lightman teaches classes focused on assessing and measuring the impact of emerging technologies including Digital Transformation and Measuring Social. This later class is designed as an experiential learning, project-based class where students work closely with company sponsors to develop recommendations and an analysis framework around a social initiative. Companies who have taken part in the class include eBay, Adidas, Comcast, Warner Bros., Thomson Reuters, Verizon, Microsoft, Zynga, Starwood, HP, Bayer Corporation, and Progressive Insurance. Ari is also the Director of the CIO Institute at Carnegie Mellon University. The CIOI is an executive education center focused on providing needed skills for the next generation of IT managers. The center has been in existence for over 10 years and has provided training for several hundred executives. Ari is responsible for the strategic execution and growth of the center into different content areas, organizations, and international locations. He has 20 years of experience in new technology development and commercialization. Earlier in his career, Ari was a member of several successful entrepreneurial high-tech ventures where he was integral in raising venture financing, securing key partnerships and sales, and spearheading several initiatives from product management to business development. Ari began assessing the opportunity for data analytics as a management consultant working with wireless carriers. He has developed web communities and digital media strategies for companies and organizations within healthcare, chemical industry, telecom industry, consumer packaged goods market, and the financial services space. In addition, he has worked with leading research universities to put together strategies and processes for building expert communities to accelerate technology commercialization.
Ann Marie Loiseau, DNP, MS, RN, CSN, CCM is an assistant professor at DeSales University She teaches health policy, organization, and financing; health informatics, quality, and safety; community and public health nursing; and applied research. Dr. Loiseau is a certified case manager providing services for clients who have suffered occupational or motor vehicle injuries and other injuries or illnesses resulting in long-term care needs. Her experience includes Director of Services for a physician practice; Community Liaison for clients with brain injuries; Home Health, Urgent Care, and Medical-Surgical/Pediatric Hospital Staff Registered Nurse. Ann Marie volunteers her time in the community and serves on numerous boards and committees including the PA Bureau of Workers’ Compensation Conference Committee, the PA Chapter of the International Association of Rehabilitation Professionals, Pennsylvania Occupational Health Nurses, and Susquehanna Valley of PA Occupational Health Nurses. She serves on the editorial board of the Workplace Health & Safety Journal and is the recipient of the American Association of Occupational Health Nurses New Investigator Research Grant funded by Medique Products and the Dorothy Saller Outstanding Occupational Health Nurse Leadership Award from the Pennsylvania Association of Occupational Health Nurses. Dr. Loiseau earned her Doctor of Nursing Practice from DeSales University. Her scholarly project was implemented to determine the effectiveness of a health literacy education program with occupational health nurses. She earned her Master of Science in Education from the University of Scranton and Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Bloomsburg University. In addition to her certification in case management, she is also certified in school nursing.
John Madaus is a Registered Nurse and Certified Case Manager with over 25 years' experience in Occupational Health, Safety, Case Management, & Workers' Compensation. Over the years, he gained experience working in all aspects of Injury Care Management. He has worked for employers, medical providers, insurance carriers, independent case management firms, and brokers. Currently, John works at Clemens Food Group as the Health & Wellness Manager, where they have developed highly effective team member-centric programs for occupational and non-occupational medical care. Clemens Food Group was a recipient of the 2019 Theodore Roosevelt Workers' Compensation & Disability Management Award, presented by Risk & Insurance. These programs have increased the quality of care while significantly improving costs.
Dr. Sabina Mauro is a licensed Clinical Psychologist. She joined the Carisk Team in June 2022 as a consulting Psychologist. Dr. Mauro completed her PsyD in Clinical Psychology from Marywood University in Scranton, Pennsylvania. Dr. Mauro specializes in trauma treatment and PTSD. She has experience conducting workers comp evaluations and delivering evidence-based treatment modalities for clients diagnosed with PTSD. She is a published author of two books: Healing PTSD: A CBT Workbook for Taking Back Your Life and The Mindfulness Workbook for PTSD: Effective Mindfulness Techniques for Reducing Traumatic Stress and Living in the Moment. Dr Mauro has been mentioned on Web-based resources such as PsyCentral, MedShadow Foundation, and Natural Awakenings Magazine on topics related to PTSD. Dr. Mauro currently operates her own private practice in Yardley, Pennsylvania. In her private practice, she provides individual therapy to trauma survivors and conducts psychological evaluations that focus on trauma and PTSD. She is a member of the American Psychological Association, Pennsylvania Psychological Association, and American Academy of Experts in Traumatic Stress.
Mark L. Mazzanti is a founding partner of Del Collo & Mazzanti LLP and has emphasized workers' compensation defense litigation on behalf of insurers and large employers in his 34 years with the firm. Mr. Mazzanti's introduction to Pennsylvania workers' compensation law was his judicial clerkship with the late Theodore O. Rogers of the Commonwealth Court. He then learned the claimant's perspective as an associate at a well-known plaintiffs' firm, before moving on to staff and senior trial counsel positions with major insurers, defending civil actions, as well as workers' compensation claims. In the course of his career, Mr. Mazzanti has handled literally thousands of workers' compensation hearings, mediations and fact and expert witness depositions, as well as oral argument before the Workers' Compensation Appeal Board and the Commonwealth Court. He has presented on multiple workers' compensation topics before the PA Bureau of Workers' Compensation Conference, the Pennsylvania Bar Institute, the Delaware County Bar Association, and the Philadelphia Bar Association. Following Mr. Mazzanti's tutelage, three of his former associates are now sitting workers' compensation judges. All of the attorneys at Del Collo & Mazzanti LLP share Mr. Mazzanti's focus on excellence in client service.
Michael McGurrin is a Senior Partner at the law firm of Galfand Berger. After receiving a Bachelor of Science degree in Criminal Justice from Buffalo State College, Mike performed an Assistantship in Sociology at the University of Denver. He earned his Juris Doctor degree from the University of Denver in 1990, receiving the Howard Jenkins, Jr. award in Labor Law. Mike’s practice areas include Workers’ Compensation, Social Security Disability,
Employment Discrimination, and Labor Law. Mike is the Chair of the Workers’ Compensation Department at Galfand Berger. Mike represents clients before Workers’ Compensation Judges, the Workers’ Compensation Appeal Board, and the Commonwealth Court. His labor practice includes representing unions in all labor matters and forums, including collective bargaining, grievances, and arbitrations, the National Labor Relations Board, and the Federal Court. In 2015, Mike became one of only 20 attorneys certified that year as a specialist in the practice of Workers’ Compensation by the Pennsylvania Bar Association Section on Workers’ Compensation Law as authorized by the Pennsylvania Supreme Court. He is a member of the National Employee Lawyers Association, the AFL-CIO Lawyers Coordinating Committee, the American Association for Justice (AAJ), and the Pennsylvania Bar Association. He is a frequent lecturer on Workers’ Compensation, Employment Discrimination, and Labor Law issues. Mike also co-authored and edited the most recent edition of Galfand Berger’s book, Workers’ Rights to Workers’ Compensation. This handy book concisely explains injured workers’ rights and responsibilities under the Pennsylvania Workers’ Compensation Act. It was written with the hope all injured workers in Pennsylvania will receive the rights promised them by the Workers’ Compensation Act.
John W. McTiernan served as a member of the course planning committee, the team that plans and presents the biennial PBI Pennsylvania Workers’ Compensation Practice & Procedure program and wrote the manual, from 1989 through 2014. From 1993 to 2017, he served on the Workers’ Compensation Rules Committee, appointed by the Secretary of Labor & Industry, and its predecessor, the Committee for Referees’ Rules and Procedures. He is a past chair of both the Pennsylvania Bar Association Workers’ Compensation Law Section and the Allegheny County Bar Association Workers’ Compensation Section. Judge McTiernan is a fellow of the College of Workers’ Compensation Lawyers. He is the recipient of the prestigious Irvin Stander Award (2011) from the Pennsylvania Bar Association Workers’ Compensation Law Section. While in private practice, Judge McTiernan was listed continuously in “The Best Lawyers in America,” published by Woodward & White from 1997 through 2017 and was named in the Best American Lawyers in Workers’ Compensation. He had also been continuously listed as one of Pennsylvania’s Super Lawyers from 2005 through 2017. He was a member of the Board of Kids’ Chance of Pennsylvania and served as its president from 2014-2015. A former partner in the Pittsburgh firm of Caroselli, Beachler, McTiernan & Coleman, he has served as a Workers’ Compensation Judge in the Brookville WCOA office since 2016.
Linda G. Millas is the workers' compensation claims manager for Solid Waste Services Inc. DBA J.P. Mascaro & Sons, one of the region's largest independent solid waste service companies, providing collection, transportation, processing, disposal/landfills, recycling and composting services, with operations in Pennsylvania, West Virginia, and New Jersey. Linda has been with the company in this position since 2002. She works closely with the company's Risk Management team, Director of Safety and Transportation, and the Vice President of Operations. Additionally, Linda works with the third-party administrator, panel providers, medical case managers, and defense counsel for the successful resolution of claims and litigation. She is solely responsible for overseeing the company's workers' compensation self-insurance program. She continues to utilize her extensive 20-plus years of experience in workers' compensation claims, workplace safety, case management, and operations to ensure workers' compensation and OSHA compliance. Linda has held the designation of Workers' Compensation Claims Certified – PA (WCCC-PA) for 20 years running and participates in many professional groups and panels. She proudly accepted the “2009 – PSIA Award for Excellence" on behalf of the company and has since that time participated as a member of the Board of Managers for the Pennsylvania Self-Insurers' Association (PSIA).
Gerald J. Mullery was appointed Deputy Secretary for Compensation and Insurance in February 2023 by then-acting Secretary of the Department of Labor & Industry, Nancy Walker. For twelve years preceding his appointment, Deputy Secretary Mullery was a State Representative in Pennsylvania's General Assembly representing 65,000 constituents in the 119th Legislative District. Deputy Secretary Mullery held multiple leadership positions in the House of Representatives including Democratic Chair of the House Labor & Industry and Ethics Committees. He started and ended his legal career representing the injured at the firm of O'Connor Law in Frackville. Additionally, he was in-house counsel for Lackawanna Insurance Group in Wilkes-Barre for several years prior to opening his own firm of Kasper & Mullery in Kingston. Throughout his twenty-six years as an attorney, Deputy Secretary Mullery litigated claims on behalf of claimants, insurance companies, self-insured employers, and third-party administrators. He is a graduate of King's College and the Duquesne University School of Law.
Michelle Muncie has more than thirty-five (35) years of workers' compensation experience in a variety of positions including provider, coverage compliance, and auditing safety programs. Her experience includes ten years in corporate retail pharmacy managing, developing, and designing a variety of processes, including workers' compensation dispensing procedures and point of sale processes, national and pharmacy benefit management (PBM) contracts, and the implementation of the wholly owned subsidiary PBM. During this time, Michelle and her colleagues worked with the State of West Virginia to implement its online claims adjudication process including workers' compensation edits, the incorporation of the Federal Black Lung formulary, and prior authorization requirements. In 1997, Michelle moved to South Carolina for family reasons and began working for the State of South Carolina, Workers' Compensation Commission as an Investigator and Compliance Officer. During her tenure at the SC Workers' Compensation Commission, she was responsible for writing the South Carolina Workers' Compensation Pharmacy Fee Schedule. She also worked with the SC Employment Security Commission and NCCI to share records between agencies to ensure workers' compensation insurance compliance by industry within South Carolina. In 2010, Michelle began working as an Auditor in the Health & Safety Division at the Pennsylvania Bureau of Workers' Compensation (BWC). Following 8 years as an Auditor, Michelle began managing the Audit & Report Processing Section of the BWC. This Section is responsible for overseeing the required Accident & Illness Prevention Programs for self-insureds and ensuring compliance with the Certified Workplace Safety Committee program. In 2020, she implemented an online audit process that has resulted in the doubling of conducted audits with half of the previous staff. Michelle's focus throughout the past 35 years has been providing the best possible services for workers' compensation claimants while ensuring employer compliance with existing regulations. Her current position has enabled her to initiate and support positive safety programs to reduce incidents and injuries in businesses throughout the Commonwealth. Michelle earned her bachelor's degree in Political Science from Kent State University.
David Naisby is the Chief Information Officer for the Employment, Banking, and Revenue Delivery Center, overseeing the internal and external IT services for the Departments of Labor, Revenue, State, Insurance, Banking & Securities, and the PA Lottery. Dave has over 20 years of experience in the information technology field, having served in varying executive positions, most notably for the Employment, Banking, and Revenue Delivery Center, the Pennsylvania Department of Labor and Industry, and as the Executive Director of the Commonwealth's Justice Network (JNET). Dave has a strong background in service delivery, IT governance, and system integration. He leads teams responsible for evaluating, planning, and directing IT operations, legacy and distributed systems platforms, application/software development, telecommunications, and IT security in large-scale environments. Dave earned a bachelor's degree from York College of Pennsylvania and is a 2014 Graduate of Harrisburg University's Certified Government Chief Information Officer program. Dave and his wife Jaime live in Mechanicsburg, PA and are the proud parents of two beautiful daughters, Alissa and Adisson.
Erin O’Neill serves as the leader for Paradigm’s client-facing business processes in her role as Senior Director of Client Services. Prior to joining Paradigm in 2019, Erin served as Clinical Director/Senior Managing Attorney of the Complex Claims Division of a Medicare Secondary Payer Compliance firm, working to ensure compliance with the Medicare Secondary Payer Statute in the settlement of claims involving catastrophic injuries, serious comorbid medical conditions, and/or chronic illnesses. As a Physician Assistant and Attorney, Erin has over 28 years of combined healthcare and legal experience encompassing work in clinical management, business development, and continuing education and training. Erin holds a Master of Physician Assistant Studies degree and Juris Doctorate from Duquesne University.
Hendrick Penn is a partner at Weber Gallagher Simpson Stapleton Fires & Newby, LLP. He has dedicated his practice to representing employers, insurance carriers, third-party administrators, and self-insured employers in workers' compensation matters for nearly 20 years. Mr. Penn represents clients in a wide range of industries. He regularly represents clients in the retail, trucking, construction, hospitality, healthcare, logistics, transportation, energy, and nursing home industries. He also has extensive experience representing businesses of all sizes, from small businesses with only a few workers to some of the world’s largest private employers. Attorney Penn regularly practices before Pennsylvania Workers' Compensation Judges and the Pennsylvania Workers' Compensation Appeal Board. He has successfully represented clients before the Pennsylvania Commonwealth Court. Mr. Penn believes in taking a business-minded approach to the representation of his clients. He believes that legal advice must be tailored to fit each client's specific business needs in order to bring about the best business results for the client. This includes not only endeavoring to provide the highest quality legal representation, but also doing so in a time and cost-efficient manner. Mr. Penn regularly presents workers' compensation law seminars to employers, insurance carriers, third-party administrators, self-insured employers, and at continuing legal education seminars for lawyers and judges. Hendrick has been selected for inclusion in the Best Lawyers in America, a peer-judged publication, since 2019.
Michael Quatrini is an attorney with Quatrini Law Group, P.C., working out of the firm’s offices in Greensburg, Pittsburgh, Latrobe, and Altoona. He represents individuals in claims for Workers' Compensation, Veterans Disability Compensation and Social Security Disability/SSI. Mr. Quatrini is admitted to practice before the courts of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, the United States District Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania, United States Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims, Social Security Administration, and the Department of Veterans Affairs. He is an active member of, and speaker for, national organizations including the National Organization of Social Security Claimants' Representatives (NOSSCR) and the Workers’ Injury Law & Advocacy Group (WILG). Since 2013, Mr. Quatrini has been a faculty member and course planner for the Pennsylvania Bar Institute's publications "Social Security Disability: The Basics" and "Advanced Issues in Social Security Disability."
Mr. Quatrini is a past chair of the Workers’ Compensation section of the Allegheny County Bar Association.
Linda Quinby, as a Training Specialist for the Health and Safety Division of the Bureau of Worker's Compensation, is responsible for developing and conducting a wide range of educational safety-related courses for the general public and various members of the Pennsylvania Workers' Compensation regulated community. Linda has over 10 years of experience as a safety and health training professional, instructing students at Montgomery County Community College. She previously worked for Rohm and Haas Chemical Company as a Product Safety Specialist for 10 years, working in the corporate Product Integrity Department. Here she authored Material Safety Data Sheets for a wide range of specialty chemicals and participated in product reviews for toxicologic, risk assessment, and worldwide regulatory issues. Linda graduated from Delaware Valley College with a Bachelor of Science degree in Biology. She also holds a Master of Science degree in Health Education from Arcadia University and an Advanced Safety Certificate from the National Safety Council. Linda is a certified instructor for the American Heart Association, the American Red Cross, the ALICE Training Program and the American College of Surgeons' Stop the Bleed program. She is also a Pennsylvania-certified EMT with 15 years of volunteer ambulance experience.
Drew Rice serves as the Director of Work Case Management Services at Windham where he manages a national program that leverages claim analytics to trigger the use of ergonomic and industrial hygiene services such as return-to-work plans, stay-at-work plans, office ergonomic assessments, and industrial claim merit determinations related to musculoskeletal and chemical based-illnesses. The focus of Drew's professional career primarily surrounds accelerating the closure of disability claims by returning injured workers to their original jobs following an absence from work. Drew holds a Master of Science degree in Ergonomics. He is married with two daughters and resides in the Boston area. He participates in regional soccer, basketball, and equine programs with his daughters and enjoys alpine skiing with the family.
Tyler Rowley is an injured electrical distribution lineworker from IBEW Local 29 in Pittsburgh. Before he was injured in a high-voltage accident in April of 2022, Tyler had been a senior operator apprentice at Duquesne Light Company for four years, and prior to that, worked as a GIS Tech for the same company. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Geology from the University of California Riverside and has experience in the oil and gas industry in California's Central Valley. In his spare time, he enjoys exploring the outdoors with his wife and their son and daughter, gardening, and disc golfing.
Judge Manager Jeffrey Russell is a dual graduate of the University of Pittsburgh, obtaining his undergraduate degree in Political Science in 1985, and his Juris Doctor in 1988. After graduating, he had a brief stint attempting to work in Manhattan in the recording industry. Judge Manager Russell returned to Pennsylvania, where he practiced workers’ compensation law for nearly 25 years in small and large firms, gaining experience representing both injured workers and employers. He was appointed as a Workers’ Compensation Judge in 2014, sitting in Harrisburg. He was moved to his home office of New Castle in 2015, and in 2023 he began his position of Judge Manager for the Western District. Judge Manager Russell serves in several locations in western Pennsylvania, and he mediates large numbers of cases throughout the Commonwealth. Judge Manager Russell has served on workers’ compensation CLE panels for local and state bar entities, as well as presentations for stakeholders via the Workers’ Compensation Conference.
Hon. Cathleen A. Sabatino serves as a Workers' Compensation Judge in Lehigh County. Prior to her appointment in 2012, she focused her practice primarily on workers' compensation defense. While in private practice, she lectured to large insurance companies and employers regarding complex workers' compensation issues. Since her appointment, she has lectured extensively to the Judge corps regarding the implementation and use of WCAIS. More recently, she has presented on the use of interpreters in the courtroom. Judge Sabatino has served as chairperson for the annual Workers' Compensation Judges' Retreat for the last ten years. She served as president of the Pennsylvania Workers' Compensation Judges' Professional Association from 2018 to 2022 and is a member of the Workers' Compensation Rules Committee. She is a 2018 graduate of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania's Leadership Development Institute. Judge Sabatino graduated from DeSales University with a B.A. in Theater and from Villanova University School of Law.
The Honorable Holly A. San Angelo has been a Workers’ Compensation Judge for the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania since May 2012. She started at the Northeast office in Philadelphia and transferred to Arch Street in Philadelphia when the Northeast office closed. She has been the Judge Manager of the Southeast Region since March 2018. Judge Manager San Angelo was the 2014 Judge co-chair for the Workers’ Compensation Section of the Philadelphia Bar Association. During her tenure, she served as a member of the Bench Bar Association. The 2014 co-chairs were also the first to introduce philanthropy to the section which has evolved to make the section the most philanthropic amongst its peers. Judge Manager San Angelo has been a panelist at many workers’ compensation seminars as well as the Judge’s conferences/ retreats. Judge Manager San Angelo is a strong advocate of the mediation program who avails herself to mandatory and voluntary mediations statewide. She performs hundreds of mediations a year. Prior to becoming a Workers’ Compensation Judge, she was in-house counsel for Travelers Insurance Company at William J. Ferren & Associates for 17 years where she concentrated her practice in workers’ compensation. She graduated from the California Western School of Law where she was a published member of the Law Review. She also received a Bachelor of Arts degree in Foreign Service from the Pennsylvania State University.
Marianne H. Saylor, Esq. has been the Director of the Bureau of Workers’ Compensation since June of 2019. Prior to joining the Bureau, Marianne had 25 years of experience in the workers’ compensation arena. She was a partner at Willig, Williams & Davidson, where she represented claimants for more than 18 years. She also represented employers and insurance carriers earlier in her career. As a result, Marianne has a broad understanding of all aspects of the Pennsylvania Workers’ Compensation Act. Marianne is a 1987 graduate of Bennington College, with a Bachelor of Arts degree, and a 1992 graduate of City University of New York School of Law.
Timothy Schwalm, Mack Trucks.
No bio provided.
Todd B. Seelig has served as a Workers’ Compensation Judge for the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania since 1996. He sits in the Philadelphia District. Judge Seelig is a member of the faculty of Villanova University School of Law, as an Adjunct Professor of Law, where he earned his J.D. He is the current co-editor of the treatise, Barbieri,
Pennsylvania Workers’ Compensation. In 2003, he was named by American Lawyer Media publishers of the
Legal Intelligencer as a “Lawyer on the Fast Track.” Judge Seelig has been active in the Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, and American Bar Associations and has served in leadership positions and lectured extensively for these organizations. In 2003, Judge Seelig was elected and served as the chair of the Pennsylvania Bar Association, YLD. Judge Seelig is a past member of the Board of Governors of the Pennsylvania Bar Association. He is a member of the Pennsylvania Bar Association’s Workers' Compensation Section Council and serves as Chair of the Unreported Decision Committee. Judge Seelig is a Lifetime Fellow of the Pennsylvania Bar Foundation, the philanthropic partner of the PBA. Judge Seelig is a former co-chair of the Philadelphia Bar Association Workers’ Compensation Section and currently serves on the Executive Committee of the Section. Judge Seelig is a past chair of the American Bar Association’s Workers' Compensation and Employer's Liability Committee. From 2015-2016, he served as editor-in-chief for the ABA’s Tort Trial and Insurance Practice Section (TIPS) magazine,
The Brief. He currently serves on the editorial board of
The Brief. Judge Seelig served as president of the Pennsylvania Workers’ Compensation Judges Professional Association from 2003-2007. He has served on several committees within the Pennsylvania Department of Labor & Industry Workers’ Compensation Office of Adjudication to study and recommend improvements in litigation and the Workers’ Compensation Judges’ performance expectations. In 2016, Judge Seelig was inducted into the College of Workers’ Compensation Lawyers, an organization established to honor those attorneys and judges who have distinguished themselves in their practice in the field of workers' compensation.
Attorney Daniel J. Siegel is a nationally recognized authority on ethics, technology, data protection and cybersecurity, civil litigation, and workers’ compensation matters, and the principal of the Law Offices of Daniel J. Siegel, LLC. For nearly 40 years, Dan has represented injured workers and medical providers in workers’ compensation matters, and he is the author of
Pennsylvania Workers’ Compensation Law: The Basics – A Primer for Lawyers, Workers, Medical Providers, Insurance Professionals & Others, currently in its 3rd edition. Dan has been counsel in numerous appeals, including many precedential decisions before the Pennsylvania Supreme, Commonwealth and Superior Courts. Dan also provides techno-ethics counsel to solo, small, and mid-sized law firms on cybersecurity, technology, and other related issues. He represents attorneys in disciplinary matters; provides professional responsibility guidance to attorneys and firms; serves as appellate counsel; and represents individuals in workers’ compensation and personal injury matters. In short, Dan handles the types of matters that keep attorneys awake at night. Dan is a columnist for many publications and the author of 15 books. He also serves in many Bar Association leadership roles. You can reach Dan at dan@danieljsiegel.com.
Staci Smith joined Utz in July 2023 as the Vice President of Risk Management. She is responsible for insurance, claims handling, safety, business continuity planning, and crisis management. Prior to joining Utz, she spent eight years at The Hershey Company as the Global Risk Manager.
Travis W. Smith is a Partner in the Pittsburgh office of Gordon & Rees and is a Member and Chair of the Medicare Compliance Practice Group. Travis focuses on addressing Medicare issues in workers’ compensation, liability, and no-fault cases. This includes preparing Medicare Set-Aside Arrangements, having Medicare Set-Asides approved by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services to ensure compliance with the Medicare Secondary Payer Statute, conditional payment lien investigation and negotiation, assisting parties to come to a settlement that protects both their own interests as well as Medicare’s, and providing counsel regarding Medicare Section 111 Mandatory Insurer Reporting. Travis is admitted to practice in Pennsylvania, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit, and the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania. He was selected for inclusion on the 2008 and 2010-2014 Pennsylvania Super Lawyers “Rising Stars” lists and was named a 2019 Pennsylvania Super Lawyer. He is a member of the PA Bar Association, the Allegheny County Bar Association, and the Federation of Defense & Corporate Counsel. Travis received his B.S. from Johns Hopkins University in 1997 and his J.D. from the University of Pittsburgh School of Law in 2000. He also currently serves as President of the Canon-Mac Boys & Girls Youth Lacrosse Association and has expanded the program from 35 to over 175 players.
Daniel G. Snyder is a Workers’ Compensation Judge who presides in the Allentown Office of Adjudication. Judge Snyder was appointed to the bench in May 2014 serving in the Wilkes-Barre office. In April 2015, he was allowed to move to the Allentown office which gave him the opportunity to work closer to home. Prior to becoming a judge, Judge Snyder worked for 14 years on the defense side of the worker’s compensation aisle, with a brief period where he practiced medical malpractice defense; and prior to the defense side of the bar, he worked for 4 years at a small firm, doing whatever business walked through the door. Judge Snyder is a graduate of Penn State University and Widener University School of Law (now Widener University Commonwealth Law School).
Thomas A. Strohmetz is an attorney and one of the four founding partners of The Chartwell Law Offices, LLP, which began in Valley Forge, Pennsylvania in 2002. Chartwell now has over 200 lawyers in 24 offices throughout 30 states. Tom has handled the defense of workers' compensation cases for insurance companies and various businesses for almost 30 years. He is admitted to practice in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and the US District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania. He is the Chair of the Workers' Compensation Practice Group for the firm. Tom is also Chartwell's Chief Communications Officer. He earned his J.D. from Widener University School of Law.
John Tirpak is the Chief Technology Officer (CTO) for the Employment Banking and Revenue Delivery Center. As CTO, John is responsible for the technology strategy and operations for six state agencies that provide critical services to millions of Pennsylvania citizens. In this role, John is responsible for the computer services that support commonwealth agency business processes, external commonwealth employer connectivity, and access to vital services consumed by 13 million Pennsylvania citizens. Prior to being named CTO, John worked in various IT roles supporting the EBR Delivery Center and the Department of Labor and Industry. With over 15 years of experience in the government administration industry, John has a proven record of delivering innovative, secure, and cost-effective solutions that enhance efficiency, performance, and customer satisfaction. John retired from the PA Army National Guard in March of 2021 after more than 20 years of service and is a decorated combat veteran. He attended the University of Pittsburgh where he studied Mathematics and Jazz Studies, and he currently lives in Selinsgrove with his wife Amy.
Sean Trepiccione joins the Bureau of Workers’ Compensation as the Chief of the Health and Safety Division. Sean has over 20 years of experience working for both private and public companies and has been responsible for the implementation and execution of various safety, health, risk management, loss prevention, and asset protection programs. Prior to joining the BWC, Sean worked for Ollie’s Bargain Outlet for 15 years and most recently served as the Safety and Risk Manager for the company. Sean is a 2004 graduate of Shippensburg University where he majored in Criminal Justice.
Judge Manager Karen Wertheimer is a graduate of Drexel University with a BA in Business Administration and of Case Western Reserve University with a JD. She represented both employers and claimants before being appointed to the bench in 2000. She served as the Judge Manager of the Southeastern District of the Workers’ Compensation Office of Adjudication and currently serves as the Judge Manager for the Eastern District of the Workers’ Compensation Office of Adjudication.
Judge Gerald Yanity is a Workers’ Compensation Judge in the Greensburg Office of Adjudication. He adjudicates claims originating in Westmoreland, Indiana, and Armstrong counties, and mediates claims from throughout the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Prior to his appointment as a Workers’ Compensation Judge in 2014, Judge Yanity was in private practice for 19 years at Yanity Law Offices P.C. in Latrobe, where he concentrated his practice on representing employers and insurance carriers in workers’ compensation claims. Since 2019, he has been a member of the committee that plans and presents the biennial PBI program Pennsylvania Workers’ Compensation Practice and Procedure and is a co-author of the manual. Judge Yanity is a graduate of Franklin & Marshall College, and the Duquesne University School of Law, where he served on the Duquesne Law Review. He served as editor of the Westmoreland Bar Journal from 2011 until 2014. Judge Yanity is a member of the Westmoreland Bar Association and Pennsylvania Bar Association and currently serves on the PBA Workers’ Compensation Law Section Council. He also serves as a member of the WCAIS and Telework (WATTS) Committee.