Montgomery County Commissioners

Transcription

1 Montgomery County Commissioners Josh Shapiro As a public servant, Shapiro has earned a reputation as a reformer, a visionary, an effective legislator and a can-do executive. As Montgomery County's first majority Democratic board chair in 150 years, Shapiro is leading the effort to clean up county government and put our fiscal house in order. He's won praise from people across the political spectrum for making government more efficient and effective. Prior to his service as your County Commissioner, Shapiro served as a State Representative, where he wrote and passed the farthest-reaching ethics laws in a generation and established strict new financial controls over state spending. He also helped expand early childhood education programs, made college more affordable for Pennsylvania families, and led the fight to pass a law banning texting while driving. Shapiro was raised in and lives in Montgomery County. It is where he met his high school sweetheart, Lori, and where today, in Abington Township, they are raising their four young children, Sophia, Jonah, Max and Reuben. Valerie Arkoosh A nationally recognized physician and public health policy expert, Dr. Arkoosh is a stanch advocate for ensuring that all families have an opportunity to live healthy, safe and productive lives. Fed up with seeing her patients fall through the cracks, she led a national coalition of physicians advocating for comprehensive health care reform. And as chair of anesthesiology at Drexel University, her fiscal leadership brought the department out of a major deficit and put it on the path to stability. As a parent and longtime resident of Montgomery County, Dr. Arkoosh chose to step up and serve in her first elected position because she believes that a healthy community is one where we all do better. Where good jobs, healthy neighborhoods and first-rate schools are available to everyone, not only the wealthy or the well-connected. She previously served as chair of the Montgomery County Board of Health and, most recently, was professor of clinical anesthesiology and clinical obstetrics and gynecology at the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania. She lives in Springfield Township with her husband, Jeff Harbison, and their three teenage children, Ian, Trevor and Olivia. Montgomery County 2015 Primary Candidates Page 1

2 County Row Officers Clerk of Courts Ann Thornburg Weiss Weiss has twice been elected Clerk of Courts, winning office in 2007 and She has introduced numerous innovations to the Montgomery County court system, including more user-friendly services and streamlined work processes. She was recognized by The Philadelphia Inquirer last July for having collected $1.2 million in delinquent court fees, fines and restitutions, some dating as far back as These collections saved taxpayers money. A graduate of Gettysburg College and the Temple University law school, Weiss served for six years as a member of the Upper Dublin Township Board of Commissioners. She practices law at Timoney Knox LLP, where she is of counsel and specializes in legal services for municipalities and for water and sewer authorities. She serves on the board of directors of the Ambler Community Ambulance Association. County Controller Karen Geld Sanchez A partner in the business and finance department at the law firm of Obermayer Rebmann Maxwell & Hippel, LLP, Sanchez has been recognized as a "Lawyer on the Fast Track" by The Legal Intelligencer, as a "Pennsylvania Super Lawyer Rising Star" by Philadelphia Magazine, and by the judiciary for her exemplary pro bono work. She is the founder of the firm's Women's Marketing Initiative, a group of female attorneys who promote other females in law and business. She is a hearing committee member for the Disciplinary Board of the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania, and she is a child advocate representing children pro bono in Philadelphia since Sanchez holds a master's degree in business, a law degree from Temple University, and earned her undergraduate business degree from the Pennsylvania State University. Coroner Dr. Walter I. Hofman Elected in 2007 and 2011, Dr. Hofman is the only forensic pathologist to ever serve as Coroner of Montgomery County, and he is one of the few to have done so in Pennsylvania. In his 45 years of experience in forensic pathology, he has performed more than 11,000 autopsies. He has served as medical examiner for the cities of Dallas and Detroit and for several counties in New Jersey. Dr. Hofman completed his residency in hospital pathology at Boston University and Harvard Medical School Hospitals after graduating from the Medical Faculty of the University of Basel, Switzerland. Dr. Hofman has been a Cub Scout leader in Lower Merion, a member of the Town Watch, and secretary-treasurer of Penn Valley Junior Sports. He is past president of Congregation Beth David in Gladwyne. Montgomery County 2015 Primary Candidates Page 2

3 District Attorney Kevin R. Steele As first assistant district attorney of Montgomery County, Steele is extraordinarily wellprepared for the job of District Attorney. He oversees 145 prosecutors, detectives and administrative personnel who handle 10,000 criminal cases per year. He leads the Homicide Unit in all of its investigations and personally supervises all non-consensual wiretap investigations. In over 20 years as a prosecutor, Steele has tried more than 100 trials and prosecuted more than 1,800 cases, including 40 homicide cases. Steele earned his bachelor's degree in criminal science from George Washington University and his law degree from Dickinson School of Law of Pennsylvania State University. He earned a master's in trial advocacy at Temple University. In July, he will become president of the Penn State Alumni Association. He also is an adjunct professor of criminal law at Cabrini College. Prothonotary Mark Levy Levy was elected Prothonotary in 2007 and In his two terms, he has pioneered in the use of innovative technologies, especially with electronic court records, to improve efficiency and save tax dollars. In a boost to public safety, he dramatically reduced the time it once took in Montgomery County to obtain a protection-from-abuse order, an achievement that was recognized in 2012 by the Domestic Abuse Response Team. Levy was chosen by the County Commissioners to serve on the county Board of Elections in 2010, and he is a member of the County Records Improvement Fund Committee. He serves on the executive committee of the Pennsylvania State Association of Prothonotaries and Clerks of Courts. A former platoon sergeant in the Army, he earned his degree in political science at Temple University. He has coached the Plymouth Junior ABA. Recorder of Deeds Jeanne Sorg Currently the Mayor of Ambler, Sorg has pushed for smart development and economic growth initiatives in her community. She has worked with homeowners to solve a decades-old alley-paving issue, has taken leadership on flood mitigation, and has secured county grants to create additional parking and development. She instituted the "Mayor's Memo" to increase communication with Ambler residents through and social media. Her political leadership in 2013 helped transform the Ambler Borough Council from having a 6-3 Republican majority to having a 7-2 Democratic majority. Since 2012, Sorg has worked as a senior aide to State Rep. Steve McCarter, building relationships with citizens and elected officials in Cheltenham, Jenkintown and Springfield. She is a graduate of Macalester College and holds a degree in mathematics and English. Montgomery County 2015 Primary Candidates Page 3

4 Register of Wills D. Bruce Hanes D. Bruce Hanes was elected Register of Wills in 2007 and As the issuer of marriage licenses in the county, Hanes has led the fight for marriage equality in Pennsylvania. As an advocate for families dealing with the death of a loved one, he has emphasized efficient, compassionate service in the handling of estates. His office introduced an electronic filing system ahead of almost every other Pennsylvania county. Hanes earned his B.A. from the University of Maryland and his law degree from Temple University. He formerly was a lawyer in private practice, focusing on general civil law. He was an assistant Pennsylvania attorney general and was a hearing officer for the Federal Employees Appeals Authority. Hanes is an adjunct professor at Philadelphia University, where he teaches politics and election law. He is an Army veteran. Sheriff Sean P. Kilkenny The son of a police officer, Kilkenny is a lieutenant colonel in the Army Reserves, and a federal prosecutor in the U.S. Army who has tried homicide, rape and serious crime cases for more than 16 years. He has served with the Army in Iraq, Kosovo, Bosnia, and South Korea. As one of the top municipal and land use attorneys in Montgomery County, Kilkenny represents taxpayers in many local communities. He also represents the Montgomery County Redevelopment Authority. He volunteers on the Boards of the Montgomery County College and the Hiway Theater of Jenkintown. Kilkenny has served as Council president in Jenkintown and as a trustee of Montgomery County Community College. A Villanova University graduate, he holds a master's of public administration from the University of South Carolina and a law degree from Temple University. Treasurer Jason Salus A former businessman with a degree in finance from Pennsylvania State University and an MBA from Temple University, Salus has brought private-sector financial acumen to the office of Treasurer, identifying new sources of revenue, making smart investments, and reducing his department's budget. In 2010, the Commissioners appointed him to the Montgomery County Industrial Development Authority, which supports job creation by providing low-interest financing for non-profits and mufacturers. He has started a finacial literacy initiative, and his office partners with non-profits to provide free income-tax preparation for low- and moderate-income families A one-time student at the University of Manchester in England, Jason worked for international accounting and consulting firms as a forensic accountant. Later, he served as the director of real estate development for a non-profit community redevelopment organization. Before his election as Treasurer in 2011, he served as Conshohocken Borough's 1st Ward councilman. Montgomery County 2015 Primary Candidates Page 4

5 Judicial Candidates Court of Common Pleas Daniel J. Clifford A partner at the Weber Gallagher law firm, Clifford is immediate past chair of the 1,300- member Family Law Section of the Pennsylvania Bar Association. He is a fellow of the International Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers and member of its LGBT Committee. He has advocated for improvements to the family court system and diversity in law practice. He is the 2014 recipient of the Pro Bono Award from the Pennsylvania Bar. Clifford has been chair of the Zoning Hearing Board in Springfield since 1996, presiding over hundreds of evidentiary hearings. He is a hearing committee member for the Disciplinary Board of the Pennsylvania Supreme Court, and has served on the boards of Adoptions From the Heart and the Equality Forum. Court of Common Pleas Todd Eisenberg Eisenberg is lead claims counsel for Peco Energy Company, handling a significant portion of the company's civil litigation. He formerly was solicitor for several townships and boroughs, and operated his own law practice, handling criminal, personal injury and family law matters. He was a staff attorney for the Philadelphia Public Defender's Office. A graduate of Boston University, Eisenberg earned his law degree from Widener University School of Law and holds a Master of Legal Letters in Trial Advocacy degree from Temple. He is an instructor in trial advocacy for Temple and the National Institute of Trial Advocacy. He volunteers for the Montgomery County Child Advocacy Project, representing children in PFA hearings, dependency matters and as a witness in criminal cases. Court of Common Pleas Natasha Taylor-Smith As assistant solicitor for Montgomery County, Taylor-Smith provides counsel to several human services departments, including those serving older people and people with behavioral health issues or developmental disabilities. She formerly was a public defender and operated her own law firm. A graduate of Hampton College, she was an adjunct faculty member in the trial advocacy program at Temple law school, her legal alma mater. She has been a featured Continuing Legal Education presenter for the Pennsylvania and National bar associations on issues including "Handling the Sexual Assault Case and Prosecuting Protection from Abuse Cases." At Salem Baptist Church of Jenkintown, she teaches Sunday school, leads youth activities, serves on the Board of Activities and volunteers at a homeless ministry. Montgomery County 2015 Primary Candidates Page 5