Meet the Speakers
Anthony Bellitto, Jr., PE
North Penn Water Authority
300 Forty Foot Road, PO Box 1659
Lansdale, PA 19446
215.855.3617
abellitto@northpennwater.org
www.northpennwater.org
Tony is the Executive Director of the North Penn Water Authority in Lansdale, a position he has held since 1998. He is responsible for all planning, engineering, operational, and financial aspects of the organization, with a staff of 50 employees. The Authority provides a daily average of 10 million gallons per day of water supply to over 35,000 customers in Montgomery and Bucks Counties. Tony is a Past President of the Pennsylvania Municipal Authorities Association (PMAA). He has served as PMAA Region 1 Director and Assistant Director, and has been active on several PMAA committees over the years. Tony is also active with the American Water Works Association (AWWA) and their Water For People program that focuses on international water relief projects. He is a Licensed Professional Engineer with a Bachelor’s Degree in Civil Engineering and Master’s Degree in Environmental Engineering from Manhattan College in New York City.
Kevin Buraks, Esq.
Portnoff Law Associates, Ltd
2700 Horizon Drive, Suite 100
King of Prussia, PA 19406
484.690.9332
kburaks@portnoffonline.com
www.portnoffonline.com
Kevin Buraks is a Managing Attorney with Portnoff Law Associates and has practiced law for over 25 years. He is a past chair of the Bankruptcy Committees of both the Philadelphia and Montgomery County Bar Associations, and served on the Executive Committee of the Business Law Section of the Philadelphia Bar Association. Mr. Buraks has lectured extensively on the topics of municipal collections and bankruptcy law, and his articles have been published in a variety of legal journals and periodicals, including The National Law Journal.
Mr. Buraks was a two-term elected member of the Tredyffrin/Easttown School Board, serving two years as Board President. He volunteers his time to the Montgomery Child Advocacy Project, where he represents children who are the victims of abuse or neglect. Mr. Buraks was recognized for his work with the underprivileged on the First Judicial District of Pennsylvania Pro Bono Role of Honor.
David Busch
Keystone Alliance Consulting
1200 New Church Court
Ambler, PA 19002
215.840.0934
dbusch@keystone-alliance.com
www.keystone-alliance.com
David Busch is a principal of Keystone Alliance Consulting, a consulting firm which provides water and wastewater utilities with cost of service rate studies, feasibility studies, tapping fee calculations, and arranges for project financing through federal/state grant and loan programs. His clients include both large and small authorities across Pennsylvania. He received his bachelor’s degree in economics and finance from Drexel University.
Daniel Capano
Gannett Fleming Engineers and Architects, P.C.
One Penn Plaza, Suite 630
250 West 34th Street
New York, NY 10119
917.940.8235
dcapano@gfnet.com
www.gannettfleming.com
Dan Capano is a Senior Construction Manager for Gannett Fleming; prior to this, he was an independent consultant specializing in SCADA design and implementation, Instrumentation and control systems, communication, and systems startup and commissioning. He has been involved in water treatment projects as an owner, consultant, and contractor as various times in his career, giving him a unique perspective on the industry. He has participated in the upgrade or reconstruction of numerous treatment facilities. Dan has written and presented extensively on many water treatment related topics and has endeavored to educate owners and operators on the growing threat to critical infrastructure from cyber threats.
Stephen Disney
Bradford City Water Authority
28 Kennedy Street
Bradford, PA 16701
814.362.3004
sdisney@bradfordwater.com
www.bradfordwater.com
Steve is the Executive Director for both the Bradford City Water Authority and Bradford Sanitary Authority. Steve has been Executive Director at BCWA since 2016 and Executive Director at BSA since 2020.
BCWA is comprised of 138 miles of water mains, 6,200 customers serving 18,000 residents, 17 full time employees and a $4.3 million annual budget. Responsibilities include oversight of a 6.5 million gallon per day permitted water treatment plant, dewatering facility, distribution system and three (3) surface water impoundments with land management of a 12,000 acre watershed.
BSA is comprised of 45 miles of sanitary mains, 10,097 EDU’s, 4,395 customers, 11 full time employees, 35 miles of storm water mains, and a $4.1 million annual budget.
Steve began his career in the private industry with Georgia Pacific LLC, where he worked in supervision and upper management for 33 years including tenure as Plant Superintendent, Plant Manager, and Director of Operations.
In addition to serving as the current PMAA Region 7 Director, Steve is currently serving as Northwest PA Board Member for PaWARN.
Rhonda Hakundy-Jones, PG
Department of Environmental Protection
909 Elmerton Avenue
Harrisburg, PA 17110
717.576.2149
rhakundyjo@pa.gov
www.dep.pa.gov
Ms. Hakundy-Jones is a licensed Professional Geologist. She joined the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection in Spring 2019 to work in the Source Water Protection Program. Through this program she prepares plans to help Community Water Supplies (CWS) protect the sources of their drinking water. These sources may include groundwater, streams, lakes, reservoirs, etc. Throughout most of her career, Ms. Hakundy-Jones worked as an environmental geologist identifying and delineating sources of groundwater and soil contamination, and assisting in the remediation of the contamination. She served as executive director of the Pennsylvania Council of Professional Geologists (PCPG). She is an active member and past president of the Paxton Creek Watershed & Education Association. Ms. Hakundy-Jones received her Bachelor of Science Degree in geology from Muskingum College and her Master of Science Degree in hydrogeology from the Ohio State University.
Steven Hann, Esq.
Hamburg, Rubin, Mullin, Maxwell & Lupin
375 Morris Road, PO Box 1479
Lansdale, PA 19446
215.661.0400
shann@hrmml.com
www.hrmml.com
Steve is a Principle with the law firm of Hamburg, Rubin, Mullin, Maxwell & Lupin, where he practices Environmental Law and Municipal Law, and chairs the firm’s Environmental Law Department. He represents clients’ interests before environmental agencies such as EPA and DEP, and in litigation matters in the federal and state court systems. Steve is the East Region Solicitor to PMAA, represents municipal entities throughout Pennsylvania as both Solicitor and Special Counsel, and has been an expert and mediator in matters involving municipal authorities. In his practice, Steve provides experienced guidance on many diverse matters, including water quality-related issues, stormwater management, regulatory compliance, and issues arising under the Municipality Authorities Act. Steve is also a contributor to the DCED publication, Municipal Authorities in Pennsylvania. Steve received his law degree from Temple University School of Law. He also earned a B.S. Degree in Meteorology from Penn State and both a B.S. Degree in Geoscience and a Certificate in Broadcast Meteorology from Mississippi State University.
Terri Hauser
Latrobe Municipal Authority
104 Guerrier Road, PO Box 88
Latrobe, PA 15650
724.537.3378
terri@latrobema.com
www.latrobema.com
Terri graduated from Derry Area High School in Derry, PA in 1985 and from the Pennsylvania State University in 1989 with a degree in Environmental Engineering. Upon graduation from Penn State, Ms. Hauser was hired as an engineer for a consulting firm (Dewberry & Davis) located in Fairfax, Virginia and worked there until April 1993, when she accepted a position with the Latrobe Municipal Authority (LMA) as an Environmental Control Supervisor. In March of 2011, Terri was promoted to Assistant Manager of the LMA and subsequently became the Manager of the Authority on April 1, 2016. Ms. Hauser served on the PMAA Board of Directors from 2015-2018, as Region 9 director, and is currently an active member of the Authorities Women, Innovation, Networking (WIN) steering committee.
Brian Jacisin, Esq.
PA State Ethics Commission
Finance Building
613 North Street, Room 309
Harrisburg, PA 17120-0400
717.783.1610
www.ethics.pa.gov
Brain Jacisin currently serves as the Chief Counsel for the Pennsylvania State Ethics Commission. Prior to his current position, he served as the Commission’s Deputy Executive Director/Director of Investigations for nearly eight (8) years. Mr. Jacisin’s fifteen (15) years of service with the Commission has allowed him to successfully present cases before the Commission, and to also argue before the Commonwealth Court of Pennsylvania, as well as the State Supreme Court, on matters involving the Ethics Act.
Brian is a graduate of Widener University School of Law – Wilmington, as well as a graduate of Indiana University of Pennsylvania, where he earned his bachelor's degree in criminology. Prior to joining the State Ethics Commission, he enjoyed a career in both the private and public legal sector; including serving as an Assistant District Attorney for the County of York. Aside from work, Brian enjoys spending his free time with his family at their Civil War era farm located in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania.
Melissa Komar
Johnstown Redevelopment Authority
416 Main Street, Suite 200
Johnstown, PA 15901
814.535.6564
mkomar@jrapa.org
www.johnstown-redevelopment.org
Melissa Komar is a 2001 graduate of the University of Pittsburgh at Johnstown where she obtained a Bachelor of Science degree in Geography. After working in Pittsburgh as an environmental specialist for GAI Consultants she returned to Johnstown to raise her family. Melissa worked through the ranks within municipal government starting as the GIS Specialist, Land Management Coordinator, Assistant City Manager and spent 2016 as the Interim City Manager.
Melissa is currently the Executive Director of the Johnstown Redevelopment Authority. The Authority also oversees Johnstown Regional Sewage. The Johnstown Redevelopment Authority exists and operates for two public purposes; the elimination of blighted areas for residential, recreational, commercial, or industrial reuse, and to provide a suitable living environment as well as adequate employment opportunities for the citizens of Johnstown. Its mission is to undertake urban renewal and the continued revitalization of the City of Johnstown, using unified public and private partnerships while engaging citizens in a community vision for growth. In 2019 the Johnstown Redevelopment Authority was honored by the Cambria Regional Chamber of Commerce with the Community Impact Award. This award recognizes an organization that is truly making a difference in our region by taking positive action to invest in our community and sees social responsibility as an integral part of their success.
In 2017 Melissa was honored by the Young Professionals of the Alleghenies with the award for community involvement, as well as one of PA Business Central’s Foremost under 40. Melissa was also named the “2017 Woman of the Year” in the category of “professional” by the YWCA of Greater Johnstown. She serves on the John Murtha Johnstown – Cambria County Airport Authority, and the Greater Johnstown Community YMCA board of directors.
Stephen Korbel, Esq.
Babst Calland
Two Gateway Center
603 Stanwix Street, 6th Floor
Pittsburgh, PA 15222
412.394.5627
skorbel@babstcalland.com
www.babstcalland.com
Steve Korbel is a shareholder in the Public Sector and Employment and Labor Services groups of Babst Calland. He currently serves as the chair of the Firm’s Public Sector Group. Mr. Korbel has served as a municipal solicitor for approximately 20 years and is currently the appointed solicitor for Aspinwall Borough, Crafton Borough, Forest Hills Borough, the Town of McCandless, and the Robinson Township Civil Service Commission. He also currently serves as special labor counsel to the Municipal Authority of the Township of Robinson and the Pennsylvania Cyber Charter School. Mr. Korbel regularly counsels and represents the Firm’s municipal clients with respect to various municipal issues, including but not limited to issues related to general municipal issues, tax assessment appeals, municipal taxation, public bidding, Sunshine Act, the Right-to-Know Law, the State Ethics Act and general land use and zoning matters. He has extensive experience in code enforcement matters related to the Uniform Construction Code, the Property Maintenance Code and municipal zoning matters. Of particular note, Mr. Korbel has drafted intergovernmental cooperation agreements related to police, public works and utility services and has litigated code enforcement matters that have resulted in the condemnation of dangerous residential structures, the renewed maintenance of a stormwater retention facility and compliance with municipal mandatory sewer tap-in ordinances.
In addition to Mr. Korbel’s municipal law practice, he also counsels public and private employers in all aspects of the employment relationship, from hiring through termination. He advises clients on employment discrimination issues and rights, workplace harassment, disability accommodation, Family & Medical Leave Act compliance, employee handbooks, workplace investigations, disciplinary action, employment agreements, restrictive covenants, waivers and releases.
Russell McIntosh
Herbert, Rowland & Grubic, Inc.
CGA Professional Center
135 North George Street
York, PA 17401
717.564.1121
rmcintosh@hrg-inc.com
www.hrg-inc.com
Russell F. McIntosh is a Financial Services Analysist for Herbert, Rowland & Grubic, Inc. He has spent nearly 45 years in the water and wastewater industry as a financial consultant to municipalities, municipality authorities, county and state government, public utilities, land developers, industry associations and law firms relative to utility regulation, financing, and user charge system. Herbert, Rowland & Grubic, Inc. (HRG), is a consulting engineering firm headquartered in Harrisburg, PA. Prior to his retirement in 2018, he was the Vice President of Financial Services.
William Ross
Lower Saucon Authority
3706 Old Philadelphia Pike
Bethlehem, PA 18015
610.317.3212
administrator@lowersauconauthority.org
www.lowersauconauthority.org
Bill is the Administrator of the Lower Saucon Authority in Northampton County, a role he has had since 2016. A graduate of Penn State University, Bill served as PMAA’s Region 2 Director from 2018-2021.
Bill got his start in the industry when, as an elected member of the Town of Clinton (N.J.) Council, he was appointed to the water commission in 1994. After serving for five years, he and his family moved to Lower Saucon Township, PA in 1999. Upon seeing a vacancy on the local authority board and thinking that his experience was a good fit, he submitted an application and was appointed to the Lower Saucon Authority board in 2001. He served as board Secretary from 2003-2005, board Vice-Chairman from 2006-2007 and as board Chairman from 2008-2016. As chairman, he worked closely with the previous administrator, who ran the day-to-day operations of the authority. When the administrator retired in 2016, his position was offered to Bill, who has held it since then.
An avid golfer, Bill spends much of his free time reading (preferably history and detective novels). He usually has music surrounding him, whether at work, on the course or at leisure. Bill and his wife Deb just recently celebrated their 35th anniversary. They have three adult daughters: Melissa, Libby and Colleen.
Michael Schober, PE
ARRO Consulting, Inc.
108 West Airport Road
Lititz, PA 17543
717.569.7021
michael.schober@arroconsulting.com
www.arroconsulting.com
Mr. Schober is a Vice President at ARRO Consulting and has thirty-six years of experience in water, wastewater and stormwater system design. Mike is a PMAA past-president and past Region 4 Director and currently serves on the Conference, Communications and Golf Committees as well as the PMAA Unemployment Compensation Trust. His odor control and treatment plant design has been nationally recognized with awards from EPA and Water Environment Federation, as well as locally including the Leonard M. Glass Memorial Award from Chesapeake Water Environment Association; the L.W. “Red” Davis Award from PA Municipal Authorities Association; the Ted Moses High Hat Award from PA Water Environment Association; the Golden Raindrop Award from the PA Water Environment Association; the 2012 Governor’s Award for Local Government Excellence, PA; and Central PA Business Journal’s “Forty Under 40” Award.
Jennie Shade
PA Municipal Authorities Association
1000 North Front Street, Suite 401
Wormleysburg, PA 17043
717.737.7655
shade@municipalauthorities.org
www.municipalauthorities.org
Jennie currently serves as the Director of Government Relations for PMAA. Jennie has worked for two administrations in the PA Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, most recently as Legislative Liaison. Prior to state government, Jennie worked for a government relations firm in Harrisburg advocating a variety of issues for various associations.
Jennie is a graduate of the Pennsylvania State University with a bachelor’s degree in Political Science from the Schreyer Honors College and was inducted into Phi Beta Kappa.
Craig Staudenmaier, Esq.
Nauman, Smith, Shissler & Hall, LLP
200 North 3rd Street, 18th Floor
Harrisburg, PA 17101
717.236.3010
cjstaud@nssh.com
www.nssh.com
Mr. Staudenmaier is a partner in the Harrisburg law firm of Nauman, Smith, Shissler & Hall, LLP. His practice is concentrated in the areas of state and federal litigation and Right to Know/Media law. Mr. Staudenmaier routinely represents print and broadcast media, businesses and private individuals in public records and open meetings matters and subpoena of reporters, privacy and defamation claims. He has presented lectures on Right to Know and Sunshine Law issues across the Commonwealth to judges, lawyers, government agencies and citizen groups. Mr. Staudenmaier has appeared before numerous trial courts and administrative agencies on these issues and has successfully argued public records issues before the Commonwealth and Supreme Courts of Pennsylvania, including as counsel for the media entities in the Penn State University/Paterno salary, PHEAA, and PUC/Seder/Kraus open records cases. As an experienced trial lawyer, he has tried numerous cases to verdict in favor of his clients in both the state and federal courts.
Mr. Staudenmaier is also general counsel to the Pennsylvania Freedom of Information Coalition. He is admitted to practice in all of the U.S. District Courts of Pennsylvania, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit and the U.S. Supreme Court. Mr. Staudenmaier is a former Co-Chair of the Pennsylvania Bar Associations Bar Press Committee and a member of the Judicial Campaign Advertising Committee and the Civil Litigation Section. He is a member of the National Association of Railroad Trial Counsel and an affiliate member of the Pennsylvania Newspaper Association. Mr. Staudenmaier is the immediate past President of the William W. Lipsitt American Inn of Court, which has a litigation focus. He is a past recipient of the Benjamin Franklin Award for Excellence from the Pennsylvania Newspaper Association.
Mr. Staudenmaier has been selected for inclusion in The Best Lawyers in America 2013-2016 and as a Pennsylvania Super Lawyer in 2010-2016. He is a graduate of Washington and Jefferson College and the Dickinson School of Law.
Adrienne Vicari, PE
Herbert, Rowland & Grubic, Inc.
369 East Park Drive
Harrisburg, PA 17111
717.564.1121
avicari@hrg-inc.com
www.hrg-inc.com
Adrienne Vicari, P.E., is the Financial Services Practice Area Leader at Herbert, Rowland & Grubic, Inc. (HRG). In this role, she has helped the firm provide strategic financial planning and grant administration services to numerous municipal and municipal authority clients. As communities have developed a growing need for increased stormwater management funding and utility valuation, she has become an industry leader in these areas. Adrienne is currently serving as project manager for several projects involving the creation of stormwater authorities or the addition of stormwater to the charter of existing authorities throughout Pennsylvania.
Adrienne has more than 15 years of experience in financial consulting, project management, and engineering design for municipal wastewater, water and stormwater clients. She earned her bachelor’s degree in civil engineering from Valparaiso University and is a licensed professional engineer in Pennsylvania and Ohio. Adrienne is an active member of the Pennsylvania Municipal Authorities Association.
Patrick Ward, PE
Uni-Tec Consulting Engineers, Inc.
2007 Cato Avenue
State College, PA 16801-2751
814.571.2867
pjw@uni-tec.com
www.uni-tec.com
Throughout his 30 years with Uni-Tec, Patrick Ward has led the firm in engineering planning, design, and construction administration; financial management; and operation of municipal water and wastewater facilities and systems. He has undertaken the varied challenges of water and wastewater systems engineering and management. In recent years, he has focused on project quality control, project financial management, system-wide management, system-wide financial control and management, and the consensus-building aspects of public acceptance and intermunicipal cooperation.
Michael Witherel, Esq.
Witherel & Associates
966 Perry Highway
Pittsburgh, PA 15237
412.366.6629
mjw@witherelaw.org
www.witherelandassociates.com
Michael J. Witherel is the owner of the Pittsburgh law firm of Witherel & Associates. His forty year practice concentrates in municipal law, school law, and labor law. In addition to representing numerous municipal entities across western Pennsylvania as solicitor or as special counsel, he also has acted as solicitor to PMAA since 1999, as well as solicitor to the Allegheny League of Municipalities and the MRM insurance pool trusts which provide workers compensation and general liability coverage for numerous municipal entities throughout the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. He has also provided expert testimony and has mediated cases involving municipal issues.
Scott T. Wyland, Esq.
Salzmann Hughes, PC
112 Market Street, 8th Floor
Harrisburg, PA 17101
717.234.6700
swyland@salzmannhughes.com
www.salzmannhughes.com
Scott T. Wyland is a shareholder at Salzmann Hughes, P.C. in Harrisburg. A lawyer for over 30 years, Scott’s primary areas of practice are municipal law, litigation, and water and wastewater regulation. Scott is a Mediator, serves on the Boards of Capital Area Transit and the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education Foundation, is a Hearing Committee Member for the Pennsylvania Disciplinary Board, and is Chairman of the Wormleysburg Borough Authority. Scott formerly chaired the Tri-County Regional Planning Commission and was an elected Borough Council Member. Scott serves as Special Counsel to many Authorities and is the Solicitor for Pennsylvania Rural Water Association, Capital Region Water, and other municipal entities.