< Previous20 • Allegheny West Magazine • Spring 2021 Teacher Spotlight: Casey Thomas utilizes Nearpod for third grade Nearpod is a flexible learning tool that dramatically enhances student engagement and is being used by a large number of Cornell teachers. Third grade teacher Casey Thomas has been utilizing Nearpod with her students on a regular basis and has seen great results. Students have opportunities to complete activities such as collaboration boards, fill in the blanks, matching pairs, memory tests and open-ended questions. Third grade favorites are the draw it and time to climb activities. When hosting a Nearpod lesson, Thomas can choose between live participation or self-paced modes. For both delivery options, all students’ input is scored and recorded. Thomas and all teachers who utilize Nearpod can view and share with the class when applicable. Any and all student submissions can be viewed in real time, allowing teachers to give immediate feedback. Teachers can then easily determine common mistakes and offer clarification, as needed. They can also praise students’ commitment to their work and watch as they reach mastery. “Students know that they are held accountable for each and every part of the lesson and, therefore, are engaged more than when learning traditionally,” she says. “It creates a friendly, competitive, and enriching learning environment that is tons of fun!” Nearpod timestamps and records any and all student work, making it a valuable tool for instruction and formative assessment. The reports are easy to read and even easier to share or download. The data is organized and automatically saves with each Nearpod lesson, providing a great opportunity for further lesson planning and student remediation. Thomas has used Nearpod to create an assortment of lessons that hook students with embedded video/question sets, opportunities to showcase their understanding, and compete with their peers. The draw it boards allow her to see their computations live and intervene as needed. Once the draw it is submitted, students have the opportunity to discuss their methods of solution and explain their thinking. Getting students to talk about their thought processes in math is typically challenging. However, with Nearpod, everyone is eager to share. Another activity called time to climb is her students’ favorite. Thomas will create a question set for students to answer. Before beginning a virtual “climb,” the class can choose an environment to display and an avatar to play with. Sometimes, they climb planets in outer space as an alien species or swim underwater as bizarre and colorful creatures while answering math questions. During the holidays, students had haunting competitions and icy challenges while beginning their unit on operations and algebraic thinking. Who knew multiplication and division could be so fun? Nearpod can be used remotely with Google Meet. Hosting a Nearpod live participation not only allowed teachers and students to work together, but to share their work as well. Thomas felt as connected to students from her home as she did when they were together in the classroom. Teacher Spotlight: Katie O’Neil’s students stay connected with Flipgrid FlipGrid is an online video discussion app and website that teachers can utilize to start discussions with students. The students need an access code from their teacher to submit their video discussion response. This prohibits anyone from outside the classroom or school from accessing the videos students create. Only the teacher and other students in the class can see the videos. Once students enter an access code on the app or the web- based service, they can create a video of themselves responding to the teacher’s questions or discussion topic. Students particularly enjoy adding emojis and filters to their responses, similar to other social media platforms. Once the video is submitted, the teacher can preview the video before posting it for other students in the class to see. Depending on the teacher’s settings, students can respond to one another’s videos. FlipGrid allows all students to have a voice in the classroom. While it is not always feasible to hear from every student on every topic discussed during the normal school day, FlipGrid allows teachers to hear individually from each of their students. FlipGrid also allows students to plan out and edit their response to a question, allowing for more thought and analysis compared to in-class discussion. Fifth grade teacher Katie O’Neil started using FlipGrid in her classes this year. Students’ first FlipGrid was an opportunity to test out the app. Students made a video of themselves explaining to an alien how to make a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. Some students took the task very seriously and may have a future in broadcasting. For their second FlipGrid task, students were challenged with explaining how to solve a long division problem to a classmate. Students viewed each other’s videos and followed their instructions to solve problems. Students were able to provide each other with feedback about what was helpful in the video and what they had trouble understanding. The assignment helped students think critically about all the necessary steps for the problem to include in their videos. O’Neil’s students also utilized FlipGrid to practice reading decimals correctly. It is rewarding to check out the videos students have made to see how much they have learned this year. Flipgrid is a great engagement tool that allows students to actively demonstrate and participate with the content, and O’Neil has done a great job implementing a new technology that can impact positive student outcomes. Casey Thomas Katie O’NeilSpring 2021 • www.awmagazine.com • 21 Karen Murphy - President Linda Solecki - Vice President Stephanie Mazzocco - Treasurer Darlene Abbott Mark Cavicchia Cornell School District 1099 Maple Street • Coraopolis, PA 15108 www.cornellsd.org Dr. Aaron Thomas Superintendent athomas@cornellsd.org (412) 264-5010, ext. 120 Dr. Doug Szokoly High School Principal dszokoly@cornellsd.org (412) 264-5010, ext. 104 Jeffrey Carter Elementary School Principal jcarter@cornellsd.org, (412) 264-5010, ext. 241 Carla Antoniades Director of Pupil Services cantoniades@cornellsd.org Kris Hupp Director of Technology & Instructional Innovation khupp@cornellsd.org Patrick Berdine Business Manager Cornell School District Board of Directors *Patrick Berdine - Secretary *Trish Andrews - Solicitor - non-board member* #WeAre Cornell Michael Griffith Michael Engel Caryn Code Robert Dinell Teacher Spotlight: Les Dean, Miriam Klein and Ben Wix are on the move Cornell Elementary does look a little different in terms of student desks being spread out; teachers, staff members and students all wearing masks; and additional hand sanitizer pumps installed throughout the building. Another interesting look this year is the amount of traveling classroom carts. To limit student movement, departmentalized teachers now move from classroom to classroom, instead of students rotating to them. Also, elementary “specials” teachers - meaning art, music and library - travel into classrooms to do their weekly lessons. Transitioning from a classroom to a traveling cart could cause some frustrations and anxiety, but not for Cornell teachers. This special group, which consists of music teacher Les Dean, librarian Miriam Klein and art teacher Ben Wix, have handled the transition with the utmost professionalism. They’ve even taken on a sense of ownership and creativity that one would expect from an individual who teaches in the arts! Dean has decorated his cart multiple times throughout the first semester to align with different themes, such as “Randy the Red Toed Reincart” and even a turkey look-a-like. “Thank goodness the cart isn’t permanently replacing the music room,” Dean said. “However, I have been using my cart as a motivator to get the kids excited and looking forward to music.” Dean plays music while entering classrooms, and the kids love the festive dance music he selects. In addition, Dean has incorporated different movement activities for students that they can perform at their desks. This is a huge plus considering the decrease in recess time this school year. He also uses technology to substitute for instruments. Dean utilizes the program Garage Band on iPads to help younger grades express how they feel when listening to different songs and styles of music. Klein has responded to this situation with as much joy and creativity as Dean. Klein had a lot of uncertainty at the beginning of the year about how to allow students and patrons to access materials. However, by working with friends through the public library and administration, Klein was able to come up with a system that still allows student access to books in a safe manner. Klein admits that this year has been a big change, but she loves that she is able to come into the classrooms, talk with students about books, get books in their hands, and connect with them in a ways that she previously thought could not happen. Klein has also been able to implement more eBooks and audiobooks this school year because of elementary and high school students getting their own devices. Wix has found moving between classes a bit refreshing. Though some art supplies simply weren’t an option due to various safety reasons, the current scenario has allowed students to worry less about the materials and instead focus their attention on gaining a greater knowledge of the fundamentals of the art-making process. “We are still able to work on the same assignments as in the past,” said Wix. “What is different is that the students have to be able to use basic supplies like crayons, markers and colored pencils to duplicate the same result as before. The results have been pretty amazing. In fact, because of their focus on simple tasks, I have seen some of the students demonstrate abilities that have otherwise gone unnoticed.” This has and will continue to be a unique school year. However, with creative, fun and appropriate responses like these, it will be also be a successful school year despite the challenges. Ben Wix Les Dean ABOVE RIGHT: Librarian Miriam Klein poses with her cart. LEFT: Les Dean decorated his music cart for Christmas. 22 • Allegheny West Magazine • Spring 2021 Each morning, Cornell High School students and faculty start their day by watching a televised version of the morning announcements. In the segments, which are streamed into classrooms via the Internet, student anchors Jada Jenkins and MJ Smith deliver an upbeat production with just the right amount of energy in those groggy morning hours. They kick off the segments with a rap, read poll questions, share baby pictures and even cover horoscopes. It’s not the humdrum delivery one would expect from such a production, and this year it has marked a departure from how students have handled the announcements in the past. “Not that morning announcements are boring, but they can be kind of monotone, so we wanted to make something that kids want to watch,” says Jada. Along with the other students involved, Jada writes a lot of the raps and comes up with creative ways to deliver content. She says that they sometimes come up with their ideas by using a Google doc to share ideas during the day. Other times, they have to formulate their ideas on the fly. Together, they’ve manage to create something that’s unique and brightens the day of everyone watching. For Jada, utilizing her talents and creativity to enhance and improve the school culture is nothing new. As a member of the key club, she’s helped find creative ways to fundraise for causes such as the United Way and food drives. Currently, she’s organizing an effort aimed at recognizing this year’s senior class by, in part, crowd sourcing videos from parents on social media. “Last year’s seniors really missed out on a lot of things, so we’re trying to do as much as we can for this year’s seniors and get parents involved,” she says. “We’re working on a video for them in which everyone can show how proud they are of them.” As a member of the gay-straight alliance, Jada is helping to come up with ways to spread positivity and self-esteem among her classmates. She’s also a member of the student council, the yearbook club, the color guard and the cheer squad. She plays outside attacker on the volleyball team and catches for the softball team. Jada has also been a staple in Cornell’s recent theater productions, appearing in the drama club’s versions of “Cleopatra” and “The Trial of the Big Bad Wolf.” Last year, she played Ryan in “High School Musical JR,” the school’s first musical production in some time. When she’s not doing all of that, she works as a hostess at Eat’n Park. Ask Jada about her real passion, though, and she’ll tell you that it’s being behind the camera. She’s an avid filmmaker and recently applied to a filmmaking workshop for high school juniors through New York University. “It goes more in depth about filmmaking and teaches you more about the aspect of making scripts,” she says about the workshop. At Cornell, Jada has been able to explore that interest since seventh grade, when she first got involved in filming morning announcements. She’s since built on that experience in Patricia Dahmen’s journalism class, where she films news segments and edits them using Adobe Premiere. No matter what she’s doing, she says she enjoys using her talents and individuality to make meaningful contributions. “I really like stuff I can put creativity into and have my own say in creating,” she says. Student spotlight: Jada Jenkins’ creativity stands out at Cornell Jada Jenkins Kindergarten Registration Information Cornell Elementary has released kindergarten registration information for the 2021-2022 school year. Parents of the class of 2034 who need to register their child and have not yet done so can contact the elementary office at (412) 264-5010 ext. 141 to schedule a time to pick up their packets. The registration packets can then be taken home to complete and returned to the office. Each registration packet that is turned in will need to have certain documents submitted. These documents are: • Two (2) Proofs of Residency: Rental/Lease Agreement, Tax Statement, Mortgage Document, Driver’s License and/or Current Utility Bills – electric, gas, landline phone (cell phone bills will not be accepted). All addresses will be verified through the local tax offices of Coraopolis and Neville Island. Any questions with proof of residency, please call 412-264-5010 ext. 141 • Birth Certificate – Child must be 5 years old by Sept. 1. (Must have original document when registering) • Completed Kindergarten Registration Form • Completed Home Language Survey • Completed Parent Questionnaire Form • Updated Immunization Record Children without immunization records cannot be registered. It is important to note that only parents and legal guardians can register a child for kindergarten. Once all paperwork has been submitted to the Cornell Elementary Office, more information will be communicated with families about initial academic screenings. Cornell Elementary is excited to welcome the Class of 2034! Spring 2021 • www.awmagazine.com • 23 Girls Basketball The way new varsity girls basketball coach Frank Deutsch sees it, rebuilding the girls program at Cornell isn’t going to happen overnight. Rather, this season’s team, with its roster of just six players, will start to lay the foundation for the future of a program that happens to play in the best single A section in the WPIAL. Teams in their section include reigning back-to-back single A champion Rochester, 2020 AA champion Bishop-Canevin, Union and Eden Christian Academy. In that respect, this season is about as important as ever, and Deutsch says he’s been happy with the way his players have responded to the challenges - and responsibilities - they’re now facing. “It shows a lot of courage, drive, want and will from the girls playing in our program at this time. We are all invested in getting the program back to being respected,” says Deutsch. “They understand that they’re part of the foundation for where this program has to go.” Cornell’s team has two seniors: Jaykira Robinson and Gabby Joyce. Deutsch says both are learning what it takes to become leaders on and off the court. The team has also gotten some solid play from junior Isys Smith. As well, the team has two promising sophomores in Brookyln Vandyne and Tia Battles, both of whom are growing into their positions this year. Freshman Leiana Rucker, meanwhile, has shown some excellent raw athletic talent that Deutsch will be looking to mold in the future. To help groom younger players, Deutsch says he and his assistants are making a new push to establish and build on a comprehensive K-12 basketball program. Assistant coach Megan Gorecki has taken over the elementary program while fellow assistant Ryan Berich has been very helpful in the day in, day out operations within the program. The coaches want to get to a point where there is a little dribblers program for grades K through two and in-house league for grades four through six, with the possibility of a travel team. The program is also getting a boost from Michelle Kaczmarek, who is helping to revive the booster program. Deutsch says she has been raising funds for team gear, future team camps, and more. “The numbers are better at our middle school and youth levels,” says Deutsch. “We have six seventh-graders returning to our middle school team and our elementary program numbers in grades five and six are looking good but this will take time and patience.” In addition to his previous stint at Cornell, Deutsch was an assistant varsity coach on the boys and girls staffs, and a middle school coach at Montour for over 20 years. Prior to those positions, he coached at West Allegheny. Raiders basketball programs get new coaches The Raiders girls and boys basketball programs both got new varsity head coaches at the start of the current season. While Sean Crummie has taken over coaching the boys team, Frank Deutsch, who previously coached the boys in the early 2000s, has returned to take over the girls team. Both coaches have their hands full as they’ve been working not only to strengthen their programs but also contend with unprecedented circumstances caused by COVID-19. Here’s where each team stands as of this writing: Boys Basketball Last season, the Cornell boys basketball team finished as runners-up in single A after reaching the championship game at the Petersen Events Center. The team then went on to reach the state quarterfinals before their season was curtailed due to COVID-19. Coached by longtime basketball coach Bill Sacco, who has remained on as Cornell’s athletic director, the team was led by Kaden DiVito - who was also voted Class A player of the year - and third team all-state player Isaiah Langston. Some thought the team could have reached the championship game. After graduating a bunch of seniors off that team, new head coach Sean Crummie is looking to again reach the post- season with some strong guard play and contributions from forward MJ Smith, who leads the team in scoring. Crummie says senior guards Drew Lopez and Hunter Smith have been helping the team make up for what it lacks in size with valuable three-point shooting. Like the girls team, Crummie says their roster has taken a hit due to COVID-19. With just 10 players, he says younger players are getting good minutes off the bench. He also says the three-week layoff at the start of the season didn’t help the team’s momentum. After play restarted, he says they spent some time just trying to regain their footing as players quickly stepped into leadership roles. “The guys are putting the effort forth,” he says. “They’re trying and doing a good job. We’re not where we want to be but we can get there.” Crummie comes to Cornell after coaching at North Allegheny last season. Prior to that, he coached under his dad, Chuck Crummie, who was at Central Catholic for four decades. Sean also played under his dad there. With help from Sacco and assistant Chuck Langston, Sean says he likes where the team is headed but that they’re far from where he wants them to be. He says his players are getting acclimated to his mindset that they can always do better. “They’ll tell you I’m never satisfied,” he says. PHOTOS BY T. SALVIE PHOTOGRAPHY24 • Allegheny West Magazine • February/March 2021 Our area’s women in leadership By Jill Bordo and Doug Hughey The aviation industry experienced considerable upheaval in 2020 as air travel ground to a near halt during the worldwide COVID-19 pandemic. At the height of the shutdown in late March and early April, traffic at Pittsburgh International Airport declined from an average of 15,000 daily departing passengers to around 350. Since then, traffic has rebounded to about half of what it normally is. Fortunately, operations there have been overseen since 2015 by Christina Cassotis. The straightforward CEO of the Allegheny County Airport Authority has been forging a new future for the region’s airport since the moment she accepted the position. Cassotis’ leadership style and strategy jolted airport and county officials out of an identity crisis as the region was struggling to come to grips with the departure of the US Airways hub. That same no-nonsense philosophy allowed Cassotis to focus on new initiatives and positive outcomes for the airport during COVID-19. As fewer people traveled in 2020, but more supplies were needed than ever, the airport capitalized on its size and efficient workforce to expand cargo service. Global cargo companies like Qatar Airways Cargo have started service at Pittsburgh International Airport because of available capacity and the ability to unload shipments and send them on their way in hours rather than the days it takes at larger airports in cities such as New York and Chicago. The airport also made new use of space during the pandemic by allowing acres of empty parking lots to be set up as distribution centers for the Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank. Cassotis mentioned that Allegheny County Airport in West Mifflin also served as a large pet food distribution site. Likely the most significant and long-term silver lining of 2020, however, is the extra time the crisis has provided to incorporate new public health and safety measures into the airport’s Terminal Modernization Program. As a result, Cassotis believes that Pittsburgh International Airport will be the first major airport in the world to emerge from the pandemic with public health features designed in response to the pandemic. Those features, while still in design, could include the ability to more safely socially distance at checkpoints and other high-touch areas. It also includes germ-killing ultraviolet technology and a smart facility that incorporates the latest technology to alert cleaners when areas need attention. The airport already has UV autonomous robot floor scrubbers and a high-tech handwashing station as part of its Safe Travels program. It was the first airport in the nation to roll out those measures. Though the billion-dollar modernization plan was stalled last year, the design phase is now nearly complete and Cassotis is hopeful that ground will be broken in 2021. The former aviation consultant is confident that, in a six-year period, she and her team have impacted the way the world sees Pittsburgh by positioning the airport as a global logistics center in a modern and forward-thinking economy. For example, the airport is now also home to the additive manufacturing production center Neighborhood 91. Cassotis believes that the profiles of both the airport and Pittsburgh in general will only continue to rise in the future. She remarked that one of her proudest accomplishments in her current role has been cultivating the airport’s impact on the region’s ability to do what it could with the assets it had. Much like the city, Pittsburgh International Airport has reinvented itself. Though originally hesitant to consider the CEO position because of preconceived As diversity continues to be a hot topic in the American workforce, female leadership is on the rise. According to the State of Women- Owned Business Report, there has been a 114% increase in this group between 1997 and 2017. A 2019 Forbes Magazine study found that women make up 25 percent of C-level executives at the top 1,000 U.S. companies (by revenue), up 2% from the previous year. Additionally, more than half of the Forbes 50 most influential CMOs of 2018 were female. Pittsburgh is no exception to this trend. Though most recent census statistics are not yet available, the 2012 U.S. Census Bureau report showed 30,671 of a total 96,501 businesses in Allegheny County were owned by women. A Pittsburgh Post-Gazette story reported that, in 2019, minority and women-owned businesses accounted for $23 million in approved contracts in Allegheny County. This feature provides a snapshot of a handful of female leaders making a difference in the airport corridor. This is not meant to be an all-inclusive list. Such a section would be much too long for this publication. Rather, this section highlights a handful of outstanding women overseeing companies and organizations varying in size and structure. How each has also responded to COVID-19 is important, as it says much about their leadership and resiliency - as well as the character of those working under them - at this challenging time. A mention of the founder of this publication is also in order. Pat Jennette started Allegheny West Magazine in 1999 as an offshoot of her marketing and public relations consulting business, Jennette Communications. The magazine was the first of its kind in the area and was well-received by the community. Jennette expanded the publication to three editions and ran it until 2014, when ownership transitioned to Jennette’s assistant editor, Doug Hughey, who is proud to carry on the work she started. A spotlight on female leaders in the airport corridor Christina Cassotis CEO, Allegheny County Airport AuthorityFebruary/March 2021 • www.awmagazine.com • 25 Rochelle Stachel’s story of success started in the basement of her home in Robinson Township, after many years of working in a professional environment and several career changes. Her career working in engineering, IT/software development and accounting provided the framework, but the confidence to start her own business was ignited while on a plane during the 9/11 terrorist attacks. The experience provided an opportunity for some deep soul searching, and instilled a desire to build a legacy for her two daughters. Stachel believes her entrepreneurial spirit grew during her childhood, while watching her parents struggle to raise five daughters on her father’s military salary. She learned to work hard, improvise, use creativity and, above all else, develop independence from an early age. With no money to pay for college, she worked various part-time and full-time jobs to pay her way through and became the first person in her family to earn a college degree. A few years before her founding of HRV Conformance Verification Associates (HRV), Stachel was helping her father start a placement agency for pilots who needed to build their flight hours or wanted to work beyond the mandatory age limitations. He had made several attempts at startups throughout his life and she remembers his heightened enthusiasm for this venture. Unfortunately, he passed away before the business could gain traction. While Stachel believes her personal experiences gave her the drive to start a business, she attributes her success to several mentors - Bill Marriotti, Dick Fitzgerald, Richard Smith and Joe Beck - her employees and, most importantly, her partner, Bob Stachel. Located in Moon Township, HRV is a construction management and materials and construction inspection firm. The company proudly serves both public and private industry across the U.S. and several countries, including China, Korea and, more recently, Italy. The industries HRV serves include transportation, rail/transit, water/wastewater, commercial, oil and gas, and power. Though some might consider the company “small” compared to most of its competitors, it employs upwards of 200 people during larger public/private partnership (P3) or design-build projects. There probably isn’t a bridge in Pittsburgh that HRV hasn’t inspected at the point of fabrication or in the field. HRV even inspected the Liberty Bridge after it sustained a fire several years ago. The company has also worked on several premiere local area projects, including the Southern Beltway, and was selected with various teams to work on the Terminal Modernization Project at Pittsburgh International Airport. Previously, Rochelle’s professional career involved managing multi-million-dollar software development and business process outsourcing projects for Deloitte Consulting. She also developed transactional software and conducted technical training and demonstration sessions for Mellon Bank. During her time with Union Electric Steel corporation, she performed engineering and process analyses for monitoring. Prior to that position, she performed financial and cost accounting for the chemical company W.R. Grace. Stachel has been named a Smart Business Pacesetter for outstanding business innovation and community leadership. She was also awarded the Pittsburgh Business Times’ Business Women First Award, which honors top women executives in Pittsburgh. Ernst & Young awarded her its Entrepreneur of the Year® award for the construction industry in the western Pennsylvania/West Virginia region. The honor recognizes Rochelle’s innovation and new-market expansion. In addition to the previous honors mentioned, Pittsburgh Business Times also awarded Rochelle its Diamond Award, which honors Pittsburgh’s top leaders in emerging and established companies, and has named HRV among Pittsburgh’s Top 100 Fastest-Growing Companies several times. Though her professional accomplishments are well recognized, Rochelle’s passion for and contributions to the community have established her reputation as a serving leader. Recently, she was named to Robert Morris University’s Board of Trustees. She also serves as an active member of the Pittsburgh Airport Area Chamber of Commerce, for which she serves as Executive Committee/Military Liaison, co-chair for the Military Relations Committee, and is a member of the Honorary Commanders. As Chair of Southwestern PA ESGR (Employer Support for the Guard and Reserves), Rochelle promotes veterans’ employment, provides mediation, and helps to educate employers on the laws and regulations of the Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act of 1994. When asked about how she sees the state of women in leadership positions, she says, “There’s more women running Fortune 500 companies today than any other time in history. You see the push to increase diversity on corporate boards and nonprofit boards, but there is still a great deal we as women can do to help build on the trend.” She says she’s also encouraged by the high percentages of female entrepreneurs. “Opportunities for women are moving in the right direction, and women are aggressively seeking those leadership positions. Entrepreneurship is a great way to fast-track into a leadership role,” she says. Rochelle also says she’d like to see more women pursuing engineering and other technical careers. Rochelle Stachel CEO and Founder, HRV Consulting impressions of Pittsburgh, Cassotis said she “quickly became more aware of the attributes of the area” and of how engaged those involved with the airport were in creating a new future for it. “I was recruited and I’m glad I was,” Cassotis said in her matter- of-fact way. When asked about being a female in such a visible leadership role, Cassotis pointed out that, nationally, there are roughly 20 female CEOs in the airport industry. That’s an unusually high number when compared to other industries. “There is a tremendous responsibility for all of us who have gotten into a position where we can affect the perception of diverse leadership,” said Cassotis.26 • Allegheny West Magazine • February/March 2021 Tiffany R. Battaglini opened her own insurance agency on Fifth Avenue in downtown Coraopolis in 2019. Prior to that, she spent a little over two decades working in the insurance industry under two different agencies, including as a manager at one in Pittsburgh. She also earned a degree from the Sawyer School for Health Information Technology and another from the University of Phoenix for finance. Today, Tiffany R. Battaglini Insurance Agency is a local independent insurance agency specializing in auto, home, life and commercial insurance. Battaglini has one other employee, Morgan Campbell, her customer service representative. In both 2019 and 2020, she received the Bronze Level Life Achievement Award for her work in the industry. Though the agency covers many different types of insurance, Battaglini says she focuses on life insurance. It’s a sector of the industry she’s worked most closely in throughout her career. The reason she gravitated to life insurance has much to do with an early personal experience that instilled in her the importance of it. “After losing my father at a young age, I made it my mission to make sure that more people understood the need for life insurance,” she says. “By making sure that more lives are protected by life insurance sales, my hopes are that less lives will be negatively impacted by improper planning.” Battaglini says she opened her agency in Coraopolis because it’s where she grew up and graduated from high school. As a proud Cornell graduate, she says she wanted to contribute to her hometown and inspire future generations. To that end, the agency has given back in many ways to the Cornell community, both by operating in Coraopolis Borough and donating to many charitable causes. She also says she realizes that she’s viewed as something of a minority in the insurance industry, even as it continues to evolve. “The challenge of being a woman in insurance agency ownership is that many people still view it as a man’s position,” she says. “I have been around long enough to see progress and I am pleased to see women like myself stepping up and taking a lead. By doing so, we pave the way for future women leaders to step forward in this industry.” Despite the challenges facing business owners, Battaglini thinks it’s still been a bright year for women. “Women are expanding their roles in business and entrepreneurship,” she says. “We have come a long way and we will continue to make progress with equality in business and other fields.” She says businesses and employers need to continue to onboard more women leaders and make increased gender diversity and inclusion a continued reality. “With fair and focused effort, we will continue to be noticed and promoted as business leaders,” she says. “I believe that we are all looking forward to working toward creating a brighter and more promising tomorrow.” Tiffany R. Battaglini Owner, Tiffany R. Battaglini Insurance Agency Lucinda Wade first came to Coraopolis 17 years ago when her husband, Rev. Ken Wade, became the pastor at Coraopolis Church of God. Seven years ago, she founded Coraopolis Youth Creations, an organization she describes as providing “a safe space for youth and families to learn, grow and serve.” “I am a connector so I enjoy bringing resources to our community that will help empower youth and other women,” she says. “My greatest professional accomplishment has been building this nonprofit from the ground up with the support of my family, the community and volunteers.” Lucinda holds a bachelor’s degree in business management from Point Park University. In between helping her husband with his ministry, she also runs the organization full-time and is raising a sixth-grader. As well, she serves on the Coraopolis Borough Council. Before COVID-19 hit, Coraopolis Youth Creations hosted numerous community events throughout the year, including family fun nights and summer programs. One of its biggest events, its Back 2 School Bash, started out as an initiative through the Wades’ church to distribute free back- to-school supplies to members of the community. That effort is now backed by Coraopolis Youth Creations and has grown into something of a community festival, with line dancing, inflatables, face painting, crafts and more. Usually, Coraopolis Youth Creations also hosts regular educational programs at its center on State Avenue. In the wake of COVID-19, however, most of its programs have been put on hiatus and its center closed. Lucinda, though, says they’re looking forward to starting back up again soon and are currently in the process of formulating their summer curriculum. Lucinda Wade Executive Director, Coraopolis Youth CreationsFebruary/March 2021 • www.awmagazine.com • 27 Before Amy Cavicchia and her husband, Mark, settled in Coraopolis Borough, they were living in Shanghai, China. There, Amy was working as an administrative assistant and had spent stints with both Pacific Gas & Electric Company and Activision. What brought the couple back was the failing health of Mark’s mother, Louise Viola (Vi) Cavicchia. Locals may remember Louise from her time working in the Coraopolis Borough’s billing department and with the Coraopolis Police. Sadly, Louise passed away not long after Mark and Amy moved to the area in 2015. “After her passing, we decided to stay in Coraopolis and start our family,” says Cavicchia. “I have never lived in any single place as long as I have lived in Coraopolis and I’ve really grown to love this community. It is a very special place.” Amy says her mother-in-law, who was born and grew up in Coraopolis, was the one who inspired her to love the town. Mark, who graduated from Cornell High School, is now a member of the school board. Today, Amy is the executive director of the Coraopolis Community Development Corporation. The nonprofit runs a number of different programs in the borough, all aimed at “the equitable growth and revitalization of Coraopolis,” Amy says. Among their programs is the Coraopolis Food Pantry and an attached snack pack program for Cornell and Mooncrest students that provides free lunches when school isn’t in session. The CCDC also operates a community garden that grows fresh produce for the pantry. At the same time, the CCDC is overseeing a very ambitious project that involves restoring and converting the historic Coraopolis train station into a mixed-use community events space. The organization has also established a newly expanded economic development initiative and organizes various events such as art walks, festivals and live music performances to draw people to the borough. Amy, though, points out that none of those programs would be possible if not for the volunteers and donors who make them happen. “I believe that my biggest accomplishment with our organization was getting the community involved with our work,” she says. “We are nothing without our volunteers and donors. People know that when they sign up to help the CCDC, they will make a difference in people’s lives in our community.” Amy Cavicchia Executive Director, Coraopolis Community Development Corporation PHOTO BY CHRIS ROLINSON The organization is also looking forward to moving into a new location on 4th Avenue this spring called “The Hub.” Other than Lucinda, Coraopolis Youth Creations has two other employees, including a part-time program manager who is currently working on its summer curriculum. A PULSE Fellow is acting as its community liaison through July. “I see our organization playing a very important role in bringing the community together and providing both fun and educational resources for our youth and families,” says Lucinda. “Prior to the pandemic, we hosted many community events.” Like many working parents, Lucinda says one of the biggest challenges she personally faces is work-life balance. “Making time for your family and day-to-day tasks can be overwhelming,” she says. She says the added challenge women face, particularly those in authority positions, is that they face an unfair bias that can paint them as bossy. However, she does feel optimistic about the pace of women filling leadership roles and points out that they bring much-needed diversity to organizations. She says that’s one of the reasons she ran for borough council. “Women’s roles are changing significantly in business and leadership,” she says. “We have a lot of small business owners in our local community who are women and do a phenomenal job managing their businesses, families and serving in the community.” She points to the fact that the country also now has its first woman elected as vice president of the United States. For more about Coraopolis Youth Creations, visit www. youthcreations.net or find them on Facebook and Instagram at @coryyouth. With many vibrant and up-and-coming businesses operating in the borough, one of CCDC’s biggest goals is to draw more people to the business district. Cavicchia says the organization wants people to start looking at Coraopolis as a destination rather than just a pass- through. “We’ve been working with local businesses and business leaders to make Coraopolis a place where people stop and shop or grab a bite to eat instead of just passing through on their way to and from work,” she says. Other than Amy, the CCDC has just two other employees: Cara Mason, the organization’s director of economic development; and Hannah Lapiska, CCDC program manager. It also has a part-time consultant, Megan Sinagoga, who manages the organization’s books and keeps its financial records in order. Between them, their many volunteers and supportive local officials, they’re working to raise the profile of downtown Coraopolis, attract continued investment and keep the borough moving on its current upward trajectory. As someone who has worked in a number of different settings and cultures, Amy says she’s seen a lot of positive changes with regards to how women are treated in leadership positions. Though she doesn’t think society has quite placed women on equal footing with men, she does hope that by the time her own 8-year-old daughter enters the workplace those questions will no longer exist. “I think as more and more women take leadership roles, it makes it easier for the next generation of women leaders to rise to the top. I will do whatever I can to accelerate this change,” she says. The CCDC is always looking for volunteers and sponsors. Anyone interested in learning more can email Amy at amycavicchia@corycdc.org.28 • Allegheny West Magazine • February/March 2021 Michelle Kreutzer Executive Director, Pittsburgh Airport Area Chamber of Commerce Deb Gray worked for Sears for 33 years before retiring from the company in 2005. At the time, she was overseeing construction and remodeling work at various stores around the country. In 2007, she went to work for herself when she purchased an Express Employment staffing franchise. She now operates two area offices - one in Robinson Township and a second in Monaca - and has 11 employees. Over the years, she’s grown from assisting about 12 businesses per year to approximately 60. About 160 associates in the airport corridor receive paychecks each week thanks to positions they were placed in by Gray’s offices. Many of those associates will transition to full-time positions in a range of sectors and settings, from blue collar to white collar jobs. This past year has been a real rollercoaster for the job market, which started strong and then plummeted mid-2020 due to COVID-19. Gray says her office has since returned to pre- pandemic levels, but that it has come with its own set of challenges. She says many workers are under-employed and that many others have needed to reinvent themselves. She characterizes this time as one in which people are increasingly having to “learn to be comfortable with being uncomfortable.” At the same time, she sees it as vital that companies work with employees to manage the difficulties they’re facing. Among the biggest challenges she sees facing families in general, and not just women, is the lack of government- subsidized childcare in the U.S. “I think that we’ve accepted that change is needed to support families, but we haven’t fully put the solutions into place to support all levels of the workforce,” she says. A big part of Gray’s approach involves outreach. She requires each of her staff members to participate in local organizations and Gray herself currently serves on a number of area boards. She is the treasurer of the Pittsburgh Airport Area Chamber of Commerce and hosts regular educational sessions for members. She also sits on boards for Penn State Business, Management and Deb Gray Owner, Express Employment Professionals Pittsburgh West PHOTO BY CLARE ASCANI PHOTOGRAPHY Michelle Kreutzer came to the Pittsburgh Airport Area Chamber of Commerce after working for a publishing company that served both that chamber and others with print products. Several sales positions preceded that job, as well as a resume writing business venture that Kreutzer launched right after graduating from the University of Pittsburgh. In 2000, Kreutzer took a job as the Pittsburgh Airport Area Chamber of Commerce’s membership director and, in 2017, she was promoted to her current role as the chamber’s executive director. During her tenure, the chamber’s membership has swelled to 900 strong. Kreutzer has received a number of awards for her work with the chamber, including several sales awards. In 2017, the American Association of Chamber Executives awarded her its Lifetime Achievement Award. Her greatest achievement, though, may very well have been keeping the organization together following the sudden death in 2012 of Pittsburgh Airport Area Chamber of Commerce president Sally Haas. “Having to notify the staff and board of her passing was probably one of the most difficult things I’ve ever had to do,” says Kreutzer. “While dealing with the terrible loss of a mentor and good friend, I still had to make sure the chamber continued to serve the needs of our members. In addition, it was important that I instilled the confidence in our staff that things would be okay.” In recent months, Kreutzer and current chamber president Chris Heck have been navigating the chamber through an entirely different crisis. As the COVID-19 pandemic has wreaked havoc on the economy, chambers of commerce have been hard hit on two fronts. Not only do they generate much of their revenue from in-person networking events, but large portions of their memberships also tend to be comprised of small businesses ravaged by the pandemic. Despite the challenge, Kreutzer says the Pittsburgh Airport Area of Chamber of Commerce’s membership has remained strong and that it’s been able to continue to offer relevant services to members. “I think this comes back to leadership and gaining the confidence of your members and staff,” she says. “It is important for them to know that we will get through this.” Once the pandemic is over, Kreutzer believes that chambers will be even more important to companies as they seek to find new ways to communicate and connect. Kreutzer also thinks the economy will likely see a rise in new small businesses as a result of COVID-19. “I also think we are going to see more businesses downsizing or simply going out of business, which I believe will result in many people deciding to start their own businesses,” she says. “That being said, the chamber needs to be aware of this changing business climate and be sure we are providing the necessary education, resources and support for these budding entrepreneurs to ensure their success.” Asked how she sees the roles of women changing in business and leadership, she cites several individuals profiled alongside her on this list. She also points out that the area now has two female legislators - state Rep. Anita Kulik and state Rep. Valerie Gaydos - and that the country now has its first female vice president. “I think these are exciting times for women,” she says. Kretuzer says that, during her tenure with the chamber, she’s also seen many more female entrepreneurs starting businesses. “Personally, I feel it is important that myself and the chamber mentor these aspiring young women and help elevate them into key leadership roles within the community and the chamber,” she says. “These young people are the future of our communities.”February/March 2021 • www.awmagazine.com • 29 Jodi Murn Owner, Renaissance Home Care Twenty years ago, Jodi Murn’s mother suffered an illness that landed her in the hospital for an extended stay. Were it not for a nurse who urged the family to move Murn’s mother to a larger facility with more resources, Murn believes her mother would not be alive today “I’ve never forgotten that nurse,” says Murn. “She perfectly fulfilled a nurse’s primary role of advocating for patients.” It was a revelation that came to Murn later on as she was attending nursing school herself. That experience and that nurse, in fact, were what led her to want to pursue a career in the profession. Today, Murn operates Renaissance Home Care in Imperial. Prior to operating the business, she worked as an RN in intensive care, pulmonary, and telemetry units. She later became a home care nurse because the more flexible schedule allowed her to accommodate her kids’ activities. Through the experience, Murn realized that she was able to give her patients undivided attention in a home setting. There were no interruptions that came with floor nursing and patients were more relaxed and willing to give details about their health history and medications. Murn worked for Renaissance Home Care before purchasing it in 2016, first by caring for patients and then later becoming the company’s director. An Oakdale native and now a resident of McDonald in West Allegheny School District, she relocated the company from Mt. Lebanon to Imperial to contribute to the local economy. Renaissance Home Care employs over 30 full-time, part-time and casual workers in skilled nursing and physical, occupational, and speech therapy. The company also employs home health aides and administrative positions. As the airport area lacked the number of home care agencies present in the South Hills, Renaissance quickly expanded in its new home, tripling its growth in less than five years. Murn has hired many local residents and found a niche by staffing harder-to-serve rural areas of both western Allegheny and eastern Washington counties. She stressed that there is a greater need for home health care each year as the nation’s population ages. The 2020 pandemic magnified the importance of caring for the frail and elderly in the safety of their homes. She says it’s a task welcomed by the Renaissance staff. “Safety is always our top priority and we make every effort to prevent hospitalizations and rehospitalizations,” said Murn, adding that “the trust that our patients have in our ability to keep them safe and provide them services is one of my proudest accomplishments.” Murn attributes the low turnover rate at Renaissance - a huge accomplishment in the industry - partly to her effort to foster an environment where employees feel empowered to provide suggestions that will improve the company. She mentions receiving the Cameo of Caring award for her department when she was a floor nurse, stating that the qualities that earned her that recognition helped shape her philosophy as a future employer and business owner. While more males are entering the nursing field each decade, Murn says the profession is largely populated by females, many of whom hold influential and managerial roles. Women have historically been seen as caregivers and nursing both expands and challenges that role, she says. “I am proud to work in an industry that values the contributions women make at all levels of the healthcare process,” remarked Murn, adding “year after year nurses are voted the most trusted professionals in this country.” Technology; Pittsburgh Technical College; the Beaver County Career and Technology Center Business Program; and Germaine Harbor. In 2016, she was awarded the Helping Hands Award from the Express Corporate office and the year after she received the Distinguished Service Award from the Pittsburgh Airport Area Chamber of Commerce. In 2019, the chamber also awarded her its Sally Award. As well, Gray says her office has become known in the larger Express company for their willingness to try new things and innovate as they work to place the right people in the right jobs. “I believe we will continue - at a higher more customized level to help job seekers and businesses find the right matches,” she says. “I believe we can provide resources to help identify skills and competencies on both sides that will result in a happier and more productive workplace for all.” When asked about the challenges women face in the workplace today, Gray says she and her staff have seen comparatively many more opportunities for equality. She says she’s found that even blue-collar industrial shops have been open and accepting of female candidates. Gray says that attitude was much what she always experienced throughout her career. “As an individual, this was never really difficult for me, even working within the construction industry,” she says. “I always probed and asked questions to learn and meet people where they are.”Next >