< PreviousA rundown of this year’s holiday giving at Montour Each year, the Montour community takes on a number of efforts during the holiday season to help those in need. Though Montour students, teachers and parents regularly hold fundraising efforts throughout the year, these efforts take on special meaning around the holiday season. With COVID-19 bringing hardship to many in the area, these efforts took on particular importance this past season. Here’s a rundown of Montour’s holiday philanthropic efforts: FBLA toy drive For the ninth consecutive year, the Montour Future Business Leaders of America club at the high school raised funds to purchase toys for children at Children’s Hospital. Usually, part of the drive involves collecting toy donations. This year, however, due to COVID-19, the club exclusively raised funds since donations could not be delivered. Gifts were then purchased online and shipped using raised funds. Through it all, students persevered to raise over $3,600, in part by securing sponsorships. Students referred to a wish list provided by the Child Life Center at Children’s Hospital while purchasing gifts. As next year will mark the effort’s 10th year, students have already set an ambitious goal of raising $10,000 for the effort. Student Council fundraisers The Student Council at the high school hosted two fundraisers this past holiday season. The first, themed “12 Days of Christmas,” involved themed dress-down days for each school day in December. Faculty kicked donations in each day for the right to “dress down” and those donations totaled approximately $500. Themes included Santa Hat, Holiday Socks, Blue & White on the first day of Hanukkah and, of course, Ugly Christmas Sweater. Funds were used to provide holiday dinners to the high school’s Classroom Cupboard families. At the same time, Student Council members chipped in for Adopt a Family, which provided holiday surprises to those in need (see next page for more on that effort). Operation Troop Appreciation Students and faculty across the district collected food and household items for veterans and active duty personnel this past holiday season. For more on that effort, see page 29. Pet Pals The Pet Pals Club continued its tradition of raising funds for shelter pets by making personalized stockings and homemade treats for sale. This year, club members also made ornaments and held several bake sales with prepackaged and individually wrapped baked goods. The club has thus far raised over $400 and will donate any additional funds raised at the end of the year. Stuff-a-Bus For the 10th consecutive year, the David E. Williams Middle School Teen Leadership Club led an effort to collect toys for the 96.1 KISS Pittsburgh’s Stuff-a-Bus campaign. Their efforts resulted in the collection of almost 400 toys. “This is our 10th year of participation, and although the circumstances are different this year, the spirit of giving is alive and well at Montour!” remarked Andrea Verdream, DEW school counselor. Sweats for Vets Teachers at DEW Middle School collected much-needed sweatpants and sweatshirts for VA patients in November. For more on that effort, see page 33. Angel Tree Drive During this year’s Angel Tree Drive at Montour Elementary School, Montour families and faculty donated gifts for 102 local children in need. The school also partnered with local manufacturing company Red Valve, which provided gifts to Montour children. Adopt-a-Family For the 10th consecutive year, students and faculty at DEW collected gifts to help families during the holidays who had fallen on tough times. This year, with the help of several generous donors - including the Robinson Lions Club, Cori Caputo with Computer Aid Inc., Jessica Christiansen with Cards for a Cause, Staples, the Brunick family and others - the effort was able to assist 12 district families with 32 children. Adopt-A-Family student leaders Camryn Connolly, Ella Dougherty, Carly Marnich and Mia Pravlochek secured donations from many local businesses and restaurants. The effort received overwhelming support. David E. Williams Middle School students once again stuffed a bus with toys for the 96.1 KISS Stuff-a-Bus toy drive. Members of the Pet Pals club made and sold personalized pet stockings to raise funds for shelter pets. 30 • Allegheny West Magazine • January/February 2021DEW Food Drive For the 10th consecutive year, the Student Council at the middle school hosted a food drive this past holiday season. The Student Council’s 52 members collected and sorted over 4,700 food items, or enough to fill five vans, for the Crafton-Ingram Rotary. The donations were enough to feed 19 families in the Montour community. Along with the food donations, $700 in Giant Eagle gift cards were distributed while some food donations went to food banks. At the same time, each room hosted a can-struction activity. All the while, students maintained social distancing but still managed to pull off a successful drive at a time when it was needed most. Pajama Drive For the eighth consecutive year, Montour elementary students and parents collected pajamas for children in need in the weeks leading up to Christmas. The Montour community collected 1,371 pairs of pajamas and, on PJ day, students donated another $1,307 by paying $1 “fines” for the privilege of wearing pajamas to school. This allowed the effort to purchase an additional 77 pairs of pajamas. As a result, Montour donated 1,448 pairs of pajamas to Allegheny Children and Youth Services to be distributed to those in need in the surrounding communities. The classrooms of Mrs. Cronin, Mrs. Nicastro and Mrs. Crisci collected the most pajamas and thus each received a pizza party. Student Simon Wovchko collected 127 pajamas, the most of any student. The drive was once again organized by kindergarten teacher Lauren McGahan and received help from PTA members Abby Karzenowski,Tabby Weiss and Jenna Aykul. High school students participating in Future Readiness Lab pilot program Students at Montour High School are among those at just a handful of Pittsburgh-area schools participating in a new pilot program aimed at preparing students for their post-secondary plans. The Consortium for Public Education’s Future Readiness Lab Pilot Program is part of the newly announced Penn State University Readiness Institute and is being organized in partnership with the Heinz Endowments. The program was to take place at Pittsburgh’s Energy Innovation Center but, due to COVID-19, students have been participating in the program virtually since October. They will continue with the program throughout the spring semester. By the end of the program, students will have answered five questions: Who am I? Who do I want to become? How do I get there? How do I continue to learn? How do I give back to my community? Students will also have created a professional portfolio and gained valuable networking experience. As well, they will get to participate in a variety of virtual activities and interact with professionals while exploring careers. In the spring, students will be challenged with taking on a project aimed at solving a real-world problem in their respective communities. The activity will encourage them to build the kinds of soft skills that are increasingly in demand among employers. Juniors and seniors at eight area school districts make up the consortium’s diverse inaugural cohort. David E. Williams Middle School students once again collected and organized donations for this year’s food drive. Elementary students raised funds for the Pajama Drive in part by paying “fines” for the privilege of waring their PJs to school. Follow Montour High School @hilltopspartan Stay up to date at www.montourschools.com! Follow David E. Williams Middle School on Twitter @DEWMiddleSchool January/February 2021 • www.awmagazine.com • 31Rebekah Taylor earns Skills USA honors Montour high school senior Rebekah Taylor earned runner- up honors in the SkillsUSA Western Region Student of the Year Program in November. Taylor is currently a fourth-year student in the electrical systems technology program at Parkway West CTC. Each of the past three years, she has placed first at the district level in the SkillsUSA tele-communications-cabling competition. Each of those wins advanced her to state-level competition in Hershey, though last year that level of the competition was cancelled due to COVID-19. This year, Taylor is preparing to compete in a remote version of the state-level competition. Competing students are judged on their ability to quickly and accurately wire several different variations of telledata services, including RJ45 cable connectors and data trays. Taylor, who is currently serving in her second year as president of the Parkway West CTC SkillsUSA chapter, says she plans to join IBEW Local #5 after graduating. She says she became interested in the union after completing some of their Career Explorer Classes. “I have always enjoyed thinking outside the box and electrical has given me that opportunity,” she says. “I also took STEM/Tech classes when I was younger, which peaked my interest in the trades.” Taylor says she is the first member of her family to enter the electrical and construction field. She says that PWCTC instructor Michael Leddy, in particular, has helped shape her career path. “He is always supportive of me being a female in a male-run field,” she says. “He has helped me strive to be my best in his class and around the school. Part of why I’m so thankful for him being my teacher is because he didn’t view me as a female in the trade, he viewed just as another person working hard.” Taylor is vice president of the Student Council at PWCTC and a co-founder of The Future is Mine club. She also runs track for the Spartans, competing in the 4x100 relay, long jump and 100-meter sprint. Rebekah Taylor Ethan Minzer selected for UPMC cardiology mentorship program Junior Ethan Minzer has been chosen from among 120 applicants to participate in the I Look Like a Cardiologist program at the UPMC Heart and Vascular Institute. Minzer will have the opportunity to mentor under a real cardiologist at the medical center and learn more about a potential future career path in the field. “This is a mentorship program for high-school students who are interested in cardiology and feel as though they are in some way underrepresented in the medical field,” says Minzer. “It’s an amazing chance to help foster the next generation of potential cardiologists in a way that encourages much-needed progress.” At Montour, Minzer is studying in the biomedical sciences track and has thus far completed principles of biomedical sciences, human body systems and medical interventions. Last year, he completed CHS anatomy and physiology, which he describes as “really eye opening and helpful.” “I decided to try to participate in the program because I’ve been wanting to start preparing for my prospective career in the best ways that I could, and this was a great opportunity,” he says. Minzer credits several teachers at Montour with fostering his interest in biomedical sciences. He says that while Megan Foxwell has helped cultivate his interest in the medical field, Emily Eiben has helped him grasp anatomy and provided excellent advice. This year, he’s studying under Janet Soda in medical interventions. He remarks that Soda keeps her students engaged by relating the class curriculum to real-world scenarios, which also helps them grasp material. In addition to his studies, Minzer is president of the mock trial club and vice president of Montour’s Model UN club. As well, he is a co-founder of Montour’s chapter of Art Against Atrocities. The initiative, which hosts art programs in order to raise awareness of genocides and atrocities, held its first art show in the fall of 2020 virtually. ADMINISTRATION (412) 490-6500 Dr. Christopher Stone Superintendent (412) 490-6500, ext. 6221 stonec@montourschools.com Dr. Justin Aglio Director of K-4 Academic Achievement and K-12 Innovation (412) 490-6500 x 6230 aglioj@montourschools.com Dr. Eric Sparkenbaugh Director of 5-12 Academic Achievement and K-12 Support Services (412) 490-6500 sparkenbaughe@montourschools.com Dr. Robert Isherwood Director of Special Education and Pupil Services 412-490-6500, ext. 6102 isherwoodb@montourschools.com Mr. Darryl Yonkers Director of Operations (412) 490-6500 x 6510 yonkersd@montourschools.com Mrs. Susan Sinicki Director of Human Resources 412-490-6500, ext. 6235 sinickis@montourschools.com Mrs. Anna Borsos Business Manager (412) 490-6500, ext. 6232 borsosa@montourschools.com Mr. Bob Wagner Transportation Director (412) 490-6500, ext. 4700 wagnerb@montourschools.com Mr. Lou Cerro Athletic Director (412) 490-6500, ext. 1627 cerrol@montourschools.com HIGH SCHOOL (412) 490-6500 Mr. Todd Price Principal (412) 490-6500, ext. 1612 pricet@montourschools.com Dr. Jason Burik High School Principal of Academic and Student Affairs (412) 490-6500 ext. 4312 burikjason@montourschools.com DAVID E. WILLIAMS MIDDLE SCHOOL (412) 771-8802 Mr. Dominick Salpeck Principal (412) 771-8802, ext. 2611 salpeckd@montourschools.com Mr. Michael Marvin Assistant Principal (412) 771-8802, ext. 2612 marvinm@montourschools.com MONTOUR ELEMENTARY SCHOOL (412) 490-6500 Mr. Jason Shoaf Principal (412) 490-6500 ext. 4313 shoafj@montourschools.com Mr. Robert Carlisle Principal (412) 490-6500, ext. 1615 carlisler@montourschools.com Ethan Minzer PHOTO BY STUDIO TEN PHOTOGRAPHY 32 • Allegheny West Magazine • January/February 2021 David E. Williams Middle School partnered with Ken Mawr Presbyterian Church to collect new sweatshirts and sweatpants for inpatients at the Pittsburgh VA Medical Center in November and December. With COVID-19 restrictions limiting resources, these veterans were very much in need of new clothing donations. Many do not have family members and, for some, this may be the only gift that they receive for Christmas. Collection efforts began Nov. 1, less than two weeks before Veterans Day, and were spearheaded by sixth grade ELA teacher Janet Thomas and eighth grade math teacher Abby Swain. “In the past, our school partnered with another non-profit, Fleece Connection, to make and distribute blankets to our veterans,” said Thomas. “Unfortunately, due to COVID, this organization was dissolved. I am so happy to help in another way to assist our veterans in the Oakland facility.” In addition to asking for donations from the Montour community, Swain said that the two utilized Barefoot Stitches and Gifts, which allowed them to place orders at wholesale prices. “By not having to go to the stores during the pandemic, it made it easy,” said Swain. The effort resulted in the collection of 64 sets of sweatshirts and sweatpants at DEW. Ken Mawr Presbyterian Church collected another 116 sets, which meant the VA received 180 sets in total. Thomas and Swain would like to extend a “thank you” to all who contributed to the effort. DEW collects Sweats for Vets Teachers Janet Thomas and Abby Swain spearheaded an effort at David E. Williams Middle School to collect sweatpants and sweatshirts for inpatients at the Pittsburgh VA Medical Center. Montour Theatre Productions has announced that it will be performing “The Addams Family” for its 2021 spring musical. The musical comedy is based on Charles Adams’ characters from the classic television show, which has also been revived in a number films in recent years. The plot of the musical evolves around Wednesday Addams as she falls in love with a boy from a respectable Ohio family that is very different from the Addams family. When the boy and his parents are invited to dinner at the Addams’ home to get better acquainted, hilarity ensues. The musical has a diverse score that includes a mix of various styles and many different characters. “We chose this show because it offers a lot of performance opportunities, has great characters and music, is entertaining, very funny, and is a show we thought the students would be excited about,” says producer Corissa Robb, who also teaches fourth grade at Montour. “In addition, something that we had to really take into consideration this year with COVID-19 was to make sure streaming would be available and permissible. ‘The Addams Family’ is one of the shows that does have the streaming performance option.” That streaming option will allow Montour Theatre Productions to record the show and make it available at certain scheduled times online. Streaming tickets will be available for purchase online and a small audience will be able to attend performances between April 22 and 25. Auditions for the show are currently taking place virtually, with students submitting their performances of songs, monologues and choreography via video online. Rehearsals will consist of a mix of virtual and in-person sessions. “For the in-person rehearsals, we will be doing temperature checks and health assessments prior to each person entering the school,” says Robb. “We will be wearing masks, distancing as much as possible, and have very specific rehearsal schedules by time frame to keep the total number of students called at one time as small as possible as often as possible.” Josh Morgan returns this year as director alongside his wife, Brittany Morgan, who will once again choreograph. The pair also worked on Montour’s previous productions of “Footloose” and “Once Upon a Mattress.” This upcoming production promises to deliver some laughs at a time when the community could use it. “‘The Addams Family’ is one of the most entertaining and hilarious musicals out there,” says Robb. “With characters we all know and a completely original story, this show is full of surprises and relatable moments as the chaos and comedy unfold.” Montour to perform “The Addams Family” for this year’s musical January/February 2021 • www.awmagazine.com • 33 Every month during the school year, students from each grade in either Team Curiosity or Team Discovery at Montour Elementary School are selected as Students of the Month. These students are chosen for exhibiting appropriate behavior, performing random acts of kindness, demonstrating improvement in academic areas and exhibiting self control. The honor can also recognize a deserving student with a quiet disposition. Students of the month for October are pictured at right. MES Students of the Month Students of the month for October were (starting at top left): kindergarteners Spencer Clegg and Graham Yost; first-graders Lily Weetman and Jack Vojtecky; second-graders Julian Koch and Hope Spyke; third-graders Addison English and Ben Wilson; and fourth-graders Grayson Daugherty and Lucas Shishler (not pictured). Each month, students in each grade at David E. Williams Middle School are chosen as students of the month. These individuals exemplify the positive characteristics of a successful student. Students of the Month for October and November are pictured below. DEW Students of the Month Elementary music teacher Rob Roehn has been selected as a recipient of an OnRamp Grant for Remote Learning from the Allegheny Intermediate Unit. Roehn’s grant proposal, which will help support both remote and in- school music learning, was one of just 32 chosen from a pool of 200. “Due to the pandemic, in-person fourth grade band lessons will be a challenge, as well as coming up with K-4 music lessons that are fun and engaging,” he says. “Adding to the challenge is the fact that we need to keep socially distant and not share materials.” Roehn says his goal is to use the $2,500 in grant funds to provide students at Montour Elementary School with a more complete music education, whether they are learning in school or remotely from home. To that end, he intends to use part of the funds to purchase SmartMusic, a web-based suite of music education tools that support efficient practice, for every fourth grade band student. The program can assess a student’s performance digitally and generate practice lessons. It also has a built-in music library, teaching tools, practice tools and more. Roehn says the rest of the grant funds will be used to purchase the web-based software programs MusicFirst Junior and The Singing Classroom for general music students in grades K through four. “What makes these products so nice is their flexibility,” says Roehn. “Since they’re web- based, they can be used on Macs, PCs, or Chromebooks.” At the time of this writing, Roehn is planning to implement the products at the start of the second half of the school year. AIU grant to assist elementary music classes David E. Williams Middle School Students of the Month for October (above) were: fifth- graders Andrew Ludwick and Dillyn Dzurenda; sixth-graders Grace Guckert and Maxwell Carelle; seventh-graders Adam Tatro and Chaynie Howard; and eighth-graders Casey Boyle and David Clay. Student of the Month for November (below) were: fifth-graders Alina Vlasach and Nikos Arkalis; sixth-graders Cate Ravenstahl and Jaesean Nembhard; seventh-graders Deniz Han and Elise Hornyak; and eighth-graders Emma Ramsey and Quinn Dalverny. Follow Montour School District at @MontourSD 34 • Allegheny West Magazine • January/February 2021Girls Basketball Like many other winter sports teams, the girls basketball team - at least at the time of this writing - has yet to play in its first game the season. The team, though, is looking forward to having a bounce back year after going 7-15 last season. It also drops down to 4A this year and has a core group of four seniors returning. Alexa Santucci and Raegan Kadlecik both return this year, as do starters Ava Scrabis and Olivia Lyscik. Head coach Jennifer O’Shea says that even though last year was tough, the team has improved considerably since. She says her players’ hard work, buy-in and lack of selfishness has her feeling optimistic about their chances at a playoff run. Swimming and Diving The Spartan swimmers and divers, too, are at the time of this writing still waiting to compete in their first official meet of the regular season. Last season, the boys team finished as section runner-ups while the girls team put out a strong performance. Head coach Emily McCleary says that, as a whole, the team exceeded expectations. Standout swimmers Alex May, Parker Giles, Ryan Black, Soma Burt, Sophia Trevenen, Isabella Hoffman, Savannah Nelson, Suzanna Safko and Amelia Trevenen return this year. For the first time in eight years, the team will also have a diving squad under new diving coach Erin McCleary. Savannah Nelson, Sarah Lugalia, Sarah Eaton and Paige Bernotas will be pioneering the squad’s return. Gymnastics At the time of this writing, the girls gymnastics team has yet to compete, either, but the squad is hoping to follow up on some strong individual performances from last year’s 2020 WPIAL championships. There, Alexis Bailley won silver on Diamond Division Bars and Dailyn Hopkins was the WPIAL champion in Gold Division on Balance Beam. After the delayed start, the team plans to open its season this year mid-January against Hopewell, South Side Beaver and West Allegheny. Head coach Christine Gulakowski says the team has worked hard and shown resiliency during this time. In particular, she credits the team’s sole senior, Lydia Maggi, for bringing a positive attitude and work ethic to the gym each day during the delay. Gulakowski says she expects all of the girls to contribute not only to the team’s score sheet during the regular season but to also qualify for the WPIAL championships in February. Hockey The hockey team capped off its season last year by reaching the quarterfinals of the Penguins Cup and may very well have gone further if play hadn’t been halted due to COVID-19. Nine months later, the team’s season was again disrupted by COVID-19 but it managed to get in four games before the season was put on hold. It won two of those matches and lost the others in a shootout. Assistant captain Michael Felsing is currently ranked first in the league for scoring and captain Anthony Migliozzi is ranked 10th. The team is also led by fellow seniors Jon Tokarczyk, Presley Robb, Vinnie Molka, assistant captain Aiden Cavanaugh, Isabella Hervert, Austin Schaltenbrand, Josh Knapp, Julian Paul and Nate Anderson. Head coach Clay Shell says the team is looking forward to taking on rival West Allegheny and undefeated Baldwin. At the time of this writing, the team is planning to resume play Jan. 11 in a matchup against Shaler. The start of many winter high school sports were largely delayed due to COVID-19 and Gov. Tom Wolf’s order that was put in place to curb the spread of the virus. Sports, however, finally got to restart Jan. 4. Here’s a rundown of where teams stand as of this writing: Indoor Track Indoor head track coach Nichole Gutt says she has a solid team that’s bolstered by some runners from this past season’s cross-country teams, both of which finished their regular seasons undefeated. Cross-country state medalists Lakyn Schaltenbrand and Harley Kletz round out the girls distance team while sprinters Brenda Rea, Megan Suess, Kim Randolph and Areil Thompkins are expected to deliver strong performances. Among the boys sprinters, sophomores Matt Hermiller and Shane Sprys will be looking to continue the success they both experienced their freshman seasons. Because indoor track seasons typically consist of just a few large indoor meets at indoor facilities among a couple dozen schools, Gutt says they’re cognizant of the fact that they may very well not get to compete this season. Even if they don’t, however, Gutt says the season is providing her runners with valuable conditioning time as they prepare for the upcoming spring outdoor track season. Wrestling The wrestling team recorded a dual meet record of 7-5 last season and finished strong at four tournaments, including fourth at the MAC Conference Tournament. They also finished second out of 10 teams at the Armstrong Winter Classic Tournament, sixth out of 30 teams at the West Mifflin Holiday Tournament and 12th out of 37 teams at the Allegheny County Tournament. Five of the team’s wrestlers - Aidan DeLuca (26-15), Brandon Halbedl (21-14), Aaron DeLuca (25-13), Henry Orlandini (23-14) and Peter Chacon (21-12) - qualified for the WPIAL tournament. With all of those wrestlers returning, and a shakeup in the conference moving the team down to AA from AAA, the team would appear to be poised for a standout season. However, the team’s first match against new section rival Quaker Valley was cancelled in December due to COVID-19 concerns. Head coach Zachary Tournay says the match would have been a good barometer for where the team stands in its new section. He says the team isn’t sure yet how the pause will affect the season but that his wrestlers were working hard in the practice room during it. He says they are hoping they will have the opportunity to compete for a section title. Section 2B, which the Spartan are now competing in, includes Quaker Valley, Hopewell, Avonworth, Carlynton, South Side Beaver and Montour. Boys Basketball The boys basketball team expects to be very competitive this season, despite the unprecedented circumstances and a lineup of tough section opponents. The team will be facing off against perennial powerhouses Lincoln Park and Quaker Valley, along with strong programs at Central Valley, Blackhawk and Ambridge. Head coach Bill Minear says the team will be looking to improve on its 7-7 section record from last year. They’ll be relying on their five returning players, all of whom lettered and started at some point last season. Minear says senior Luke Persinger and junior Isayah Mosley will provide the experience and leadership needed until the team’s roles and chemistry are established. Varsity winter sports overview January/February 2021 • www.awmagazine.com • 35Our 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 mean to be an all-inclusive list. Such a section would fill pages. 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 Authority 36 • Allegheny West Magazine • January/February 2021 36 • Allegheny West Magazine • January/February 2021 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. January/February 2021 • www.awmagazine.com • 37 January/February 2021 • www.awmagazine.com • 37 Pittsburgh Technical College has experienced significant change over the past few years, and the recently hired president and CEO of the college is excited to be leading during this period of transformation. Alicia Harvey-Smith, Ph.D. became the fourth president of PTC in July of 2019. She brings with her nearly 30 years of academic leadership. Most recently, she was the executive vice chancellor of a 99,000-student college in Houston, one of the largest school systems in the country. Over the past three years, PTC has modified its name from the previous Pittsburgh Technical Institute, switched its status from for-profit to nonprofit, achieved Middle States accreditation status and implemented a more ambitious strategic plan. The nonprofit designation allows PTC to receive grants that contribute to expanded offerings for students, said Harvey-Smith, adding that the status is also more beneficial to local communities. Harvey-Smith is grateful for the rare opportunity to rebuild and re-establish PTC in the minds of airport area community members. Though she believes in the description of the college as “the best kept secret” in the area, her intention is to advance the profile of the institution as a household name. One of Harvey-Smith’s main goals is to position PTC locally and regionally as a pipeline for middle skills jobs, thousands of which go unfilled each year. Harvey-Smith touts the consistently high 95 percent in-field placement rate for degree- seeking students who participate in onsite internships, clinical rotations, or employer partnerships in the quarter before they graduate. PTC offers nine academic schools, including a school of the trades, and awards certificates and both associate and bachelor’s degrees in more than 30 programs. Though the school has provided online learning for years, Harvey-Smith believes PTC was one of the first colleges in the country to go remote early in 2020. The CEO reported that PTC had a COVID task force in place within the first two weeks of January and was prepared for 100 percent remote learning by the time of the national shutdown. Following a comprehensive plan, students phased back to in-person classes with roughly 500 students on campus by July. Harvey-Smith speaks not only of advancing the airport corridor through PTC talent, but of “regrowing the Commonwealth.” “Not only through thoughtful leadership, but through the applied and technical training needed in multiple STEM and trade related fields, PTC is being positioned as a go-to institution for jobs of the future,” she stated. Originally from the Baltimore area, Harvey- Smith was excited to come to this region of the country and has been “pleased with how supportive and welcoming the people of Pittsburgh have been.” The PTC leader was educated predominantly at Maryland schools, including Morgan State University, The Johns Hopkins University, and the University of Maryland - College Park. She also received training for the college presidency from the Harvard University School of Education. She is a graduate of Western High School, which was founded in 1844, and is the oldest public all-girls college preparatory school remaining in the U.S. Harvey-Smith believes that potential challenges for women in leadership roles, particularly African American women, are being underestimated and misunderstood as emotional or angry when conveying a message with passion. Women in executive roles are often the only, or among a few, women at the table for high profile meetings and decisions, stated Harvey-Smith. She added that such women should use every opportunity to be authentic rather than conformist, and should be proud of the fact that women excel at soft skills such as empathy and effective communication. Alicia Harvey-Smith, Ph.D President, Pittsburgh Technical College According to Angela Garcia, executive director of the Greentree nonprofit Global Links, the word “waste” is a five-letter word that is not used or spoken of at the nonprofit company. Nor is it printed in any of its communications. “We don’t use the word waste because everything we do is geared at preventing it,” says Garcia. The 18-employee nonprofit was founded in 1989 and maintains a long list of humanitarian projects, including disaster recovery. However, Global Links’ primary agenda has two fairly simple goals: 1) annually preventing 300 tons of local surplus medical equipment from going unused and causing environmental damage in a landfill, and 2) redirecting this surplus equipment for use to areas of the region and world with less resources. Garcia took the baton from the Global Links director and co- founder Kathleen Hower two-and-a- half years ago. She started working alongside Hoover in 2000. Global Links is a local organization that was founded by Hower and two other women from Pittsburgh. Garcia says the organization got its start after those women witnessed the worldwide disparity in quality healthcare and came to the realization that no one was addressing medical surplus in clinical settings. Garcia herself was no stranger to the global disparity in healthcare. Prior to joining Global Links, she worked in senior care in Belgium, Mexico, and the U.S. She was distressed by the reality of low- income seniors who could not afford basic medical and hygiene supplies. When anyone is deprived of incontinence items or mobility aids, said Garcia, that person’s quality of life declines to the point of isolation because embarrassment and fear keep them from leaving the home. Numerous U.S. residents also often go without healthcare items, says Garcia, because personal care Angela Garcia CEO, Global Links 38 • Allegheny West Magazine • January/February 2021 38 • Allegheny West Magazine • January/February 2021 Susan Sinicki worked for 15 years in human resources for Pittsburgh Public Schools before coming to Montour in 2016. Now, she and human resources secretary Nancy Matarazzo oversee a district that employs around 500 teachers, custodians, clerical workers and other staff members. Four years ago, she oversaw staffing as the district’s two elementary buildings merged into one. As such, she worked with all of the school’s various unions to ensure that facilities would be open and teachers would be standing in front of students on day one. That challenge, however, pales in comparison to the one that Sinicki and the rest of the district have faced this year during the unprecedented COVID-19 pandemic. Over the summer, Montour made a commitment to open for students full time. Sinicki, for her part, has been responsible for making sure the district’s schools continue to be properly staffed, despite a shrinking pool of substitutes. When the district has encountered COVID-19 cases, she’s been working with administration to contact trace and make sure those who have to quarantine are covered at work. She’s also been working with staff members who have needed to take leaves of absences and to ensure requirements are met to protect staff members in the workplace. It’s been no small task, yet Montour’s track record this year speaks for itself. For the most part, the district has remained open five days a week for in-person learning and experienced just 50 COVID-19 cases among staff and students. Sinicki credits staff members and their dedication to doing what’s right for students for the incredible accomplishment. “Our current staff has been amazing and want to make sure students get educated,” she says. Sinicki says her job in public education is much different than one would find in a for-profit setting. For one, there are considerably more rules and regulations surrounding those who work with children, as well as a multitude of unions. For another, it’s much more dominated by women. Sinicki says that’s been a benefit to her as she’s grown in her own career. “I have been fortunate that one of the advantages of being in education is that about 76% of public school employees are female, according to the National Center for Education Statistics,” she says. “Over the years, I have had the advantage of having several strong female mentors who have not only helped me grow my practice in HR, but have helped me truly understand the education world and best practices in teaching.” She points out, though, that women leaders in many work settings are still lacking and that bringing diversity to any setting aids everyone. “Women bring a fresh perspective to the situation,” she says. “I feel that sometimes that gets lost in the shuffle, when people all look the same. To be innovative and stay at the top of your game, sometimes you have to look at things differently.” Susan Sinicki Director of Human Resources, Montour School District supplies such as shampoo, toothpaste, and incontinence supplies are not covered by insurance or government assistance programs. Through two main programs, Global Links helps redirect a portion of the staggering amount of clinical surplus generated in this country. Before COVID-19, 3,000 to 4,000 people volunteered every week sorting and packaging supplies donated to the “Blue Bag program” by regional hospitals and healthcare facilities. A second program recovers larger unneeded medical items such as stretchers, exam tables, and IV poles, as well as commercial office furniture from companies that are downsizing. Office chairs and lunchroom tables can be put to use in a developing country’s hospital waiting areas, nursing stations or cafeterias, said Garcia. Garcia is particularly proud of the local impact Global Links had during this year’s pandemic. In a normal year, the organization redirects unused medical items to roughly 30 recipient organizations in southwestern Pennsylvania. That figure increased to 400 between March and December. An “amazing model of collaboration” stated Garcia, expanded the manufacturing and distribution of masks, face shields, gloves and other personal protective equipment to safety net organizations and nonprofits. “COVID gave us the opportunity to respond to a disaster here,” said Garcia. Figures indicate that in six western Pennsylvania counties, Global Links impacted 402 agencies, 600 childcare centers and 152 schools by providing $2.3 million in total protective supplies. Garcia has been named a Cribs for Kids Woman of Achievement and a “40 under 40” winner by PUMP and Pittsburgh Magazine. Recently, she accepted the Green Building Alliance’s Emerald Award for Global Links in recognition of the organization’s direct relief to local communities. When asked if there are challenges to being a female in a leadership role, Garcia replies, “I can’t even answer that…I hate gender stereotyping! When you put people first and value individual talents, gender shouldn’t matter at all.” January/February 2021 • www.awmagazine.com • 39 January/February 2021 • www.awmagazine.com • 39Next >