Meet Our Team

Since 2018, Dr. Altmann has led Franklin & Marshall College (F&M) as the 16th President in the school’s 237 years. Dr. Altmann recently led the largest campaign in F&M’s history to a successful conclusion. She is currently leading the College through the implementation of a strategic plan that will position F&M to better respond to student priorities and academic interests, invest in student and alumni success, and ensure institutional sustainability.

A passionate advocate for higher education, Altmann serves as Chair of the Board of Directors of the Association of Independent Colleges and Universities of Pennsylvania (AICUP) and as a member of the Board of Trustees of the Council for Advancement and Support of Education (CASE). She also cares deeply for the local community and serves on the boards of the Lancaster County STEM alliance and the Economic Development Company of Lancaster.

Dr. Altmann is a scholar of the French Middle Ages, and holds her graduate degrees from the University of Toronto. Prior to her leadership at F&M, Dr. Altmann served as the provost at Bucknell University. Before moving to Pennsylvania, she spent more than two decades at the University of Oregon, as a faculty member, department head, institute director, and senior vice provost. Early in her career, she also served as an assistant visiting professor at Dartmouth College.

Sam has both his bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Penn State University. Since 2008, Sam has served as President and CEO of Lancaster County Community Foundation. In that role, he leads an executive team that is the driving force behind the strategic focus and daily work of the Community Foundation. Sam brings nearly 30 years of executive level leadership experience, and a personal understanding of what it takes to run a high-impact community benefit organization. His passion and commitment to creating a brighter future for Lancaster helps Sam see the possibilities of what our community can become.

A 4x marathoner and aspiring lead guitarist, Sam adores his wife Linda, his son Justin, daughter Hannah, daughter-in-law Lindsay, and
golden retriever, Bixby. Some Lancaster County favorites: A stroll through Musser Park with the pup, a covered bridge bike ride, steeple views from The Exchange, live local music at Tellus 360, and a seat at the bar at the Horse Inn.

Dr. Robin Felty is the Superintendent of the Manheim Township School District. Prior to her Superintendency at Manheim Township, she previously served as Assistant Superintendent at Warwick School District and Ephrata Area School District. Her work experience also included several years as an Educational Consultant with the Pennsylvania Training and Technical Assistance Network (PaTTAN), Pennsylvania Department of Education, as well as time spent in administrative positions and teaching at the secondary and elementary levels in several school districts across the Commonwealth.

Educationally, Robin holds a Bachelor of Science degree in education from Eastern Mennonite University, a Master of Education degree from Millersville University, a Master of Business Administration degree from Lebanon Valley College, and a doctoral degree in Educational Leadership and Administration from Immaculata University. She also maintains certification in the areas of Reading Specialist, Supervisor of Special Education, Elementary and Secondary Principal, and Superintendent.
She serves on several Lancaster County Boards and Committees — Lancaster County STEM Alliance, Leadership Lancaster, President’s Advisory Council for Thaddeus Stevens College, and the Lancaster Sunrise Rotary Club. She also operates as the Superintendent of Record for the Lancaster County Academy.

Lauren V. Frick is Executive Vice President and Corporate Secretary of Steinman Communications and  The Steinman Foundation. Steinman Communications is a privately owned media company in Lancaster  County, PA with a rich history. The company is currently comprised of Lancaster Farming, Susquehanna  Printing and Steinman Real Estate. Lauren is responsible for overseeing the company’s risk management  and ensuring the highest standards of administrative processes and corporate governance are promoted  and maintained across all Steinman Communications companies and affiliates.  

Additionally, Lauren assists with the grant administration and governance for The Steinman Foundation  and provides support to Chrisaway, the Steinman Family Office. Previously, Lauren was employed by  PNC Wealth Management where she administered estates and trusts for high net worth individuals.  Earlier in her career, Ms. Frick worked in private practice concentrating in the areas of estate planning  and family law.  

Lauren earned her Bachelor of Science in finance from Lehigh University and her law degree from University of Baltimore. She currently serves on the Board of Leadership Lancaster and the Lancaster  County Local Journalism Fund. She previously served as President & Treasurer of the Board of Trustees of the New School of Lancaster and was a member of the Junior League of Lancaster. Lauren resides in  Willow Street, Pennsylvania with her husband and two sons. Outside of work, she likes to stay active and spend time with friends and family but finds the greatest joy cheering her boys on while they chase  their dreams playing ice hockey.

Jess King, MBA, is a values-driven systems thinker with 20+ years of experience leading equity-driven public sector organizations. She has worked in community and economic development, local government, and media, and has experience starting, building and leading organizations and campaigns, leveraging financial and social capital, building volunteer and staff teams, and developing and growing programs.

She is passionate about innovation and the common good. She lives in Lancaster, PA.

Robert M. Krasne is Chair and Chief Executive Officer of Steinman Communications, an organization the roots of which date back nearly 230 years. Initially a print newspaper, the organization has been at the cutting edge of radio, television, cable and state-of-the- art commercial printing. Today, its holdings include Lancaster Farming, the preeminent agricultural publication in the mid-Atlantic; Susquehanna Printing of Lancaster, LLC, a commercial printing and mailing operation; and an array of real estate assets.

In mid-2023, Krasne engineered Steinman Communications’ gift of LNP Media Group, Inc., publisher of the legacy daily newspaper serving Lancaster County, PA, to WITF, a nonprofit dual licensee public broadcasting company. Bob is also the co-chair of The Steinman Foundation, among the largest private charitable foundations in Lancaster County. Bob initiated creation of and is the founding chair of the Lancaster County STEM Alliance, a nationally recognized STEM ecosystem. The Alliance engages business and education to work together on workforce
development-related issues. Bob also serves as the founding chair of The Steinman Institute for Civic Engagement, a subsidiary of WITF, which focuses on supporting local journalism, developing and advancing innovations in how local news is delivered and consumed, and ways in which citizens can participate in civic life.

Bob is active in various other nonprofit or civic arenas. He currently serves as a commissioner on Pennsylvania’s Early Learning Investment Commission and is a member
of the Lancaster City Alliance’s Advocacy Executive Leadership Team. Bob previously served on the Board of the Economic Development Company of Lancaster County and its Foundation Board. He was a member of the Governor of Pennsylvania’s Advisory Board on Education & Workforce Development, a councilor of The Pennsylvania Society, and
served on the steering committee for Lancaster Farmland Trust’s capital campaign. Bob was also a member of the board of the Pennsylvania College of Art & Design and a
trustee of Lancaster Farmland Trust. Before assuming leadership of the Steinman enterprises in 2012, Bob spent ten years as principal in The Krasne Group, Inc., a strategic business-consulting firm in Washington, D.C. He was also an adjunct professor at Georgetown University’s McDonough School of Business where he taught corporate governance to MBA candidates. Previously, Bob was a partner in the Washington, D.C.law firm of Williams & Connolly, L.L.P., where he represented clients in complex legal matters. His clients included business leaders, government officials, corporations, law firms and others facing criminal, civil and/or administrative legal issues in various jurisdictions around the globe.

Bob joined Williams & Connolly from the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency where he served as a lawyer in their Enforcement & Compliance and Legal Advisory Services divisions. While at the OCC, Bob was appointed Special Assistant United States Attorney for Western District of Louisiana to assist with the investigation and prosecution of bank fraud cases. Bob had previously worked at the OCC as a national bank examiner. Bob earned an A.B. in Economics from Georgetown University and a J.D. from the Georgetown University Law Center. He also received an Honorary Doctorate in Public Service from Thaddeus Stevens College of Technology and an Honorary Doctorate in Fine Arts from the Pennsylvania College of Art & Design. Bob is licensed to practice law in the District of Columbia and has been admitted to practice before a variety of federal courts including the United States Supreme Court.

Willonda McCloud is a trusted leader and community organizer in Lancaster, PA, and the surrounding region. For over twenty years, she has been at the forefront of cross-sector collaboration, helping to establish Lancaster as a national model for nonprofit and public service innovation.

Since 2016, she has served as the President and CEO of Bright Side Opportunities Center, a community-based service provider focused on improving the educational, financial and physical health of the southwest Lancaster community. Previously, Ms. McCloud was the Program Director at the Family Health Council, where she managed the HIV/AIDS contract for Central Pennsylvania. She also served as the Program Director for the Lancaster County Human Relations Commission, an entity dedicated to eradicating discrimination in the public, private, and educational sectors.

Throughout her career, Ms. McCloud has been committed to volunteer leadership, serving on local, state, and international boards for some of the most important nonprofits, including as an inaugural director of the International STEM Ecosystems Leadership Coordinating Council. She is a graduate of Cheyney University, the nation’s oldest Historically Black College, where she received a degree in Computer and Information Sciences. Her career in Lancaster reflects her dedication to the lives of residents and the health of their neighborhoods.

Vanessa Philbert, Chief Executive Officer for the Community Action Partnership of Lancaster County, has been engaged in community-building and non-profit work in Lancaster County for the past 20 years. A native of New York City, Vanessa previously held roles locally at the United Way of Lancaster County, the Gate House for Men, and Pressley Ridge. In her role at CAP, she provides leadership and strategic vision to CAP’s 15-plus programs.

Vanessa brings a unique perspective to community problem-solving based on her lived experiences and journey out of poverty. She works to address generational problems with generational solutions and through a cross-sector, strategic approach. She is married to Ronnie and has three daughters. She holds a Masters Degree in Strategic Leadership and Organizational Development from Elizabethtown College and a Bachelors Degree in Applied Phycology and Organizational Development from Albright College.

Vanessa serves on the Board of Directors and as Equity Chair of the Community Action Association of Pennsylvania and is Board Chair of Lancaster Equity Community Development Corporation, and she serves on the Board of Directors of the Lancaster City Alliance and the Board of Trustees of the Lancaster Chamber. She is also a member of the President’s Advisory Council at Thaddeus Stevens College of Technology and the Grants & Programs Committee at the High Foundation. She received the Lancaster Chamber’s 2022 Athena Award and the YWCA of Lancaster’s 2020 Woman of Achievement Award.

Anna Ramos has been with the Lancaster County Workforce Development Board since 2019 and has served as the Chief Operating Officer before assuming the role as the Executive Director in July 2022. Prior to that, Anna was the Business Initiatives Director with the Lancaster Chamber.  Anna has over 22+ years of workforce development experience that consist of her role as the Site Administrator at the PA CareerLink® of Lancaster County working with job seekers for 15 years, combined with her work at the Lancaster Chamber and now with Workforce Development Board.  Anna is involved with several local workforce committees and plays a leading role in the county’s business education partnership, Career Ready Lancaster! 

Coupled with Anna’s unique background and experience, she is a key contributor in cultivating the workforce ecosystem by collaborating with businesses to understand their workforce needs while engaging with community partners to create the pipeline of workers to meet those needs.  She serves as a board member for Community Action Partnership and Chairs the Finance Committee of the PA Workforce Development Association.

Lisa Riggs is Team Pennsylvania’s Senior Managing Director, Economic Strategy & Partnerships. She previously served as the President of EDC Lancaster County for nine years, implementing an aggressive strategic plan anchored on business retention and expansion and economic analytics.

Ms. Riggs has served in a number of other economic development roles over her more than two decades of experience, including as the President of the James Street Improvement District, a community and economic development organization focused on parts of the City of Lancaster, and as Vice President of Economic Development for the Downtown Partnership of Baltimore (Baltimore, MD). She also served for two seasons as the President of the Lancaster
Barnstormers, a professional minor league baseball team.

A graduate of Johns Hopkins University, Ms. Riggs resides in Lancaster County. She currently serves on the boards of the Steinman Foundation, HDC Mid-Atlantic, Ben Franklin Technology Partners of Central PA, the Lancaster STEM Alliance, and the Pennsylvania Economic Development Association.

Pedro Rivera, the 10th president of Thaddeus Stevens College of Technology, joined the college on October 1, 2020, after serving as Pennsylvania Secretary of Education. Appointed to the Pennsylvania State Board of Education in 2022, he chairs the Board’s Council of Higher Education. Rivera is a lifelong educator and leader dedicated to ensuring equitable access and funding for education. The White House recognized his transformative efforts in urban education in 2014.

A first-generation college graduate, Rivera holds degrees from Pennsylvania State University, Cheyney University, Arcadia University, and the University of Pennsylvania. He serves on various boards and is a Philadelphia native who warmly calls Lancaster home with his wife Erika, son Lucas, and daughter Elena.

Michael F. Shirk joined High® as Chief Executive Officer in January 2015. Mike was a member of the High Boards of Directors since 2011.
From its beginning in 1931 as a welding shop to its status today as a diverse and growing organization, High has earned a reputation for taking on big challenges, setting the standard for
quality in its industries, acting with personal and corporate integrity, and taking a long-term view. Headquartered in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, High has operations in seven states with annual sales of more than $700 million and employs over 2,000 coworkers. High’s businesses include bridge fabrication, precast concrete building systems, on-site erection, metal processing and distribution, specialty heavy hauling, architecture, construction, real estate development and management, commercial/industrial brokerage, hotel development and management, and
environmental health and safety consulting.

Before joining High, Mike served as Vice President of Architectural Specialties Worldwide with Armstrong World Industries. Prior to Armstrong, he worked for Bain & Company Inc. in Boston, a global business consulting firm where he advised companies across several industries on a variety of corporate strategy, growth, and operational effectiveness issues. Prior to his time with Bain, he held sales and engineering roles with Lockheed Martin Corporation in Moorestown, New Jersey. Mike holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering from Bucknell University, a Masters in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Pennsylvania, and a Masters of Business Administration from Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s Sloan School of Management.

He serves as a board member of the Pennsylvania Chamber of Business and Industry, Fulton Bank and the Lancaster County STEM Alliance. Mike and his wife Andrea and their two children, Tyler and Haley, live in Lititz, PA.

Matthew Stem currently serves as the Executive Director of IU13 where he leads the vision in support of our Lancaster County and Lebanon County learners.

Mr. Stem previously served for over 22 years as a teacher, principal, and district-level administrator. Nineteen of those years were spent with the School District of Lancaster and three at the Wyomissing Area School District. In 2015, he was named the Deputy Secretary of Elementary and Secondary Education for PDE where he served for 6 years.

He holds a bachelor’s degree in elementary education from Millersville University, a master’s degree in educational administration from Temple University, and a Pennsylvania Superintendent’s Letter of Eligibility. He’s been married to his wife Mimi for over 30 years, and they have two adult children, Nick and Talia.

Dr. Brian Troop became Superintendent of the Ephrata Area School District in July 2013. He served the District as Assistant Superintendent from January 2011 through June 2013. He earned a Bachelor of Science Degree from Millersville University, a Master of Science Degree in

Educational Leadership and Policy Studies from University of Memphis, and a Doctorate in Educational Administration from Immaculata University. Additionally, he has earned his National Superintendent Certification from The American Association of School Administrators (AASA). He serves as a member of the Board of Governors for the Pennsylvania Association of School Administrators (PASA) and is a member of their Innovative Teaching and Learning Committee. At the national level, he serves on the Board of the EdLeader21 Network Advisory Committee. Finally, Dr. Troop received the recognition of PASA 2023 Pennsylvania Superintendent of the Year, after a panel evaluation of his leadership, experience, and accomplishments.  

Heather Valudes became the President & CEO of the Lancaster Chamber in June 2022. She joined the Chamber in 2011 and was previously the Vice President, and prior to that, Community Impact/Advocacy Director. During her tenure, she has led efforts around significant pieces of legislation, led the Chamber to four-star accreditation from the US Chamber, and has responsibility for ensuring the implementation of the Chamber’s strategic plan to positively impact over 1,400 business members and the Lancaster community.

Prior to joining the Chamber, Valudes was the Government Affairs Coordinator at the Building Industry Association where she represented them before all government bodies on issues related to the association’s mission.  Valudes graduated from West Chester University in 2007 with a degree in Political Science and received a Master of Public Administration degree from West Chester University in 2010. She earned her Certified Chamber Executive designation in 2021, was named a 40 Under 40 by the Central Penn Business Journal and the Association of Chamber of Commerce Executives, and is a 2010 graduate of Leadership Lancaster.  

She lives in Gordonville with her husband, Kevin, and their twin daughters. As a lifelong Lancaster County resident, she is committed to her local community. Beyond her service on Chamber related boards, she is a member of the Paradise Township Lions Club and is involved with the Girl Scouts.

Shane D. Zimmerman is president of the James Hale Steinman family office, Chrisaway, LLC. His work for the Steinman family began in 2013 with responsibilities that include serving as president of The Steinman Foundation and Steinman Coal Corporation. He is president of Steinman Communications Inc., a diversified holding company with a family of operating entities that includes Susquehanna Printing of Lancaster, LLC, Lancaster Farming, Inc. and Steinman Real Estate, LLC.

Prior to joining Steinman Communications, Mr. Zimmerman served as the banking director of the Central and Northeast Pennsylvania markets for PNC Wealth Management where he spent 17 of his 24 years in the wealth management and private banking industry. He currently serves on the board of directors of Lancaster Farmland Trust, Economic Development Company of Lancaster County, Security National Trust Company (SNTC), a nationally chartered trust company based in Wheeling, West Virginia and SNTC’s parent company, HB&W, Inc. He is a member of the investment committee of the Lancaster County Community Foundation. Mr. Zimmerman is a 1989 graduate of Elizabethtown College.

Jon Zuo is the President and Chief Technical Officer of Advanced Cooling Technologies, Inc. Since ACT’s founding in 2003, Jon has been a relentless proponent of the company’s core values of Innovation, Teamwork, and Customer Care. He continues to drive its vision to be the best thermal management company in the world.

Prior to founding ACT, Jon held various technical, engineering and managerial positions at Thermacore, Inc., Wright State University, and Changsha Mining Research Institute (China). He is an inventor on fourteen U.S. patents and an author of dozens of published technical papers.

Jon earned his Ph.D. degree in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Central Florida after receiving his Bachelor of Science and Master of Science degrees in Mechanical Engineering from Huazhong University of Science and Technology (China).

Jon serves on the boards of several nonprofit organizations and private companies in central Pennsylvania. He has a particular interest in supporting the advancement of STEM (science, technology, engineering, mathematics) and arts in the community.

Lauren has taught middle school and high school science in both urban and rural settings, served as a High School Assistant Principal, a consultant, Supervisor for Curriculum and Instruction, and most recently, The Executive Director of the Lancaster County STEM Alliance and the Associate Director of Educational Partnerships at IU13. In her current position, she supports the connections between education, business and community partners to develop innovative instructional models that increase student learning and workforce readiness.

Lauren holds a M.S. degree in Geology and Astronomy from West Chester University, and an Ed.D. in Educational Leadership and Change from Drexel University.  Lauren is an avid runner, and enjoys the outdoors, reading, and spending time with family.

Adrienne Epler serves as the Foundation Operations Coordinator for The Steinman Foundation  and Lancaster County STEM Alliance. Before joining The Foundations, Adrienne accumulated  over a decade of invaluable customer service experience within Lancaster County. Adrienne is a  proud 2023 graduate of Millersville University, where she earned a Bachelor of Arts in Social  Work (BASW). Her educational background compliments her practical experiences, enabling her  to make a meaningful impact in her current role. Beyond her work, she also finds joy in  volunteering, in the arts, reading, and exploring life’s adventures with her husband and their  beloved dog, Gordo.

Andrew is the Foundation Program Coordinator at The Steinman Foundation and the Lancaster County STEM Alliance. His  experience as the Head of the Education Department and the Director of Strategic Partnerships at the North Museum of  Nature and Science launched him into his current position. He also leads the Bridge to Employment Program and is a LEAD  STEM Fellow through the Lancaster County STEM Alliance in Pennsylvania and was the Youth Coordinator for the  Lancaster Workforce Development Board.

Andrew focuses on building and maintaining community relationships that  support STEM education, community stewardship and workforce development. He received his Bachelor of Science  degree from Eastern Mennonite University in Business Management and Organizational Development. With over 25 years  of project management experience and community outreach, he brings a collaborative approach to programming and  leadership.