PA PARTNERSHIPS FOR CHILDREN - Key Persons
Job Titles:
- Member of the Board of Directors
- Partner / the Carey Group
Job Titles:
- Member of the Board of Directors
- Vice President, Government Affairs / PA Chamber of Business and Industry
Job Titles:
- Communications Manager
- Associate Director of Common Cause Pennsylvania
- Communications Manager for PPC
Alexa Grant is the Communications Manager for PPC. Alexa implements and executes communication strategies to engage audiences across all policy areas, including digital and social media.
Alexa joined PPC in November 2021 after serving as Associate Director of Common Cause Pennsylvania, where she managed the organization's communications, public policy, and membership engagement needs. This work included writing all traditional and social media campaign materials, developing policy position strategies, and working within several coalition spaces.
Before joining Common Cause Pennsylvania, Alexa was the Client Relations Specialist at ShellyLyons Public Affairs and Communications, where her responsibilities included managing client relationships, developing social media strategies, and collaborating with several coalition groups to implement joint media strategies.
Alexa earned a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from The University of Delaware and a Master of Public Administration from Penn State University. She resides in Enola.
Job Titles:
- Vice President of Public Policy for PPC
Becky Ludwick is the Vice President of Public Policy for PPC. In this role, she oversees the organization's policy development and implementation work, represents the organization before federal and state government, emphasizing the executive branch and state agencies, and participates in policy-specific coalitions and advisory groups.
Prior to her role as Vice President of Public Policy, Becky was the Health Policy Director for PPC for two years focusing on health care issues impacting children.
Becky joined PPC in April 2018 after nearly 12 years in various positions with the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. She recently served as the Director of the School-Based ACCESS Program in the Department of Human Services, overseeing more than $150 million in annual Medicaid funding for schools providing health services to special education students.
Before serving in the Department of Human Services, Becky was Deputy Policy Director and Special Projects Manager in former Gov. Tom Corbett's administration, concentrating on policy issues relating to early childhood, K-12 education, environment, government reform, health care, and human services in the governor's office.
Outside of her state government experience, Becky worked on several statewide political campaigns, including as Coalitions Director for former Gov. Tom Corbett's 2010 gubernatorial campaign.
Becky holds a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science/Applied Public Policy from West Chester University. She resides in Harrisburg with her husband and two daughters.
Job Titles:
- Research and Data Analyst for PPC
Caroline Riegel is the Research and Data Analyst for PPC. She is primarily responsible for conducting high-quality, research-based analyses pertaining to the public policy goals of the organization.
Caroline joined the PPC team in May 2021 after working as a Research Assistant at Penn State University for three years. At Penn State, she focused on research relating to racial and gender inequalities, workplace discrimination, and differences in international health care systems. She also spent two summers studying abroad researching the education system in Germany and social deviance in Amsterdam, the Netherlands.
During the summer of 2020, Caroline worked for the Institute for Public Policy and Economic Development in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania. In this role, she conducted research on the longitudinal effect of redlining on present-day real-estate prices and neighborhood racial composition, analyzed survey data collected about the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on local businesses, and gathered field research on current infrastructure conditions in Reading, Pennsylvania as part of its revitalization initiative. She also collected data from the United States Census Bureau to complete a tri-annual needs assessment on the Head Start program.
Caroline earned a Bachelor of Science in Sociology with a Minor in Psychology and a Master of Public Policy from Penn State University. She resides in Philadelphia with her dog Luca.
Job Titles:
- Communications Director
- Director of Communications for PPC
Carolyn Myers is the Director of Communications for PPC. She guides PPC'S media and public relations efforts by developing and advancing strategic communications strategies that engage key audiences about the organization's public policy and advocacy goals.
Carolyn joined PPC in January 2017 after working at ShellyLyons Public Affairs and Communications, where she managed major elements of the firm's earned media and social media campaigns. This work included developing strategies, writing and producing collaterals, and coordinating with third-party allies and supporters.
Before joining ShellyLyons, Carolyn served as a spokeswoman for the Office of Attorney General. There, she directed the workflow for press relations and communications efforts specific to the agency's criminal, civil and public protection divisions, supporting the integrity of the agency and its dedicated public servants.
Before serving the Office of Attorney General, Carolyn was editorial production coordinator at the Pennsylvania State Education Association, where her responsibilities included managing the association's annual marketing collateral campaign and engaging members through various mediums.
Carolyn began her career as a media specialist in the Pennsylvania House of Representatives, working to educate media and inform constituents about public policy issues, including education, health care and protecting children.
Carolyn holds a Bachelor of Arts in Communications from Edinboro University.
Job Titles:
- Co - Founder
- Member of the Board of Directors
- Partner
Job Titles:
- Member of the Board of Directors
- Treasurer of the Board
Job Titles:
- Member of the Board of Directors
- Director, State Government Affairs & Policy
Job Titles:
- Member of the Board of Directors
- Professor of Pediatrics / University of Pittsburgh
Job Titles:
- Vice President, Client and Community Relations Director / PNC Bank
Job Titles:
- Attending Physician / Division of General Pediatrics / Children 's Hospital of Philadelphia
Job Titles:
- Member of the Board of Directors
- Executive Director / Keystone
Job Titles:
- Member of the Board of Directors
- Executive Director / Keystone
Job Titles:
- Founder of the United Parcel Service
Jim Casey, founder of the United Parcel Service, or UPS, established the Annie E. Casey Foundation in 1948 with his three siblings in honor of their mother, who provided a nurturing, supportive environment after the death of their father. Beginning with supporting a camp for disadvantaged children, the Annie E. Casey Foundation today creates a brighter future for the nation's young people by developing solutions to strengthen families, build paths to economic opportunity, and transform struggling communities into safer and healthier places to live, work, and grow.
Job Titles:
- Government Affairs Associate
Jordan is the Government Affairs Associate for PPC. He supports PPC's government relations and legislative advocacy efforts across all policy areas.
Before joining PPC, Jordan worked in the child care industry as a Government Relations Representative with KinderCare Education. He focused on state child care policy and legislation on the east coast and managed the company's relationships with state child care associations across the country. Before his work in child care, Jordan worked in Harrisburg as an Associate for Greenlee Partners, a local lobbying firm.
Jordan earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science from the University of Pittsburgh, with minors in American History and Administration of Justice. Born and raised in Central Pennsylvania, he resides in the Harrisburg area.
Justin Beyler is the Data Director at Pennsylvania Partnerships for Children. Working with PPC's Vice President of Data and Strategy, he collects and analyzes data that detail the conditions of Pennsylvania's children in PPC's areas of policy focus.
Justin oversees regular updates to the Pennsylvania KIDS COUNT® Data Center where more than 130 indicators of child well-being are tracked across a wide array of program domains at the state, county, city, and school district levels.
Prior to joining PPC, Justin spent nearly 14 years working for the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. He recently worked as a Statistics Supervisor for the Department of Education where he managed a data team in the Data Quality Office that engaged in collection, analysis, and reporting of various areas of elementary and secondary data and provided recommendations to executives and policymakers through data analyses to inform and develop program initiatives across the agency.
He also worked for the Department of Human Services as a data supervisor in the Office of Income Maintenance and a statistical analyst for the Office of Child Development and Early Learning; gaining experience in both benefit assistance programs and early childhood data systems.
Justin is a graduate of Millersville University with a Bachelor of Science degree in Mathematics. He resides in Northern Lebanon with his wife, son, and daughter.
Job Titles:
- CEO
- Member of the Board of Directors
- President
Kari King is President and CEO of Pennsylvania Partnerships for Children (PPC). She is responsible for the organization's daily administration and effective functioning and is directly involved in the organization's interaction with state-level public policymakers, Pennsylvania's congressional delegation, the news media, the children's advocacy community, funders and service sectors.
Prior to her role as President and CEO Kari was the Vice President of Public Policy for PPC, leading PPC's government relations efforts and overseeing the organization's policy development and implementation work, and representing the organization before the Pennsylvania General Assembly, state agencies, regulatory bodies and Pennsylvania's federal congressional delegation.
Kari joined PPC in April 2015 after serving in various positions in former Gov. Tom Corbett's administration, starting as the Legislative Director for the Pennsylvania Insurance Department. From there, she was promoted to Deputy Secretary for Legislative Affairs in the governor's office and ultimately rose to the position of Deputy Chief of Staff. As Deputy Chief of Staff, Kari concentrated on health care, insurance and human services issues in the governor's office.
Prior to entering state government, she worked in government affairs for a three-state trade association representing insurance brokers, as well as for the Pennsylvania Chamber of Business and Industry.
Kari is a graduate of Susquehanna University with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science. She earned a Master's degree in Political Science from Lehigh University. She resides in New Cumberland with her husband, son and daughter.
Job Titles:
- Government Affairs Director
- Government Affairs Director for PPC
Kati Brillhart is a Government Affairs Director for PPC. She is primarily responsible for government relations and advocacy in the areas of children's health care and K-12 education.
Kati joined PPC after working for five years in the health care industry as a policy analyst for AmeriHealth Caritas. She focused on Pennsylvania health policy and legislation impacting the Commonwealth's Medical Assistance and Managed Long Term Services & Supports programs. Prior to her work in health care, Kati worked as a reporter and editor for Pennsylvania Legislative Services.
Kati is a graduate of Saint Francis University with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science. She earned a master's degree in Public Administration from Shippensburg University. Kati lives in Camp Hill with her husband, daughter, son, and two dogs.
Job Titles:
- Vice President of Data and Strategy
Kelly Hoffman joined Pennsylvania Partnerships for Children in July 2012 as the liaison to the Annie E. Casey Foundation's national KIDS COUNT project, which seeks to enrich local, state and national discussions concerning ways to secure better futures for all children and raise the visibility of children's issues through a nonpartisan, evidence-based lens. As the KIDS COUNT Director, Kelly collects and analyzes data detailing the conditions of Pennsylvania's children in PPC's areas of policy emphasis. The information Kelly provides is used to develop and review policy proposals and regularly produce detailed reports on her findings and conclusions. In addition, Kelly handles regular requests for information and technical assistance from a broad array of constituencies, including policymakers.
In January 2019, Kelly was promoted to Vice President of Data and Strategy which expands her data work to more strategic planning and directing organizational planning efforts in areas including human resources and technology. Kelly also serves on the national KIDS COUNT Steering Committee and regularly updates the Pennsylvania KIDS COUNT Data Center.
Prior to joining PPC, Kelly was the Statistical Analyst Supervisor at the commonwealth's Office of Child Development and Early Learning where she gained more than 11 years of experience working with early childhood education data and systems. Kelly holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Mathematics from Millersville University. She lives in Mechanicsburg with her husband, two daughters and son.
Kim Hutnik joined PPC in March of 2023 as the Operations Director. In her role, Kim ensures that the day-to-day functions of the organization operate efficiently and effectively.
Kim oversees board governance; assists with budgeting, IT and HR functions, operational development, fundraising, corporate and individual donor relations and provides overall office management.
Prior to joining PPC, Kim spent 15 years working for local and nationally affiliated non-profits in the arts and health industries. Her experience has been in event planning, fundraising, volunteer management, donor and foundation relations and overall customer service.
Kim is a graduate of Susquehanna University with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Art History. She lives in Harrisburg with her husband and beautiful daughter.
Job Titles:
- Board Vice - Chair / Vice President of Government Affairs
Job Titles:
- Member of the Board of Directors
- Secretary of the Board
Job Titles:
- Member of the Board of Directors
- Assistant Professor of Law
Job Titles:
- Policy Director
- Policy Director for PPC
Maggie Livelsberger is the Policy Director for PPC. Her policy focus is primarily early learning and maternal and child health, with a concentration on prenatal-to-age-three policy.
Prior to joining PPC, Maggie spent nine years working in government relations and public policy for United Way of Pennsylvania (UWP) and the Pennsylvania Beer Alliance, respectively. During her time with UWP, Maggie advocated for many human services issues, including early childhood education and connecting Pennsylvanians with community resources, and she also led the work of implementing the ALICE® (Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed) Report in Pennsylvania, which highlights financial instability across many households. Maggie also served as a Legislative Fellow with the state House Education Committee, under co-Chair James Roebuck.
Maggie earned a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from The Pennsylvania State University, along with a Master of Arts in Public Administration, with a concentration in Policy Analysis and Evaluation. She also received a Master of Science in Management, with a concentration in Nonprofit Management, at the University Of Maryland University College. Maggie resides in Carlisle with her husband, son, daughter, and two fur babies.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Board of Directors
- Chief Executive Officer / Sadler Health Center
Job Titles:
- Member of the Board of Directors
- Market President / AmeriHealth Caritas PA
Job Titles:
- Vice President, State Government Affairs / Highmark, Inc.
Rachael Miller joined PPC in October 2018 and is the Policy Director focused on Child Welfare and K-12 Education. In this role, she leads the development and implementation of the child welfare and K-12 education policy work at the organization to ensure that every child is raised in a loving and knowledgeable family free from abuse and neglect and that every child receives a high-quality public education.
Prior to joining PPC, Rachael spent almost 10 years at the York County Office for Children, Youth, and Families. At the county child welfare agency, she served in several roles including direct service case management, direct service supervision, and quality improvement management. Additionally, Rachael served as the agency's Educational Liaison focusing on developing policies and procedures to improve educational outcomes for children and youth involved in the child welfare system. In addition to her technical experience, as a child Rachael was impacted by the Child Welfare System, making her mission to improve the quality of life for the Commonwealth's children a professional and personal one.
Rachael holds a Bachelor's Degree in Behavioral Science from York College of Pennsylvania.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Board of Directors
- Executive Director / Stoneleigh Foundation