PSBA Senior Staff
The Pennsylvania School Boards Association is a nonprofit statewide association of public school boards, pledged to the highest ideals of local lay leadership for the public schools of the commonwealth.
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Thomas J. GentzelTom Gentzel is executive director of the Pennsylvania School Boards Association, which represents and serves more than 5000 school directors, administrators and other officials from school entities throughout the commonwealth. Mr. Gentzel previously served as a county administrator and, later, as assistant executive director of the state association of county commissioners. He joined the PSBA staff in 1980 as a lobbyist and, five years later, was promoted to head the organization's Office of Governmental and Member Relations - a position he held for more than 16 years. He became PSBA executive director in 2001 and leads a staff of 130 persons who provide a range of publications, conferences and seminars, as well as insurance programs, management and legal assistance, and advocacy services for local school officials. In his official capacity, Mr. Gentzel is a member of the boards of the Pennsylvania Public School Employees Retirement System (PSERS), the Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association (PIAA), the Pennsylvania Academy for the Profession of Teaching and Learning, and the Pennsylvania School District Liquid Asset Fund (PSDLAF). He chairs the Board of Directors of School Boards Insurance Company of PA and is a board member of the PSBA Insurance Trust and School Claims Service. In 2005, he was selected to serve a two-year term as Vice President at Large for the National School Public Relations Association, representing the interests of school boards. Mr. Gentzel holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Community Development and a Master of Public Administration degree, both from The Pennsylvania State University. |
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Timothy M. AllweinTim Allwein is the Assistant Executive Director of Governmental and Member Relations for the Pennsylvania School Boards Association. He directs PSBA's efforts in representing its members before the state Legislature and Congress in the areas of local taxation, education standards and accountability, employer issues, transportation and school governance. Mr. Allwein joined PSBA in 1991 as the Director of Legislative Services. Previously, He served as Executive Director of the Pennsylvania Hardwood Lumber Manufacturers Association. Mr. Allwein currently is chair of the Committee of State Association Legislative Staffs for the National School Boards Association. He previously served as chair of the Pennsylvania Local Government Conference. Mr. Allwein is a member of the Pennsylvania Association of Governmental Relations and the Pennsylvania Society of Association Executives. Mr. Allwein earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Communications from Shippensburg University of Pennsylvania. |
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Craig ErdmanCraig Erdman is Assistant Executive Director of Administrative Services for the Pennsylvania School Boards Association. His area of responsibility includes all business functions, conference facilities, human resources, payroll and printing and production. Mr. Erdman held several position in accounting and auditing before joining PSBA, including treasurer/controller of Teachers Protective Mutual Life Insurance Company, senior internal auditor of Navy Resale System, internal auditor for American Water Works Service Company and financial cost control analyst foe Westinghouse Elevator Company. He earned a Bachelor of Science degree in business administration from Shippensburg University of Pennsylvania and a Master of Business Administration from Drexel University. Mr. Erdman is a Certified Public Accountant with certificates in management accounting and microcomputer applications. |
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Stuart L. Knade, Esq.Stuart Knade is the Chief Counsel of the Pennsylvania School Boards Association. He oversees the judicial advocacy, continuing legal education, member legal information and other legal services of the Association, and coordinates the activities of the Pennsylvania School Board Solicitors Association, a department of PSBA. Mr. Knade is an experienced public school solicitor, defense litigator and appellate advocate who has represented public school entities and their officials in numerous state and federal lawsuits involving a wide variety of civil rights, employment, contract, local taxation, school funding and other governance issues. Mr. Knade began his law practice on active duty in the United States Army Judge Advocate General's Corps, and continues to serve in the Army Reserve, currently holding the rank of Lieutenant Colonel. He holds a degree in economics from Gettysburg College, and received his Juris Doctorate at Dickinson School of Law. Mr. Knade has served as general counsel to the Pennsylvania League of Urban Schools and the Pennsylvania Association of School Retirees, and is a past regional director of the Pennsylvania School Board Solicitors Association. He is a frequent speaker on school law topics at workshops, seminars and conferences, and has written numerous articles on education law topics. |
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Cindy PaceCindy Pace was named Assistant Executive Director of Communications for the Pennsylvania School Boards Association in July 2006. She joined PSBA in 1997 as Director of Publications and Production Services. As Assistant Executive Director of Communications, she oversees the integrated communications operations of PSBA, including publications, public relations, marketing and the association's Annual and Summer Conferences. Prior to joining PSBA, Ms. Pace held various communications positions in the Harrisburg area, including Director of College Communications at Messiah College, Director of Corporate Communications at Continental Medical Systems, and Creative Director at Liberty Productions. Ms. Pace earned Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from Kutztown University of Pennsylvania. She maintains professional memberships in the National School Public relations Association, the Pennsylvania School Public Relations Association, the International Association of Business Communicators and the National Association of Female Executives. |
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J. Curtis RoseCurt Rose is Assistant Executive Director of the Pennsylvania School Boards Association's School Board and Management Services department. Since 1991, he has supervised the areas of individualized training, employee relations, policy development, research and information, management studies and superintendent searches. Prior to his appointment as Assistant Executive Director, Mr. Rose served as Assistant Director of the Educational Management Services department, and was responsible for PSBA's research department, in-service training, on-site consultations and superintendent searches, in addition to negotiating several contracts each year. Mr. Rose is a graduate of the University of Maryland. He has been with PSBA since 1979. Mr. Rose has ten years of labor management experience in the private sector and his career includes extensive experience in labor relations, personnel management and educational research. |
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Wayne J. SmithWayne Smith is the Assistant Executive Director for Insurance Services for the Pennsylvania School Boards Association. He is responsible for developing, implementing and maintaining a program of insurance and risk management services for the Association's member entities. Mr. Smith also directs and coordinates the work of the Insurance Services department. Mr. Smith serves as the Managing Director of the PSBA Insurance Trust, President of the Pennsylvania School Boards Insurance Company and CEO of School Claims Services, LLC. Mr. Smith has more than 30 years experience in the insurance business, including nearly two decades with Marsh & McLennan of Pennsylvania where he held positions as casualty marketing manager and account executive. He has held similar positions for several other insurance firms throughout Pennsylvania. Mr. Smith earned a bachelor's degree in business administration from Grove City College. |