Leadership Worth Following
Meet the leaders of ASSET, a uniquely qualified group with an intense passion for improving the state of teaching and learning.
Cynthia Pulkowski
Acting Executive Director
ASSET Inc. (Achieving Student Success through Excellence in Teaching)
In June 2011, Cynthia Pulkowski became ASSET’s Acting Executive Director. In this position, she is responsible for the day-to-day operations of the education improvement nonprofit including implementing ASSET’s inquiry-based elementary science programs in Pennsylvania and across the nation.
Prior to her position as Acting Executive Director, Cynthia served as ASSET’s Director of Programs since 2006, where she was responsible for the successful implementation of all ASSET’s hands-on, minds-on science and math programs including the statewide Science: It’s Elementary Program. Cynthia will continue to serve as the project director for ASSET’s federal Investing in Innovation Grant.
Cynthia’s teaching experience includes 4th and 5th grade inquiry-based science instruction in an urban setting; curriculum alignment; tutorial; and work with special needs students including IEP implementation with curriculum instruction. She has presented at statewide and national conferences.
Ms. Pulkowski’s additional experience includes business ownership and management systems. She has earned multiple degrees including an Associate degree in Accounting from Westmoreland College, a Bachelor of Science degree in Elementary Education from Duquesne University and a Masters degree in Elementary Mathematics, Science, and Technology from Slippery Rock University. She is currently completing her dissertation for her Doctorate degree in Educational Leadership at Duquesne University.
Karen Ahearn
Director of Organizational Advancement
Years of service at ASSET: 8
Responsibilities:
Oversee the organization’s communications, marketing, community relations, government affairs, resource and strategic development initiatives.
Education:
B.S. Communications, Clarion University
Prior experience:
25-years experience in public relations, marketing and resource development.
Hobbies/interests:
Spending time with my family, traveling—especially to the beach, reading—especially books about Italy, touring wineries and spending time outdoors.
Sharon Beddard Hess
Director of Professional Development
Years of service at ASSET: 15
Oversees the professional development which includes a staff of 16 resource teachers. Assist with the design and implementation of professional development for the ASSET and i3 program. Work with other directors to make decisions which promote ASSET.
Education:
BS/Masters in Elementary Education
Prior experience:
20 years as an elementary teacher for the Quaker Valley School District
Hobbies/interests: I have practiced yoga for 35 years and own a yoga studio in Sewickley where I teach several classes a week.
Soheila R. Lunney, Ph.D.
Director, Customer Care & Materials Support Center
Years of service at ASSET: 4 (and a member of the initial team that started ASSET in 1992)
Responsible for directing effective and smooth operation of manufacturing/refurbishment of inquiry based science modules from the acquisition of product and services to meeting or exceeding customers’ requirements.
Education:
Ph.D. -- Physical Organic Chemistry
Prior experience:
Bayer Corporation, Director – Procurement/Materials Management (17 Years)
Education Management Corporation (EDMC) – Vice President, Procurement (4 years)
Hobbies/interests: reading, sewing, counted cross-stitch, cooking Something no one knows about you: I was a table tennis champion
If Sohelia could have dinner with anyone, it would be: Oprah Winfrey
Kimberly Mikolay
Director of Human Resources
Years of service at ASSET: 3
Responsible for employee relations, staff trainings, benefit and compensation analysis, hiring, & the oversight of payroll processing, HR Systems & all general HR functions.
Education:
B.A in Sports, Art, and Entertainment Management
Prior experience: (Company/title/years of service):
BodyMedia, Inc. HR Generalist 3 years
Point Park University Assistant Event Coordinator 1 year
Hobbies/interests: Spending time with family and friends, reading, and enjoying the outdoors.
Rebecca Shapiro
Director, Systems Analysis
Years of service at ASSET: 3
Responsible for the management of ASSET’s business systems.
Education:
Management of Information Systems (MIS) BA from Chatham College
Prior experience:
Orbiteq, Inc. Sr. Consultant 2008-2009
True Commerce, Inc. IT Manager 2004-2008
FreeMarkets, Inc. Development Manager 2000-2004
Management Science Associates, Inc. Sr. Manager, Database Services 1994-2000
Hobbies/interests: running, yoga, fabric arts, science fiction
Something no one knows about you: I was PTO president and Chair of the Technology Committee at Homewood Montessori School where my three children attended grades K-8.
If Rebecca could have dinner with anyone, it would be: President Jimmy Carter, the first president I voted for and a humanitarian with a global perspective.
Robert Smiley
Director of Technology
Years of service at ASSET: 8.5
Responsible for the oversight of the network infrastructure, network and software training, phone system, security system, as well as all new technologies that relate to professional development.
Education:
B.A in Business Administration; M.A in Education
Prior experience:
Mellon Bank 6 years
GNC 1 year
Hobbies/interests:
golfing, board games, working around the house, watching movies, going to live hockey games, going out to dinner with friends and family, spending time with my nieces and nephew
Something no one knows about you: I applied to Survivor
If Rob could have dinner with anyone, it would be: George W. Bush
Reeny D. Davison, Ed.D.
Former Executive Director and member of ASSET’s founding team at Bayer
1994 – 2010
Vince Valicenti
Former Associate Director
1994-2011
Dr. Helen C. Sobehart
Former Executive Director
2010-2011
REBECCA L. LUCORE
Executive Director, Bayer USA Foundation
ASSET Board President
Joined the ASSET Board in 2001
Board Committee(s): Executive
Rebecca L. Lucore joined Bayer Corporation in 1994 and presently serves as Executive Director of the Bayer USA Foundation and Manager of Community Affairs for Bayer Corporation. She is responsible for directing Bayer Corporation’s corporate social responsibility (CSR) programs, including the company’s STEM education partnerships and flagship program Making Science Make Sense® (MSMS). Bayer’s MSMS program was honored in 2000 by President Clinton with the President’s Service Award; in 2006 by Secretary of Commerce Gutierrez with the Ron Brown Award; and received a national honor in 2008 by the National Science Board.
Ms. Lucore has worked with several school districts across the United States to assist them in partnering with local nonprofits/corporations to implement systemic science education reform. She is Board President of Achieving Student Success Through Excellence in Teaching (ASSET) Inc. in Pittsburgh and serves as an advisory board member for the National Governors Association’s STEM Center.
In addition, Ms. Lucore is responsible for overseeing the Bayer USA Foundation and donations management for the United States and is the Advisory Board Chair for the Bayer Center for Nonprofit Management at Robert Morris University in Pittsburgh and a serves on the Board of Directors for Grantmakers of Southwestern PA.
Ms. Lucore was named one of the Top 25 Women in Business by the Pittsburgh Business Times in 2010 and received Duquesne University’s Excellence in Communication Ethics Award in 2008.
Pat Rogan
Vice President, Operations, Immunetrics, Inc.
ASSET Board Treasurer
Joined the ASSET Board in 2005
Board Committee(s): Executive and Audit/Finance
Patricia M. Rogan, Vice President, Operations, Immunetrics, Inc. has more than twenty years of experience in executive financial and administrative management at public, private and startup technology companies, including software and biotechnology firms. Prior to joining Immunetrics, Pat was an executive at Innovation Works, Inc., a regional seed stage investor in technology companies. She previously held executive management positions at LaunchCyte, LLC and Dravo Corporation. Pat holds a B.A. and an MBA from the University of Pittsburgh.
Jane Carl
Education Advocate
ASSET Board Secretary
Joined the ASSET Board in 2009
Board Committee(s): Executive & Nominating
Jane Alexander Carl
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Born in Maryville, Tennessee
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Graduated from The University of Tulsa with B.A. in Political Science; met Bill Carl
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Went to Washington, D.C. to live; worked for Senator Howard Baker of Tennessee; Bill headed to Louisville Presbyterian Theological Seminary
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Married Bill after a year and moved to Louisville, Kentucky; worked in political campaign and as office manager for psychiatrist in private practice.
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Moved to Pittsburgh in mid-70’s for Bill to pursue a PhD at the University of Pittsburgh; worked for an insurance company in downtown Pittsburgh for 3 years (we lived in East Liberty); took accounting courses at Pitt.
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Headed to Richmond, Virginia where Bill taught at Union Theological Seminary for 7 years, we had two sons there (Jeremy & David), and I was Financial Aid Officer at the seminary for 3 years
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Called to Dallas, Texas in 1983 for Bill to be Senior Pastor of First Presbyterian Church Dallas for 22 years; I spent last 10 years in Dallas working at the American Heart Association National Center as Executive Assistant to the Vice President for Communications… continuing to be mother to 2 active sons and a preacher’s wife.
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Settled again in Pittsburgh in Nov. 2005 after Bill accepted the call to be President of Pittsburgh Theological Seminary; I’m now retired (as much as the wife of a seminary President can be!), and we live in Fox Chapel. Jeremy, daughter-in-law, Melissa and their daughter Maggie live in the Washington, D.C. area where he is a teaching tennis professional; son David is an actor (and a realtor) in New York City.
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Wherever we have lived, I have enjoyed serving as a volunteer in many capacities – church, school and community.
Cynthia Pulkowski
Acting Executive Director
Years of service at ASSET: 5
Education:
Duquesne University, ABD Educational Leadership
Slippery Rock University, M.Ed., Elementary Mathematics, Science and Technology,
Duquesne University, B.S., Elementary Education
Prior Experience:
ASSET Inc., Director of Programs
ASSET Inc., Director, Science: It’s Elementary
Slippery Rock University, Graduate Assistant
Owner Covington House, Inc.
Hobbies/interests:
cooking, reading mysteries, drawing
Something no one knows about you:
I built my home along with my husband.
If Cindy could have dinner with anyone, it would be: Mark Twain
Dr. William Casile
Associate Professor in the Counselor Education Program
Duquesne University
Read BioClose Bio
William J. Casile, Ph.D., NCC, ACS & LPC
Associate Professor in the Counselor Education Program at Duquesne University
Joined the ASSET Board in 2007
Board Committee(s): Program/Expansion
William J. Casile, Ph.D., NCC, ACS & LPC is an Associate Professor in the Counselor Education Program at Duquesne University, where he has worked for 30 years. In addition to his faculty responsibilities, Bill has held several administrative positions within the School of Education. He is the former director of the doctoral program in counselor education and he served as the original director of the School of Education’s Leadership Institute. Bill is currently the Director of the Duquesne University Center for Collaborative Supervision and Evaluation (DUCCSE) where he focuses his current consultation and research on the processes associated with organizational and professional collaboration. In particular, he is interested in exploring the application of collaborative methods in the supervision and evaluation of professional performance and the outcome these processes produce.
Bill’s background, as a father, coach and teacher, counselor and counselor educator and supervisor, influences his current interest in developmental and constructivist approaches to learning and change. He continues to be curious about the use of collaborative group activities to promote healthy human development; the influence these theoretical models have on teaching, counseling and supervision methods, and the ways that counselor educators and supervisors can encourage aspiring professionals to operate in ways that are consistent with the fundamental principles of these approaches.
Bill is an active member in the American Counselors Association (ACA) as a regular presenter at their international conference and as a member of the Association for Specialists in Group Counseling (ASGW), the Association of Counselor Educators and Supervisors (ACES), and the Sports Counseling Interest Network (SCIN). He is most proud of awards he has received for his collaborative partnerships with community agencies, for example, the Duquesne University President’s Award for Community Service, The West Oxfordshire Learning Partnership’s Investors in Education Award, The Bayer Corporation’s Quality Excellence Award, and the ASSET Inc’s Making Science Work Award.
Thomas Faber
General Manager, North America, Bombardier Propulsion and Controls
Joined the ASSET Board in 2007
Board Committee(s): Executive and Nominating
Darryl Ford-Williams
Vice President of Production, WQED Multimedia
Joined the ASSET Board in 2010
Board Committee(s): Resource Development
Darryl Ford Williams is the Vice President of Production for WQED Multimedia in Pittsburgh. Prior to her arrival at WQED in December of 2004, she was the sole proprietor of the 15-year-old Ford-Williams Agency, a media and talent management company. Based in Pittsburgh, the Ford-Williams Agency served broadcast outlets across the country consulting on program development. It was one of the first companies in the nation to focus on minority recruiting for major market television stations. She was also a sought-after speaker on issues related to equity in the broadcast industry. In her current role at WQED, Ms. Ford Williams is responsible for all content areas; Radio, Interactive, Education and Television. She oversees the creation, development, production and delivery of all new and existing local, national, international and syndicated programming for WQED Multimedia.
Ms. Ford Williams has an extensive background as a television news producer and news manager. The following are just a few examples of that work: managing site producer for CBS News in its coverage of September 11—focusing on the Pennsylvania crash site of United Flight 93; coordinating producer for ABC-TV’s Good Morning America; executive producer at WJLA-TV in Washington, DC; and news producer at KDKA-TV in Pittsburgh and WBAL in Baltimore. Throughout her career, Ms. Ford-Williams also developed, wrote, produced and directed media campaigns and visual communications for business, political, educational and philanthropic entities.
Ms. Ford-Williams’ was no stranger to public broadcasting as she worked as a producer and production consultant to WQED on a variety of projects, including productions as part of the “Act Against Violence” project in the mid-1990s. She produced projects for Family Communications, Inc., producer of Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood, including “Challenging Behavior,” the “Taking Good Care of You” series, and “What Do You Do With the Mad That You Feel?”
Ms. Ford-Williams’ work was recognized with many awards, including an Emmy Awards for The Combat Zone, produced for WJLA-TV in Washington, DC. She received a Mid-Atlantic Emmy Award for WQED’s “On Q Special Report: RX For A Healthier Community, along with numerous Emmy nominations. She has been honored by the Easter Seals Society, International Association of Business Communicators, and the Pennsylvania Association of Broadcaster and several civic awards.
An active member of the community, Ms. Ford Williams has served on such boards and committees as the Mayor’s Commission on Families; Urban Youth Action; the Pittsburgh Film Office; Pittsburgh Ballet Theater; Winchester Thurston School, Shady Side Academy; Program to Aid Citizen Enterprise; and the African American Chamber of Commerce of Western Pennsylvania. She is a graduate of Boston College with a BA/BS in Speech Arts. Ms. Ford Williams is married to the Honorable Joseph K. Williams, III, a judge on the Allegheny County Court of Common Pleas. They reside in Penn Hills and are the parents of Joseph Douglas Williams.
Mr. Timothy Goetz
Grant Street Associates, Inc.
Dr. William Hadley
Carnegie Learning, Inc.
John Hoover
Superintendent, Hampton Township School District
Joined the ASSET Board in 2009
Board Committee(s): Resource Development
DR. RANDALL LUTZ
ASSISTANT SUPERINTENDENT, BALDWIN-WHITEHALL SCHOOL DISTRICT
Joined the ASSET Board in 2012
Dr. Randy Lutz is currently Assistant Superintendent for the Baldwin-Whitehall School District. He will assume the position of Superintendent July 1, 2012. Dr. Lutz has worked in the district as middle school vice principal, principal, supervisor of curriculum and instruction, and assistant superintendent. Dr Lutz began his teaching career in the Bethel Park School District as a third and fifth grade teacher. Currently, Dr. Lutz resides in Baldwin with his wife, Judy, and two daughters, Carly and Jenna.
Mr. Tim McNulty
Associate Vice President for Government Relations
Carnegie Mellon University
Read BioClose BioTim McNulty
Associate Vice President for Government Relations, Carnegie Mellon University
Joined the ASSET Board in 2004
Board Committee(s): Nominating
Tim McNulty is a Special Assistant to the Provost for Strategic Technology Initiatives at Carnegie Mellon University. McNulty focuses on technology-based economic development projects in Carnegie Mellon’s major research areas.
McNulty joined Carnegie Mellon in January 2003 after 8 years in the administrations of Governors Tom Ridge and Mark Schweiker. As the Executive Deputy Secretary and Acting Secretary of the Department of Community and Economic Development (DCED), McNulty directed a $700 million per year agency with 300 personnel and 19 overseas offices. DCED was ranked among the top 10 state development agencies by Site Selection magazine four out of the last five years – the first such rankings in Pennsylvania’s history.
As Deputy Chief of Staff to the Governor for Technology Initiatives, McNulty assisted in the design and implementation of Governor Tom Ridge’s technology strategy. Major initiatives included the development of $300 million in new venture capital funds, the design of a $2 billion life sciences initiative and the creation of technology Greenhouses to support the development of digital and biotechnology businesses.
McNulty led the Pittsburgh Regional Revitalization Initiative in 1994 for the Allegheny Conference on Community Development and directed a technology development consortium at the U.S. Department of Energy’s Argonne National Laboratory outside of Chicago. He was also the executive director of the Council of Great Lakes region. Under his leadership the Council opened the nation’s first multi-state trade office and completed capitalization of a $90 million endowment for research on the Great Lakes. McNulty holds a bachelors degree from Indiana University and a Masters from the University of Illinois at Chicago. He is a member of the boards of the Pennsylvania Assistive Technology Foundation, the Pennsylvania Learning Network and the Pittsburgh SciTech Festival.
Gary Norris
Vice President and Business Development Officer, Fifth Third Bank
Joined the ASSET Board in 2009
Board Committee(s): Executive and Resource Development
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
Gary Norris began his accounting and finance career in 1992. Prior to joining Fifth Third Bank, Gary was a CFO of a commercial bank in Western, PA for five years. He also has five years public accounting experience with a regional and international accounting firm. Gary spent his time in public accounting providing consulting and audit services for a variety of industries. In addition, Gary worked for five years as an independent consultant to help companies find sources of financing.
EDUCATION
Gary is a graduate from Robert Morris University, where he earned a B.S. Degree in Accounting and a minor in Quantitative Business Analysis. He earned an MBA from the Indiana University of Pennsylvania in 1994, with a concentration in Human Resources Management. In 1995, Gary earned his C.P.A.. designation, which he has since maintained. In 1998, Gary passed the Certified Internal Auditor examination with honors by achieving one of the top 30 scores internationally.
PROFESSIONAL APPROACH
Gary uses his professional background of consulting, public accounting, banking and business to find the right solution for his clients. His approach is to become a resource for his clients. “The reason that I came to Fifth Third Bank is that it has a community bank feel, with the resources of a large national bank. My experience in banking has always been in community banking. It’s all about being available for our clients, learning where they have been, where they are, and where they are going.”
Ms. Leigh Pogue
Vice President, Operations Human Resources
Westinghouse Electric Company
Read BioClose BioLeigh Pogue
Vice President, Operations Human Resources, Westinghouse Electric Company
Joined the ASSET Board in 2008
Board Committee(s): Executive and Personnel
Leigh Pogue is vice president, Operations Human Resources, for Westinghouse Electric Company. In this role, Leigh is responsible for providing senior Human Resources (HR) leadership for the company’s four main product lines: Nuclear Fuel, Nuclear Services, Nuclear Power Plants and Nuclear Automation. She also has the dual role of leading the HR effort for the Nuclear Fuel business.
Previously Pogue served as human resources director for the Westinghouse Nuclear Services business unit, and was the HR Champion for company-wide Customer First initiative that aimed at improving overall business performance and customer delight through the use of Six Sigma, Lean Enterprise, Human Performance and Behavioral Differentiation tools.
Pogue began her Westinghouse career in 1980 and held a variety of HR generalist and specialist positions of increasing responsibility in four Pittsburgh locations as well as an assignment in the United Kingdom.
In addition to her responsibilities at Westinghouse, Pogue has served since 2008 on the Board of Directors of ASSET – a non-profit organization focused on improving science education in schools. She is also actively involved as a lay teacher and assistant worship leader in her church.
Pogue received a bachelor’s degree in Psychology from Edinboro University and a master’s degree in Business Administration from the University of Pittsburgh.
James C. Roddey
Senior Business Advisor, ParenteBeard
Joined the ASSET Board in 2011
Board Committee(s): Audit/Finance and Nominating
James C. Roddey
Senior Business Advisor, ParenteBeard
Significant Career Highlights
Business
- McCrory & McDowell (Principal)
- The Hawthorne Group (Partner)
- PeriOptimum, Inc. (Director)
- Health Care Funding, LLC (Director)
- PNC Equity Management Advisory Board
- Turner Communications Corp. (Past President)
- Rollins Communications Corp. (Past President)
- Wexford Health Sources (Past President)
- SEEC (Past Director)
- Allegheny Media (Past President)
- Vocollect Health Care Systems (Director)
- Allied Security (Past Director)
- Equibank (Past Director)
- Allin (Past Director)
- International Sports Marketing (Past President)
- Star Cable (Past President)
Public Service
- Allegheny County’s First Chief Executive (1999 to 2004)
- Port Authority Transit (Former Chair)
- Alcosan (Former Chair)
- Board member of the Intergovernmental Cooperation Authority (The Pittsburgh Oversight Board)
- Chairman of the Allegheny County Republican Party
- Pittsburgh Water and Sewer Authority (Former Chair)
Community Involvement
Mr. Roddey remains active in numerous civic and charitable organizations throughout the region and has
served on more than 30 nonprofit boards, 12 of which he chaired. His significant involvement includes:
- Sarah Scaife Foundation
- The Pittsburgh Foundation
- RiverQuest (President)
- Eye and Ear Hospital (Former Chair)
- WQED (Former Chair)
- The Public Theatre (Former President)
- The United Way (Former Chair)
- University of Pittsburgh (Emeritus Trustee)
- Graduate School of Public Health, University of Pittsburgh (Advisory Board)
- Graduate School of Social Work, University of Pittsburgh (Advisory Board)
- River City Brass Band (Director)
He also serves as a political communicator on “Roddey vs. Mistick,” a public affairs program produced by
PCNC-TV, frequent host of Pittsburgh business radio WMNY-1360, maintains an active speaking
schedule and is a frequent contributor to several publications. He has been awarded three Honorary
Doctorates and has received more than 60 awards from a variety of business, civic, and industry
organizations, including a Distinguished Alumnus Award and Pittsburgher of the Year. Mr. Roddey was
recently nominated for a Golden Quill Award.
Education, Military Service and Personal Background
Mr. Roddey is a graduate of Texas Christian University and a former Captain in the United States Marine
Corps. Mr. Roddey and his wife Elin lived in Shadyside and Squirrel Hill for 26 years before moving to
Oakmont in 2005. The Roddeys have two children and three grandchildren.
Media, Marketing-Related Experience
President – Turner Communications, Inc. Atlanta, GA 1968-1971
President – Rollins Communication, Inc. 1971-1978
- Radio
- TV
- Cable
- Outdoor Advertising
- Vendor S.A. – Mexico
- Markets included:
- New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Indianapolis, Norfolk, Wilmington, Charleston, Atlanta,
- Washington D.C., Philadelphia, Austin, San Antonio, Corpus Christi, New Haven, six major
- markets in Mexico
President/CEO – Allegheny Media/Partner – The Hawthorne Group 1978-2000 2004-2007
President/CEO – Pittsburgh Outdoor Advertising
President/CEO – Gateway Outdoor Advertising
President/CEO – Star Cable Corp.
- Operations in six states
- President – Production Masters, Inc.
- Full service production company
- President/CEO – International Sports Marketing
- Exclusive representation – Major League Baseball Alumni, Assoc., NFL Alumni Assoc,
- NBA Alumni Assoc.
- President/CEO – Ski-View, Inc.
- Outdoor displays at sixty ski resorts throughout the U.S.
- Member, Advisory Board – Renda Broadcasting
President – Outdoor Advertising Association of America
Served as a Director of Six Publicly-held Companies
- Turner Communication, Inc.
- Rollins Communication, Inc.
- Allied Security, Inc.
- Equibank, Inc.
- Allin, Inc.
- SEEC, Inc.
Mr. Richard Russell
Global Director, Strategic Planning and Finance, Science & Technology
PPG Industries
Read BioClose BioRICHARD RUSSELL
GLOBAL DIRECTOR STRATEGIC PLANNING & FINANCE, SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY AT PPG INDUSTRIES
Joined the ASSET board in 2012
Richard O. Russell is global director strategic planning & finance, science & technology, for PPG Industries, responsible for developing and executing strategy for the global science and technology function.
He joined PPG in 1990 in the financial management development program and held several positions of increasing responsibility in Finance.
In 1998, he was named account manager, aftermarket transparencies, aircraft products. Russell became senior account manager, OEM transparencies supporting the Boeing Company in 2001 and in 2002 was named business manager for PPG aerospace. In 2004 he became manager, strategic planning at PPG’s Pittsburgh headquarters and was named the North American sales manager for the Olympic Paints and Stains business in 2007. He was appointed to his current position in July 2010.
A native of