New campus members welcomed to Penn State Wilkes-Barre

LEHMAN, Pa. — Chancellor and Chief Academic Officer Dale Jones is pleased to announce the addition of new faculty, staff, and campus advisory board members to Penn State Wilkes-Barre for the 2018-2019 academic year.

Erin Brennan joins the business faculty at Penn State Wilkes-Barre as a Villanova University School of Law alumnus. Brennan was previously a partner and director of litigation at the law firm of Oliver, Price & Rhodes. Her professional career path has always involved working with local higher education institutions. Since 2016, she has taught business law and labor relations, among other courses, at Duchess Community College.

Allyson Walker joins the administration of justice faculty this fall. Walker is a graduate of Columbia University, earning a master of science in social work, as well as of John Jay College of Criminal Justice, where she earned her doctorate. After spending six years as a researcher at the Program/Research Associate Center for Court Innovation, she decided to complete a year as a post-doctoral research associate at the Utah Criminal Justice Center at the University of Utah.

Christine Gerhardt has taken on the role of administrative support assistant in the Academic Affairs Department. Her background includes 13 years in the printing industry filling various roles, with primary responsibilities in accounting. Gerhardt looks forward to supporting the faculty and interacting with the students.

Heidi Kump is the new administrative assistant in continuing education. She will be supporting strategic initiatives at the Penn State Wilkes-Barre Northern Tier Center in Towanda. Kump comes with approximately 30 years of experience as an administrative assistant. She served as the assistant to the vice president of patient services at Memorial Hospital, Inc. from 1988 to 2011. She left Memorial Hospital in 2011 to assist her husband in starting up his business, Bradford Foot and Ankle Specialties, LLC, for which she served as the office manager/medical assistant/receptionist.

Zachary Aciukewicz begins his term on the campus advisory board this fall. Aciukewicz is currently employed by the Bridon-Bekaert Ropes Group as a plant manager. He is a Penn State Wilkes-Barre alumnus who holds a bachelor of science in business. Aciukewicz is a United States Army veteran who served as a human intelligence sergeant in various locations.

Will Beekman, executive director at the F.M. Kirby Center, has joined the campus advisory board. He is a Penn State graduate, with a bachelor of arts in both English and journalism. He also sits on the board of directors for the Greater Wilkes-Barre Chamber of Commerce, Diamond City Partnership, and Downtown Wilkes-Barre Business Association.

Another new addition to the campus advisory board is John J. Glushefski. Glushefski is the highway discipline manager for Borton-Lawson Engineering. He holds an extensive educational background, including degrees in mechanical engineering and structural engineering from Penn State, and is a licensed professional engineer in the state of Pennsylvania.

Kady Schwartz, the co-owner at Fortune Fabrics, is also joining the campus advisory board. She is a 2011 graduate of Seton Hall University with a bachelor of science degree in social and behavioral science. Schwartz graduated from the California University of Pennsylvania with a master’s degree in sports management. She completed Leadership W-B in 2017.