Our 2021 slate of candidates is ready to meet you! The 2021 election is big, with important races in the township, as well as in the local and state judicial system. Take the time to read about the candidates, and get to know them better through their bios, personal videos and social media.
Matt was first elected to the Board of Supervisors in 2017. He has served on the Finance Committee and the Paoli Task Force, and acted as liaison to the Zoning Hearing Board and the Tredyffrin Municipal Authority. Matt has lived in Chester County for over 25 years and currently resides in Paoli with his wife Lauren and their 5 year-old son Truman and 2 year old Quincy. Matt has served as in-house counsel with the The Bryn Mawr Trust Company since 2015, where he focuses on fiduciary matters and compliance issues. Prior to that, he was an attorney with Fox Rothschild LLP, where his practice included litigation with an emphasis on family and criminal law, estates and commercial law. He has dedicated many hours to serving pro-bono clients throughout Chester County. He graduated from the Penn State Dickinson School of Law. He is also a graduate of Georgetown University’s School of Foreign Affairs. He is a member of the Chester County and Pennsylvania Bar Associations. Matt is a proud board member of Community Volunteers in Medicine of West Chester, PA. Matt is running for re-election to continue to give back to our community, which has become the center of his family’s life, and to provide responsive government to all Tredyffrin’s residents. His priorities will continue to include constituent service, ensuring sensible and effective budgets and the provision of excellent township services to all residents of our community.
Murph Wysocki is serving in his eighth year as a Tredyffrin Township Supervisor-at- Large. Murph is also in his third year as Chair of the Tredyffrin Township Board of Supervisors. He is a candidate for reelection in 2021. As a member of the Board of Supervisors, Murph has helped develop fiscally sound Township budgets that provided for the effective delivery of Township services and ensured the Township’s financial strength. As Chair, Murph worked with staff and Board members to complete the Township’s $7,000,000.00 bond offering in November, 2019 making funds available for much needed projects. The Township secured funds at historically low interest rates. Bond proceeds are targeted for major projects such as bridge repairs and replacements, stormwater infrastructure projects, Township park renovations, and library improvements. Murph is working closely with Township staff and Supervisors to overcome the personnel, financial, and operational difficulties caused by COVID-19. He recognizes all Township residents who, with compassion and patience, are confronting the pandemic’s multiple effects. Early in his time as Supervisor, Murph helped lead the successful effort to hire additional Tredyffrin police officers then needed by the Police Department. As Chair, Murph often discusses public safety issues with the Police Chief. Under the leadership of the Police Command Staff, Tredyffrin’s police officers meet today’s policing challenges with honor and serve everyone with respect, dignity, and the highest level of professionalism. Murph meets regularly with local volunteer fire companies, other Tredyffrin supervisors, Easttown Supervisors and township senior staff from both townships, on future funding alternatives in a cooperative effort to continue our high level of emergency services. As a Supervisor, Murph enjoys the opportunity to work directly with residents to help solve their problems. He appreciates Tredyffrin’s many strengths. Yet, in order to assure an even better Tredyffrin for all, Supervisors must govern with a view to the future. For Murph, that means: keeping Tredyffrin Township fiscally strong; exercising smart management of Tredyffrin’s economic revitalization and redevelopment; maintaining the high level of Township services; finding solutions to our emergency services and stormwater management funding issues, and; promoting the use of renewable energy in Township vehicles and buildings. If reelected, Murph will work hard for all Tredyffrin residents today and for a brighter Tredyffrin tomorrow. Murph and his wife, Lois, have lived for 43 years in the Deepdale neighborhood where they raised their daughter who attended T/E schools. Murph received his J.D. from the University of Pennsylvania Law School, with honors, in 1972. He received his B.A. in Political Science from George Washington University, with honors, in 1969.
David Miller, a 27-year Tredyffrin resident, is running for re-election to the Board of Supervisors—this time for an At-Large seat. A retired senior executive and longtime President of the Chesterbrook Civic Association, David brings decades of leadership in both business and community service. He has prioritized fiscal responsibility, public safety, infrastructure improvements, and stormwater management. David and his wife Maureen raised their three children in Tredyffrin, and he continues to serve on several corporate and nonprofit boards, including Philabundance.
Dr. Yolanda H. Allen, a 14-year resident of the Tredyffrin Easttown School District, is a visionary, a public servant, a wife and a mother of two. Committed to affecting positive social change in her community, Dr. Allen has used her more than 20 years of leadership experience to work with nonprofits, community-based organizations, and public sector organizations, heavily focused on targeting youth. In her current role as Director of Workforce Career Services, Dr. Allen directs federal and state funded employment and training programs for adults, dislocated workers, and young people. Additionally, Dr. Allen presently oversees adult education and family literacy programs, and New Jersey’s 23 One-Stop Career Centers. Dr. Allen formerly served as a Senior Director at the Philadelphia Youth Network. There, Dr. Allen managed the Program Implementation department, and ran the Philadelphia Summer Youth Employment Program where she provided more than 10,000 youth with year-round educational and employment opportunities. Dr. Allen also directed their Research and Evaluation unit, which developed best practices for serving youth and young adults. Lastly, Dr. Allen chaired the youth ministry at St. Paul’s Baptist Church in West Chester, PA for over five years. Dr. Allen received a Bachelor’s Degree in Speech Communications from Iowa State University, a Master’s Degree in Social and Political Ethics from The Claremont School of Theology, and a Doctorate in Public Administration from West Chester University. Dr. Allen is running to become the Region 1 School Board Director. Learn More at PreservingExcellence.com
Dr. Robert Singh is a retired vascular surgeon, small business owner, and longtime Chesterbrook resident running for re-election to the T/E School Board. All three of his children are proud graduates of Conestoga High School. As the Chief Medical Officer of one of the largest ambulatory infusion centers in Southeastern Pennsylvania, Robert brings deep experience in financial oversight, strategic decision-making, and community-centered leadership. He is committed to academic excellence, transparency, and using data to guide smart, student-focused policies.
I am running for Tredyffrin-Easttown School District, Region III School Board Director because I want to serve the TESD students and the community and to ensure continued educational excellence for all TESD students. I want to use my administrative and problem-solving skills honed by extensive experience as a hospital department administrator, a critical care nurse and chair of nursing quality improvement committees. Responsibilities included developing and managing multimillion-dollar budgets, evaluating problems, identifying root causes, and developing action plans, policies, and procedures to resolve issues.
As School Board Director, I commit to:
- Listen respectfully to students, parents, teachers, and administrators to address their concerns.
- Support a comprehensive, multifaceted evaluation of students post COVID and support plans for academic, emotional, or social support as needed.
- Inform the community of unfunded/underfunded state mandates which negatively impact the students and taxpayers of TESD.
- Maximize taxpayer dollars by critically evaluating data and cost -effective alternatives.
Education: The University of South Florida, Bachelor of Science in Nursing 2000
Maryann Piccioni has lived in Easttown for 36 years with her husband Mike and their four children, all Conestoga graduates. First elected in 2021, she is seeking re-election to continue her work strengthening academic achievement and ensuring responsible planning for the District’s future. A former Development Director for Easttown Library, Maryann brings deep experience in community engagement, fundraising, and fiscal accountability. Her long history of service—from foster parenting to youth and library programs—reflects her commitment to supporting all students and families in T/E.
I am excited to announce that I am running for Magisterial District Judge in District 15-4-01 encompassing parts of East Whiteland and Tredyffrin Townships! I am an attorney that has dedicated my entire legal career to public interest work. My experience and my commitment to serve has led me to run for this important position and I will be ready to take the bench on day one. If elected, I will run an efficient and respectful courtroom, ensuring that all voices are heard and that each case is given careful consideration. I graduated from the University of Pittsburgh, where I earned a BA in political science and history, and I earned my Juris Doctor degree from The Penn State Dickinson School of Law. As a law student, I took advantage of every opportunity to engage in public service and help others. I worked as a student attorney at the law school’s Family Law Clinic, representing indigent clients in divorce proceedings, custody disputes and in dependency hearings. I also interned with MidPenn Legal Services in Harrisburg and with the York County Public Defender’s Office. Upon graduating from law school, I worked as a Law Clerk to the Honorable Penny L. Blackwell of the York County Court of Common Pleas before joining the Chester County Public Defender’s Office as a trial attorney. For over 10 years, my duties as a public defender entailed representing indigent defendants during all stages of the criminal process. I represented clients in numerous magisterial district courts, the Chester County Court of Common Pleas and, finally, the Pennsylvania Superior Court. I litigated complex misdemeanor and felony cases, including drug trafficking and first degree murder. I gained valuable experience in working with diverse clients, district attorneys, probation officers, members of law enforcement and Judges at every level of the criminal justice system in Pennsylvania. I have lived in Chester County for over 12 years and currently reside in Paoli with my husband Matt and our two young sons. In addition to my work with the legal community, I have been a member of the Tredyffrin Township Libraries Board of Trustees.
Judge Mackenzie Smith is a District Judge and Attorney with over a decade of experience in all areas of criminal and civil law. She was recently selected to fill one of the open seats on the Court of Common Pleas through 2025. Having practiced in every level of court in the Pennsylvania and federal court system, including the U.S. Supreme Court, she understands each step in the legal process is equally important to preserving the integrity of our judicial system. Each person in her courtroom is treated with equal dignity, and all claims and defenses are adjudicated impartially. Mackenzie is dedicated to her family, our community, and the law and will serve with dedication and humility if elected.
A native of Massachusetts, with degrees from Hamilton College and the University of Delaware, Yolanda spent 22 years as a bank executive in the Philadelphia region. Her long list of volunteer work includes Board President of Tredyffrin Township Libraries and Assistant Treasurer of West Chester Rotary. She ran successfully for Clerk of Courts in 2017 to ensure that taxpayer dollars are being spent wisely and to streamline services to ensure that the administration of justice is efficient and accurate. As Clerk of Courts, she has implemented e-filing and other technological improvements. Her overall philosophy is that accurate records provide the basis for fair trials for victims and defendants alike.Working with the DA, the President Judge and Juvenile Probation, she is expunging records for non-violent, low-level juvenile offenders who qualify but have neglected to expunge their records before they turned 18; thus “because of our collaboration on juvenile expungements, a mistake will no longer define a person’s life and limit their opportunities.” As a Board member of the Friends Association, Yolanda has been instrumental in setting up Chester County’s Eviction Prevention Court program.
Margaret holds a degree in Economics and Finance from the University of Scranton. She was controller for a Malvern-based non-profit, managed a family-owned small business for over 25 years, and worked as investment liaison at Vanguard. She has been a community activist for issues such as maintaining open space and child advocacy. She has provided transparency, accountability and efficiency to the residents of Chester County by bringing a fresh eye to precious taxpayer resource allocation. As Controller, she has found ways to improve and streamline processes within the County leading to significant cost savings for the taxpayers.
Sophia manages and oversees all functions of the office: administration, investigations, transportation and morgue-related duties. She has supervisor-on-duty responsibilities and is the direct supervisor for the investigators. Her achievements include streamlining the budget process and changing how payments are made in order to enhance transparency. She sits on multiple task forces throughout the County, coordinating with local law enforcement and other agencies. With the Coroner she shares duties including signing death certificates by providing cause and manner of death. Previously, she worked for the State of New Jersey as a Death Investigator for 6 years. She holds a master’s degree in Forensic Medicine from the Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine and a bachelor’s degree in Anthropology from California State with a certification in Forensic Identification, and has completed several internships and training programs. Sophia is certified with the American Board of Medicolegal Death Investigators and is working on the next level of fellowship and certified with the Pennsylvania Coroner’s Education Board. She will be prepared to lead the office on day one and will keep pushing for a modern forensic facility that provides the proper safety mechanisms for the office to work in the most important of circumstances, like a pandemic.
Patricia holds a RN degree from St. Francis School of Nursing and a Doctorate in Health Sciences from Sheffield University. She was sole founder and CIO of IKOR International Inc., providing patient advocacy and professional guardianship services to the profoundly disabled and seniors, a company that from Chester County has grown to more than 70 offices in 20 states. She has served as board member for the YMCA of Brandywine Valley and the Kennett Senior Center. She has the financial experience of successfully running a company and the assets of other individuals for many years. She has conducted her entire business career guided by the core values of integrity, transparency and trust, which she brings to County government. Patricia uses her corporate experience to ensure the Office of the Treasurer maintains tight accounting controls and the ability to innovate to improve services.
A lifelong resident of Pennsylvania, first in her family to attend college, Maria McLaughlin personifies hard work. She grew up in the Overbrook section of West Philadelphia and graduated from Penn State and Delaware Law School-Widener University. During her final year of law school, she clerked for the President Judge of the Superior Court, where she is now a member. For 19 years after law school, she worked as an Assistant District Attorney in Philadelphia and Chief of the Child Support Enforcement Unit. Of utmost importance to her was safeguarding the rights of children. In 2017, she led the ticket statewide for a seat on the Superior Court. She has dedicated numerous hours to anti-violence, anti-drug, and re-entry programs, youth organizations, and helping women in prisons prepare for success outside the prison system. She has often been an instructor or guest speaker on a variety of topics for bar associations, schools, universities and law schools. Giving back to the community was instilled in her from an early age. She and her husband, Jonathan Saidel, treasure their blended family of six adult children and four grandchildren.
Lane’s law career is defined by her dedication to serve her community. Early in her career, she served as a judicial law clerk and as a Certified Legal Intern with the Philadelphia District Attorney’s office. Lane also represented indigent families involved in various matters as a Certified Child Advocate Attorney. She then went on to work as a major trial attorney for the Defender Association of Philadelphia where her primary duty was to litigate complex criminal jury and waiver trials for under served adults and juveniles in Philadelphia’s criminal justice system.
Timika Lane currently serves as chief legal counsel to State Senator and Democratic Whip Anthony H. Williams. She also served as the Democratic Executive Director for the Pennsylvania Senate State Government Committee. In her role as legal counsel, Lane assesses the constitutionality of proposed and current legislation; provides legal advice and guidance regarding the legal implications of legislation, regulations, and administrative policies, and advises Pennsylvania Senators and staff on legislation presented for vote in Senate Committees. She is a member of the Pennsylvania Bar Association, Philadelphia Bar Association and has legal certifications as a child advocate and arbitrator.
The Honorable Lori A. Dumas is an impactful voice in the City of Philadelphia. As a Common Pleas Court Judge in the Philadelphia Family Court’s Juvenile Division, she has fought for fair and equal justice for Philadelphia’s most vulnerable children and families and presided over thousands of trialsy. She guided the City of Philadelphia in its creation of the First Judicial District’s Juvenile Human Trafficking Court to provide services to young victims of commercial exploitation. She led many initiatives to lead system children to success. She serves as the local Chair of a national anti-violence program which uses literacy as a therapeutic tool to assist youth traumatized by violence. She has worked tirelessly with a number of boards and organizations, served on several committees of the First Judicial District and taught legal courses at local institutions. A native Philadelphian, she received her BA in Sociology from Duke University and her JD from North Carolina Central University School of Law; she graduated from UPenn’s Fels Institute of Government, holds a Certificate in Diversity and Inclusion from Cornell University and is licensed as a Personal Care Home Administrator. She is the mother of two adult children and a middle school student.
Judge David Spurgeon earned his B.A. from Duquesne University in 1993) and J.D. from Duquesne University School of Law in 1996, when he began his career in private practice. He joined the Allegheny County District Attorney’s Office as an Assistant DA in 1998, and in 2009 was promoted to Deputy District Attorney, maintaining a full trial calendar and superviseing a large group of attorneys. An advocate of diversionary courts, he helped create Veterans’ Court and supervised the attorneys assigned to Mental Health Court. He was integral in the development of the first specialized accountability docket in Pennsylvania to address repeat batterers and implemented the first Intimate Partner Violence Homicide Review Team to identify systematic breakdowns. Since 2016 he has served in the Allegheny County Court of Common Pleas, handling all matters involving children and families. A nationally recognized expert on domestic violence, he regularly participates in various local, state, and national forums, including recently discussing the COVID-19 pandemic’s impact on family violence. He has taught at Point Park University and currently at Duquesne University School of Law. He serves on many boards and committees: for the Allegheny County Bar Association, in support of domestic violence victims and children, and within his family church.
Alita Rovito believes that a good judge must possess impeccable personal integrity, a love of service, and the experience and compassion to apply the law with fairness and respect. Alita has 33 years legal expertise serving the citizens of Chester County. She is the only candidate for Judge on the Court of Common Pleas with 15 years of judicial experience as a hearing officer in the Family Court Masters Unit. She has served as an educator for other attorneys through continuing legal education, as a Mock Trial coach for high school and college students, as a Moot Court judge for college students, as a leader for the Girl Scouts, as a board member for the Crime Victims Center, and as a volunteer for the Access to Justice Program. Alita is a graduate of Penn State University and Dickinson School of Law. She served as an Assistant District Attorney in Chester County and was the first managing attorney of the Chester County’s Child Abuse Unit. She is the founding member of Rovito Law LLC, where she represents men and women in all aspects of family law. She has served as an advocate, mediator, and private arbitrator. Alita’s experience, both personal and professional, makes her uniquely qualified to be a compassionate and fair Judge on the Court of Common Pleas.
Tony has over 30 years of diverse legal experience and a proven track record of public service. Since 2017 at Gawthrop Greenwood in West Chester, he has worked with elected officials at the county and municipal level, appointed boards and commissions, and private clients on a wide range of legal matters including government, ethics, taxation, prevailing wage, education law, real estate development, zoning and land use. In 2006-2017 he was at Unruh, Turner, Burke and Frees, and in 2004-2006 was sole proprietor of a law practice representing clients in a variety of matters including legal ethics, professional discipline defense, litigation and wills and estates. In 1993-2004, for the Office of Disciplinary Counsel of the Disciplinary Board of the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania, District II, he directed investigations of alleged attorney misconduct. He received his J.D., 1989, from Widener University School of Law after graduating in 1986 from Penn State University. He has made many professional presentations and most recently earned recognition as a Pennsylvania Super Lawyer – 2020 (Land Use/Zoning) and as a Main Line Today – 2020 Top Lawyer (Municipal Law).
