Tredyffrin Democrats Announce Candidates for 2011 Local Elections

The Tredyffrin Township Democratic Committee has voted unanimously to approve their slate of candidates for the Township Board of Supervisors and the Tredyffrin/Easttown School Board this year.  The candidates will be on the May primary ballot for the November general election.

“Anyone who follows local government and school policy will recognize our candidates as citizens who have already been serving the community on advisory groups, as board leaders and neighborhood activists,” said Dariel Jamieson, Chair of the Tredyffrin Township Democrats (TTDEMS).

The school district has been battling the budget crunch caused by a declining real estate market, and now deep cuts in state aid to education have added further fiscal woes.  On the commercial side, there are too many lost jobs and vacant store-fronts even in our prosperous community.  “Our candidates have already been working to preserve excellence in our schools and for sustainable quality-of-life enhancements to our community—all within today’s economic realities,” said Jamieson.  “These are Democrats standing for sound fiscal policies, sustainable excellence in our schools and fair, transparent local government.”

Tredyffrin Township Democratic Candidates for 2011
Biographical Sketches

Board of Supervisors, At Large

Molly Duffy
Environmental law attorney and Villanova grad , Molly has been member and Chair of the Tredyffrin Township Environmental Advisory Council. She authored the township’s basic sustainability plan and led its implementation. Also instrumental in founding the township’s Sidewalks, Trails and Paths Committee and efforts to enhance the Township’s walkability.  Currently President of Earthsmart Consulting.  Managed various environmental and nonprofit organizations, including the Mid-Atlantic Regional Center of Habitat for Humanity. Formerly a Trained Mediator for Community Dispute Settlement, she has also served on municipal boards in Swarthmore and Conshohocken.

Ernani “Ernie” Falcone
Senior Vice President at a regional brokerage firm, Ernie has managed investment accounts, raised money for small business ventures and developed special expertise in Water Investing for foundations and endowments, during a 28-year career. Active in community and civic affairs, president-elect of the Gundaker Foundation, a not-for-profit organization associated with the Rotarians, and former President of the Paoli/Malvern/Berwyn Rotary Club. Coached various youth sports teams in rugby, football and T-ball.  Villanova grad, currently pursuing certification in Public Finance at the University of Pennsylvania, Fels School of Government.

Board of Supervisors, East, District 1

Victoria “Tory” Snyder
Tory is a land use planner with an extensive history of service to Tredyffrin Township.  Served for 9 years on the Tredyffrin Township Planning Commission.  Familiar with all local development projects during this tenure, she also served on the Tredyffrin Comprehensive Plan Steering Committee and contributed to the writing of the township’s visionary long-term plan. Tory also served on the Joint Tredyffrin and Willistown Townships Committee regarding the Paoli Transportation Center, contributing to development of the revised zoning for Paoli.  Most recently, Tory chaired the Tredyffrin Township Sidewalk Subcommittee, which was particularly conscientious in gathering citizen opinion and priorities regarding sidewalks and walkways in the township. Professionally, Tory held management positions for a Paoli planning and landscape architecture firm, Lower Merion Township, and the Montgomery County Planning Commission.   She has a Master of City Planning degree from the University of Pennsylvania.

School Board Director, Region 1

Karen Cruickshank
Karen was first elected to Tredyffrin/Easttown School Board in 2007 and was unanimously elected as the School Board President for the current year.   Karen has chaired the School Board Education Committee, has served as legislative liaison, and is particularly skilled at achieving consensus. An active community volunteer, Karen served in several capacities with New Eagle Elementary PTO, notably as its Secretary and its President. Karen is the Director of Marketing for the Saturday Club, a philanthropic women’s organization in Wayne, and also a volunteer for the Upper Main Line YMCA girls’ gymnastics team.  Graduate of Colby College in Maine and Masters in Higher Education Administration from the Univ. of Vermont, Karen spent ten years as Assistant Dean and later as Associate Dean of Students at Babson College in Wellesley, Massachusetts.

Jerry Henige
Jerry is a pragmatic business executive, working for Tredyffrin-based Unisys/Burroughs, with experience managing diverse organizations in far-flung locations (Michigan, California, Australia and Pennsylvania) and financial experience managing multi-million dollar budgets. Before entering the management ranks of Unisys, Jerry was a systems engineer designing increasingly sophisticated software and data systems.  With a Michigan State mathematics degree, he has a particular interest in maintaining excellence in math, science and technology education, keys to America maintaining its lead in scientific innovation. Jerry has been active in Tredyffrin Township politics for a number of years as a Candidate for the Board of Supervisors in 2007 and as Co-Chair of the TTDems.  In that capacity, Jerry has become quite knowledgeable about the taxation, budget, and state regulatory aspects of the Township and School District.

School Board Director, Region 2

Scott Dorsey
Scott is the pastor, teacher and administrator of Mount Zion Baptist Church of Holmesburg.  Before joining the ministry, Scott was a teacher–middle and elementary school teacher in Philadelphia, and instructor for G.E.D. and after-school programs for West Philadelphia Alliance for Children. Scott has lived in Chesterbrook for 17 years and has been VP of the Springdell Village Home Association there.  He is financial secretary of the Main Line Interdenominational Ministerial Alliance.  He has coached for the Conestoga Generals and Paoli Wildcats. He and his wife are involved with the CHS Track Parents’ Association.  A Kutztown grad with a graduate degree from Cabrini College, Scott is also active in lengthy list of civic, educational and non-profit organizations throughout the Philadelphia region, generally in board or leadership positions.  He serves as the Moderator/Chair of the Board of Directors for Philadelphia Baptist Association, the regional consortium of Baptist churches, and the boards of the Interfaith Social Change Movement and the Delaware River City Corporation.

Jennifer Lightman Wessels
A Harvard Law grad, specializing in labor law, Jenny has been an active volunteer in the Tredyffrin/Easttown School District, serving as a Strategic Planning committee member and representative on the district’s Diversity Committee.  Most recently, Jenny is completing a term as the President of the Parent Teacher Organization (PTO) at New Eagle Elementary School. Accordingly, she has been actively involved with the school district’s board and committees, and is well versed in the issues currently facing our education community.  A Univ. of Penn grad, followed by Harvard Law, Jenny interned in the Boston School District and taught economics to Junior Achievement children. After law school Jenny entered private practice and represented employers and municipalities in labor and employment law matters. She later became in-house labor counsel to Sony Pictures Entertainment and participated in negotiations with the Writers Guild of America.

Magisterial District Judge, District 15-4-01

Analisa Sondergaard, Esq.
Analisa has sixteen years of litigation experience for the City of Philadelphia and the private bar.  Analisa worked at the Philadelphia District Attorney’s Office, including 7 years as prosecutor assigned to the Family Violence and Sexual Assault Unit.  She worked for several law firms in Philadelphia, and is currently in private practice at the law firm McDonnell & Associates in King of Prussia.  She is admitted to the Pennsylvania and New Jersey Bar and to the U.S District Courts for several Pennsylvania Districts, as well as the Third Circuit Court of Appeals.  Analisa is actively involved in the community volunteering for the PTO at Valley Forge Elementary School and is involved with youth soccer (TEYSA), the Devon Strafford Little League and the Paoli Wildcats.  Analisa received her Juris Doctor cum laude from Temple University School of Law, where she received awards in moot court competitions, for legal writing and research, and oral advocacy.

Author: TTDem Committee

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Tredyffrin Township Democratic Committee
PO Box 251
Paoli, PA 19301

info@ttdems.com

 


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