Offices and Staff Directory
Overseen by a five appointed commissioners, the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission employs more than 500 people across 12 distinct offices and bureaus who report to the Executive Director.
Read on to learn more about the roles of each office and bureau and how to contact key employees.
Chairman and Commissioners
The Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission is overseen by a group of five commissioners appointed by the state's governor for five-year terms. The group includes a chairman, vice chairman, and three commissioners-at-large.
Commissioner Contact Information
Chairman Gladys Brown Dutrieuille
Phone: 717-787-4301
Fax: 717-783-0698
Read Bio
Vice Chairman David W. Sweet
Phone: 717-783-1763
Fax: 717-783-7986
Read Bio
Commissioner Andrew G. Place
Phone: 717-783-1197
Fax: 717-783-9845
Read Bio
Commissioner Ralph V. Yanora
Phone: 717-705-6767
Fax: 717-783-8698
Read Bio
Commissioner John F. Coleman
Phone: 717-772-0692
Fax: 717-787-5620
Read Bio
Executive Director
The Executive Director is responsible for the oversight of the day-to-day management of the Commission functions and staff. This position is responsible for the planning, direction and organization of the overall operations of the Commission. Also, the executive director develops, recommends to the Commissioners and implements the PUC’s strategic plans and policies.
Executive Offices
Seth A, Mendelsohn, Executive Director
Phone: 717-783-1240
Vacant, Director of Regulatory Affairs
Wendy Freet, Administrative Officer
Phone: 717-783-8156
Dan Mumford, Director of the Office of Competitive Market Oversight
Phone: 717-783-1957
Fax: 717-787-3417
Director of Regulatory Affairs
The Director of Regulatory Affairs oversees the PUC’s bureaus with regulatory functions, including the Bureau of Audits, the Bureau of Consumer Services, the Bureau of Technical Utility Services, the Office of Special Assistants and the Office of Administrative Law Judge . The Director of Regulatory Affairs also is responsible for planning, organizing, coordinating, directing and overseeing regulatory staff.
Bureau of Administration
The Bureau of Administration is responsible for overseeing administrative and personnel functions. The Bureau is comprised of the Office of Human Resources, which is responsible for handling all personnel issues, and providing administrative and advisory services to all PUC management; Management Information Systems which oversees information and technology; and the Office of Administrative Services which is responsible for the preparation of the Commission’s budget, collection of assessments, various fiscal operations, processing of contracts, and office services.
Bureau Director's Office
Robert Gramola, Director
Phone: 717-783-5375
Fax: 717-783-8052
Bobbi Lathrop, Administrator
Phone: 717-787-4443
Fax: 717-783-8052
Office Services
Terri Benzel, Procurement
Phone: 717-772-2152
Kelly Bernhard, Duplicating
Phone: 717-783-3759
Fax/Storeroom
Phone: 717-772-1934
Office of Administrative Law Judge
The Office of Administrative Law Judge (OALJ) provides conflict resolution by independent administrative law judges. Judges preside at formal hearings in contested matters before the PUC, gather all the facts relating to an individual case, prepare written decisions outlining the issues and recommend resolutions to the disputes.
The OALJ includes a mediation unit and a mediation coordinator. It is the PUC’s policy to encourage mediation and settlement rather than to see the parties engage in what may become lengthy and expensive litigation during the formal hearing process. Mediation is a voluntary, confidential and non-binding process through which a neutral third party, the mediator, assists the parties in reaching a mutually acceptable settlement of their disputes.
Learn More About Mediation
Bureau Director's Office
Charles E. Rainey Jr., Chief Administrative Law Judge
Phone: 717-787-1191
Susan Hoffner, Executive Secretary
Phone: 717-787-4497
Fax: 717-787-0481
Legal Division
Gail Chiodo, Legal Division Supervisor
Phone: 717-425-5987
Mediation Unit
Cindy Lehman, Mediation Coordinator
Phone: 717-783-5428
Matthew Homsher, Mediation Attorney
Phone: 717-787-3988
Scheduling
Deana Schleig, Administrative Officer
Phone: 717-783-9959
Bureau of Audits
The Bureau of Audits is responsible for the conduct of audit activity of Pennsylvania fixed utilities, including Adjustment Clause Audits, Financial Audits and Management Audits and Management Efficiency Investigations.
Adjustment Clause Audits
Gas, steam-heat and certain municipal electric utilities require an annual adjustment clause audit as mandated by the legislature. The audits verify the energy costs incurred by a utility, determining if the utility overbilled or underbilled customers for yearly energy charges. The PUC then decides if customer rates will be appropriately reduced or increased. The bureau performs audits of certain water utilities that are authorized to charge ratepayers a Distribution System Improvement Charge (DSIC). The DSIC enables water utilities to accelerate compliance with the Safe Drinking Water Act. Audits are conducted to ensure that only Commission-authorized expenses are included in the DSIC rates. Certain electric utilities impacted by the Electric Competition Act are authorized to recover a portion of their stranded costs through Competitive and Intangible Transition Charges. The utilities are required to file annual reconciliation statements associated with the application of these charges. The bureau will perform audits designed to determine the accuracy and the propriety of the reconciliation statements.
Bureau Director's Office
Kelly Monaghan, Director
Phone: 717-772-0312
Roshan Geszvain, Administrator
Phone: 717-783-5000
Fax: 717-783-9866
Financial Audits
These audits cover a wide variety of financial issues. They also include original cost audits (OC), original cost studies (OCS), and continuing property records audits (CPR). The audits determine the propriety of the property, plant and equipment records together with an evaluation of the usefulness of that equipment. The CPR audits are scheduled on a five-year cycle whereas the OC audits are dependent upon certain conditions being met and the utility submitting an OC study. Compliance audits examine a broad range of utility operations and determine adherence to prescribed laws and regulations.
Lori Burger, Manager
Eastern Region: Harrisburg & Philadelphia
Phone: 717-425-7847
Fax: 717-783-9866
Walter Burd, Supervisor
Phone: 717-772-0315
Deron Henry, Supervisor
Phone: 717-772-0304
Vacant, Manager
Western Region: Pittsburgh
Phone: 412-820-2600
Fax: 412-820-2607
Barbara A. Sidor, Supervisor
Phone: 412-423-9301
Management Audits & Investigation
Management audits are performed to determine the extent to which a utility has contained costs; developed reasonable long-range and short-range plans for its continued operation and maintenance; provided proper service to customers; and provided proper management and organizational structure. Management efficiency investigations examine management effectiveness and the operating efficiency of the utilities and also assess the utilities' progress in implementing recommendations from prior management audits. The audits are mandated for approximately 32 large and medium-size fixed utilities. These utilities must be audited every five to eight years. There are a few hundred utilities, with plant-in-service of less than $10 million, subject to audit procedures on an as-needed basis. Bureau staff generally performs such audits as a result of a specific problem or complaint.
John Clista, Manager
Phone: 717-772-0317
Nathan Paul, Supervisor
Eastern Region: Harrisburg
Phone: 717-214-8249
George Dorow, Supervisor
Western Region: Pittsburgh
Phone: 412-820-2602
Office of Communications
The Office of Communications is accountable for Commission media relations, employee communications and consumer education, in addition to acting as the lead staff for the Consumer Advisory Council. The Office of Communications is responsible for issuing press releases, responding to media calls, special consumer-education campaigns, distributing educational materials, informing consumers about programs and rights, creating internal and external newsletters and other publications, and coordinating the PUC's website.
Bureau Director's Office
Tom Charles, Director
Phone: 717-787-9504
Lori Shumberger, Executive Secretary
Phone: 717-783-9998
Nils Hagen-Frederiksen, Press Secretary
Phone: 717-787-5722
Community Relations
Phone: 717-787-5722
Fax: 717-787-4193
Bureau of Consumer Services
The Bureau of Consumer Services responds to consumer complaints, provides utility-related information to consumers and monitors utility compliance with PUC regulations and evaluates utility performance. The bureau consists of a Division of Customer Assistance and Complaints and a Division of Policy.
Bureau Director's Office
Alexis Bechtel, Director
Phone: 717-783-1661
Ann Humes, Administrator Officer
Phone: 717-787-5292
Tracy Robinson, Administrator Officer
Phone: 717-787-4963
Fax: 717-783-5659
Policy
The Division of Policy monitors and evaluates the customer service practices and programs of utilities. This is done, in part, by completing field reviews of utilities’ operations and by reviewing complaints. The division also works to ensure that utilities comply with customer service regulations including regulations pertaining to the Low Income Usage Reduction Program (LIURP) and the Commission’s Customer Assistance Program (CAP) Policy Statement. The division uses its Consumer Services Information System (CSIS) to track trends in the number and type of consumer complaints and inquiries, utility performance at handling customer complaints and payment arrangement requests and to monitor LIURP. The information in the CSIS, other bureau databases and findings from the division's field reviews permit the bureau to analyze utility performance and produce evaluative reports for the PUC, utilities and the public.
Lori Mohr, Division Chief
Phone: 717-783-9090
Fax: 717-783-5659
Customer Assistance & Complaint Division (CACD)
This division is responsible for answering questions and handling complaints about electric, electric restructuring, utility competition, natural gas, telephone, steam heat, water and wastewater companies. Investigators arbitrate billing, credit and miscellaneous problems and issue binding decisions for resolving informal complaints. The division’s 1-800-692-7380 line handles customer questions and complaints. This division also helps to ensure that consumers subject to termination have the opportunity for Commission review. Consumers can also call if they have questions about the restructuring of the electric industry and utility competition.
Phone: 717-783-5187
Fax: 717-787-6641
General Information
Phone: 800-692-7380
- Terminations, Informal Complaints and Consumer Hotline
- Payment Arrangement Requests
- General Complaints
Bureau of Investigation and Enforcement
The Bureau of Investigation and Enforcement serves as the prosecutory bureau for purposes of representing the public interest in ratemaking and service matters before the Office of Administrative Law Judge, and enforcing compliance with the state and federal motor carrier safety and gas safety laws and regulations. The bureau handles rail safety enforcement proceedings that are referred by the Bureau of Techical Utility Services. The Bureau also prepares reports for the Commission, provides technical support for other bureaus and participates in working groups on energy issues.
Bureau Director's Office
Richard Kanaskie, Director and Chief Prosecutor
Phone: 717-783-6184
Michele Leota, Administrator
Phone: 717-787-4887
Fax: 717-772-2677
Technical
Lisa Gumby, Fixed Utility Manager
Phone: 717-214-3857
Rates
Allison Kaster, Deputy Chief Prosecutor
Phone: 717-783-7998
Enforcement
Michael Swindler, Deputy Chief Prosecutor
Phone: 717-783-6369
Inspection
Kasha Schreffler, Administrator
Phone: 717-787-6382
Cathy Royer, Executive Secretary
Phone: 717-783-3847
Fax: 717-787-3114
Phillip Jones, New Entrant Administrator
Phone: 570-963-4590
Law Bureau
The Law Bureau provides legal support to other Commission bureaus and the Commission directly on regulatory matters involving fixed utilities and common carriers. Law Bureau attorneys represent the Commission in all appellate and original jurisdiction actions before state and federal courts.
The Commission has authorized the Law Bureau to intervene in cases before federal forums in which communications and energy related issues affecting Pennsylvania are decided. It surveys issues and proceedings before federal agencies, courts and the Congress with the aim of formulating appropriate Commission input when public utility issues arise.
Bureau Director's Office
Renardo (Rick) Hicks, Chief Counsel
Phone: 717-787-5000
Susan Bennett, Executive Secretary
Phone: 717-787-5000
Fax: 717-783-3458
Vikki Moore, Administrator
Phone: 717-787-6173
Deputy Chief Counsels
David Screven, Acting Telecommunications & FCC
Phone: 717-787-5000
Patricia Wiedt, Acting Water & Wastewater
Phone: 717-787-5000
Robert F. Young, Electric, Gas, FERC
Phone: 717-787-4945
John Herzog, Transportation, Rail & Motor Carrier
Phone: 717-783-3714
Fax: 717-783-3458
Office of Legislative Affairs
The Director of Legislative Affairs is the Commission’s link with the state General Assembly, the Governor’s Administration, the U.S. Congress and the National Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioners. It is also responsible for contact with the Independent Regulatory Review Commission regarding Commission regulations. The office receives hundreds of inquiries regarding utility matters and constituent problems and directs the flow of information for a timely resolution.
Bureau Director's Office
June Perry, Director
Phone: 717-787-3256
Carrie Sheriff, Executive Secretary
Phone: 717-787-3256
Tom Beene, Assistant Director
Phone: 717-787-3256
Fax: 717-783-1048
Secretary's Bureau
The Secretary is the Commission’s officer over whose signature all official actions and decisions are issued. The Secretary serves as the prothonotary of the Commission and is thereby responsible for the acceptance of filings and the docketing, safekeeping, control, dissemination, retention and retrieval of all documents. All correspondence and filings before the Commission must be addressed to the Secretary.
After formal Commission action, the Secretary’s Bureau is responsible for dissemination of necessary information and the service of all official actions. This is accomplished by issuing an Order or Secretarial Letter to all appropriate parties or individuals whether they be internal staff, participants to a proceeding, or members of the general public.
The Secretary's Bureau coordinates the development of the Commission’s public meeting agenda, and the Secretary and/or Assistant Secretary sits at all formal public meetings of the Commission to ensure that the agenda is completed and that the minutes are properly recorded and subsequently maintained.
Mailing Address
Secretary's Bureau
Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission
PO Box 3265
Harrisburg, PA 17105-3265
Bureau Director's Office
Rosemary Chiavetta, Secretary
Phone: 717-772-7777
Melissa Reside, Assistant Secretary
Phone: 717-787-8147
Doreen Trout, Administrator
Phone: 717-787-5700
Fax: 717-783-9526
Compliance and Assignment
Jodi Hillman-Taylor, Supervisor
Phone: 717-787-6751
Ariel Wolf, Supervisor
Phone: 717-783-0703
Fax: 717-787-0974
Record Retention & Microfilm
Audley Brown, Supervisor
Phone: 717-214-6214
Receptionist, File Requests and Requests for Copies of Documents
Phone: 717-772-7777
Office of Special Assistants
The Office of Special Assistants (OSA) provides technical and legal assistance to the Commissioners in all aspects of public utility regulation and enforcement. It is the coordinator of the preparation of final Commission orders. Duties include preparing final orders; reviewing Administrative Law Judge decisions; administering requests for extensions of time to file exceptions and/or reply exceptions to Initial Decisions; and reviewing petitions for rehearing, reconsideration, modification or clarification of final Commission orders.
Bureau Director's Office
Kathryn G. Sophy, Director
Phone: 717-787-1827
Laura Jarvie, Executive Secretary
Phone: 717-787-1827
Fax: 717-783-6324
Kim Hafner, Deputy Director Legal
Phone: 717-705-3822
Festus Odubo, Deputy Director Technical
Phone: 717-783-3930
LeAnn Scheiber, Administrator
Phone: 717-787-1914
Bureau of Technical Utility Services
The Bureau of Technical Utility Services serves as the principal technical advisory bureau to the Commission regarding fixed and transportation utility regulatory matters, as well as serves as an adviser to the PUC on technical issues for electric, natural gas, water, wastewater, and telecommunications utilities. The Bureau offers policy recommendations on rates, tariffs and regulatory matters, processes fixed utility applications, and coordinates emergency operations of utilities. The Bureau processes filings such as securities certificates and affiliated interest agreements. The Bureau also reviews and maintains county 911 system plans; telecommunications relay service reports; annual financial reports; and utility tariffs.
Bureau Director's Office
Paul Diskin, Director
Phone: 717-783-5242
Darren Gill, Deputy Director
Phone: 717-783-5244
Ashlee Zrncic, Executive Secretary
Phone: 717-783-5242
Christina Klinger, Administrator
Phone: 717-787-9382
Fax: 717-787-4750
Energy
Darren Gill, Deputy Director
Phone: 717-783-5244
Debra Backer, Energy Supervisor
Phone: 717-783-9787
Joseph Sherrick, Policy & Planning/Conservation Supervisor
Phone: 717-787-5369
Water/Wastewater
Get information on rates and ratemaking, PENNVEST, affiliated interest agreements, viability, applications, metering, main extensions, operational and technical compliance and utility plant inspections.
Dan Searfoorce, Manager
Phone: 717-783-6159
Fax: 717-787-4750
Sean Donnelly, Supervisor
Phone: 717-783-2505
Fax: 717-787-4750
Telecommunications
Erin Laudenslager, Manager
Phone: 717-705-4364
Derek Vogelsong, Supervisor
Phone: 717-787-5550
Finance/Tariffs
Get information on tariffs, annual reports, rate of return and income taxes.
Erin Laudenslager, Manager
Phone: 717-705-4364
Fax: 717-783-4750
David Huff, Supervisor
Phone: 717-705-0934
Safety Division
Pipeline Safety - Northwest/Southwest
Supervisor:
Vacant
Inspectors:
Israel Gray (NW)
Cell: 717-433-7855
E-Mail: igray@pa.gov
David D. Kline (NW)
Cell: 717-315-1097
E-Mail: davidkline@pa.gov
Matthew Matse (SW)
Cell: 717-317-1831
E-Mail: mmatse@pa.gov
Melissa McFeaters (SW)
Cell: 717-433-7259
E-Mail: mmcfeaters@pa.gov
Tyler Merritt (SW)
Cell: 717-216-7336
E-Mail: tmerritt@pa.gov
Lassine B. Niambele (SW)
Cell: 717-315-4445
E-Mail: lniambele@pa.gov
Pipeline Safety - South Central
Supervisor:
Robert S. Biggard
Cell: 717-554-2286
E-Mail: rbiggard@pa.gov
Inspectors:
Kokou Apetoh
Cell: 717-216-3399
E-Mail: kapetoh@pa.gov
Sunil R. Patel
Cell: 717-829-7567
E-Mail: sunipatel@pa.gov
Christopher Whiteash
Cell: 717-317-0898
E-Mail: cwhiteash@pa.gov
Pipeline Safety - Southeast
Supervisor:
Robert D. Horensky
Cell: 717-497-4711
E-Mail: rhorensky@pa.gov
Inspectors:
Elena Bozhko
Cell: 717-480-0842
E-Mail: ebozhko@pa.gov
Terri C. Cooper Smith
Cell: 717-315-1481
E-Mail: tcsmith@pa.gov
Scott Orr
Cell: 717-480-2195
E-Mail: scoorr@pa.gov
Vladimir Shteyn
Cell: 717-418-2226
E-Mail: vshteyn@pa.gov
Pipeline Safety - North Central/Northeast
Supervisor:
Michael Chilek
Cell: 717-315-1180
E-Mail: mchilek@pa.gov
Inspectors:
James Harchar (NE)
Cell: 717-603-2350
E-Mail: jharchar@pa.gov
Jessalynn Heydenreich (NC)
Cell: 717-614-3625
E-Mail: jheydenrei@pa.gov
Lara Lapinski (NC)
Cell: 717-409-9957
E-Mail: llapinski@pa.gov
Electric Safety
Supervisor:
Brent Killian
Office: 717-787-2424
Cell: 717-836-5227
E-Mail: bkillian@pa.gov
Investigators:
James D. Campbell (W)
Cell: 717-585-1951
E-Mail: jdcampbell@pa.gov
Benedict Tarr (NW)
Cell: 717-512-1158
E-Mail: btarr@pa.gov
Kristofer Knittle (Central)
Cell: 717-512-0419
E-Mail: kknittle@pa.gov
Glenn R. Weaver (E)
Cell: 717-433-0883
E-Mail: glweaver@pa.gov
One Call - Damage Prevention
Supervisor:
Kasha Schreffler
Office: 717-787-6382
E-Mail: kasschreff@pa.gov
Investigators:
Sara Andrade
Office: 717-772-8584
E-Mail: sandrade@pa.gov
Kevin Morgan
Office: 717-787-2687
E-Mail: kemorgan@pa.gov
Summers Newsome
Office: 717-783-5117
E-Mail: suconnor@pa.gov
Blaire Prough
Office: 717-783-1547
E-Mail: bprough@pa.gov
Administrative Support
Pipeline Safety
Betty Biggard
Office: 717-787-3416
E-Mail: bbiggard@pa.gov
Electric Safety
One Call – Damage Prevention
April Stover
Office: 717- 783-5011
E-Mail: apstover@pa.gov
Mailing Address
PA Public Utility Commission
Bureau of Investigation & Enforcement
Safety Division
Commonwealth Keystone Bldg.
400 North Street
Harrisburg, PA 17120
