Pennsylvania Workers’ Compensation Conference 2026 – Both Days – Hershey

Mr. Baker is a partner in the Harrisburg Office of Chartwell Law. He is a 1997 graduate of Indiana University of Pennsylvania, where he received a Bachelor of Arts degree in Economics. He also received a Master of Arts degree in Industrial and Labor Relations in 1999 from the Indiana University of Pennsylvania. He is also a graduate of the Widener University School of Law. Prior to joining The Chartwell Law Offices, LLP, Mr. Baker was Corporate Director of Human Resources for a large Mid-Atlantic corporation, where he was responsible for employment law compliance, employee relations, workers’ compensation management of insured and self-insured programs and other matters. He is an active member of the Society for Human Resources Management, Pennsylvania State Council and the Human Resources Professionals of Central Pennsylvania. He devotes his practice to the defense of general employment and workers’ compensation matters. He writes and lectures extensively with respect to all aspects of employment law.

Judge Sabatino serves as a Workers’ Compensation Judge in Lehigh County. Prior to her appointment in 2012, she focused her practice primarily on workers’ compensation defense. While in private practice, she lectured to large insurance companies and employers regarding complex workers’ compensation issues. Since her appointment, she has lectured extensively to judges regarding the implementation and use of WCAIS. She has presented on the use of interpreters in the courtroom. Judge Sabatino has served as chairperson for the annual Workers’ Compensation Judges’ Retreat for the last ten years. She served as president of the Pennsylvania Workers’ Compensation Judges’ Professional Association from 2018 to 2022 and is a member of the Workers’ Compensation Rules Committee. She is a 2018 graduate of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania’s Leadership Development Institute. Judge Sabatino graduated from DeSales University with a B.A. in Theater and from Villanova University School of Law.

Judge Beach was appointed a Workers’ Compensation Judge in 1995 and served in Lehigh and Northampton Counties until her reassignment to the Philadelphia Office of Adjudication in May 2014. More recently she has been assigned Delaware County cases. She received her Juris Doctor from Suffolk University Law School in Boston and was subsequently employed as staff counsel for the PMA Group in its Allentown field office. As the sole staff counsel in Allentown, she was responsible for the office’s small claims and Workers’ Compensation litigation. In 1991, Judge Beach became the supervising Workers’ Compensation attorney for Post and Schell, P.C., in its Allentown office. Judge Beach supervised three associates and litigated her own cases in five counties from Petition stage through appeals to the Commonwealth Court. She has appeared several times on the television law show Law Journal and has served on numerous panels and participated in many symposia pertaining to Workers’ Compensation law and procedure. Judge Beach has lectured on behalf of county bar associations and for other private organizations for the last 30 years. In addition to her regular duties, Judge Beach has conducted thousands of voluntary mediations in Philadelphia County and Delaware County.She is a member of the Delaware County Bar Association, Pennsylvania Council of Mediators and has served as past co-chair of the Workers’ Compensation Section of the Philadelphia Bar Association.

Judge Todd B. Seelig has served as a Workers’ Compensation Judge for the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania since 1996.He sits in the Philadelphia District.Judge Seelig was appointed Judge Manager of the Southeast Region effective January 27, 2025.In addition to managing his own caseload, as judge manager he is responsible for supervising the judges in the Office of Adjudication field offices of Philadelphia and Springfield.Judge Seelig is a member of the faculty of Villanova University School of Law, as an Adjunct Professor of Law, where he earned his J.D.He is the current co-editor of the treatise, Barbieri, Pennsylvania Workers’ Compensation. In 2003, Judge Seelig was elected and served as the chair of the Pennsylvania Bar Association, YLD.Judge Seelig is a past member of the Board of Governors of the Pennsylvania Bar Association.He is a member of the Pennsylvania Bar Association’s Workers’ Compensation Section Council and serves as the Chair of the Unreported Decision Committee.Judge Seelig is a Lifetime Fellow of the Pennsylvania Bar Foundation.Judge Seelig served as president of the Pennsylvania Workers’ Compensation Judges Professional Association from 2003-2007.He is a former co-chair of the Philadelphia Bar Association Workers’ Compensation Section and currently serves on the Executive Committee.Judge Seelig is a past chair of the American Bar Association’s Workers’ Compensation and Employer’s Liability Committee of the Tort Trial and Insurance Practice Section (TIPS).From 2015-2016, he served as editor in chief for the ABA’s Tort Trial and Insurance Practice Section (TIPS) magazine, The Brief.He currently serves on the editorial board of The Brief. Judge Seelig served as president of the Pennsylvania Workers’ Compensation Judges Professional Association from 2003-2007.Judge Seelig has served on several committees within the Pennsylvania Department of Labor & Industry Workers’ Compensation Office of Adjudication to study and recommend improvements in litigation and the Workers’ Compensation Judges’ performance expectations. In 2016, Judge Seelig was inducted into the College of Workers’ Compensation Lawyers, an organization established to honor those attorneys and judges who have distinguished themselves in their practice in the field of workers’ compensation.

John V. Cattie, Jr. was born in Philadelphia, PA and grew up outside Charlotte, NC. John graduated from Charlotte Latin School and attended the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. He received his Bachelor of Arts degree in International Studies with a focus on Political Science as well as a minor in History. After graduation he attended Villanova University and received his JD/MBA. After joining Garretson Resolution Group (GRG), he returned to the private practice of law and opened Cattie, PLLC. Today, John is the Managing Member of Cattie & Gonzalez, PLLC. He has become a nationally known author and speaker, experienced in all components of MSA law and procedure.

Hon. Cynthia A. Baker is a Workers’ Compensation Judge at Commonwealth of PA/Department of Labor & Industry.

Christopher Bauer is an Instructor of Nursing at DeSales University, where he teaches traditional undergraduate, adult studies, and accelerated nursing students in courses such as Community and Public Health, Health and Physical Assessment, and Nursing Leadership. Mr. Bauer brings over a decade of diverse clinical experience to his role, including practice as a CRNP in critical care and nephrology, as well as extensive work as an RN in emergency and critical care transport/flight medicine. He is a proud alumnus of DeSales University earning both his Accelerated BSN and MSN degrees. His dedication to education extends beyond the classroom, with a history of mentoring and developing clinical training programs for nursing and medical teams. He was a recipient of the Air and Surface Transport Nursing Association MSN Scholarship and the Sigma Theta Tau Award for Nursing Leadership while at DeSales. With a passion for critical care, patient safety, and nursing leadership, Mr. Bauer is committed to preparing the next generation of nurses with the knowledge and skills necessary for excellence in patient care.

Gillian Beauchamp, MD. FACMT, is Vice Chair for Education & Community Engagement, and core faculty for the Emergency Medicine Residency and Medical Toxicology Fellowship at Lehigh Valley Health Network in Pennsylvania. She is an associate professor at University of South Florida Morsani College of Medicine and adjunct clinical associate professor of Emergency Medicine at Thomas Jefferson University. Gillian is passionate about bedside medical toxicology, medical education, community engagement, harm reduction, career and faculty development, prescribing stewardship, and medication safety. She is an editorial board member of the journal Toxicology Communications, and of the Journal of Medical Toxicology, and is the host for the podcast Tox in Ten: ACMT Highlights. Dr. Beauchamp attended the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine. She trained at the University of Cincinnati Emergency Medicine residency and Oregon Health and Sciences University Toxicology fellowship, and is board certified in emergency medicine, medical toxicology and addiction medicine.

Alexis Berg-Townsend is a Certified Workers’ Compensation Specialist*, Social Security Income, and Social Security Disability attorney who is dedicated to fighting for the rights of injured workers in the Greater Lehigh Valley area and beyond. As a graduate and former softball coach at Whitehall High School, Alexis is dedicated to helping the people of the Lehigh Valley because it’s where she was raised, and where she lives. She knows the community and how hard people work for what they have, so that is why she fights so hard to help anyone injured at work with their Workers’ Compensation claims or their Social Security Income/Social Security Disability case. Alexis has been recognized in Best Lawyers® and Pennsylvania Super Lawyers for 2022 and 2023. She has also been selected to the list of Rising Stars for 2014, 2015, 2016, and 2017. This is an honor only given to about 2.5% of attorneys who are younger than 40 years old or who have been practicing for less than 10 years. In addition, Alexis Berg-Townsend received the 2017 Lehigh Valley Business 40 Under 40 Award, 2016 Tiffin University Alumni Award, and serves as a board member for the Lehigh County Bar Association. In addition to the above awards, Alexis is also a strong supporter of union members here in Lehigh, Northampton, and Monroe Counties. She continuously works with union leaders to help educate members on their rights if they are injured at work, help them through the Workers’ Compensation process, or answer questions they might have for Social Security Disability benefits. Fighting hard for the working class is something she is very passionate about and will do everything she can to get her clients the benefits they deserve.

Born and raised in Hanover Township, Bienias has a bachelor’s degree in business administration with a minor in political science from King’s College and obtained a law degree from the Widener University School of Law. Bienias served as a county council member since February 2022, finishing the term of Walter Griffith, who was elected county controller.

Edward R. Carpenter, Jr. is a 1979 graduate of Villanova University, cum laude, with a B.A. in History. Thereafter, he attended Delaware Law School of Widener University and received his Juris Doctorate in 1982. Ted is a frequent lecturer on a variety of topics related to workers’ compensation matters. He has also authored numerous articles in his field of concentration. Ted is a former Executive Board Member for the Philadelphia Workers’ Compensation Claim Association, where he served as the Editor for the organization’s publication, “The Newsletter.” He has held various positions with the workers’ compensation section of the Pennsylvania Defense Institute, including co-editor for the Pennsylvania Defense Institute’s Publication, PDI News, and cochair of the section. Ted is also a member of the Pennsylvania and Delaware County Bar Associations and a member of the Insurance Society of Philadelphia where he has participated in the organization and presentation of programs dealing with workers’ compensation issues.

Kevin Chambers is the Area Director for the Harrisburg Area Office of the Occupational Safety & Health Administration (OSHA) beginning in August 2020.The Harrisburg Area Office oversees compliance assistance and enforcement under the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970 for 14 counties in Southcentral Pennsylvania. After a decade-long tenure with the Department of Defense, Kevin joined OSHA’s Allentown Area Office in 2008 initially as a Compliance Safety and Health Officer and then, later, as an Assistant Area Director.Additionally, he served in the U.S. Air Force, retiring from the Pennsylvania Air National Guard after a 23-year career. Kevin holds a Master of Business Administration and a Master of Science in Occupational Safety & Health from Columbia Southern University.

Kelli joined Eastern Alliance in 1999 and has over 30 years of workers’ compensation claims management experience. She earned her degree in Psychology from Washington and Lee University and obtained her CPCU designation in 2000. In 2020, she became a member of PRA’s inaugural Diversity Equity and Inclusion Council.

Tom brings over 30 years of commercial and workers’ compensation insurance experience. He previously served as VP of Commercial Insurance Operations for Farmers Insurance Group and has held executive positions at various insurance organizations. He holds a B.A. from the University of Connecticut and an MBA from Pepperdine University.

Frank Comparato III is a Regional Claims Supervisor at Eastern Alliance Insurance Group.

Ms. Day has been Assistant Counsel within the Office of Chief Counsel at the Department of Labor and Industry since 2014. Prior to L&I, Ms. Day was a Prosecuting Attorney within the Office of Chief Counsel at the Pennsylvania Department of State. Currently, Ms. Day represents the Uninsured Employers Guaranty Fund in workers’ compensation matters. In addition to representing the UEGF, Ms. Day engages in civil collection efforts and facilitates criminal prosecutions against uninsured employers pursuant to Section 305 of the Workers Compensation Act. Ms. Day also represents the Department of L&I before the State Civil Service Commission in matters involving civil service employees. Ms. Day received a B.A. in Corporate Communications from Robert Morris University, as well as a J.D. and Certificate in Administrative and Constitutional Law from Widener University School of Law.

Ted Fricker is a Senior Account Executive at PMA Companies.

Bill manages outpatient physician care, medical-legal services, and ancillary care service lines. He leads marketing efforts, coordinates professional education programs, and manages government affairs. His expertise focuses on program development, branding, and statewide promotion.

Neil T. Dombrowski is managing attorney at The Dombrowski Group, PC, which represents employers and insurers in Pennsylvania and New Jersey Workers’ Compensation matters. Mr. Dombrowski advises and represents employers and their carriers throughout the Commonwealth. He serves as co-chair of the Pennsylvania Defense Institute’s Workers’ Compensation section. He is a member of the Pennsylvania Bar Association, Philadelphia Bar Association, Inns of the Court, and the Pennsylvania Self Insured Association. He has served as a speaker at professional seminars held by the Pennsylvania Defense Institute, at the Pennsylvania Bar Association Fall section meeting, the Philadelphia Bar Association’s Workers’ Compensation section, the BWC Conference, and presented to the PA House Labor and Industry Committee. He routinely provides on-site and virtual presentations to Employer and Insurance Claim Professionals. Mr. Dombrowski graduated from Indiana University of Pennsylvania, cum laude, in 1983, with a B.A. and received his Juris Doctor from the University of Dayton School of Law in 1986. Following his graduation from Law School, he served as a Regional Counsel for the Pennsylvania Bureau of Workers’ Compensation. He subsequently became a partner at a Center City Philadelphia defense firm before going on to found The Dombrowski Group, PC in 2003. Mr. Dombrowski has also served his community, Easttown Township, in appointed and elected positions. Mr. Dombrowski can be reached at [email protected].

Gregory J. Fischer is certified as a specialist in the practice of workers’ compensation law by the Pennsylvania Bar Association’s Section on Workers’ Compensation Law as authorized by the Pennsylvania Supreme Court, having been in the very first group of attorneys in the state to attain that certification in March 2013, and maintaining that certification since then. Mr. Fischer is the chair of the workers’ compensation practice group at Summers, McDonnell, Hudock, Guthrie and Rauch. Mr. Fischer has over 24 years of experience defending employers and insurers in all aspects of Pennsylvania workers’ compensation litigation. This includes both trial and appellate level work up to the Pennsylvania Supreme Court, having primarily focused on this practice throughout his career. He also has experience representing employers and insurers in Federal Black Lung litigation. Mr. Fischer has served multiple terms as a member of the Allegheny County Bar Association Workers’ Compensation Section Council, serving as an at-large member. He is also a member of the planning committee for the Pennsylvania Department of Labor and Industry’s Workers’ Compensation Bureau Conference and has served on the committee since 2015, working with representatives from all facets of the workers’ compensation community to develop the program for the bureau conference. Mr. Fischer has also served as a panelist and moderator for certain sessions at the Bureau conference, concerning topics relevant to the workers’ compensation insurance industry. He has also served for several years on the planning committee for the Western PA Workers’ Compensation Section Golf Outing, which is the section’s largest charitable event, benefiting Kids’ Chance of Pennsylvania. Mr. Fischer is a 2000 graduate of the University of Pittsburgh School of Law, having also obtained his undergraduate degree from the University of Pittsburgh in 1997. He is licensed in both Pennsylvania and West Virginia, and regularly practices workers’ compensation law in both states.

Gabe brings more than 17 years’ experience leading mission-focused analytics and AI projects for government organizations. He specializes in data integration, modernization, visualization, machine learning, and Generative AI implementation. He leads Research and Innovation as part of Deloitte’s Generative AI practice.

Gregory Fox, Esq. is a Senior Corporate Counsel at JP Mascaro & Sons.

With both a bachelor’s and master’s degree in nursing, as well as certification as a DOT substance abuse professional, Rob Guillory has a lifelong professional commitment to the medical service of others. As a US Navy Veteran and nurse (as well as the husband of a US Navy Veteran), he has the distinct pleasure of engaging with local, regional, and national partners to generate awareness and support for their program that provides no out-of-pocket cost traumatic brain injury care to fellow veterans and first responders

Angela Havice has over 26 years at Brubaker Inc. and has built a career grounded in loyalty, growth and delivering constant value. She began as a seasonal position before her junior year of college and has evolved it into a rewarding career as Director of Human Resources. Her career is shaped by continuous learning, cross-functional experience, and a deep understanding of the business.

Joseph C. Huttemann is a partner at Martin Law and has concentrated his practice in the area of workers’ compensation litigation since 1992. Mr. Huttemann was the Chairman of the Workers’ Compensation section of the Pennsylvania Association for Justice, the leading organization for the protection of injured workers’ rights in the commonwealth. Prior to joining the firm in 1997, Mr. Huttemann defended workers’ compensation claims for insurance carriers and employers. In addition to the litigation of many workers’ compensation claims, he has also written extensively on the Pennsylvania Workers’ Compensation Act. The author of “The Pennsylvania Workers’ Compensation Act: An Employer’s Guide” and “Act 57: A Legal Analysis,” he has also written multiple articles published in The Legal Intelligencer. In the Spring of 2013, Mr. Huttemann became a certified specialist in Pennsylvania Workers’ Compensation by the PA Bar Association’s Section on Workers’ Compensation Law as authorized by the PA Supreme Court. Mr. Huttemann has presented lectures on workers’ compensation and Social Security disability to the Philadelphia Trial Lawyers Association and the Bucks County Bar Association. In 2016, Mr. Huttemann won an amazing settlement of $3.2 million for his client who was an automotive technician that became paraplegic after suffering a cervical fracture and arterial dissection from a car accident on his way to a training seminar. He is a member of the Board of Governors of the Pennsylvania Association for Justice and was the chair of its’ Workers’ Compensation section in 2017. In 2021, Mr. Huttemann was appointed by the National Football Players Association to represent their members for workers’ compensation matters in Pennsylvania. He is an active member of the Philadelphia Trial Lawyers Association, the Bucks County Bar Association and the Pennsylvania Bar Association. Mr. Huttemann has served as Chairman of the Board of Directors of Serenity House, a non-profit, charitably funded hospice care group

Dr. John Kline is a partner at Northeastern Rehabilitation Associates and has been with the practice since 1997. Dr. Kline is certified by the American Board Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation, the American Board of Pain Medicine, and the American Board of Independent Medical Examiners. He is also a fellow of the American Board of Disability Evaluating Physicians and Senior Disability Analyst and Diplomate of the American Board of Disability Analysts. Dr. Kline received his Bachelor of Arts Degree from Boston College and Medical Degree from Thomas Jefferson Medical College. Dr. Kline’s area of practice includes inpatient and outpatient rehabilitation, electrodiagnostic testing, and independent medical examinations. Dr. Kline also holds several appointments including: Medical Director, Director of Out-Patient Services, Director of Spasticity Clinic and Director of Brain Injury at John Heinz Institute; Sector Chief of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation at Wilkes-Barre General Hospital; and Clinical Associate Professor at Geisinger Commonwealth School of Medicine.

Diane Hovan is Regional Claims Executive handling catastrophic, complex, and litigated workers’ compensation claims. She also has extensive prior experience as a workers’ compensation paralegal for both claimant and defense law firms. Her skills include empathy, collaboration, investigation, witness interviews, analyzing medical records, social media searches, average weekly wage calculations, settlement analysis and negotiations, drafting Compromise and Release Agreements, claims reviews, preparing excess reports, pursuing subrogation, vendor management, and communication with insured, attorneys, and claimants.

Michael McGurrin is a Senior Partner at the law firm of Galfand Berger. After receiving a Bachelor’s of Science degree in Criminal Justice from Buffalo State College, Mike performed an Assistantship in Sociology at the University of Denver. He earned his Juris Doctor degree from the University of Denver in 1990 receiving the Howard Jenkins, Jr. award in Labor Law. Mike’s practice areas include Workers’ Compensation, Social Security Disability, Employment Discrimination, and Labor Law. And, he is the Chair of the Workers’ Compensation Department at Galfand Berger. Mike represents clients before Workers’ Compensation Judges, the Workers’ Compensation Appeal Board and the Commonwealth Court. His labor practice includes representing unions in all labor matters and forums, including: collective bargaining, grievances and arbitrations, the National Labor Relations Board, and federal court. In 2015, Mike became one of only 20 attorneys certified that year as a specialist in the practice of Workers’ Compensation by the Pennsylvania Bar Association Section on Workers’ Compensation Law as authorized by the Pennsylvania Supreme Court. He is a member of the National Employee Lawyers Association, the AFL-CIO Lawyers Coordinating Committee, the American Association for Justice (AAJ), and the Pennsylvania Bar Association. He is a frequent lecturer on Workers’ Compensation, Employment Discrimination and Labor Law issues. Mike also co-authored and edited the most recent edition of Galfand Berger’s book, Workers’ Rights to Workers’ Compensation. This handy book concisely explains injured workers’ rights and responsibilities under the Pennsylvania Workers’ Compensation Act. It was written with the hope all injured workers in Pennsylvania will receive the rights promised them by the Workers’ Compensation Act. Click here for a free copy of Workers’ Rights to Workers’ Compensation.

Charles earned his Juris Doctor from the Villanova University Charles Widger School of Law and is admitted to practice in Pennsylvania. His practice and professional life are dedicated exclusively to representing employees in all types of employment matters. Over the last 15 years, Charles has worked in nearly every position within a law firm, starting as a mail runner and progressing through roles such as assistant file clerk, paralegal, and trial technician, ultimately becoming an attorney. As a paralegal, Charles managed a busy law practice representing patients injured by medical malpractice. He also brought his passion for technology to the courtroom as a trial technician, where he organized, managed, and presented evidence using the latest courtroom technology in nearly a dozen complex jury trials. Charles was invited to speak as a panel member on trial technology at the 2015 Delaware Trial Lawyers Association annual convention. During law school, Charles focused his studies on trial advocacy and honed his trial and appellate advocacy skills by competing nationally on both Villanova’s National Trial Team and Moot Court Board. He interned for the Honorable Linda A. Carpenter in the Philadelphia Court of Common Pleas and represented defendants in criminal hearings as a Certified Legal Intern with the Philadelphia Defender Association. Charles brings to his career as an employment attorney more than a decade of practical experience that has made him an extremely effective advocate for his clients. He has negotiated countless settlements outside of the courtroom and achieved a successful jury verdict inside the courtroom. Outside of the office, Charles enjoys hiking and mountain biking, woodworking, and rooting for Villanova basketball and Philadelphia’s sports teams.

Joseph C. Romano is a Member in the Workers’ Compensation Group. He focuses his work on the defense of employers and insurance companies in Pennsylvania. Mr. Romano is a magna cum laude graduate of the Duquesne University School of Law. During law school, he was a member of the Duquesne Law Review and the Duquesne Business Law Journal. He was selected for and participated in Duquesne’s Second Year Trial Advocacy Program and also participated in the study abroad program. Mr. Romano received his Bachelor of Arts degree from Washington & Jefferson College, majoring in political science. While at Washington & Jefferson, he was a member of the Pi Sigma Alpha National Political Science Honor Society and was the recipient of the Dean’s Award Scholarship. Mr. Romano is admitted to practice law in Pennsylvania before the United States District Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania. He is a member of the American Bar Association (ABA), Pennsylvania Bar Association (PBA), and Allegheny County Bar Association (ACBA), and currently serves on the Workers’ Compensation Section Councils for both the PBA and ACBA.

Dedicating the last three decades of his life to investigations, David’s sole focus has always been to provide the highest levels of customer satisfaction and results-oriented investigation work product in the industry. Upon graduating from the University of Pittsburgh, David joined the insurance investigation industry in 1993 as a surveillance investigator. David has since developed an extensive background in all aspects of investigative operations, fraud abatement services and fraud awareness training throughout his career, and has performed investigations in every corner of the United States. He has been quoted in numerous publications, is an accredited speaker, and is a recognized leader in the investigative community.

Gerald was appointed in February 2023 after serving 12 years as a State Representative. He previously practiced workers’ compensation law representing claimants, insurance companies, and self-insured employers. He graduated from King’s College and Duquesne University School of Law.

Jonathan C. Meyers is a partner in Hill Wallack LLP’s Yardley, Pa. office and is partner-in-charge of the Workers’ Compensation practice group. Mr. Meyers focuses his practice on the defense of workers’ compensation claims. He has represented clients on issues relating to workplace injuries since 1995. Mr. Meyers is admitted to practice before the State Court of Pennsylvania (1995) and Michigan (2021). He earned his J.D. from Temple University School of Law and is a graduate of Villanova University with a B.A. in economics.

She was born and raised in Wisconsin and attended the University of Wisconsin – La Crosse, graduating highest honors with a double major bachelor’s degree in Political Science and Public Administration. After college, Mallory moved to Pennsylvania to attend Penn State Law where she earned her Juris Doctor degree. While at Penn State Law, Mallory worked as a Certified Legal Intern for the Family Law Clinic. In this role, she provided free legal assistance and representation to clients facing a variety of family and domestic legal issues. Mallory also spent her summers working at Wisconsin’s largest non-profit law firm, further providing free civil legal services to clients at the most vulnerable times in their lives. As a result of her vast work in public interest, Mallory earned a Certificate of Public Interest Advocacy. During law school, Mallory was also a member of the Penn State Law Review and served on the Executive Board as the Executive Research Editor during her final year of school. Before graduating, Mallory’s comment was selected for publication and was ultimately published in the 125th volume of the Penn State Law Review—an honor only few receive. Throughout law school, Mallory fell in love with Pennsylvania and decided to make it her home. Since joining Bernard Stuczynski Barnett & Lager, Mallory has focused her practice on personal injury, social security disability, workers’ compensation, and estate planning. Mallory is committed to each and every one of her clients and prides herself on zealously representing her clients while treating everyone with fairness and respect. In her free time, Mallory loves reading, hiking, spending time with her dog, and exploring all things northwest Pennsylvania has to offer.

Tracy Long is a human resources professional with a demonstrated history of working in the primary/secondary education industry. She is skilled in human resources, labor relations, customer service, talent management, and total rewards and compensation. She has a Masters in Business Leadership from Wilkes University, she is a SHRM-Certified Professional and has a PA School Business Officials-Registered School Business Administrator certification.

Dr. Loiseau is a certified case manager providing services for clients who have suffered occupational or motor vehicle injuries and other injuries or illness resulting in long-term care needs. Her experience includes director of services for a large physician practice; community liaison for clients with brain injuries; home health, urgent care, and medical-surgical/pediatric hospital staff registered nurse. Dr. Loiseau volunteers her time in the community and serves on numerous boards and committees including the PA Bureau of Workers’ Compensation Conference Committee, Penn-Ohio Association of International Association of Rehabilitation Professionals (IARP), Pennsylvania Association of Occupational Health Nurses (PAOHN), and Susquehanna Valley of PA Occupational Health Nurses (SVAPOHN). She serves on the editorial board of the Workplace Health & Safety Journal. In 2025, she was presented with the 2025 Medique Leadership Award by American Association of Occupational Health Nurses (AAOHN) for outstanding occupational health nurse exhibiting leadership and professional activities in the Pennsylvania state association. In the past, she has received the Dorothy Staller Occupational Health Nurse Leadership Award, New Investigator Research Grant, and Health Literacy Research Conference Trainee Grant. She earned her Doctor of Nursing Practice from DeSales University, Master of Science in Education from the University of Scranton, and Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Bloomsburg University.

Dan is a co-founder of the firm and has been representing clients in workers’ compensation and personal injury cases for more than 25 years. Like Joe Aversa (the firm’s other founder), he started his career at a large, respected Philadelphia-based personal injury law firm. Dan strongly believes that part of his job is to develop a personal connection to his clients. From the first phone call with an injured client, Dan lets them know that he will represent them aggressively so they can start to put their lives back together. As manager of the firm’s workers’ compensation practice, Dan personally evaluates all new workplace injury cases. He guides each case through the unique administrative proceedings including, pleadings, discovery and hearings required by the workers’ compensation system. His many years of battling insurance companies who deny claims or refuse to pay an injured worker’s medical bills, make him an effective advocate for his clients. In addition to his workers’ comp practice, Dan has nearly 30 years of experience handling a wide range of personal injury actions. Whether a case involves a car accident, slip-and-fall, workplace injury or professional negligence, Dan works tirelessly to make sure his clients and their families are properly protected. Dan has developed a large client base due to his outgoing personality, his ability to get great results for clients, and the level of personal attention he gives to every one of his cases. Outside the office, Dan is an avid golfer, a die-hard Eagles fan and lover of the rest of the Philadelphia sport teams. Attending local sporting events with his friends and families is a favorite activity. Dan resides in Montgomery County with his beautiful wife and is the father of three very accomplished children.

Cody Lehman is the Senior Manager of Worker’s Compensation for Chewy.com. He joined the company in 2021 and has been involved in the worker’s compensation industry for the past ten years as both an adjuster and a medical case manager. Cody’s experience has gained him invaluable skills in employer program development, safety and root cause analysis, and collaborating with TPAs to further his passion of claims advocacy. Cody has graduated from Misericordia University in 2013 with a bachelor’s degree in healthcare administration and marketing. He went on to obtain a master’s degree in healthcare administration and public health in 2019 from King’s College. Cody holds dual certifications as Certified Disability Management Specialist as well as a Certified Case Manager.

Tom Stenulis is a seasoned Health and Safety Professional with a robust background in administering worker’s compensation programs across diverse industries. With experience supporting Fortune 500 companies such as Nestle Purina and CBRE, as well as sectors including medical devices, ceramics, plastics, and semiconductor manufacturing, Tom brings extensive expertise to occupational health and safety programs. He has a proven track record of fostering effective labor relations with both union and non-union workforces, promoting a culture of workplace safety, and efficiently managing worker’s compensation cases. Currently, as Principal EHS Consultant at The Stenergy Group LLC, Tom assists small and medium-sized businesses in developing impactful safety and health programs, with a focus on regulatory compliance and employee engagement.

Ryan D. Tilley earned his BA in History, cum laude, from Washington College (MD). He was a four-year member & captain of the Men’s Rugby Team and played rugby internationally in Ireland. He then earned his law degree from the Drexel University Kline School of Law, graduating in 2016. During law school, he worked in Philadelphia for a law firm specializing in obtaining life insurance benefits for beneficiaries whose claims were unjustly denied by insurance companies. Following law school, Mr. Tilley went on to clerk for The Honorable Dennis E. Reinaker in the Lancaster County Court of Common Pleas and then served as an Assistant District Attorney for the Lancaster County District Attorney’s Office. Before coming to Pond Lehocky Giordano, Mr. Tilley’s practice focused on workers’ compensation defense for a large regional firm. During this time, he handled all aspects of workers’ compensation claims from beginning to conclusion. He has litigated claims across the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and has extensive experience at all levels in the Pennsylvania Workers’ Compensation system. In this role, Mr. Tilley saw first-hand how insurance companies unfairly treat injured workers throughout the claim process and gained inside knowledge on the tactics used by insurance companies to the detriment of injured workers. In 2023, Mr. Tilley joined our firm to serve the injured workers across Pennsylvania. He dedicates his practice exclusively in the area of workers’ compensation to protect the rights of injured workers and to take on the insurance companies on behalf of injured workers.

A graduate of Brown University, Dr. Williams received his medical degree from the Medical University of South Carolina where he also completed his orthopedic surgery training. He served as chief resident in orthopedic surgery at the university hospital. Dr. Williams then completed a combined neurosurgical and orthopedic spinal surgery fellowship at Yale University. Dr. Williams is currently on active staff, serves as the head of the spine surgery service at Lehigh Valley Hospital–Pocono, and is a fellow of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons. His expertise covers a wide range of treatments, including the advanced sacroiliac joint fusion with the latest iFuse Implant System^®.

Judge Lewis has been a Workers’ Compensation Judge in the Harrisburg Office of Adjudication since 2014. Judge Lewis conducts hearings in the Harrisburg area and York County and conducts mediations for cases across the state. Judge Lewis is a cum laude graduate of Widener University School of Law in Harrisburg with a Bachelor of Arts degree from La Salle University. She previously worked for the Office of Chief Counsel for the Bureau of Workers’ Compensation in addition to several years in private practice throughout the state. Judge Lewis currently serves on the WCAIS and Teleworking Technological Systems (WATTS) Committee and has joined the WCAIS project team as the subject matter expert for WCOA to facilitate the enhancements and improvements to WCAIS. In 2023, Judge Lewis was honored to be invited to join the course planning committee for the biennial PBI Pennsylvania Workers’ Compensation Practice & Procedure program.

Commissioner Mundy was first appointed to the Pennsylvania Workers’ Compensation Appeal Board by Governor Josh Shapiro in 2023. Prior to her appointment she was an attorney specializing in workers’ compensation for 25 years. She has represented both injured workers and insurance carriers throughout all stages of litigation including mediation. In her capacity as a defense attorney for a large insurance carrier, she held quarterly seminars during which she lectured claims adjusters and their insureds relative to the dynamic state of the law. In 2013 she opened her own practice devoted exclusively to the representation of injured workers. Her litigation experience includes representation of both complainants and respondents in Title IX cases as well as defending clients in professional licensure cases.

Heather J. Zambelli is the Managing Partner of Cipriani & Werner’s Pittsburgh office. She focuses her practice exclusively on defending employers, insurance carriers and third-party administrators in all Pennsylvania workers’ compensation matters. Ms. Zambelli has significant experience litigating cases before Judges throughout the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and before the Workers’ Compensation Appeal Board. Ms. Zambelli regularly presents seminars to clients and prospective clients regarding the most effective and cost-conscious ways to adjust and litigate workers’ compensation claims in Pennsylvania.

Andrew E. Greenberg is a founding partner in Chartwell Law. He has extensive litigation experience in workers’ compensation and general casualty matters and is a recognized authority in the field of Pennsylvania workers’ compensation law. In collaboration with the Honorable David B. Torrey, Mr. Greenberg is co-author of the well-recognized Pennsylvania Workers’ Compensation: Law and Practice, a four-volume authoritative treatise on Pennsylvania Workers’ Compensation Law, published and updated annually by Thomson-Reuters. He has also been an author and a lecturer, addressing a variety of workers’ compensation issues, for the American Bar Association, the Pennsylvania Bar Institute, The Legal Intelligencer, The Pennsylvania Law Weekly, The Pennsylvania Defense Institute and The Pennsylvania Self-Insurers’ Association. He has been named a Pennsylvania Super Lawyer every year for more than two decades. He was a commentator on the “Medical Cost Containment” regulations promulgated pursuant to Act 44 of 1993. He worked with the Workers’ Compensation Rules Committee that revised the Special Rules of Practice and Procedure before Judges in 1999-2000 and has consulted for the Bureau of Workers’ Compensation on various issues over the years including application of the HIPAA “Privacy Rule” to the administration of Pennsylvania workers’ compensation claims. He is a 1981 magna cum laude graduate of Indiana University, Bloomington, Indiana and 1984 graduate of the Syracuse University College of Law. He can be reached at [email protected].

Mr. DiMeo is a partner at the firm of Carpenter, McCadden & Lane, LLP. He is certified as a specialist in the practice of Workers’ Compensation Law by the Pennsylvania Bar Association’s Section on Workers’ Compensation Law as authorized by the Pennsylvania Supreme Court since May 1, 2013, recertified in 2018.  In addition, Chris holds certification as a Certified Medicare Secondary Payer Professional (CMSP) as of 2018.  He is a member of the Pennsylvania Self-Insurers’ Association (PSIA), the Greater Philadelphia Executive Claims Council (GPECC), CLM and the Delaware County Bar Association.   Chris received a B.A. in political science from The Pennsylvania State University and his Juris Doctorate from Widener University School of Law, where he graduated cum laude.  Chris has concentrated his legal practice on the representation of employers and insurance carriers in the area of Workers’ Compensation since 2001.  

For the past 25 years, Ms. Hollenbach has been a member of the course planning committee, the team that plans and presents the biennial PBI program Pennsylvania Workers’ Compensation Practice & Procedure and writes the manual. She has over 40 years of experience in defending workers’ compensation matters on behalf of insureds and self-insureds and is a frequent writer and lecturer on workers’ compensation topics. She has served as a member of the faculty of PBI’s Workers’ Compensation Best Practices programs, PBI’s Medicine for Lawyers series, and PBI’s program Tough Problems in Workers’ Compensation and has been a moderator for the Legal Updates panel at the Pennsylvania Department of Labor and Industry’s Workers’ Compensation Conference. Ms. Hollenbach is a fellow of the College of Workers’ Compensation Lawyers. She has been certified as a specialist in the practice of workers’ compensation law since 2013. Ms. Hollenbach has been selected as a Super Lawyer in the field of workers’ compensation for more than 15 years and selected for inclusion in The Best Lawyers in America, published by Woodward & White, for the last several years. A past president of the Northampton County Bar Association (1991), Ms. Hollenbach is also a member of the Pennsylvania Bar Association. She is a past chair of the Workers’ Compensation Law Section  and a recipient of the PBA’s Irvin Stander Memorial Award. She received her J.D. from the Dickinson School of Law and her B.A. from the Pennsylvania State University. A member of the firm of Norris, McLaughlin & Marcus, P.A., Ms. Hollenbach is based in the firm’s Allentown, Pennsylvania, office and can be reached by phone at 610-391-1800, ext. 2277, and by e-mail at [email protected]. The firm’s website is http://www.nmmlaw.com.

Hendrick Penn dedicates his law practice to representing employers, insurance carriers, third-party administrators and self-insured employers in Workers’ Compensation matters.  He is a Partner at Weber Gallagher. Hendrick started his legal career representing injured workers in Workers’ Compensation matters, but he has focused his practice on defending employers, insurance carriers and third party administrators from claims for the past 16 years.  He has extensive experience representing those from numerous industries including retail, medical, trucking, construction, hospitality, energy and others. Hendrick regularly provides training and seminars to his clients regarding the Pennsylvania Workers’ Compensation Act and ways to reduce or eliminate exposure for them.  He is also a frequent panelist and speaker for Workers’ Compensation continuing legal education classes in Pennsylvania. Hendrick has been selected for inclusion in The Best Lawyers in America, a peer-judged publication. He has been listed in Best Lawyers for workers’ compensation – employers since 2019.

Judge Conner is the Chief Judge of the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Pennsylvania. Nominated by President George W. Bush, he was confirmed by the U.S. Senate on July 26, 2002. On September 1, 2013, he became Chief Judge of the District. Prior to taking his seat on the Federal Bench, Chief Judge Conner practiced with the Harrisburg law firm of Mette, Evans and Woodside, where he headed the firm’s Corporate and Commercial Litigation Department from 1995 to 2002. Chief Judge Conner is a past director of the Pennsylvania Bar Institute and the Dauphin County Bar Association, past director and officer of the Pennsylvania Bar Association, and a life fellow of the Pennsylvania Bar Foundation. He is a member of the Judicial Council for the United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit and a member of the Judicial Codes of Conduct Committee of the United States Judicial Conference. Chief Judge Conner earned his B.A. from Cornell University and his J.D. from the Dickinson School of Law. He was recently honored by Cornell University as Distinguished Classmate of the Class of 1979.

On November 12, 2018, Secretary of the Department of Labor & Industry Jerry Oleksiak appointed Joseph DeRita as the Director of the Workers’ Compensation Office of Adjudication. Director DeRita was formerly a Workers’ Compensation Judge at the Allentown hearing office adjudicating and mediating cases in Allentown, Easton and Doylestown. Prior to that, Mr. DeRita represented injured workers for 30 years as a partner at the firm of Shor, Levin and DeRita, PC in Jenkintown, Pa. and later as a sole practitioner before assuming the bench. He graduated from St. Joseph’s University in Philadelphia with a B.A. in Industrial Relations in 1983. He earned his J.D. from Widener University School of Law in 1987, and an LL.M. in trial advocacy from the Temple University Beasley School of Law in 2005 and was presented with the Faculty Achievement Award. He chaired the Workers’ Compensation Section of the Pennsylvania Trial Lawyers (now the Pennsylvania Association for Justice) from 1997-1998. He co-chaired the Workers’ Compensation Section of the Philadelphia Bar Association in 2002 and served on its Executive Committee from 2001-2003. Before taking the bench, he earned the Workers’ Compensation Law Certified Specialist designation in 2013 from the PBA Workers’ Compensation Law Section. He has served as a member of the Bureau of Workers’ Compensation Annual Conference Planning Committee since 2019 and has been a frequent presenter. He has co-chaired, with Matt Wilson, the Planning Committee for the the biennial WC Section Bench/Bar CLE presentation. He is on the executive committee of the Workers’ Compensation Research Institute, a member of the International Association of Industrial Accidents Boards and Commissions (IAIABC) and the National Association of Workers’ Compensation Judiciary. In March, 2022, he was inducted into the College of Workers’ Compensation Lawyers (CWCL).

Nariman P. Dastur is an attorney with Carpenter, McCadden and Lane in Wexford, PA. He is an active member of the Pennsylvania Bar Association Workers’ Compensation Section having served as its Chair for the 2021-22 term. He has also served as a Proofer/Editor for their Workers’ Compensation Newsletter since 2002. In addition, he is a member of the Allegheny County Bar Association, serving on their Workers’ Compensation Section Counsel including as Chair for the 2009-2010 term. Mr. Dastur received his B.A. from Westminster College and his J.D. from Case Western University School of Law. His practice is devoted exclusively to the workers’ compensation litigation. He was among the first to be certified as a workers’ compensation specialist in Pennsylvania, having met the requirements and passing a comprehensive exam in 2013. In 2020, he was elected a Fellow of the College of Workers’ Compensation Lawyers. Mr. Dastur is a frequent course planner and lecturer for PBI including its Fall Section Meeting, Tough Problems in Workers’ Compensation and Handling the Workers’ Compensation programs. Mr. Dastur has also served on the Board of Directors of Kids’ Chance of Pennsylvania since 2016.

Marla A. Joseph, Esquire, an AV-rated lawyer and Principal of the Law Offices of Marla Joseph, LLC, has been representing workers’ compensation and Social Security Disability claimants for over a quarter of a century.  Ms. Joseph earned her B.A. from Pennsylvania State University in 1991, majoring in Psychology, and minoring in Business. In 1994, she earned her J.D. from Temple University’s Beasley School of Law, where she was honored with an award for achievement in trial advocacy and had the privilege of working as a Teaching Assistant for Lynn Abraham, who was the Philadelphia District Attorney at that time. She is certified as a workers’ compensation specialist by the Pennsylvania Bar Association’s Workers’ Compensation Section, as authorized by the Pennsylvania Supreme Court.  The Best Lawyers of America just named Ms. Joseph the 2025 Lawyer of the Year, an honor she also earned in 2023 and 2020. This is a distinction earned by only .4% of lawyers. She was honored to receive the Philadelphia Bar Association’s prestigious Martha Hampton Award, for her dedication and leadership to the Bar, the respect she has earned from her peers, and her mentorship she has offered to younger attorneys. In 2022, Ms. Joseph was inducted as a Fellow of the College of Workers’ Compensation Lawyers, a national organization that honors workers’ compensation lawyers who have exhibited the highest professional qualifications, ethical standards, character, integrity, professional expertise, and leadership.  In 2019 Philadelphia City Council honored Ms. Joseph with a Citation, acknowledging her selection in the Philly Labor Who’s Who in Injured Workers Advocacy. She became a Kids’ Chance of PA Board member in 2018 and instituted an annual Silent Auction, for which she was honored with the PA Merit of Achievement Award. The auction has raised over $60,000 in scholarships for students whose parents died or were catastrophically injured in a PA work accident. She is a former Chair of PBA’s Workers’ Compensation Executive Council, has been a course planner for their premier Fall Section Meeting for decades, and was the 2021 Co-chair of the Section’s Electronic Deposition Committee. Ms. Joseph was voted by her peers and a Blue Ribbon Panel as one of Pennsylvania’s Top 50 Women Lawyers by the Super Lawyers and has continued to be voted a  “Super Lawyer” in the field of workers’ compensation since its inaugural year. She received the 2004 Lawyers on the Fast Track Award from The Legal Intelligencer and Pennsylvania Law Weekly.  She frequently lectures on workers’ compensation issues and received an award from the American Bar Association (ABA) for her program on Civility in the Law. She served in numerous leadership roles with the Philadelphia Bar Association, including serving as YLD Chair in 2002, an elected member of its Board of Governors from 2003-2006, Chaired its Women’s Rights Committee in 2001, was a member of its Workers’ Compensation Executive Committee in 2003 and the Judicial Commission in 2001. 

Mr. Greene is a partner at Weber Gallagher, where he serves as co-chair of the Pennsylvania Workers’ Compensation Group. In his law practice, Mr. Greene counsels employers, insurance companies, and third-party administrators on how to best manage their Pennsylvania workers’ compensation claims. He works closely with his clients to provide appropriate risk management advice, whether that involves litigation or nonlitigation services. Mr. Greene is a frequent lecturer for the Pennsylvania Bar Institute, where he taught the Tough Problems in Workers’ Compensation course for 15 years before being appointed to the faculty of PBI’s Practice and Procedure Manual. Mr. Greene’s recognitions include an AV Preeminent rating from Martindale-Hubbell and being named to Pennsylvania Super Lawyers each year over the past decade along with being named to the top 100 lawyers in Philadelphia and in all of Pennsylvania in 2019. Mr. Greene is a member of the Philadelphia Bar Association and the National Restaurant and Retail Defense Association (NRRDA). He is also a fellow in the College of Workers’ Compensation Lawyers. Mr. Greene is a 1988 cum laude graduate of Duke University and a 1991 graduate of the Villanova University School of Law. Mr. Greene can be reached at [email protected]. 

Since 2013, Ms. Holmes has been a member of the course planning committee, the team that plans and presents the biennial PBI program Pennsylvania Workers’ Compensation Practice & Procedure and writes the manual. She previously was a planner for the Handling the Workers Compensation Claim program and has participated in other PBI programs and the Bureau of Workers Compensation Conference. She is a partner in the law firm of Blaufeld Schiller & Holmes LLP in Pittsburgh, where she practices on behalf of injured workers in workers’ compensation claim and disability applicants in Social Security claims. She is a member of the American, Pennsylvania, and Allegheny County Bar Associations, and a former chair of the Workers’ Compensation Section of the Pennsylvania Bar Association and the Council for the Workers’ Compensation Section of the Allegheny County Bar Association. Ms. Holmes was elected to the College of Workers Compensation Lawyers in 2011, and has participated in CWCL presentations at the annual meeting. She is admitted to practice before all courts of the Commonwealth and the United States Courts of Appeals for the Third, Fourth, and Sixth Circuits. Ms. Holmes is a graduate of Chatham University in Pittsburgh and received her J.D. from the University of Pittsburgh School of Law. In 2019, Ms. Holmes was awarded the Irvin Stander Memorial Award from the Pennsylvania Bar Association’s Workers’ Compensation Section. Ms. Holmes can be reached by phone at 412-391-0775, ext. 202, or 1-800-343-9384, and by email at [email protected].

Mr. Gross is a partner with the Philadelphia law firm of Gross & Kenny, LLP. He concentrates his practice in workers’ compensation litigation and has been representing injured workers for over 30 years. Mr. Gross is a certified specialist in the practice of workers’ compensation law by the Pennsylvania Bar Association’s Section on Workers’ Compensation Law as authorized by the Pennsylvania Supreme Court. Mr. Gross is the immediate past Chair of the Pennsylvania Bar Association’s Workers’ Compensation Section. He is the Treasurer of the Alexander Barbieri Workers’ Compensation Inn of Court and has been serving in that role since its inception in 2011. He served on the Philadelphia Bar Association’s Board of Governors from 2008-2010. Mr. Gross is a past co-chair of the Philadelphia Bar Association’s Workers’ Compensation Section and has served on the Section’s executive committee for the past 24 years. He has served as the Chancellor of the Brandeis Law Society and is a founding member of the Brandeis Law Foundation. Mr. Gross is actively engaged in fundraising activities for the Philadelphia and Pennsylvania Bar Associations. Mr. Gross was awarded the Martha Hampton Award in 2003 in recognition of his strong advocacy and compassion for injured workers as well as his professional and community service. He has been recognized by Philadelphia Magazine every year since 2004 as one of the area’s leading attorneys in workers’ compensation litigation and has been selected for inclusion in The Best Lawyers in America, published by Woodward &White. Mr. Gross is a Board Member of the Philadelphia Trial Lawyers Association and is a past-chair of the Workers’ Compensation Section of the Pennsylvania Association for Justice and is also currently a Board Member. He is also a Board Member of Kids Chance of PA. He is a frequent lecturer on various workers’ compensation issues and has authored numerous articles involving workers’ compensation issues in several publications, including The Legal Intelligencer. Mr. Gross received his J.D. from the Dickinson School of Law and his B.S. from Muhlenberg College. Mr. Gross is also an FAA licensed pilot.

Ms. Saylor is the Director of the Bureau of Worker’s Compensation, where she oversees the administrative operations for carrying out the provisions of the Act. Ms. Saylor was previously a partner at Willig, Williams & Davidson, where she represented claimants for 18 years. Previously, Ms. Saylor represented insurance companies and employers.. She earned her B.A. from Bennington College and her J.D. from the City University of New York School of Law.

Ms. Gross is the founder of Gross Law Office, LLC – a boutique law office located in Allentown specializing in workers’ compensation and social security disability matters. She has been practicing workers’ compensation law for nearly a decade, with her beginnings in workers’ compensation defense. By 2013, she opened Gross Law Office where she began to devote the majority of her practice to the representation of injured workers. Ms. Gross is certified as a specialist in the practice of workers’ compensation law by the Pennsylvania Bar Association’s Section on Workers’ Compensation Law as authorized by the Pennsylvania Supreme Court. She is a member of the Pennsylvania and Lehigh County Bar Associations. She has also been continuously selected for inclusion in Philadelphia Magazine’s Pennsylvania Super Lawyer – Rising Stars edition, an honor held by less than 5% of practicing attorneys (2012-2017 editions). She has served on the Board of Directors for the National Slovak Society of the USA since 2014; and in 2016, Ms. Gross was selected as recipient of the Top Forty Under 40 award by Lehigh Valley Business. She earned a B.A. degree from Shippensburg University and a second B.A. degree from Cedar Crest College before obtaining her J.D. degree from The Pennsylvania State University Dickinson School of Law.

Ryan C. Blazure, Esquire, is a graduate of Wilkes University and the Syracuse University College of Law. He is a partner with the firm of Thomas, Thomas & Hafer LLP, practicing in all manner of civil litigation and workers compensation before the administrative, State and Federal Courts of Pennsylvania. He is proud to personally represent insured persons, businesses and national retailers, as well as hospitality, commercial and utility interests. By virtue of that representation, he has extensive trial and appellate experience. Mr. Blazure is admitted to practice before the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, The United States District Court for the Middle District of Pennsylvania, The United States District Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania, The United States District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, The United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit and The United States Supreme Court. Mr. Blazure is a past chair of the Pennsylvania Bar Association’s Young Lawyers Division and is currently a member of the Luzerne County Bar and Northeastern Pennsylvania Claims Associations as well as the Pennsylvania Defense Institute. With PDI, Mr. Blazure serves on the Board thereof and is the current Executive Vice President of Operations Mr. Blazure previously served on the PBA’s Board of Governors from 2007 to 2010. From 2002 to 2007, he served as the PBA YLD High School Mock Trial Program regional coordinator for the northeastern region of Pennsylvania, rising to the level of State Chair from 2008 to 2010. Mr. Blazure is also a Certified Mediator for the United States District Court for the Middle District of Pennsylvania. As often as possible, Mr. Blazure will present on various litigation and workers compensation topics in the form of continuing education provided to attorneys and other legal and medical professionals. Mr. Blazure is married with two children and in his free time enjoys spending time with his family, playing bass with his church’s worship team and, when time allows, building and riding motorcycles.

Ms. Kaufman is the founder and principal of Kaufman Workers’ Compensation Law, LLC. She represents claimants throughout the Philadelphia region. She has a special interest in ensuring access to medical marijuana by injured workers. Further, she serves as the chair of the workers’ compensation sub-committee of the Hemp and Medical Marijuana Committee of the Philadelphia Bar Association. Ms. Kaufman is certified as a specialist in the practice of workers’ compensation by the Pennsylvania Bar Association’s Workers’ Compensation Section, as authorized by the Pennsylvania Supreme Court. She received her law degree from the University of Pittsburgh. She can be reached at [email protected].

A native Philadelphian, Judge Rago graduated from St. Joseph’s University in 1989 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in English. In 1992, Judge Rago graduated from Widener University School of Law and became a member of the Pennsylvania and New Jersey Bars. In 1994, Judge Rago accepted a judicial clerkship, with the Bureau of Workers’ Compensation, Upper Darby Offices where she remained until 1996. In 1996, Judge Rago joined the Law Firm of Margolis Edelstein where she remained for the following ten years attaining the status of partner. In 2006, Judge Rago took a position with the City of Philadelphia, Risk Management Division as counsel for the Employee Disability Program. On June 25, 2007, she was appointed as a Workers Compensation Judge in Workers Compensation Office of Adjudication. Judge Rago was the 2022 Martha Hampton Award recipient presented by the Workers’ Compensation Section of the Philadelphia Bar Association for her dedication and contribution to the Section. Outside the courtroom, Judge Rago is active in the community as a member of the SJP Mother’s Club and serves as a volunteer ambassador and speaker for The Alex’ Lemonade Stand Foundation helping to raise awareness and funding to combat pediatric cancer. She has co-chaired the Community Service and Charitable Events sub-committee of the Worker’s Compensation Section of the Philadelphia Bar Association since 2014. She currently serves as a co-chair for the Delaware County Bar Association – WC Committee. She is also an active member of the Judge Alexander F. Barbieri Inn of Court.

Jenna King is an associate with Martin Law and has exclusively practiced Pennsylvania workers’ compensation law since passing the bar in 2015. Prior to joining Martin Law, Ms. King worked at a regional defense firm representing employers and major insurance carriers in workers’ compensation litigation across the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. In the Spring of 2024, Ms. King became a certified specialist in Pennsylvania Workers’ Compensation by the PA Bar Association’s Section on Workers’ Compensation Law as authorized by the PA Supreme Court. Ms. King is an active leader in the Workers’ Compensation Sections of both the Philadelphia and Pennsylvania Bar Associations. She is the 2025-2026 Chair of the Pennsylvania Bar Association’s Workers’ Compensation Law Section and has served as a Council member since 2020. Ms. King was also the 2023 Co-Chair of the Philadelphia Bar Association’s Workers’ Compensation Section, served as the Co-Chair of its Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Committee from 2019-2024, and has served as its PBA Liaison since 2020. She is a frequent presenter of Continuing Legal Education courses throughout Pennsylvania on various workers’ compensation topics. Ms. King earned her B.A., magna cum laude from Widener University in 2011. Before attending law school, she completed a year of service with the Americorps Program City Year, working with at risk youth at South Philadelphia High School. In 2015, Ms. King earned her law degree, magna cum laude, from Widener University School of Law, where she founded and served as the Inaugural President of the Youth Court League, served as the Vice President of the Moot Court Honor Society, and was an active member of the Trial Advocacy Honor Society.

Judge McTiernan served as a member of the course planning committee, the team that plans and presents the biennial PBI program Pennsylvania Workers’ Compensation Practice & Procedure, and writes the manual from 1989 through 2014. He has served on the Workers’ Compensation Rules Committee, appointed by the Secretary of Labor and Industry, and its predecessor, the Committee for Referees’ Rules and Procedures from 1993 to 2016. He is a past chair of the Pennsylvania Bar Association Workers’ Compensation Law Section. He is also past chair of the Allegheny County Bar Association Workers’ Compensation Section. Judge McTiernan was a member of the Academy of Trial Lawyers of Allegheny County and is a Fellow of the College of Workers’ Compensation Lawyers. He is the recipient of the prestigious Irvin Stander Award, 2011, from the Pennsylvania Bar Association Workers’ Compensation Law Section. Judge McTiernan was listed in The BestLawyers in America, published by Woodward & White from 1997 through 2017 and was named in the Best American Lawyers in Workers’ Compensation. He was also listed as one of Pennsylvania’s Super Lawyers from 2005 through 2017. He has also been a member of the board of Kids’ Chance of Pennsylvania, and served as its president from 2014-2015. A former partner in the Pittsburgh firm of Caroselli, Beachler, McTiernan & Coleman, he currently serves as a workers’ compensation judge in the Brookville WCOA office.

Judge Beck has been a Workers’ Compensation Judge in Philadelphia since 2012. Judge Beck received his B.A. from Elizabethtown College in 1994 and his J.D. from the University of Dayton School of Law in 1997. In private practice, Judge Beck represented primarily public and private employers, carriers, and third-party administrators in workers’ compensation matters for nearly fifteen years, culminating in a position as chief in-house workers’ compensation counsel for GUARD Insurance Group (now Berkshire Hathaway GUARD Insurance Companies). Judge Beck has authored and co-authored numerous articles for the Legal Intelligencer and taught and prepared materials for continuing legal education seminars, including the annual Pennsylvania Workers’ Compensation Conference, on the subject of workers’ compensation.

The Honorable Holly A. San Angelo was appointed the new Director of the Workers’ Compensation Office of Adjudication on December 20, 2024, by the Secretary of the Department of Labor and Industry, Nancy Walker. Director San Angelo became a Workers’ Compensation Judge in May 2012 and then Judge Manager of the Southeastern District in March 2018.Director San Angelo was the 2014 Judge co-chair for the Workers’ Compensation Section of the Philadelphia Bar Association. During her tenure, she served as a member of the Bench Bar Association. The 2014 co-chairs were also the first to introduce philanthropy to the section, which has since evolved to make the section the most philanthropic amongst its peers. Director San Angelo has been a frequent panelist for the Pennsylvania Bar Association, Philadelphia Bar Association, as well as the WCOA Judge’s conferences/retreats. Director San Angelo is a strong advocate of the mediation program, and she has performed hundreds of mediations statewide each year. As Director, she will continue to perform this service for the stakeholders. Prior to becoming a Workers’ Compensation Judge, she was in-house counsel for Travelers Insurance Company at William J. Ferren & Associates for 17 years where she concentrated her practice in workers’ compensation. She graduated from the California Western School of Law where she was a published member of the Law Review. She also received a Bachelor of Arts degree in Foreign Service from the Pennsylvania State University.

Michael Quatrini is an attorney with Quatrini Law Group, P.C., working out of the firm’s offices in Greensburg, Pittsburgh, Latrobe, and Altoona. He exclusively represents individuals in claims for Workers’ Compensation, VA Service-Connected Disability, and Social Security Disability/SSI Mr. Quatrini is a current faculty member and presenter for several Pennsylvania Bar Institute’s publications, including “Workers’ Compensation: Practice and Procedure”, “Social Security: Advanced Issues”, and “Social Security: The Basics.” He is a member of the PBA Workers’ Compensation Section Council and is a past- President of the Workers’ Compensation Section of the Allegheny County Bar Association. Mr. Quatrini is admitted to practice before the courts of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, the United States District Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania, United States Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims, Social Security Administration, and the Department of Veterans Affairs. He is an active member of, and speaker for, national organizations including the National Organization of Social Security Claimants’ Representatives (NOSSCR) and the Workers’ Injury Law & Advocacy Group (WILG).

Vito DeLuca is the First Assistant Solicitor and inaugural Chief Artificial Intelligence Officer (CAIO) for Luzerne County, marking the first such CAIO role in Pennsylvania county government. A seasoned trial attorney with extensive experience representing local and county governments, Mr. DeLuca is responsible for developing and executing countywide strategies to safely and ethically integrate artificial intelligence into government operations. His priorities include policy development, staff training, and community education to safeguard public trust while modernizing local government through innovation and transparency. In addition to his public service, he is the Co-founder, COO, and General Counsel of Swift Edge, a consulting venture specializing in technology, cybersecurity, and AI. Mr. DeLuca holds a B.S. from King’s College, a J.D. from the University of Pittsburgh School of Law, and an MBA from Cornell University. He is currently pursuing an M.S. in Cybersecurity from NYU and an M.Eng. in AI/ML from George Washington University, building on his prior AI/ML coursework completed at MIT. He regularly speaks on the responsible and ethical integration of AI in government, business, and law.