The chief law enforcement officer of Washington County, Mr. Toprani is currently serving his first term as the youngest elected District Attorney in county history following a bi-partisan election in one of the largest political upsets since the Great Depression. During his tenure, Steve has led the fight against the illegal drug trade and has investigated and prosecuted cases involving public corruption; while updating an outdated office with new technology and policy. Prior to his election, Steve was a small business owner as an attorney engaged in private general practice, admitted to all trial and appellate courts in Pennsylvania and the U.S. District Court for Western Pennsylvania.

Prior to entering private practice, he served as assistant counsel in the Governor's Office of General Counsel. He also served as assistant county solicitor to the Office of Children Youth and Families. He is a member or former member of several professional organizations, including the Pennsylvania District Attorneys Association (Gaming Law Committee), National District Attorneys Association, the American Association for Justice, Association of Trial Lawyers of America, the American, Pennsylvania (Executive Council, YLD; Government Lawyers Division), Allegheny County (Bar Leadership Initiative alum), and Washington County Bar Associations, American Inns of Court (Pittsburgh Chapter), and the International Academy of Trial Lawyers. He chairs the Southwestern Pennsylvania Drug Threat Assessment Oversight Committee and is the chairman of the Washington County Crime Victims Policy Board, and serves on the Criminal Justice Advisory Board and the Washington County Prison Board. He is a member of the Southwestern Pennsylvania Chiefs of Police, the Mon Valley Chiefs of Police and the Mon Valley Police Association. Steve is a member of the board of directors for Bridges to Hope, a charitable organization that provides assistance to children with autism.

A graduate of Duquesne Law and a recognized student of trial advocacy awarded to the Order of Barristers, Steve Toprani graduated magna cum laude from California University of PA with bachelor degrees in political science and history and is an alumnus of Ringgold High School. He conducts courses on internet safety in schools and community groups as an appointed special advocate of the Office of Attorney General. Steve lives in Monongahela with his wife, Jennifer, a child psychologist.

Dr. Garland joined PASSHE as executive associate to the Chancellor in January 2002, serving as a senior adviser and assisting the Chancellor in a liaison role with vice chancellors, university presidents, the Board of Governors and other senior staff. He was named vice chancellor for academic and student affairs in December 2003. He led the development of PASSHE’s new strategic plan, which was adopted by the Board of Governors in July 2004, and assisted in the implementation of PASSHE System Accountability Program.

Prior to joining PASSHE, Dr. Garland served as executive director of the State Board of Education since 1993. There, he was responsible for identifying key issues of concern to the Board, then conducting research and analysis on those issues and developing policy recommendations. In doing so, he worked closely with both the Governor’s Office and the Legislature, as well as with educational and business organizations and the public. He was involved in the development of new academic standards for elementary and secondary schools in Pennsylvania and in the creation of new requirements for teacher preparation and certification.

Previously, Dr. Garland was Assistant Commissioner for Postsecondary and Higher Education for the Pennsylvania Department of Education. He also served in several other positions within the department, including Acting Commissioner/Deputy Secretary for Postsecondary and Higher Education, Director of the Bureau of Postsecondary Services, Executive Assistant to the Commissioner for Higher Education and Senior Program Analyst in the Office of Higher Education Financing.

Dr. Garland spent two years as a research assistant in the Center for the Study of Higher Education at Pennsylvania State University. He also was an assistant director and coordinator of residence hall programs at Penn State. Dr. Garland earned bachelor’s degrees in English and psychology and a master’s degree in educational administration from The College of William and Mary and a master’s degree in political science and a doctoral degree in higher education from Penn State.

He has numerous publications to his credit and has reviewed articles for the Association for the Study of Higher Education and the American Educational Research Association. He has lectured or offered seminars at a number of institutions, including East Stroudsburg and Shippensburg Universities of Pennsylvania, Penn State and Duquesne, Lehigh and New York universities.

Dr. Michael Hummel is a retired military officer with 23 years serving in law enforcement and special operations units in key leadership positions, including: Commander of a Law Enforcement Unit responsible for over 150 law enforcement and civilian members of the unit, conducting continuous law enforcement and public safety operations for over 50,000 residents and employees at Ft. Campbell KY. Dr. Hummel also served as a Special Reaction Team Commander, responsible for high risk situations and counter terrorism operations. Dr. Hummel most recently served as the Director of the Performance Assurance and Safety Division (Inspector General) for Wackenhut Security and Law Enforcement Services and the Department of Energy (Homeland Security). Responsible for safety and performance of Law Enforcement & Special Reaction units. He held former academic posts at: West Virginia Northern Community College; University of Pittsburgh Graduate School of Public and International Affairs; United States Military Academy, West Point. Dr. Hummel teaches: Police Organization and Management, Leadership & Ethics in Justice Studies, Leadership Capstone, Homeland Security, Corporate Security Law and Introduction to Corporate Security and Introduction to Leadership. Dr. Hummel's research expertise is focused in Leadership in Police and Public Service Organizations, Homeland Security, Terrorism, Juvenile Justice and Gang Operations, Law Enforcement Operations, Special Operations, Counterterrorism, and Public Policy in Criminal Justice.

Dr. Rota has consulted for private industry, government and higher education for over 15 years in the areas of cultural diversity, change management, and leadership. He has presented at numerous national conferences and seminars in leadership. He has presented at numerous national conferences and seminars in leadership and information technology. Dr. Rota’s dynamic, yet relaxed style provides an atmosphere for high level interests while communication valuable and "results" centered information. His business background is in information technology with an emphasis on human factors and knowledge management. He is currently an Associate Professor of Computer and Information Systems at Robert Morris University.

Dr. Rota holds an undergraduate degree in Political Science, History and Economics from the University of Pittsburgh, a Masters degree in Adult Education, and Ph.D. in Educational Technology also from the University of Pittsburgh. Dr. Rota holds certification through the Center for Leadership in Situational Leadership and Strategic Planning through the National Guard Bureau's Leadership Center.

Dr. Rota is a retired Brig. General from the Pennsylvania Air National Guard with almost 40 years of active and Air Guard military service. His most recent positions were as the Chief of Command, Control, Computing and Communication for the Pennsylvania air National Guard, and Commander of the Mission Support Squadron of the 171st Air Refueling Wing. Dr. Rota served as an Intelligence Officer during Operation Desert Shield. He is a graduate of the Air Force Squadron Officer School, Air Command and Staff College and the National Defense University. Among his many civic activities, Dr. Rota is a member of the California University of Pennsylvania Computer Science advisory board and also had served on the advisory board of Connelly Skill Center and is a member of the Pittsburgh Council on Higher Education.

Rhonda Gifford has worked in career services for 15 years, and is currently Director of Career Services at CAL U. Prior to joining the team at CAL U in 2002, Rhonda worked in Career Services at the University of Pittsburgh and Saint Vincent College. She currently serves as President of the Western PA Career Services Association (WestPACS), on several advisory boards, and is an IMPACT Westmoreland Leadership Program graduate.

Dr. Cencich teaches courses in law, international criminal justice, and special crimes. A retired Special Agent in Charge with the Commonwealth of Virginia and U.S. Federal Agent, Professor Cencich returned to the United States after having completed a four-year appointment with the United Nations War Crimes Tribunal. Headquartered at The Hague, Special Agent Cencich and his colleagues investigated some of the world’s worst crimes, and he led one of the largest international criminal investigations since the Second World War. Professor Cencich is currently serving on the Advisory Committee for the Study of Wrongful Convictions by the Pennsylvania General Assembly pursuant to Senate Resolution No. 381 (2006). His previous appointments include the Advisory Board for the Virginia Governor's State Agency Drug Task Force, the Virginia Attorney General's Money Laundering and Financial Crimes Task Force, several subcommittees of the Virginia State Crime Commission's Task Force on Criminal Justice Reform, and the Organized Crime Committee of the International Association of Chiefs of Police. A senior law-enforcement official in Virginia, Professor Cencich directed complex criminal investigations involving bootlegging; narcotics; and the dismantling of organized gambling businesses--one of which led to Pittsburgh and to traditional organized crime families in New York, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania during the mid-1980s. In 2005, the Senate of Virginia unanimously passed a Resolution in the General Assembly commending him for his outstanding service to the law-enforcement profession and for his service to the Commonwealth, the nation and the United Nations. Special Agent Cencich also undertook serious criminal and national security investigations with the United States Air Force Office of Special Investigations (OSI).

Scott M. Helfrich is currently the Community Manager at California University of Pennsylvania's Vulcan Village Apartments. His previous experience includes more than nine years of professional work in managing student housing at both Bloomsburg University and the University of Pittsburgh. Scott is currently a doctoral candidate in the Higher Education program at Penn State University. Scott was an advisor to the student governments at Nova Southeastern University and Broward Community College in Ft. Lauderdale, FL and was also the president of his student government in graduate school. He has presented nationally and internationally on Student Activities, Residence Life, Student Government, and mental health-related topics and has been published in Student Leader Magazine, Programming, the Journal of College Student Development, and on the ResLife.net website.

Dr. Sweitzer, is an Associate Professor of Justice and Behavioral Crime in the Justice, Law, and Society Department at California University of Pennsylvania. Presently, she is also serving as an Interim Associate Provost/Vice President of Academic Affairs . Dr. Sweitzer has been employed as a family therapist, school psychologist and as an assistant principal prior to employment at California University of Pennsylvania. Dr. Sweitzer has also completed a post baccalaureate certificate in Forensic Science and Law from Duquesne University.

She is the author of Developing Social Interest in Conduct Disordered Adolescents: An Adlerian Approach, a contributing author in Health Hints for Kids ,the National Student Assistance Journal. She has also published articles in the Journal of Individual Psychology and co-authored several articles in the American Journal of Orthodontics and Dentofacial Orthopedics. Her research and presentation interests include: Conduct Disorder, violence prevention, behavioral analysis, instructional design, problem-based learning, mental health ethics, and parent-child behavioral and relationship issues. She has presented extensively on these issues at both National and International conferences. Dr. Sweitzer primarily teaches Behavioral Analysis courses in the Forensic Science Track within the Justice Studies curriculum.

With regard to community activities, Dr. Sweitzer is a board member of the Fayette County Drug and Alcohol Commission, Advisory Board Member for the Scientific International Journal, Chairman of the Early Head Start Board of Directors in Washington County, and Secretary for the International Society for the Exploration of Teaching and Learning, and editorial board member for Scientific Journals International.