Baker named to Attorney General-Elect's Personnel and Planning Task Force

December 9, 2016

Attorney General-Elect Josh Shapiro Continues Statewide Community Transition “Setting the People’s Priorities”

Shapiro, Council President Clarke, community advocates and leaders discuss local response to gun violence at North Philadelphia community forum. Shapiro also announces Personnel & Planning Task Force to help recruit best, brightest, most diverse talent to the Office of Attorney General.

This week, Attorney General-Elect Josh Shapiro continued his community-driven transition effort with a community forum on gun violence in North Philadelphia. He also announced the formation of a Personnel and Planning Task Force to help him recruit the best, brightest and most diverse talent to the Office of Attorney General. 

“To be the People’s Attorney General you need to listen and know what’s happening outside the halls of government, and that’s how I intend to do the job,” said Attorney General-Elect Josh Shapiro. 

“Gun violence is a significant issue across Pennsylvania, and these community forums show that Attorney General-Elect Shapiro cares about us,” added City Council President Darrell Clarke, who moderated Tuesday’s forum.

On Tuesday, Attorney General-Elect Shapiro and Council President Clarke were joined by community advocates, mothers of homicide victims, and public safety officials, including Philadelphia Police Commissioner Richard Ross, Sheriff Jewell Williams, and District Attorney Seth Williams at the Stephen Klein Wellness Center in North Philadelphia. “What works? What doesn’t work?” Shapiro asked forum participants, referencing gun violence prevention initiatives. “I want to use our resources wisely, work with your law enforcement leaders and you to help make us safer.”

This week, Shapiro also announced the formation of a Personnel and Planning Task Force to help him assemble the best, brightest and most diverse talent to work in the Office of Attorney General.

“I’m proud of this bipartisan group of leaders from across our Commonwealth who are helping me build the team that will lead the Office of Attorney General,” Shapiro said. “I’m grateful for the service of these attorneys, prosecutors and leaders from across Pennsylvania. With their help, we’ll have our leadership team in place and ready to serve the people of Pennsylvania.”

The Personnel and Planning Task Force is led by four co-chairs and a senior counsel:

  •  Wadud Ahmad, Partner, Ahmad Zafferese LLC, and former Philadelphia prosecutor 
  •  Leslie Gromis Baker, Co-Chair and Managing Director of State and Federal Government Relations, Buchanan Ingersoll & Rooney, and former chief of staff to Gov. Tom Corbett
  •  Walter Cohen, Partner, Obermayer, Rebmann Maxwell & Hippel and former Pennsylvania Attorney General 
  •  Leslie Anne Miller, Principal, Leslie Anne Miller Esq. and former General Counsel to Gov. Ed Rendell 
  •  William R. Sasso, Chairman, Stradley Ronon Stevens & Young; Task Force’s Senior Counsel

Members of the Task Force include:

  •  MeeCee Baker, President/CEO, Versant Strategies
  •  Joann Bell, Director, Pugliese Associates
  •  Neal Bisno, Executive Vice President, Service Employees International Union 
  •  Pat Brier, Partner, Myers, Brier & Kelly
  •  Tony Coelho, former Member, U.S. Congress
  •  Steve Crawford, President, Wojdak & Associates
  •  William Curtis, Pastor, Mt. Ararat Baptist Church
  •  John Fry, President, Drexel University
  •  Steve Irwin, Partner, Leech Tishman
  •  Lauren Lambrugo, Chief Operating Officer, Montgomery County
  •  Jannie Lau, Executive Vice President/Gen. Counsel, InterDigital
  •  Charlie Lyons, President, Shelly Lyons
  •  Jim Martin, District Attorney, Lehigh County
  •  John McNesby, President, FOP Lodge #5
  •  Dennis Pagliotti, President and Business Manager, Bricklayers and Allied Craft Workers Local #1
  •  Vincent Quatrini, Chairman, Quatrini Rafferty
  •  Brian Regli, Founder, Drakontas
  •  David Senoff, Partner, Anapol Weiss
  •  Kevin Steele, District Attorney, Montgomery County
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