Pennsylvania Early Learning Investment Commission
Our Approach
The Pennsylvania Early Learning Investment Commission is a partnership of business leaders dedicated to making the success of every child in Pennsylvania a top priority. We work to improve tomorrow’s economy through smart policy and investment in today’s young children by fostering public and private sector investment in high-quality early learning programs. These investments are essential to ensure the best possible return - Pennsylvania’s edge in the national and global marketplace.
Our Focus
The Pennsylvania Early Learning Investment Commission (ELIC) is a bipartisan commission of business leaders co-chaired by the Lieutenant Governor and a private-sector leader. We engage cross-sector stakeholders across the commonwealth to strengthen Pennsylvania’s workforce and long-term competitiveness through child care innovation. We focus our work under four interrelated pillars: employer-driven strategies; funding, financing, and fundraising; state government intersections; and communications and marketing.
Funding, Financing, and Fundraising
State Government Intersections
Communications and Marketing
Employing and Engaging Families with Young Children
In Pennsylvania, inadequate child care options impose substantial and long-lasting consequences; their effects are felt by parents, businesses, and the commonwealth’s taxpayers. The top-line findings of a new study examining the economic impacts of problems in Pennsylvania’s child care system on working parents, employers, and taxpayers describe the consequences. The verdict: an annual economic cost of $6.65 billion in lost earnings, productivity, and revenue.
81 percent of employers indicated they have moderate or significant recruitment and retention issues due to child care, according to a report published in 2024 by the Pennsylvania Early Learning Investment Commission and the PA Chamber of Business and Industry.
64 percent of employers are unaware of or haven’t used tools to address employees’ child care needs.
Topline Findings: Economic Impact on PA Businesses & ECE Wage Study
Co-Chairs
Austin Davis
Lt. Governor, Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
James R. Hoehn
Regional President
Central PA, PNC Bank
Central PA, PNC Bank
Honorary Co-Chair
Dr. Janet Haas, M.D.
Chair Emeritus, William Penn Foundation
Members
Kendra Aucker
President and CEO, Wellspan Evangelical Community Hospital
Luke Bernstein
President and CEO, PA Chamber of Business & Industry
Joseph P. Brennan
Global Chief Risk Officer, Vanguard
Dr. Michelle Burroughs, CCDP
Senior Vice President and Chief Diversity Officer, WSFS Bank
Robert Cherry
CEO, Partner4Work
Cristina Coolidge
Vice President, Total Rewards and Talent Analytics, Capital Blue Cross
Gregory E. Deavens
President and CEO, Independence Blue Cross
Philip Devorris
President and Chief Executive Officer, Blair Companies
Stephanie Doliveira
Executive Vice President, People and Culture, Sheetz, Inc.
Lee Falconieri
Vice President, Human Resources, Dunmore Corporation
Timothy Fallon
CEO Emeritus, Lehigh Valley Public Media
Thomas Foley, Sr.
President, Association of Independent Colleges and Universities of Pennsylvania
Roxanna L. Gapstur
President and CEO, WellSpan Health
Carol Gauker
Office Managing Partner, KPMG LLP.
Amy Grippi
Manager, Government and Public Services Practice, Deloitte
Alex Grover
President, i2M
Brad Hall
Retired President, UGI Energy Services
Dr. Brandy Hershberger
Chief Nursing Officer, VP of Academic Affairs, UPMC Centers for Nursing Excellence
Jody Irwin
Director, Benefits Erie Insurance
Dusty Elias Kirk
Partner, Reed Smith LLP
Julia Klein
Independent Board Director & Advisor
Edward Lada, Jr.
President and CEO, Goodwill Keystone Area
Hugh Lavery
Senior Vice President, Government and External Affairs, Thomas Jefferson University and Jefferson Health
Bertram L. Lawson II
President and CEO, YMCA of Greater Brandywine
Alice Lindenauer
Human Rescources Consultant
Mark Longietti
Director, Business and Community Development, City of Hermitage
Douglas I. Oliver
Senior Vice President, Governmental, Regulatory and External Affairs, PECO
Alan Ottinger
President, QIC, Inc.
Timothy Phelps
Executive Director, Transportation Management Association of Chester County
Michael Plazony
Partner, Life Insurance Practice, Davies Insurance Consulting
George Rable
Chief Culture and People Officer, Benco Dental
Mustafa Rashed
President and CEO, Bellevue Strategies
J.B. Reilly
President and Cofounder, City Center Allentown
L. Michael Ross
President, Franklin County Area Development Corporation
Dr. Kendra Ross
Head of Social Impact, Duolingo
Audrey Russo
President and Chief CEO, Pittsburgh Technology Council
Michelle Sandidge
Chief Community Affairs Officer, Housing Authority of the City of Pittsburgh
Kevin Schreiber
President and CEO, York County Economic Alliance
Gov. Mark Schweiker
Former Governor and SVP, Commonwealth of Pennsylvania; Senior Vice President, Corporate Development Officer, Renmatix
Nick Scott Jr.
Vice President, Scott Enterprises
LaTrenda Sherrill
President/Owner, Common Cause Consultants
Troy Standish
Senior Vice President, Navient
Chatón, T. Turner, Esq.
Senior Associate Counsel and VP, Risk Management and Disabilities Services, UPMC
James Waddington, Jr.
Sr. Director, Strategic Engagements, Mercury Systems
Kelly Weaver
USW Sub District Director, United Steelworkers
Andrew Williford
Head of Human Resources, Sales Americas, Volvo CE, North America
Jake Witherell
Chief Operating Officer, Schell Games
Kate Woods
Chief Legal and Compliance Officer, Schweiger Dermatology Group
Steven Wray
Executive Director, Block Center for Technology and Society,
Carnegie Mellon University
Carnegie Mellon University
Emeritus Advisory Council
Gene Barr
Advisor and Former President and CEO, PA Chamber of Business & Industry
Donald Bernhard
Executive Director, Downtown Allentown Community Development Initiative
Jack Brennan
Chairman Emeritus and Senior Advisor, Vanguard
Peter Brubaker
President, Hammer Creek Enterprises, LLC
Anthony Campisi
Chairman of the Board, Glatfelter Insurance Group
Joe Crosswhite
Former Area Executive, M&T Bank
Peter Danchak
Regional President, Northeast PA, PNC Bank
Honorable Chester Harhut
Senior Judge, Lackawanna County Court of Common Pleas
Dan Hoover
Chairman and CEO, Roaring Spring Paper Products
William Isler
President Emeritus, Fred Rogers Productions
Robert Krasne
Chairman and CEO, Steinman Communications
Jerry Maginnis
Former Philadelphia Office Managing Partner, KPMG and Sr. Advisor, Centri Business Consulting, LLC
Phyllis Mundy
Retired State Representative, Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
Kathleen Pavelko
CEO Emerita, WITF Public Media
Norman Rich
Former President and CEO, Weis Markets
J. Donald Steele Jr.
Chairman of the Boards, Northumberland Bancorp and The Northumberland National Bank
Vincentina Taylor
President, Waveline Direct, LLC