OUR TEAM
Our Team
Jenn Beer
LDI XVII, YALP IV
Jenn Beer
LDI XVII, YALP IV
President & CEO
Jenn Beer joined Leadership Pittsburgh Inc. (LPInc.) as President & CEO on June 13, 2022.
Prior to that she served the region for fifteen years at the Allegheny Conference on Community Development where she most recently was vice president for government affairs. In that capacity, she supported the Greater Pittsburgh Chamber of Commerce by directing state and regional public policy issues that aligned with the strategic priorities of the organization. She was instrumental in the efforts to secure state public pension reform, increase tax credits for community development initiatives, garner comprehensive state transportation funding, and numerous other business climate and local government initiatives. Jenn has been a re-occurring guest representing the business community on “Our Region’s Business”, a weekly Sunday-morning business affairs program co-produced by the Allegheny Conference on Community Development and WPXI-TV.
Before joining the Conference, Jenn spent four years in Washington, D.C. as government affairs manager with the Society of Interventional Radiology, and previous to that she was a legislative assistant for Pennsylvania State Representative Dan Frankel.
Jenn graduated from the University of Pittsburgh with a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and a concentration in Russian Studies. She also has a Graduate Certificate in Political Management from The George Washington University. Also a proud graduate of LPInc.’s Leadership Development Initiative (Class XVII), the program was a catalyst for Jenn’s career and solidified her passion for working to make the Pittsburgh region a better place.
Recently appointed to the University of Pittsburgh’s Institute of Politics’ Board of Fellows, Jenn is also a Commissioner on the Southwestern Pennsylvania Commission, the Pittsburgh region’s metropolitan planning organization. In addition, Jenn also sits on the board of directors for the Latino Community Center, the Local Government Academy, and is Vice Chair of Trying Together. She also mentors women in the region through PA Women Work’s “Three Cups of Coffee” program.
Jenn was named to Pittsburgh Business Times’ Power 100 list in 2022. She was also honored in 2022 as one of forty women across Pennsylvania by City & State PA with their Above & Beyond Award, given to women in Pennsylvania that have demonstrated exemplary leadership in their field, combined with having made significant contributions to society.
Jenn lives with her husband and two kids in Mt. Lebanon.
Krissy DeShetler
LDI XXIV
Krissy DeShetler
LDI XXIV
Senior Manager, Programs & Strategic Initiatives
Krissy joined the Leadership Pittsburgh Inc. (LPInc.) team in November 2018 and serves as Senior Manager of Programs and Strategic Initiatives. Krissy is a proud graduate of LPInc.’s Leadership Development Initiative program (LDI XXIV) and is honored to have the opportunity to work with current cohorts and continue LPInc.’s mission of strengthening regional leadership.
In her role, Krissy manages all activities related to the Community Leadership Course for Veterans™ (CLCV™), LPInc.’s program aimed at leveraging the skills and knowledge of high potential veteran leaders in service of the betterment of the broader Pittsburgh region. She manages recruitment, executes the design, planning and implementation of the program and oversees partnership development and cultivation, event planning, and evaluation of CLCV™. In addition to her CLCV™ duties, Krissy also leads other LPInc. initiatives, including Board Matching. Krissy is also working closely with the President and CEO on research and planning of future strategic initiatives.
Krissy brings more than twenty years of experience in nonprofit administration and management. Prior to joining LPInc., Krissy held various leadership roles at Family House where she oversaw IT for five locations and approximately 50 staff members; processed deposits and payroll; supervised the processing of accounts payable and donations; created organizational reports and managed several other technology and operations related projects.
Before boomeranging to Pittsburgh in 2009, Krissy worked in various administrative, production, and arts management roles at theatres in the Chicago, Columbus, Indianapolis, and Washington, DC areas. Krissy holds a BFA in Theatre Design and Technology from Otterbein University in Westerville, Ohio.
Krissy served as the President of the Board of Directors for Partnership for Animal Welfare (Greenbelt, MD) and was a founding board member and President of the Board of Directors for Mon River Arts (Elizabeth, PA). Krissy grew up in South Park and currently resides in Jefferson Hills with her husband, George, and their ten-year-old son. Her family’s more recent adventures include organizing and coaching a FIRST LEGO™ League team in the Jefferson Hills community.
Jasmine Morris
Jasmine Morris
Business & Operations Manager
Jasmine Morris serves as Business and Operations Manager to Leadership Pittsburgh Inc. (LPInc.), managing many key operations of the organization.
In her role, Jasmine supports the board of directors as well as the marketing, recruitment, and fundraising efforts. Additionally, Jasmine manages many key external relationships for the organization. Previous to her current role, Jasmine served as Program Manager for Community Leadership Course for Veterans™ (CLCV™). Prior to her role as Program Manager, Jasmine served as Programs Associate supporting the Leadership Pittsburgh Inc. (LP) program and other strategic initiatives, as well as worked closely with “Executive Welcome”, a key program presented in partnership with the Allegheny Conference on Community Development. Jasmine joined the team in 2013 as Office Coordinator.
Before joining the Leadership Pittsburgh Inc. team, Jasmine served as Administrative Coordinator at Hilltop Community Childcare Center in the Knoxville neighborhood where she grew up. Jasmine managed the front office, as well as assisted in classrooms of various age groups. She obtained a number of Early Childhood Education related certifications and worked vigorously to ensure that the facility met all requirements for top accreditations. Jasmine served as a liaison for childcare funding and food program sources and was responsible for enrolling all children and families into the center and affiliated programs.
Jasmine holds a B.A. in Professional Communication and Business Marketing from Chatham University. A Pittsburgh native, Jasmine attended Schenley High School and was among the first class of high school graduates to receive a Pittsburgh Promise scholarship award. Jasmine has remained involved with the Pittsburgh Promise as a founding member of the Promise Legacy Alumni Association.
Shawna Gugliuzza
Shawna Gugliuzza
Program Manager
Shawna Gugliuzza joined the Leadership Pittsburgh Inc. (LPInc.) team in July of 2013 and currently serves as Program Manager for LPInc.’s flagship program, Leadership Pittsburgh (LP). As Program Manager, Shawna is responsible for the coordination and day-to-day management of LP. Additionally, she supports the maintenance of LPInc.’s database and editing of the organization’s communication materials.
Prior to her current role, Shawna served as Assistant Program Manager, supporting the LP program and several other LPInc. strategic initiatives, including The Leader’s Brain. Shawna has also provided support for Leadership Development Initiative (LDI), LPInc.’s program for high potential emerging leaders, and has previously maintained responsibility for many key operations of the organization, including providing financial administrative support for the tuition-based programs.
Born and raised in Pittsburgh, Shawna graduated from Carrick High School and is a proud Pittsburgh Promise Alumna. After graduating from Carrick, Shawna attended Slippery Rock University for two years before transferring to Penn State Greater Allegheny where she received her Bachelor of Science degree in Psychology. While attending Penn State, Shawna tutored students at a local intermediate school, middle school, and high school through the Penn State Educational Partnership Program (PEPP) and was also involved with Penn State’s Psychology Club. Throughout college, Shawna also worked part-time as a server for Brookdale Senior Living at The Devonshire of Mt. Lebanon. During the summer of 2012, Shawna had the opportunity to study abroad in London, England where she interned with the area’s leading provider of voluntary sector mental health services, City and Hackney Mind and I.R.I.E. Mind. Before joining the LPInc. Team, Shawna interned with The Pittsburgh Promise and continues to support their mission as a founding member and former events chair of Promise Legacy, The Pittsburgh Promise’s Alumni Association.
Shawna is a devoted fan of all things Pittsburgh, especially sports, and has a passion for traveling, animals, and dance. After dancing competitively for eleven years, Shawna continued her involvement with Co. Motion independent competitive dance team as an instructor for ages ranging from five to twenty-four for eight years.
Shawna currently resides in West Mifflin with her husband, Ian, and their baby boy, Luca. Outside of work, Shawna enjoys reading, camping, and spending time with her family, friends, and beloved fur-babies.
Sarah Jugovic
Sarah Jugovic
Program Manager
Sarah serves as a Program Manager, managing all activities related to the Leadership Development Initiative (LDI) program.
LDI is a program designed for investing in the future leader, using data-driven training models and access to experts who share their experiences as our community better prepares the talented professionals who will lead this region in the coming years. She executes program design, planning, and implementation of the program in addition to partnership development and cultivation, event planning, management, and evaluation.
Prior to her current role, Sarah served as the Outreach and Programs Coordinator. Her primary responsibilities included program support for both the LDI and Community Leadership Course for Veterans™ (CLCV™) programs. She also developed communication materials, maintained the Leadership Pittsburgh Inc. (LPInc.) social media channels, and coordinated event logistics to engage LPInc. alumni through outreach such as the Annual Champagne Lunch and Alumni Connection Event. Sarah has been a part of the LPInc. team since January 2021.
Sarah’s experience in the Pittsburgh nonprofit community started in 2014 when she assisted Bike Pittsburgh in their efforts to host the first-ever Women and Biking Forum, now known as the Women & Non-Binary Bike Summit. Following, she spent over 5 years with the Pittsburgh Pirates organization in various roles after evolving from an intern in the Community Relations department to spearheading impactful initiatives with Pirates Charities. Sarah’s work with Pirates Charities, the philanthropic arm of the MLB team, included executing fundraising activities, grant distributions, and programming that improved the lives of children and adults in the greater Pittsburgh region. Sarah also spent time with the Pittsburgh Downtown Partnership as their Member Relations Manager. She was responsible for planning and implementing programs and projects that engaged members, cultivated new members, and enhanced volunteer participation.
Sarah holds a B.A. in both Communications and Media Arts with a minor in Public Relations from Chatham University. She is a proud Girl Scout Gold Awardee and Chatham Alumna – having previously served as the first Young Alumni Trustee on the Chatham University Board of Trustees. When Sarah isn’t touring the city by bike, you might find her kayaking the Three Rivers.
Laura Ruschak
Laura Ruschak
Alumni Engagement & Outreach Manager
Laura joined the Leadership Pittsburgh Inc. (LPInc.) team in June 2023. As the Alumni Engagement and Outreach Manager for LPInc., Laura shapes the Alumni experience for a coalition of 3,500 Leadership Pittsburgh Inc. graduates across diverse industries, regions, and demographics, as well as spearheads external communications for Leadership Pittsburgh Inc. through digital storytelling.
Prior to her role at LPInc, Laura served as Director of The Women’s Leadership and Mentorship Program at Robert Morris University. As Director, Laura empowered students to thrive in spaces of leadership and to simultaneously lift while they climb. To do this, she connected students, mentors, and professionals with tools to succeed in their civic and professional lives, as well as simultaneously empowered students to identify and dismantle systemic barriers to diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging.
Laura’s work has included nonprofit leadership as well as strategic communications projects for Fortune 100 and 500 companies, startups, and NGOs. Laura is proud to have worked as Associate Director for Ripple Effect Images, a creative collective of National Geographic Photojournalists documenting the global power of women. As Associate Director, Laura managed a portfolio of twenty-six partner organizations in sixteen countries, leading documentary storytelling projects in Myanmar, Cambodia, Guatemala, and India that highlighted the urgency of investing in women leaders internationally. She fiercely believes in the power of storytelling to grow solidarity amongst leaders and historically marginalized communities.
In 2019, Laura thru-hiked all 2,192 miles of the Appalachian Trail, becoming one of only 20,000 people to do so in the world. She hopes to inspire leaders to follow their passion down their own unique path. In 2023, she earned her Master’s in Organizational Leadership with a certificate in Nonprofit Management from Robert Morris University, and enjoys continuing her education through professional development groups and learning opportunities in the Pittsburgh region.
Emily Roush
Emily Roush
Program & Outreach Assistant
Emily Roush joined Leadership Pittsburgh Inc. (LPInc.) as Program & Outreach Assistant in November 2023.
In this role, Emily supports programming and planning efforts for the Leadership Development Initiative (LDI) program. In addition to supporting LDI, she assists in alumni outreach efforts and develops communications collateral for the organization.
Before becoming a part of the LPInc. Team, Emily Roush was previously an Administrative Coordinator at James Gallery for 2 and a half years. James Gallery is a leader in the fine art and framing industry in the Greater Pittsburgh Area. Emily assisted the Director of the Gallery to coordinate with artists, plan exhibitions, and manage inventory entry. Emily also worked alongside the project managers to assist with art placement projects from start to finish in various sectors. She assisted with Corporate, Healthcare, Sports Venues, Residential, and Senior Living projects. In addition to providing project support, she lead media initiatives with implementing and scheduling social media posts and newsletters, as well as updating the website.
In addition to her time at James Gallery, Emily was awarded as Contemporary Craft’s Cheteyan Scholar in 2020. Emily worked in collaboration with the Director of Exhibitions to aid in the planning and preparation for two exhibitions. The program gave insight into an arts-based nonprofit at a nationally and internally renowned arts organization based in Lawrenceville.
Emily graduated with a Bachelor of Arts from Gettysburg College in May 2021. She pursued a double major in Art History and Organizations and Management Studies. During her time there, she was involved with the Management Department as a Peer Learning Assistant, the Schmucker Gallery as a Gallery Attendant, and with Residential Life as a Resident Assistant and a Resident Coordinator.
Emily was born and raised in Pittsburgh and also lived in San Jose, CA for a few years. Outside of work, she enjoys travelling, visiting museums, getting outside, and spending time with friends and family.
Olivia Miller
Olivia Miller
Programs Assistant
Olivia Miller joined the Leadership Pittsburgh Inc. (LPInc.) team as a Programs Assistant in May 2024. In this role, she supports the planning, preparation, and execution of the Leadership Pittsburgh program as well as the Community Leadership Course for Veterans™.
Prior to her role at LPInc., Olivia held marketing-focused positions at several local digital marketing agencies as well as a sports marketing agency where she ideated and carried out marketing campaigns for professional and college athletes. She was introduced to Pittsburgh’s nonprofit community by serving as newsletter editor for the Downtown Neighbors Alliance in 2023. In this role, she interviewed and crafted articles about notable stakeholders in Downtown Pittsburgh, including chefs, real estate developers, small business owners, and leaders in the nonprofit sector. Olivia also worked for local public relations agency, Green Dot Communications. In her role, she garnered media coverage of Pittsburgh Architecture Week 2023 as well as the platform, Pittsburgh’s first conference for social media content creators in early 2024.
Originally from Charleroi, Pennsylvania, Olivia graduated from Duquesne University in May 2024 with a dual major in accounting and marketing with a concentration in digital marketing and analytics. Throughout her time in college, she ran an on-campus marketing organization and was regularly featured on the group’s blog and podcast.
When she is not at work, you can find her reading, thrift shopping, or exploring the city’s vibrant and delicious food scene.