Staff Bios

Joseph Geiger, CAE, Executive Director

Joe brings more than thirty-seven years of experience in the fields of education, human resources and nonprofit and association management. Before coming to serve as the Executive Director of PANO in January of 1995 he was a consultant for Organizational Effectiveness Group in Princeton, NJ and Campaign Associates in King of Prussia, PA. He also served as the Executive Director of the Keystone State Head Injury Foundation, various executive positions with the YMCA and a consultant/researcher for the YMCA of the USA in Valley Forge, PA. Joe was a secondary education social studies teacher prior to entering the nonprofit field. He became the executive director at PANO in January 1995.

He earned a Bachelor of Science and Masters Degree in Secondary Education from Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania. He graduated from Columbia University´s Graduate Business School for Not-for-Profit Management. Joe is certified by the American Society of Association Executives as a Certified Association Executive (CAE).

Joe delivers programs on the role of charities in the public policy process, change, feasibility, shared vision, team building, strategic planning and more to organizations throughout Pennsylvania and beyond.

Joe traveled to Japan in 2002 and 2008 as a consultant to the government, business and nonprofit communities to express the value of the nonprofit sector and why government and business should be valued partners. The occurrence was funded by the Japanese Exchange Foundation, Center for Global Partnerships.

Joe is currently on the adjunct faculty at Duquesne University Graduate School where he is teaching Leadership and Organizational Business Ethics. Joe currently sits on the following boards: Lincoln Institute, First Nonprofit Insurance Company Board (Chair), First Nonprofit Holding Company, The First Nonprofit Unemployment Benefits Board (Past Chair), the First Nonprofit Insurance Company Foundation Board and the Big 33 Scholarship Foundation (Vice President). Joe is also on the National Wrestling Coaches Association Board and the Graystone Bank Regional Advisory Board. He serves on the Service Academy Selection Committee for Congressman Tim Holden and for U.S. Senator Pat Toomey.

In the past, Joe served on the Duquesne University Capital Region Advisory Board, National Standards for Excellence Board, Governor´s Rehabilitation Advisory Committee, The Civil Justice Coalition, The Bloomsburg University of PA Alumni Board, Board of Directors for the National Head Injury Foundation, (Joe chaired the Ethics Committee for the National Head Injury Foundation State Associations.) He served on the boards of C3 Publications, The American Trauma Society - PA Division, Thomas Jefferson University Hospital - OVR Project, Penn State University - Rehabilitation Department, the Harrisburg Area YMCA and the Oakmont V Homeowner´s Association Board (President). Geiger is a Past President for the Lower Paxton Township Lion´s Club and served on the DELTA Communities Board.

Joe was the first recipient of the Executive Director of the Year Award inaugurated in 2007 by Eastern University.

Email Joe at joe@pano.org.

James Eirkson, Director of Education and Community Outreach

Education: James earned a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Communication and Rhetoric with a focus in Psychology from the University of Pittsburgh. As part of his studies, he participated in Semester at Sea, a global study abroad program operated by the nonprofit Institute for Shipboard Education (ISE). James also held an internship with the Pittsburgh Council for International Visitors, which fosters relationships between international visitors and the Pittsburgh community. As an ESL instructor in Vietnam, he earned a TESOL international teaching certification.

Experience: James comes to PANO with association experience at the Pennsylvania Funeral Directors Association (PFDA). There he aided with administrative work, the annual convention and helped organize a special project dealing with disaster preparedness and pandemic awareness. James also brings unique experience in working abroad as an ESL instructor for one year in Vietnam.

Community Service: James is a board member of Gifts That Give Hope, Inc.

Email James at james@pano.org.

Leah Gallagher, Part-Time Administrative Assistant

Education: Leah is currently enrolled as a full time, Dean´s List student at The Pennsylvania State University, Harrisburg. She earned an Associate of Arts degree in Graphic Design from Harrisburg Area Community College and expects to graduate with a Bachelor of Science degree in Psychology in 2012. Upon completion, Leah intends to continue her studies by enrolling in a Graduate Psychology Program with a focus on social services and counseling.

Experience: Leah came to PANO at the start of 2009 as a part time temporary employee and continued in assisting the PANO team on an as-needed basis through March of that year. In January of 2010, she was invited back to PANO and throughout the year supported PANO´s efforts by way of designing promotional pieces and providing administrative support. Now as an official part-time employee, Leah brings over 5 years of design and marketing-related job experience.

As Assistant Supervisor for the Home Improvement Contractors Registration Law through the Office of Pennsylvania´s Attorney General Tom Corbett, Leah oversaw the call center/help desk and data entry staff during this full-time temporary position. Additional professional capabilities come from the two years spent working as Marketing Assistant at Jungheinrich Lift Truck´s U.S. headquarters location, an international material handling corporation previously located in Richmond, VA, as well as serving clinic patients as a retinal photographer for Memorial Eye Institute, a leading eye care center located in Harrisburg. Other responsibilities included designing medical forms and print advertisements for newspapers and magazines, and operating video equipment for use in informative surgical videos.

Email Leah at leah@pano.org.

Britton Miller, Standards for Excellence Associate

Education: Britton earned a Bachelor of Liberal Arts Degree in Literature and Creative Writing from Lesley College in Cambridge, Massachusetts.

Experience: Britton comes to PANO with program management and community outreach experience in both community benefit organizations and local government. As Community Engagement Specialist with the County of Albemarle, Virginia, she worked to actively involve citizens in county initiatives, developing a public participation program that won an achievement award from the Virginia Association of Counties. Britton also served as Education Program Coordinator for the Rivanna Conservation Society (RCS) in Charlottesville in a position funded by a Chesapeake Bay Watershed Education Training grant. At RCS, Britton coordinated the first annual “State of the Rivanna” education summit, designed to provide resources and information for teachers about their local watershed. Prior to RCS, Britton worked as program manager for the Florida West Coast Resource Conservation and Development Council, where they worked to strengthen the local food system in West Central Florida.

Community Service: Britton serves as a volunteer trainer with the Lancaster Public Library free computer education program for adults.

Email Britton at britton@pano.org.

Tish Mogan, Standards for Excellence Officer

Education: Tish earned an MBA with concentration in Non-profit Management from Eastern University. This follows an MA in Theology from St. Bonaventure University and a BA in Mathematics with a minor in education from Gwynedd Mercy College.

Experience: Tish brings over 34 years of experience in the fields of education, non-profit administration and business. Her educational experience spans from secondary through graduate level. Currently an adjunct faculty at Eastern University´s MS in Nonprofit Management program teaching the “Ethics and Nonprofit Issues Course in St. Davids, PA and Washington, D.C. Tish enjoys keeping current with the needs of Nonprofit organizations. As the initial Executive Director at The MBF Center, a nonprofit organization located in Norristown, PA, Tish directed the program´s growth in becoming an accredited post-secondary school and employment service for adults with disabilities. Tish brings professional administration experience in creating and leading integrated strategies to align organizational objectives with key constituencies (investors, students, staff and communities). Areas of expertise include program development, fundraising, fiscal and legal accountability, policy development, board management and marketing.

Community Service: Tish serves on the board of Pathstone and is an Advisory Board member for Mercy Spiritual Ministries. Former areas of service include Board member and Chair of the Vocational Division for the Pennsylvania Association of Rehabilitation Facilities, Board member of Freedom Valley Disability Center, Advisor and committee member of The Craig D. Buckler Learn to Ski Program, a fund of The Philadelphia Foundation, Quail Crossing Homeowners Association and the Capital Campaign Committee for Daylesford Abbey as well as numerous volunteer consulting projects in the areas of education, disability services and nonprofit administration.

Email Tish at tish@pano.org.

Jennifer Ross,CAE, Chief Information Officer

Education: Jennifer earned a Bachelor of Arts Degree in French and Sociology with a minor in Fine Arts History from Dickinson College in Pennsylvania. Part of her studies included an academic year at the Dickinson Center at Toulouse, France (Academic Year 1991-1992), where she also had an internship teaching English to students at a French high school.

Experience: Jennifer was PANO´s Member Services Director and Administrative Assistant from January 1997-December 1999. She brought administrative and office managerial experience from two years at the business and political consulting firm Singel Associates and her year and a half on the Friends of Mark Singel Gubernatorial Fundraising Team. Her experience working with databases and dealing with a multitude of requests from clients, associates and funders at her past employment enables her to effectively aid PANO members.

Jennifer has extensive knowledge of databases, spreadsheets, desktop publishing and web design. She employs these skills to design and coordinate PANO´s quarterly newsletter Keynotes, edit and issue the biweekly PANO Enews, upgrade PANO´s website and help maintain PANO´s database. Her primary role at PANO is to serve its members by offering nonprofit help desk assistance and by developing and promoting the member benefits.

She participates in the National Council of Nonprofits Products and Services Group. Jennifer is a member of the Statewide Health Improvement Plan Steering Committee. She is also a member of the American Society of Association Executives.

Community Service: Jennifer is Chair of the board of Jewish Family Service in Harrisburg, and serves as a board member on the Jewish Federation of Greater Harrisburg, and the Jewish Community Foundation of Central PA. She volunteers as requested at Dickinson College and is a former member of its Alumni Council.

Email Jenn at jenn@pano.org.