Jan Mindish

Executive Director

Jan was named executive director after serving as a board member from 2010 to 2016, plus a stint in 2017. She began her Penn Manor career in 1972 as an elementary art teacher and spent 37 years with the district as an art and photography teacher, assistant principal and high school principal, retiring in 2009 after 12 years. Jan was named Pennsylvania High School Principal of the Year in 2007. She is involved in several community organizations, including the Millersville Woman’s Club and the Demuth Foundation. Jan also teaches art classes in Penn Manor’s Twilight Program and has organized a summer art camp at the Lancaster Museum of Art.

Dianne Smith

Executive Assistant

Diane is a former Penn Manor employee who retired in 2015 after 34 years, including 28 years as Central Manor Elementary School’s secretary. She’s still active at the school as a volunteer. Diane previously served on the PMEF board and has transitioned into the executive assistant position to assist the executive director. Dianne and her husband, Barry, live in Washington Boro.

Becky Spezialetti

Board President

Becky (Penn Manor Class of 1982) worked in administration until 2008, when she left her job to stay home with her family. She and her husband, Ron, are the parents of Brooke and Cole, who attended Penn Manor schools. They live in Millersville.

Bradley Seiger

Board Vice President

Brad is a third-generation Penn Manor graduate who lives in Millersville. He is the son of PMEF board president Tracy Seiger and former board member Tom Seiger. A 2018 graduate of West Chester University with a bachelor’s degree in business management, Brad works at Clark Associates in Lancaster as an assistant vendor manager. He also serves as ambassador for Clark Associates to West Chester University.

Matt Blank

Matt returned to the board after serving an initial term from from 2012 to 2018. A 2000 graduate of Penn Manor High School, he works with his father at MBC Remodeling, and plays drums in several regional bands, including The Vivien Leigh Documentary. Matt lives in Millersville with his wife Leah (Class of 2003), and sons Mason and Bennett.

Carole Chismar

Carole and her husband, Paul, both are retired Penn Manor teachers whose two children, Elizabeth and Brian, graduated from Penn Manor High School. Carole began teaching at Pequea Elementary before transferring to Eshleman, where she taught first grade until her retirement in 2014. She and her husband are avid Penn State fans and enjoy traveling throughout the United States.

Liz Crum

Liz was a teacher for Penn Manor from 1982 until 2016. In retirement, she has worked as a substitute teacher and volunteer at Central Manor Elementary School. She also works part-time at Eve’s Garden and Mangold’s Tax Service. A 1977 Penn Manor graduate, Liz is a board member of Town and Country Garden Club and has been involved with the club’s scholarship program and other programs for over 25 years.

JoLynn Drexel

JoLynn has been part of the Penn Manor community for 35 years and retired at the end of the 2019-2020 school year after teaching at Conestoga, Hambright, Martic and Pequea elementary schoools. JoLynn’s daughter, Jenny Fisher, also teaches in the district, and two other Drexel family members have taught in the district.  JoLynn and her husband, Jeffrey, live in West Willow and have two children and three grandchildren.

Kathy Fish

A proud Penn Manor parent and grandparent, Kathy retired as director of endowment operations at Franklin & Marshall College, where she managed operational aspects of the college’s $300 million endowment. Her sons,Tom and Mike, graduated from PMHS in 1997 and ’99, respectively, and daughter Jennifer graduated with the Class of 2002. Four of Kathy’s grandchildren attend Central Manor Elementary School.

Joe Herman

Joe retired in 2014 from teaching social studies at Penn Manor High School, but has continued to stay involved in Penn Manor. He serves as a tutor at the high school and as an adviser to the school’s Civil War Club. He’s also a volunteer coach for the junior high soccer program and coaches throwers for the high school track and field team. Joe is serving a second term on the PMEF board.

Katie Hess

Katie owns Gather Home Boutique and Furniture in Conestoga and serves on the Millersville Lioness Club. She and her husband, Dell, have two sons who attended Penn Manor schools. Katie says her family moved to Penn Manor because of the quality of its schools and she is looking forward to giving back to the school district as a PMEF board member.

Patrick Kline

Pat is definitely a Penn Manor guy. He is a Penn Manor alumnus (Class of 1982), is married to Laura (PM Class of 1984), and has two children, Erik (PM Class of 2010) and Cassie (PM Class of 2015). Pat has served as a member of the Penn Manor School Board as well as coached youth softball, baseball and basketball. He operates his own business in Quarryville, a State Farm Insurance Agency.

Don Mowery

Treasurer

Don is a partner at Trout CPA who has served since 2013 as treasurer of the PMEF board. A 1996 graduate of Penn Manor, he lives in Millersville with his wife, Gail. They have five children: Erica, Ryan, Kyle, Scott and Alex. He enjoys playing golf recreationally and in competitive tournaments, as well as playing in couples tournaments with his wife. Don also enjoy watching movies and reading about changes in tax laws.

Nicki Nafziger

A Penn Manor graduate and community member, Nicki serves on both the PMEF board and the Penn Manor school board. She and her husband, Jeremy, live in Millersville and are the parents of Isiac and Mackenzi, who attended Penn Manor schools. Nicki is the president of Agape Care Inc. and a member of the Sertoma Club of Lancaster, the Lancaster Chamber, and the Millersville Business Association.

Barbara St. John

Secretary

Barb spent 29 years with Penn Manor as a teacher at elementary and middle schools, most recently at Eshleman Elementary, until retiring in 2015. A native of Lewistown, Barb lives in Millersville. Her daughter, Kelly, is a 2014 Penn Manor High School graduate who is Penn Manor’s athletic trainer. Barb is excited to join the PMEF board to give back after having received several classroom Venture Grants over the years as a teacher.

Scott Stephan

Scott works for Roseville Wealth Management Group and has served as a counselor for Crossroads Counseling and as chairman of various church committees at Ascension Lutheran Church. He and his wife, Laura, live in Lancaster and have two children, Zac and Jared. Scott enjoys spending time with his family, rescue dogs and golf.

Jerissa Warfel

Jerissa has been involved with PMEF since 2009, serving in several roles. In recent years, she has co-chaired the PMEF Annual Dinner Committee. Jerissa works under the U.S. Department of State Bridge USA program supporting International Exchange students through AuPairCare and Ayusa. She volunteers as an officer of the Conestoga Elementary PTO and is a club advisor for Aevidum at Marticville Middle. Jerissa and her husband, Eric, have five children; two are Penn Manor graduates, and three attend Penn Manor schools.

Dr. Phil Gale

Superintendent, Ex Officio Member

Phil is the superintendent of Penn Manor School District and serves as an ex officio member of the Foundation board. He previously was assistant superintendent for secondary education and principal of Penn Manor High School. Phil received his doctorate in educational leadership from Immaculata University and his master’s in educational leadership from Millersville University. He and his wife, Jill Montgomery, live in Millersville and have two sons who are Penn Manor alumni.

Brian Wallace

Community Relations Coordinator, Ex Officio Member

Brian is community relations coordinator for Penn Manor School District. A former newspaper reporter and editor and part-time ESL teacher, he does publicity for the school district as well as the Education Foundation. Brian is the husband of Susan Wallace, who works in customer service for a Lancaster software company. They live in Lancaster and have five adult children, Jess, Anne, Colleen, Jimmie and Owen.