Podcasts about commonwealth partners

Giordano welcomes Matt Brouillette, President and CEO of Commonwealth Partners Chamber of Entrepreneurs, back onto the Dom Giordano to break down the gubernatorial and senate primaries in Pennsylvania. First, Giordano asks about gubernatorial frontrunner Doug Mastriano, and whether Brouillette things the candidate has any shot against a very strong candidate in Josh Shapiro, with Giordano telling that he's concerned that Mastriano will scare off a moderate vote. Then, Giordano and Brouillette discuss the potential for the other, more moderate candidates, to drop out and team up against Mastriano. Giordano suggests that somebody like Dave White withdrawing would bring more support for candidates like Lou Barletta or Bill McSwain, and vice-versa. Then, Dom and Matt flip over to the Senate side of things, telling of a negative favorability rating that Dr. Oz faces while he continues to surge as a frontrunner, with Brouillette and Giordano stressing the importance of winability in a general election. (Photo by Win McNamee/Getty Images)

Full Hour | In today's second hour, Dom welcomes Fox29 reporter Steve Keeley back onto the Dom Giordano Program to discuss the breaking news that Edsaul Mendoza, a former Philadelphia police officer, has been charged with first degree murder in the fatal shooting of 12-year-old Thomas “TJ” Siderio. Steve Keeley takes us inside DA Larry Krasner's press conference announcing the charges, explaining what the prosecution team has found regarding the case. Then, Keeley tells about what he's spent most of his time reporting, being crimes within the SEPTA system, and responds to SEPTA Police Chief Thomas Nestel who suggested that the media is overblowing crime. Then, Matt Brouillette, former President of the Commonwealth Foundation and Founder and CEO of Commonwealth Partners' Chamber of Entrepreneurs rejoins the Dom Giordano Program to take us inside Pennsylvania's Republican gubernatorial primary after publicly endorsing Bill McSwain. Giordano and Brouillette jump right into a discussion centered around candidate Doug Mastriano and his running mate Ted Daniels, with Brouillette telling that a vote for Mastriano is essentially a vote for the Democrat AG Josh Shapiro, since Mastriano has no shot against the candidate in a general election. (Photo by Getty Images)

Matt Brouillette, former President of the Commonwealth Foundation and Founder and CEO of Commonwealth Partners' Chamber of Entrepreneurs rejoins the Dom Giordano Program to take us inside Pennsylvania's Republican gubernatorial primary after publicly endorsing Bill McSwain. Giordano and Brouillette jump right into a discussion centered around candidate Doug Mastriano and his running mate Ted Daniels, with Brouillette telling that a vote for Mastriano is essentially a vote for the Democrat AG Josh Shapiro, since Mastriano has no shot against the candidate in a general election. (Photo by Getty Images)

President Biden presided over the launch of his virtual “Summit for Democracy” on Thursday. Biden warned the more than 80 leaders of democratic nations that the threat to democratic forms of government is pressing and all “the date we're seeing is largely pointing in the wrong direction.” The statements may have fallen a little hollow as the U.S. is one of the nations that has been newly placed on the list of nations considered democratic backsliding nations. While the White House put out a list of actions it says its taken to protect the vote, one lawyer from the Texas Civil RIghts Project told The Guardian, “you have to be kidding me,” the actions are nothing but “minor tweaks on the edge of the problem.”  Angela Merkel's 16 year reign as German chancellor came to an end this week as the new chancellor from the Social Democratic Party (SPD), Olaf Scholz, took the oath of office. He will lead a coalition between the SPD, the Greens, and the libertarian inclined Free Democrats. Scholz will be the first chancellor to lead a cabinet to include as many women as men. The coalition also has ambitious plans to fight climate change by phasing out coal and prioritizing renewable energy.  And this little ditty from The Independent: “Patagonia CEO Ryan Gellert has called out big businesses for their alleged duplicity on the climate crisis as well as their opposition to the Biden administration's ambitious Build Back Better Act. 'The [corporate] sector has historically been full of s***, and the sector is still full of s***,' Mr Gellert told Fast Company on Monday." Workers in Buffalo, NY become the first to get a union at a Starbucks. UAW workers win the right to directly elect their leadership, bringing new measures of rank-and-file democracy to a powerful union.  Canada bans conversion therapy and France moves to make it a criminal offense. All I want for Christmas are legislative maps!  Maps, maps and more maps!  The Pennsylvania House Republicans released their congressional map drawn by former Lehigh County Republican Commissioner Amanda Holt.  It's a solid GOP gerrymander.   Then Senate Democrat Sharif Street released a “compromise map” that's a 6-11 GOP Gerrymander.  Why?  Well, that map places a congressional district in his backyard and would set up a potential primary between Congressman Brendan Boyle and Sharif Street. State and national Democrats are pissed to say the least, calling the map a non-starter. Lastly, the Legislative Reapportionment Committee, which is responsible for drawing the state house and senate maps, is getting ready to release their maps and vote on them in the coming weeks.  The AP reported this week that Pennsylvania's right-wing billionaire Jeffrey Yass is looking to spend $20 million on his endorsed candidate for Governor and all the usual suspects from the Commonwealth Foundation and the Commonwealth Partners are at the center of it.      Hospitals in rural PA are facing are sounding the alarm in the face of rapidly increasing COVID cases. According to PennLive, “Geisinger hospitals throughout north-central Pennsylvania are operating at well over 100% percent of their capacities, with unvaccinated COVID-19 patients responsible for most of the strain.”  The Philly Inquirer reports that COVID hospitalizations are at the highest rate since January - the peak of the last COVID surge.  Scientists just discovered a planet that is 11 times as massive as Jupiter orbiting a dual star system, the b Centauri system. The discovery is changing scientists' understanding of the conditions under which planets can form. 

Tune in as Commonwealth Partners Chamber of Entrepreneurs Political Director Jeremy Baker outlines our endorsements in the Pennsylvania judicial primary elections and why we are recommending "YES" votes on two proposed constitutional amendments to restore a legislative check and balance on a governor's emergency powers.

CHANNELLOCK® President and CEO Jon DeArment, who is also on our board of Trustees at Commonwealth Partners, recently wrote an op-ed on how Gov. Wolf shutdown his business last year and why he’s urging Pennsylvanians to vote yes on two proposed constitutional amendments so no one’s livelihood is again deemed non-essential. This episode is an audio version of that op-ed.

Matt Brouillette, Founder and President of The Commonwealth Partners, rejoins the Dom Giordano Program to discuss Governor Tom Wolf's repeated attempts to seize power in the form of ‘flexible disaster emergency declarations.' In a meeting yesterday, the Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency discussed the need for emergency disaster declarations in order to quickly and effectively prepare for, respond to and recover from disasters. The meeting comes as ahead of the upcoming primary election, in which voters will have a chance to lessen the powers of the Governor, an amendment proposed in response to the Governor's overbearing ruling during the Coronavirus pandemic. Brouillette and Giordano explain why they're in favor of the amendments reducing the Governor's power, and explains why the change is necessary. (Photo by Mark Makela/Getty Images) See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Ep92: Judge Kevin Brobson, candidate for PA Supreme Court by Commonwealth Partners

In this Points of Policy edition of the 1819 Podcast, Phil Williams is joined by Pennsylvania politicos Charles Mitchell of the Commonwealth Foundation and Matthew Brouillette of Commonwealth Partners. Together, they discuss how the presidential election may have been greatly affected by late and seemingly political decisions by Pennsylvania's democratic leaders.   To learn more about the 1819 Podcast or the Alabama Policy Institute, visit alabamapolicy.org.

Have we forgotten the true purpose of public education? As the COVID-19 pandemic has upended the educational landscape, more and more parents are considering options other than traditional brick-and-mortar public schools for their children. Now more than ever, we should revisit the original purpose of public education—and reclaim our education system for that purpose. In this episode, Commonwealth Partners President and CEO Matt Brouillette, a former middle school and high school history teacher, shares an audio version of a piece he wrote several years ago called "Reclaiming Public Education."

At the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, Gov. Tom Wolf assured Pennsylvanians his decisions would be driven by data and science. But as “flatten the curve” slowly turned into “flatten the economy,” it became clear Gov. Wolf’s science of choice was political. Now, however, political science has given way to “affective science,” as Wolf’s rhetoric has shifted toward whether everyone should “feel” comfortable. Commonwealth Partners president and CEO Matt Brouillette recently addressed the shift in an op-ed. This is an audio version of that piece.

Public sector unions are supposed to represent their workers, but where can workers go when they’ve been mistreated by union officials? In this conversation with Commonwealth Partners president and CEO Matt Brouillette, Nathan McGrath, president and general counsel of The Fairness Center, explains how this non-profit public interest law firm helps workers who often have nowhere else to turn. Nathan also gives the latest update on where Pennsylvania labor law stands as we near the two-year anniversary of the landmark Janus v. AFSCME U.S. Supreme Court ruling.

Among the many things Pennsylvanians saw throughout Gov. Tom Wolf’s shutdown of the economy during COVID, the disaster of the state-run liquor system ranks among the more frustrating. From closed stores to an attempt at online selling that launched with abysmal failure, government-run booze underwhelmed, to say the least. In this episode, Commonwealth Partners president and CEO Matt Brouillette talks with state Rep. Tim O'Neal on his renewed push to get government out of the booze business in Pennsylvania.

Nearly six weeks into Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf’s business shutdown order in response to COVID-19, attorney and business owner Jonathan Goldstein joins Commonwealth Partners president and CEO Matt Brouillette to discuss a federal lawsuit he’s filed challenging Gov. Wolf’s order—but not for the reasons you might think.

Recounting a 30-year military career, a family background of unbelievable stories of heroism, and a passion for America, freshman PA state Senator Doug Mastriano has a story that will keep you on the edge of your seat. In this conversation with Commonwealth Partners president and CEO Matt Brouillette, Sen. Mastriano discusses his experiences as a combat veteran, his path to the Senate, and even his appearance in a recent movie.

PA State Rep. David Rowe has what he describes as an unconventional childhood. After spending a few years working in Asia just out of high school, he returned to Pennsylvania and took the path of an entrepreneur in the commonwealth. In this conversation with Commonwealth Partners president and CEO Matt Brouillette, David shares about the experiences that led him to run for office, his policy passions as a lawmaker, and how he found a way to be both the class clown and valedictorian in high school.

Pittsburgh attorney Heather Heidelbaugh is running for the Republican nomination for Pennsylvania attorney general in 2020 in a race that could pit her against incumbent AG Josh Shapiro. In this conversation with Commonwealth Partners president and CEO Matt Brouillette, Heather shares how she’s faced and overcome multiple obstacles in life, tells about a major case she tried that garnered national attention, explains why she’s running for attorney general, and identifies one major campaign promise she’s making that Josh Shapiro isn’t.

In 2015, Martina White became the first new Republican elected to the State Legislature in Philadelphia in 25 years. Now, as the newly elected chair of the Republican Party of Philadelphia, she faces the challenge of revitalizing a party in need of a resurgence. In this conversation with Commonwealth Partners president and CEO Matt Brouillette, Martina talks about her priorities in the State Legislature, what it’s like being a Republican in Philadelphia, and her approach of setting achievable goals that will produce results.

You might say PA State Representative Dawn Keefer grew up with small business in her DNA. Coming from an entrepreneurial family, she launched her own business and didn't intend to run for office. In this conversation with Commonwealth Partners president and CEO Matt Brouillette, Rep. Keefer shares the tipping point that inspired her to run, tells one thing she was never asked while knocking on more than 5,000 doors, and discloses her biggest frustration in Harrisburg, as well as her motivation!

Teacher, principal, superintendent, secretary of education, teachers’ union executive director—Dr. Carolyn Dumaresq knows education inside-out. Now, she’s fighting opposition in an effort to open a charter school in Harrisburg. In this conversation with Commonwealth Partners president and CEO Matt Brouillette, Dr. Dumaresq shares how someone who once worked for the state’s biggest teachers’ union today is a charter school advocate (hint: it’s the union that’s changed its position), and tells why some say her life has “gone to the dogs.”

Pennsylvania’s Gov. Tom Wolf recently took aim at public charter schools, threatening to cut their funding and limit options for even more students. Ana Meyers, the Executive Director of the Pennsylvania Coalition of Public Charter Schools, joins Commonwealth Partners president and CEO Matt Brouillette to set the record straight on how these schools are helping kids traditional public schools leave behind.

Chester County, PA, located outside Philadelphia, went from red to blue between the 2016 and 2018 elections. Is this the beginning of a trend?Chester County Chamber of Business and Industry president Guy Ciarrocchi talks with Commonwealth Partners president & CEO Matt Brouillette about the county's economic growth, how educational opportunity is actually an economic issue, and whether 2018 was a political anomaly or the county is blue to stay.

State Representative Frank Ryan is a retired U.S. Marine Corps Colonel and CPA who specialized in saving companies from bankruptcy. Now, he's taking on one of Pennsylvania's most angst-inducing issues: property taxes. In this conversation with Commonwealth Partners president and CEO Matt Brouillette, Rep. Ryan discusses how he got into politics, his school property tax elimination plan, and his intent to walk across America--again.

Newly elected Allegheny County GOP Chair Sam DeMarco has a focused vision for the county. In this conversation with Commonwealth Partners president and CEO Matt Brouillette, Sam shares why he became a Republican, what needs to happen to strengthen and grow the county party, and his predictions for Trump’s 2020 victory prospects both nationally and in Pennsylvania.

Logos Academy has been serving children in York, Pa. for more than 20 years. Unique among many private schools, Logos reserves 2/3 of its seats for students living in poverty. In this conversation with Commonwealth Partners president and CEO Matt Brouillette, Logos CEO and Head of School Aaron Anderson discuss Logos' philosophy of education, the demand for the type of learning environment Logos provides, and how private schools like Logos are not competitors but rather complements to traditional public schools.

Pennsylvania’s natural gas industry is not only one of the most important industries in our state and even our country—it’s also one of the most misunderstood. Marcellus Shale Coalition President Dave Spigelmyer joins Commonwealth Partners president and CEO Matt Brouillette to share some under-recognized benefits of natural gas, debunk several persistent myths, and identify major changes in the energy landscape over the past 10 years.

With Pennsylvania at the epicenter of presidential politics, the state’s Republican Party Chairman, Val DiGiorgio, joins Commonwealth Partners president and CEO Matt Brouillette to lay out the political landscape heading into the 2019 and 2020 elections. Val shares how the GOP is ahead of the game in several ways and also identifies one area where the party is lagging—and how he would change this.

More than 20 years ago, Kirk Hallett had a successful career in construction equipment sales, but he was looking for something different. So he founded the Joshua Group, which gives kids in Harrisburg’s Allison Hill neighborhood a chance at the solid educational foundation that will help carry them through life. In this conversation with Commonwealth Partners president and CEO Matt Brouillette, Kirk shares how the Joshua Group is making a difference in the lives of hundreds of children and describes the changes he'd like to see in Pennsylvania's education policy.

Rep. Matt Bradford has been serving the people of Montgomery County, Pa. since 2009. Last fall, he was elected to a key leadership position as House Democratic Appropriations Committee Chairman. In this conversation with Commonwealth Partners president & CEO Matt Brouillette, Rep. Bradford talks about his upbringing, his reason for entering public service, and how Republicans and Democrats can come together to address issues such as education funding and human services reform.

Pa. State Representative Donna Bullock grew up in New Jersey, but love brought her to Philly. From a very young age, she learned the principles of responsibility and service to others. Today, these values remain central to her work as a state lawmaker. In this chat with Commonwealth Partners president & CEO Matt Brouillette, Rep. Bullock shares her passion for issues including education, environmental justice, and criminal justice reform.

Rep. Sheryl Delozier never intended to run for office. That changed when a state House seat became vacant and she was challenged to “put up or shut up”. Now, Rep. Delozier is joining with lawmakers from both parties to fight for much-needed criminal justice reform in Pennsylvania. She joins Commonwealth Partners president and CEO Matt Brouillette to talk about her path to the Legislature and her determination to improve Pennsylvania's criminal justice system.

Rep. Kate Klunk’s family roots in Pennsylvania predate the Declaration of Independence. And for generations, her family has sought to give back to the community. This desire to serve inspires Kate’s work as a lawmaker today. In this conversation with Commonwealth Partners president and CEO Matt Brouillette, Rep. Klunk talks about her background, her priorities in the Legislature, and why advancing simple, commonsense reforms can sometimes be an uphill battle.

Longtime Pennsylvania capitol reporter Jan Murphy has broken countless major stories in her years covering state politics. In this conversation with Commonwealth Partners president and CEO Matt Brouillette, Jan takes on the role of interviewee, sharing some pivotal events that shaped her life and telling the clues that led to her uncovering one of the state’s biggest political scandals in recent memory.

Before Charles Mitchell became president and CEO of the Commonwealth Foundation, he was put on trial at Bucknell University for standing up for free speech. In this conversation with Commonwealth Partners president and CEO Matt Brouillette, Charles talks about his college battle against campus speech codes, his motivation to get up each morning, and his plans to start a school.

Pa. State Rep. Greg Rothman worked his way through kindergarten, was fired from his first job at age 11, and spent nearly 10 years in the Marine Corps Reserve before becoming a lawmaker. In this Brews & Views episode, Greg talks with Commonwealth Partners president and CEO Matt Brouillette about his passion for working, his path to the state Capitol, and his dream job.

Sen. Rich Alloway surprised many by announcing he’s leaving the state Senate at the end of February. He recently sat down with Commonwealth Partners president and CEO Matt Brouillette to discuss his road from college drop-out to attorney, the issues he’s been most passionate about while in office, and what he plans to do next.

First-term State Representative Valerie Gaydos is an entrepreneur who knows what it means to successfully run a small business. And she understands firsthand the impact Pennsylvania's public policies have on entrepreneurs. In this conversation with Commonwealth Partners president and CEO Matt Brouillette, Rep. Gaydos discusses how Pennsylvania can spur economic growth by helping—not hindering—job creators.

Pa. State Senator Scott Martin is passionate about helping Pennsylvanians move from dependency to self-sufficiency. A lifelong resident of Lancaster County, Scott recently sat down with Commonwealth Partners president and CEO Matt Brouillette to talk about the values he learned while growing up as the oldest of seven children, his reason for running for office, and how Pennsylvania can achieve priorities including greater healthcare access, economic growth, and improved educational opportunity.

He’s been covering Pennsylvania state government for two decades, but journalism wasn’t his first career choice. PennLive opinion editor John Micek joins Commonwealth Partners president and CEO Matt Brouillette to look at the state of the media, offer predictions on what to expect from Gov. Tom Wolf and the new Legislature heading into 2019, and talk about moonlighting in a rock band!

Many public employees believe they benefit from union membership, but what about those who are being mistreated by their union? David Osborne, president and general counsel of the Fairness Center, a non-profit public interest law firm, talks with Commonwealth Partners president and CEO Matthew Brouillette about the firm’s work representing those facing unjust treatment from public sector union officials.

Freshman State Representative Andrew Lewis already has an impressive resume as a decorated combat veteran and a family construction businessman. In this Brews & Views conversation, Andrew talks with Commonwealth Partners president and CEO Matt Brouillette about his service in Iraq as a U.S. Army Scout, his family’s entrepreneurial spirit, and why when it comes to state government, he believes in ‘increasing the sunlight to disinfect the state.’

Gordon Denlinger is the new Pennsylvania State Director of the National Federation of Independent Business. In this Brews & Views conversation with Commonwealth Partners president and CEO Matt Brouillette, Gordon talks about his Watergate-era-inspired interest in politics, his time serving in the Pa. House, and how lawmakers can work across the party aisle to expand economic opportunity in Pennsylvania.

Rep. John Taylor is closing out 34 years in the Pennsylvania House of Representatives, but he ’s not leaving the policy realm entirely. In this conversation with Commonwealth Partners president and CEO Matt Brouillette, John shares what it's like being one of the few Republicans from Philadelphia in the state Capitol, reflects on his decades of public service, and hints at his next career move.

Rep. Steve Bloom is known in Pennsylvania as a strong conservative—but he wasn’t always one. In this conversation with Commonwealth Partners president and CEO Matt Brouillette, Steve talks about how he arrived at his beliefs, why he decided to run for office when he never thought he would, and what his next career step will be when he leaves the Pa. House at the end of this year.

“I hit reply all, and thus began my career as a freedom fighter.” That’s how Keith Williams, a 20-year veteran of public-school teaching, describes the genesis of his fight to secure the First Amendment rights of public-sector workers in Pennsylvania. In this conversation with Commonwealth Partners president & CEO Matthew Brouillette, Keith, now the Pennsylvania Director of Americans for Fair Treatment, discusses the pivotal Janus v. AFSCME Supreme Court ruling—which empowered public workers to join or not join a union without penalty—and details the many options teachers have in the wake of Janus.

Farmer, adjunct professor, lawmaker. Rep. Aaron Bernstine goes by all three. First elected to the Pa. state legislature in 2016, Aaron joins Commonwealth Partners president & CEO Matt Brouillette to share his biggest surprise on joining the legislature, his record of working across the aisle to reach common goals,, and why he believes you can learn everything you need to know in life from Google and YouTube.

From State Senator and Lieutenant Governor to Acting Governor, Mark Singel has worn many political hats. In this Brews & Views conversation, Mark joins Commonwealth Partners president and CEO Matt Brouillette to talk about growing up in Johnstown Pa., the eyebrow-raising requests he received while serving as acting governor, and the state of civil discourse on both the national and state political stages.

Pa. Republican Lt. Gov. nominee Jeff Bartos has always been interested in politics—from running for class president in 7th grade to holding a leadership position in the Student Senate at Emory University. After working as an attorney for several years, Jeff re-entered the political fray. Now, as the Republican nominee for Lt. Gov., Jeff joins Commonwealth Partners president and CEO Matt Brouillette to talk about why he’s running, what he believes, and how he plans to lead.

U.S. Senator Pat Toomey entered national politics almost accidentally. In this conversation with Commonwealth Partners president and CEO Matt Brouillette, Senator Toomey talks about his background as one of six children, his road to the Senate, and his views of President Trump’s policies.

In an age of bitter partisan divide, Jeff Coleman offers something different: a return to civility in the public square. In 2001, Jeff became the youngest state representative in Pennsylvania. Four years later, he left political office to save his marriage. In this conversation with Commonwealth Partners president & CEO Matt Brouillette, Jeff brings his trademark humor to discussing his background and political aspirations then tackles serious topics including the state of political discourse, the impact of public service on marriages and families, and where we go from here.

Pennsylvania State Senator Daylin Leach has received the limelight both for his policy work and for his personality. A committed liberal who is no stranger to controversy, Daylin talks with Commonwealth Partners president and CEO Matt Brouillette about his personal background and political career, the current state of civil discourse, recent allegations that have appeared in the media, the pivotal Janus v. AFSCME Supreme Court ruling, and more.

Over his decades-long career reporting on the Pennsylvania capitol, Brad Bumsted has covered it all: the rise and fall of politicians, corruption scandals, and even multiple good-government reforms. In this conversation with Commonwealth Partners president and CEO Matt Brouillette, Brad tells how he became a journalist, recounts some of the stories he's covered, and predicts how national politics will (or won't) affect the 2018 Pennsylvania gubernatorial race.

State Rep. Kristin Phillips-Hill says joining the legislature was baptism by fire, but Thanksgiving dinners with her family were great preparation. In this conversation with Commonwealth Partners president & CEO Matt Brouillette, Kristin, who is running for state Senate, tells how hard work and education helped lift her mother’s family from poverty, why she became a Republican, and why she believes her principles—not her gender—should win voters’ confidence.

Former Pennsylvania House Speaker Bill DeWeese spent 36 years in the state Legislature followed by nearly two years in state prison on a conviction of using public resources for political means. Now a lobbyist, Bill talks with Commonwealth Partners president & CEO Matt Brouillette about his upbringing, his rise to political leadership, his political downfall, and how he's using his experiences to effect change.

As president of the Pa. Chamber of Business and Industry, Gene Barr has been named "The Most Effective Association Lobbyist" in the state. How did he go from a 9-year-old delivering newspapers to the leading voice for nearly 10,000 businesses across Pa.? And why is he optimistic about the state's future? Gene answers both these questions and more in this conversation with Commonwealth Partners president & CEO Matt Brouillette.

Rep. Seth Grove’s family has Pennsylvania roots extending back hundreds of years. First elected to the state legislature in 2008, the York County native talks with Commonwealth Partners president & CEO Matt Brouillette about his political philosophy, his approach to the state budget process, and how Bill Clinton helped shape his policy perspective.

Beaver County native Jim Christiana made his first run at elected office at just 21 years old — and won. Now, the five-term state representative is running for U.S. Senate. In this conversation with Commonwealth Partners president and CEO Matt Brouillette, Jim talks about growing up in western PA, becoming the first college graduate in his family, and why he considers his youth an asset, not a liability, when it comes to political leadership.

Elected to the Pa. State House in 2012, Rep. Jordan Harris is chairman of the Pennsylvania Legislative Black Caucus. In this conversation with Commonwealth Partners president & CEO Matt Brouillette, Jordan discusses his focus on improving the state’s education landscape, particularly in urban areas, his passion for criminal justice reform, and his little-known musical talent.

Rep. Kerry Benninghoff is among the longest-serving members of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives. In this conversation with Commonwealth Partners president & CEO Matt Brouillette, Kerry shares an important childhood lesson he learned about the value of work, his passion for helping people achieve self-sufficiency, and how his experience with adoption drove him to champion a transformative policy change.

John Baer is one of the most recognized names in Pennsylvania politics. The longtime political columnist for the Philadelphia Daily News, Philadelphia Inquirer, and Philly.com sat down with Commonwealth Partners president & CEO Matt Brouillette to talk about growing up surrounded by news, tell some unique stories of his career, and give his predictions for the 2018 Pennsylvania gubernatorial race.

From walking the halls of the Pennsylvania State Capitol to being confined to state prison, former lawmaker Mike Veon tells Commonwealth Partners president and CEO Matt Brouillette his story of rising through the ranks of the politically powerful, winding up in prison, and emerging to rebuild his career.

Jennifer Hill talks to Petra Durnin about common pitfalls that Millennials face when interviewing and entering the workplace. Petra describes what she looks for when she is hiring and emphasizes how important it is to stand out and be indispensable. Petra Durnin joined CBRE in January 2016 as the Director of Research & Analytics for Southern California and brings with her over fifteen years of research, analytics, writing, editing, consulting, and mentoring experience. She manages a team of 30 real estate professionals that gathers primary research, provides strategic analysis, and produces value-add thought leadership on the market and economy. Ms. Durnin develops strategic solutions including alignment of a cohesive, cross-functional Research team to expand service, leverage talent, develop business, and improve efficiency; forges effective regional media relationships, securing exclusive quarterly coverage in major national and local media outlets; manages and analyzes data across multiple product types; performs top down market analysis for executive management, conferences, internal and external clients; produces unique thought leadership reports. Additionally, Ms. Durnin maintains deep relationships with landlords who utilize CBRE data for their business decisions, such as Brookfield Properties, Commonwealth Partners, Equity Office Properties, Hines, Lincoln Property Company, and John Hancock. Ms. Durnin has also trained and mentored over 20 broker trainees who have become successful brokers in the Southwest region. Prior to joining CBRE, Ms. Durnin managed Research for the southwest region at Cushman & Wakefield from 2006 to 2015. From 2004 to 2006, Ms. Durnin worked with developers, owners and city leaders while at the Downtown Center Business Improvement District (DCBID) on numerous projects related to the Downtown Renaissance. In addition to tracking residential, retail and hospitality projects from planning through completion, she quantified the economic impact of development and spearheaded demographics studies, all of which are widely used throughout the region. She began her real estate career in 2000 at Cushman & Wakefield. In 2001, she received the Cushman & Wakefield Outstanding Achievement Award, in 2005, the IDA Downtown Achievement Award for producing the Downtown Living Weekend Event, which drew over 7,000 attendees, and in 2015 she won the Cushman & Wakefield Mentor of the Year Award. Ms. Durnin is an active member of the DCBID and volunteers for Habitat for Humanity, Ronald McDonald House, and Junior Achievement.

Jennifer Hill talks to Petra Durnin about common pitfalls that Millennials face when interviewing and entering the workplace. Petra describes what she looks for when she is hiring and emphasizes how important it is to stand out and be indispensable. Petra Durnin joined CBRE in January 2016 as the Director of Research & Analytics for Southern California and brings with her over fifteen years of research, analytics, writing, editing, consulting, and mentoring experience. She manages a team of 30 real estate professionals that gathers primary research, provides strategic analysis, and produces value-add thought leadership on the market and economy. Ms. Durnin develops strategic solutions including alignment of a cohesive, cross-functional Research team to expand service, leverage talent, develop business, and improve efficiency; forges effective regional media relationships, securing exclusive quarterly coverage in major national and local media outlets; manages and analyzes data across multiple product types; performs top down market analysis for executive management, conferences, internal and external clients; produces unique thought leadership reports. Additionally, Ms. Durnin maintains deep relationships with landlords who utilize CBRE data for their business decisions, such as Brookfield Properties, Commonwealth Partners, Equity Office Properties, Hines, Lincoln Property Company, and John Hancock. Ms. Durnin has also trained and mentored over 20 broker trainees who have become successful brokers in the Southwest region. Prior to joining CBRE, Ms. Durnin managed Research for the southwest region at Cushman & Wakefield from 2006 to 2015. From 2004 to 2006, Ms. Durnin worked with developers, owners and city leaders while at the Downtown Center Business Improvement District (DCBID) on numerous projects related to the Downtown Renaissance. In addition to tracking residential, retail and hospitality projects from planning through completion, she quantified the economic impact of development and spearheaded demographics studies, all of which are widely used throughout the region. She began her real estate career in 2000 at Cushman & Wakefield. In 2001, she received the Cushman & Wakefield Outstanding Achievement Award, in 2005, the IDA Downtown Achievement Award for producing the Downtown Living Weekend Event, which drew over 7,000 attendees, and in 2015 she won the Cushman & Wakefield Mentor of the Year Award. Ms. Durnin is an active member of the DCBID and volunteers for Habitat for Humanity, Ronald McDonald House, and Junior Achievement.

Matt Brouillette, Commonwealth Partners talks with Gary Sutton about the State Budget on WSBA

Matt Brouillette, Commonwealth Foundation and Commonwealth Partners, talks with Gary Sutton about the House Pension Reform on WSBA

Matt Brouillette, Commonwealth Partners, talks with Gary Sutton about PLCB rules and other topics on WSBA

Matt Brouillette, Commonwealth Partners, talks with Gary Sutton about the bill that Gov. Wolf said he will veto. It would end the use of seniority as the primary factor in determining teacher furloughs when a district must make layoffs. Instead, it would be based on performance.