The Pennsylvania Greenways & Trails Summit (Sept. 17-19, Scranton) already has a broad array of local and state level dignitaries speaking at plenary moments before the keynote address, and during luncheon and dinner receptions. Confirmed speakers include:
PennDOT Secretary Mike Carroll
Secretary Carroll; photo provided by PennDOT.
Mike Carroll was first elected to the Pennsylvania House of Representatives in 2006 and subsequently re-elected for seven additional terms, and he worked on transportation throughout his time in public office. Mike was Democratic chairman of the House Transportation Committee from 2018 through 2022.
In 2010, Mike was awarded the Boy Scouts of America Minsi Trails Council Distinguished Citizen Award for his work to rehabilitate the Stillwater Dam in Tobyhanna Township. In 2014, he was awarded the Jean Yates Award from the Pittston Memorial Library Board of Trustees based on his dedication and service to the library and the Joseph Battisto Award for his legislative service to the citizens of Monroe County. In 2015, he received the Pennsylvania Citizens for Better Libraries (PCBL) State Elected Official Award. In May 2016, he received the BAYADA Home Health Care Champion award, and in June 2016 he was presented with the Silver Bayonet Award by AMVETS in grateful appreciation of services rendered to the community, state, and nation.
Mike formerly worked as the chief of staff for then-state Rep. John Yudichak, served as legislative liaison for PennDOT under Gov. Robert Casey and served as district office director for Congressman Paul Kanjorski. A graduate of Pittston Area High School, Mike earned a Bachelor of Arts in liberal studies from the University of Scranton. A lifelong resident of Avoca, he is a member of the Friendly Sons of Saint Patrick in Pittston, and the Ancient Order of Hibernians, Avoca Division. Mike is father of three adult children, Matt, Mackenzie, and Ali.
DCNR Secretary Cindy Adams Dunn
Secretary Dunn; photo provided by DCNR.
Cindy Adams Dunn has served as the Secretary of the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources since 2015. She has served multiple positions in the agency under three governors during the last three decades.
During her tenure, Ms. Dunn has helped position Pennsylvania as a leader in land conservation, outdoor recreation, green practices, and public land management. Under her leadership, the department created the Pennsylvania Outdoor Corps to connect youth and young adults with job opportunities relating to the outdoors and the environment; advanced water quality initiatives within the Chesapeake Bay and across the commonwealth through investments in conservation, buffer plantings, and restoration; advanced mitigation and adaptation best practices related to climate
change; managed the highest visitation at state parks and forests; and received historical levels of funding to address the growing conservation and recreation needs of the commonwealth.
Ms. Dunn’s non-profit conservation and advocacy roles include serving as the president and chief executive officer of PennFuture, state director of Audubon Pennsylvania, Pennsylvania coordinator for Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay, and as an environmental educator for the Chesapeake Bay Foundation.
Past DCNR roles included serving as deputy secretary of Conservation and Technical Services from 2007-2013, where she led Conservation Landscape program and oversaw the grant program, which provides $30-$60 million annually for conservation and recreation throughout the commonwealth. Other leadership posts include director of the Bureau of Recreation and Conservation and director of the Office of Education, Communications and Partnerships. Ms. Dunn first joined DCNR in the mid ‘90s as director of Community Relations and Environmental Education.
Over the years Ms. Dunn has been recognized with numerous awards for her leadership in conservation including: Pennsylvania Environmental Council’s Lifetime Achievement Award; the Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay’s Frances E. Flanigan Environmental Leadership Award; Pennsylvania Federation of Sportsmen’s Clubs and Pennsylvania Wildlife Federation Conservationist of the Year; Cumberland County Conservation District Conservationist of the Year; the PA Recreation and Park Society Local Government Award; PA Association of Environmental Professionals Karl Mason Award; the National Wildlife Federation Women in History Award; and the Schuylkill River National Heritage Area Legacy Award.
Ms. Dunn holds a bachelor’s and master’s degree in biology from Shippensburg University. She and her husband, Craig, reside in Cumberland County. When not championing the efforts of DCNR, Ms. Dunn enjoys the natural and recreation resources DCNR works hard to protect and promote through hobbies that include birding, canoeing, fishing, and hiking.
Director of Outdoor Recreation, Nathan Reigner
Director of Outdoor Recreation Reigner; photo provided by DCNR.
Pennsylvania’s Director of Outdoor Recreation is Nathan Reigner, a PhD social scientist with extensive experience analyzing, planning for, managing, and building collaboration to support outdoor recreation at every level from the local to the international.
Throughout his career he has served as a policy analyst, consultant, business owner, university professor, conservation commissioner, and trail club leader, all with a focus on helping communities,
parks, trails, and tourism destinations deliver outstanding experiences while protecting their essential character.
Reigner has worked in and with more than 100 parks, forests, trails, historic sites, and heritage areas in more than half the states and territories in the union and overseas in Europe, Asia, and the Middle East.
A native of Pennsylvania, Reigner has a bachelor’s degree in Anthropology and Sociology from Gettysburg College, a Master of Science in Forestry from Virginia Tech, and a Doctorate in Natural Resource Management from the University of Vermont.
City of Scranton Mayor P. Cognetti
Mayor Cognetti; photo provided by the Scranton Mayor’s office.
Prior to becoming Mayor, she advised the Pennsylvania Auditor General, the chief fiscal watchdog of the commonwealth, on oversight of public-school districts, care for older adults, criminal justice reform and student debt. Mayor Cognetti previously served as a director on the Scranton School Board.
Mayor Cognetti served in the Obama administration as a senior advisor to the Under Secretary for International Affairs at the U.S. Treasury Department. She was a fundraiser and project director on numerus political campaigns. She also worked as an investment advisor in New York City.
Mayor Cognetti holds an MBA from Harvard Business School and graduated summa cum laude from University of Oregon Clark Honors College with a BA in English Literature and Romance Languages.
Mayor Cognetti was born in Eugene, Oregon and spent most of her childhood in Beaverton, Oregon. She lives in Scranton with her husband and their daughter.
Additional Dignitaries Invited:
Lackawanna County Commissioners.
