Mark Wechsler graduated from Duke University with a B.S. in Computer Science. He has worked for major technology vendors and consulting organizations such as Hewlett Packard, Ernst & Young, KPMG and BearingPoint. Prior to his retirement from ConvergeOne (formerly Arrow Electronics) he served as Vice President of Advisory Services and Vertical Industries at ConvergeOne (formerly Arrow Electronics). Mark has a clear understanding of the practical contribution process, technology and operation improvements can make in developing successful business solutions. With more than 45 years of deep industry experience, Mark provides Veterans Place with guidance that bridges the gap between operations, finance and business.
J. B. Wilcox graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy with a degree in aerospace engineering, and from the U.S. Navy Flight School as a naval aviator. He is currently the Pittsburgh Region Director/General Manager of Breakthrough Performance Group to drive business opportunities in Pennsylvania and West Virginia. J.B. retired from the military as a Major in the U.S. Marine Corps. He continues to assist and counsel candidates interested in pursuing an appointment to the U.S. Naval Academy. In addition to serving on the Board of Directors of Veterans Place, J.B. is the President of the Peters Township High School Girls Lacrosse League.
Bio to come.
Dan Ostrowski graduated from the U.S. Military Academy at West Point with a Bachelor of Science degree in economics, later receiving a Master of Professional Studies in Real Estate from Georgetown University. He served in a variety of positions in the U.S. Army throughout a 20-year career as an Army Aviator (AH-64 Apache Longbow) deploying to both Iraq and Afghanistan on multiple occasions. Dan moved back home to Pittsburgh following retirement from the Army and attended Leadership Pittsburgh’s, Community Leadership Course for Veterans. He is currently working as a Project Manager for JLL and serving his first term on the Board of Directors for Veterans Place.
Dr. Goldfarb is a graduate of The Chicago Medical School and completed a surgical residency at The Western Pennsylvania Hospital in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. He has served as the Director of the hospital’s Burn Center and as the Vice-Chair of the Department of Surgery. He has held numerous administrative positions including, serving as the Chief Medical Officer at both The Western Pennsylvania Hospital and Allegheny General Hospital. Dr. Goldfarb served in the U.S. Army at the rank of Major. He is currently an Assistant Professor at the University of Pittsburgh’s Graduate School of Public Health.
Robert Americus brings a wealth of experience to his role as a Board Member of Veterans Place of Washington Boulevard. With a primary professional background in plastics manufacturing spanning an impressive 50 years, Robert has held key positions in general management, sales, and purchasing at Normandy Products. Alongside his professional achievements, Robert treasures his family life, having been married for 50 years and blessed with two sons and six grandchildren. Beyond his work in the plastics industry, Robert extends his expertise and passion for philanthropy by serving on the Board of Directors for Sunbelt Marketing in Atlanta, GA. Additionally, he lends his talents to consulting for international philanthropy projects, particularly in Africa. Through his dedication to both his professional career and his commitment to philanthropy, Robert Americus embodies a spirit of service and leadership that positively impacts the lives of others.
In September 2016, Hank Beukema retired as a thirty-seven-year western Pennsylvania grant maker, having spent more than 12 years with the Heinz Endowments and The Pittsburgh Foundation as a Program Officer, and 24+ years at McCune Foundation as Executive Director. Since January 2000, he had also been Executive Director of the Pitcairn-Crabbe Foundation, a philanthropy associated with Shadyside Presbyterian Church. After graduating from Yale in 1968, and receiving a reserve commission from the Navy’s Officer Candidate School in Newport, he served as Gunnery and Missile Officer on the guided missile light cruiser USS Leahy. After two at-sea tours on the Leahy, Hank taught military history and naval science at Vanderbilt University’s Naval ROTC unit, before leaving naval service in 1975. In addition to his position as a board member of Veterans Place, Hank’s volunteer work includes Shadyside Presbyterian Church, Winchester Thurston School, and Eye and Ear Foundation.
A seasoned healthcare executive with over two decades of leadership experience in healthcare operations and strategy, Krista A. Bragg has held senior roles at major organizations, including Allegheny Health Network (AHN), UPMC, and Highmark Health, where she led innovation and transformative initiatives in operational excellence, financial stewardship, and value-based care. Krista is the founder and CEO of KB Kinetics, a consulting firm dedicated to optimizing operational efficiency and driving strategic growth for clients, including tech startups and healthcare systems. She holds a Doctorate in Nursing Administration and advanced degrees from the University of Pittsburgh, an MBA in Healthcare Administration, and graduate of the Executive Leadership Program at the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania. Dr. Bragg is also a Six Sigma Black Belt, continuously committed to innovation and operational excellence in both her professional and volunteer roles. She has a deep appreciation for military service, having spent years overseas while her husband served in the Army.
Marva L Brown, CPA, is a native Pittsburgher, having graduated from Duquesne University with a degree in accounting. Prior to attending university, Marva was a Sergeant in the US Marine Corps for six years. She currently works at PNC Bank, as a Risk and Control Advisor and prior to that spent 18 years in Corporate Risk and Compliance at BNY Mellon. Marva has served on several boards in Pittsburgh, including the Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank and is a past President of the National Association of Black Accountants. She is currently a mentor in the Reading is Fundamental program.
Maria Kendziora is a seasoned sales and financial services professional with extensive experience in commercial banking, relationship management, and business development. Currently serving as a Commercial Relationship Manager and Vice President at First National Bank, she excels in optimizing cash functions, improving return on capital, and delivering customized solutions to clients. With a strong background in banking and financial planning, Maria has consistently achieved top-tier sales performance while maintaining exceptional customer satisfaction. Fluent in both English and Russian, she brings a versatile and results-driven approach to the Board of Veterans Place.
Michael is a Pittsburgh native. After high school, he served in the U.S. Army for two years, including one year in Viet Nam. He graduated from the University of South Florida with a Bachelor’s Degree in Sociology, and the University of Pittsburgh, Graduate School of Public and International Affairs, with a Master’s Degree in Urban and Regional Planning. After graduate school, he worked at the Pittsburgh Department of City Planning for 13 years as a principal planner. He then joined the Housing Authority of the City of Pittsburgh as senior development manager. He retired in 2017. He joined the board in 2015 and has served as past vice-president and president.
Augustine D. Faucher did his undergraduate work at Cornell University and received a Ph.D. in Economics at the University of Pennsylvania. He is currently the Chief Economist and Senior Vice President at PNC Financial Services Group in Pittsburgh, PA. His impressive career includes a Senior Economist position in the Office of Economic Policy at the U.S. Treasury Department in Washington, D.C., and a Director and Senior Economist position at Moody’s Analytics. Augustine is currently a member of the American Bankers Association Economic Advisory Committee, on the Board of Directors of the Economic Club of Pittsburgh, and a member of the National Association for Business Economics.
Bradley D. Harrison graduated from the United States Naval Academy with a Bachelor of Science degree and received a Masters degree from Washington, D.C. based Catholic University of America in Engineering Management. Bradley served in a variety of positions in the U.S. Navy following graduation, including as the Officer of the Deck/Ship’s Duty Officer on the USS Oklahoma City and as a Department Head at Strategic Systems Programs. He briefly served in the United States Congress as the District Director for Representative Timothy F. Murphy and as the Military Legislative Assistant for Representative Robert J. Wittman.
Bradley is currently the President and Managing Partner of the boutique real estate and investment firm Creekside Capital as well as the Vice President of Procurement and New Business at E. H. Schwab Company.
Bradley’s other community activities include membership on the Board of Deacons at Fox Chapel Presbyterian Church and a life member of the U.S. Naval Academy Alumni Association and Foundation. He is also a proud father to three children ages 6, 8, and 11.
Mary Robb received both her M.A. and B.A. degrees from the University of Pittsburgh. She retired from KDKA-TV News (CBS) in January 2014 after nearly 40-years as a General Assignment Reporter, Anchor, and Host of Evening Magazine, and has been recognized with community and professional awards, including two Emmy awards.
Since 1980, Mary Robb has been privileged to work with many local veterans organizations. Her work with the Vietnam Veterans Leadership Program (now VLP) led to a 1995 assignment of a series of stories in Vietnam with a Pittsburgh veteran.
Over the years Mary Robb has served on the Boards of Friends of Danang which has built schools throughout Vietnam, and most recently Pittsburgh Hires Veterans.
James Moyer graduated from Slippery Rock University with a Master’s in Business Administration and received an Executive Certificate in Financial Planning from Duquesne University. He is a Certified Financial Planner™ Practitioner and Investment Relationship Manager with Schneider Downs Wealth Management Advisors. He served in the Air National Guard for seven years, working in Communications Cable and Antenna Systems, earning the award of Outstanding Airmen of the Year for the state of Pennsylvania.
Deborah D. Olszewski brings over four decades of legal expertise to her role as Senior Counsel at Allegheny Health Network. A graduate of the University of Pittsburgh (B.A. 1970, J.D. 1979) and Edinboro State College (M.A. 1976), she was admitted to the Pennsylvania Bar in 1979.
Ms. Olszewski began her career in private practice, specializing in professional liability defense for physicians, hospitals, and attorneys. She litigated cases in medical malpractice, errors and omissions policies, and class action and product liability defense. In 2008, she joined West Penn Allegheny Health System after 28 years in private practice.
A Fellow of the American College of Trial Lawyers and Past President of the Academy of Trial Lawyers of Allegheny County, Ms. Olszewski has been recognized as one of the Top 50 Lawyers in Pittsburgh and one of the Top 50 Female Lawyers in Pennsylvania. She has served in numerous leadership roles, including as Chair of the Professionalism Committee for the Academy of Trial Lawyers, where she helped develop statewide guidelines for legal professionalism.
Kevin holds both undergraduate and graduate degrees from The Pennsylvania State University and brings over 40 years of experience in treatment services for adolescents and adults. His career spans various settings, including outpatient and residential facilities, the legal system, and specialty courts. Kevin has a proven track record in program initiation, having successfully established and developed two drug and alcohol treatment programs that offer detoxification, as well as short- and long-term residential treatment.
Kevin’s expertise extends to program development, staff training, and mentoring. He has taught college-level courses in psychology and human development and has conducted trainings on screening and evaluation, the Recovery Oriented System of Care, and treatment planning across multiple counties in Pennsylvania. In addition, Kevin serves as a peer grant reviewer for the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), and the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention.