Luzerne County Manager C. David Pedri has nominated Lynn Hill to oversee the county’s human services division, which has a $104.7 million budget and includes a Children and Youth agency that’s struggling to recover from a license downgrade.
The position, one of eight top division head posts, was vacated Jan. 4 when Michael Donahue accepted a position in Wyoming County. The county council must approve division head nominations and is scheduled to vote on the matter tonight.
According to Pedri’s agenda submission, Hills’ online resumé profile and other available information:
The Nanticoke resident has a bachelor’s degree in sociology with a pre-law concentration and has worked as consumer marketing manager at Mohegan Sun Pocono casino in Plains Township since September 2012. In that position, Hill oversees promotions and events, develops communication strategies, manages a multi-million dollar budget and simultaneously juggles multiple projects.
She also handled business development/marketing at Capital Wine & Spirits in Allentown from April 2011 to September 2012.
Prior to those positions, Hill worked in the social services field for nonprofits.
She was northeast regional manager for the Make-A-Wish Foundation of Greater Pennsylvania and Southern West Virginia from July 2005 to April 2011, overseeing daily operations of an 11-county territory and an annual budget of approximately $950,000.
Hill was event chair for the Scranton-based Professionals Organized Working to Enrich the Region, also known as POWER!, from February 2009 to April 2010; president of the Business and Professional Women’s Association from August 2006 to August 2007; and development director for SAFE (Supporting Autism and Families Everywhere) from October 2004 to July 2005.
Her initial career positions were as a therapeutic support staff worker assisting children with special needs and as a mental health counselor focused on domestic violence victims.
Hill’s online profile said she has a “proven ability to take on challenging positions and quickly become a key contributor within the organization.”
Pedri said his administration was seeking applicants with a strong service background and supervisory and business experience. Four applicants were interviewed, and Hill stood out for her professional preparation, training and relevant experience, he said. If confirmed, Hill would receive an $85,000 salary.
“I feel we’d be lucky to have her be part of a team that is striving to make Luzerne County a better place,” Pedri said.
In addition to Children and Youth, the division covers aging, veteran, drug and alcohol and mental health services.
Mary Dysleski, who oversees county deeds and wills, has been serving as interim human services division head since Donahue’s departure.
The county’s Children and Youth agency is on its third provisional license due to issues found in state inspection reports. State law allows a maximum of four consecutive provisional certificates.
As part of its efforts to avoid another provisional license when this one expires in March, the administration has hired Ridge Policy Group LLC at a cost of $10,000 per month from Jan. 1 through April 30, according to a contract Pedri approved in December.
The company, which includes former state governor Tom Ridge as a partner, was credited with helping York County restore its license in November after four provisionals, according to published reports. Ridge Policy senior government affairs specialist Beverly Mackereth, who was involved in the York County assignment, also is assisting Luzerne County. She was appointed deputy secretary of the state welfare department’s Office of Children, Youth and Families in 2011 and was named acting state welfare department secretary in 2013.
Pedri said Mackereth already has initiated improvements in her first month and stressed the four-month consulting assignment was included in the agency’s 2017 budget.
