The Southwestern Pennsylvania Commission (SPC) recently announced that Lillian Gabreski has been named its Director of Transportation.

She will join the organization’s leadership team, lead a department of 13 staff members, and oversee transportation initiatives on behalf of the 10-county region.

Gabreski has an exceptional background in strategic planning and transportation, as well as securing state and federal grants.

She joined the organization in 2018, and has become known by both staff members and external partners for taking innovative approaches to solving complex challenges.

“I am excited to have Lillian officially join our leadership team,” Executive Director of the Southwestern Pennsylvania Commission Rich Fitzgerald said. “She has been with the organization for over six years, and in that time, has demonstrated her steadfast commitment to improving the quality of life for area residents.

Lillian’s leadership style, expertise in transportation, and proven experience in securing grants for our region made her a natural choice for this position. She will hit the ground running and continue with SPC’s mission of planning for the continued success of Southwestern Pennsylvania.”

As Director of Transportation, Gabreski will direct the development of the organization’s required program documents like the region’s Transportation Improvement Program (TIP) and Long-Range Transportation Plan (LRTP).

Both the TIP and LRTP plan for specific transportation and infrastructure projects across the 10-county region.

Additionally, Gabreski will supervise all of the department’s programs including multimodal transportation planning, operations and safety, transportation demand management, a vanpool program, active transportation initiatives like trails, and many other initiatives.

During her time at SPC, Gabreski has served in a variety of roles. More recently, she has served as the Manager of Sponsored Program Development and led the organization’s development of competitive grant funding applications for local, state, and federal discretionary programs.

She played a very instrumental part in developing the application which SPC, PennDOT, and Pittsburgh Regional Transit (PRT) submitted to the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) to secure the $142 million grant for the Eastern Pittsburgh Multimodal Corridor project.

Additionally, she has guided the organization’s efforts on equity to ensure that programs adhere to the federal environmental justice requirements and Justice40 guidance.

Gabreski earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science from Penn State University’s Schreyer Honors College, and a Master of Public Administration with a concertation in economic and financial policy from Cornell University.

Gabreski officially assumed the role on Oct. 24.

View the full story at leadertimes.com.

New appointments and changes in leadership have been made by Trinity Metro, Luminator, Southwestern Pennsylvania Commission (SPC) and STV.

The SPC has appointed Lillian Gabreski to serve as its director of transportation. She will lead a department of 13 staff members and oversee transportation initiatives on behalf of the 10-county region. 

Gabreski has established a background in strategic planning and transportation, as well as securing state and federal grants. She joined the organization in 2018 and has become known by both staff members and external partners for taking innovative approaches to solving complex challenges.  

“I am excited to have Lillian officially join our leadership team,” said SPC Executive Director Rich Fitzgerald. “She has been with the organization for over six years and in that time, has demonstrated her steadfast commitment to improving the quality of life for area residents. Lillian’s leadership style, expertise in transportation and proven experience in securing grants for our region made her a natural choice for this position. She will hit the ground running and continue with SPC’s mission of planning for the continued success of Southwestern Pennsylvania.” 

As director of transportation, Gabreski will direct the development of the organization’s required program documents like the region’s Transportation Improvement Program (TIP) and Long-Range Transportation Plan (LRTP). Both the TIP and LRTP plan for specific transportation and infrastructure projects across the 10-county region. Additionally, Gabreski will supervise all of the department’s programs including multimodal transportation planning, operations and safety, transportation demand management, a vanpool program, active transportation initiatives like trails and other initiatives. 

During her time at SPC, Gabreski has served in a variety of roles. More recently, she has served as the manager of sponsored program development and led the organization’s development of competitive grant funding applications for local, state and federal discretionary programs. She played an instrumental part in developing the application which SPC, Pennsylvania Department of Transportation and Pittsburgh Regional Transit submitted to the U.S. Department of Transportation to secure the $142 million grant for the Eastern Pittsburgh Multimodal Corridor project. Additionally, she has guided the organization’s efforts on equity to ensure that programs adhere to the federal environmental justice requirements and Justice40 guidance. 

Gabreski earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in political science from Penn State University’s Schreyer Honors College and a master of public administration with a concentration in economic and financial policy from Cornell University. She officially assumed the role on Oct. 24.

View the full story at masstransitmag.com.

The Southwestern Pennsylvania Commission (SPC) announced today that Lillian Gabreski has  been named its Director of Transportation. She will join the organization’s leadership team, lead a department of 13 staff members, and oversee transportation initiatives on behalf of the 10-county region.

Gabreski has an exceptional background in strategic planning and transportation, as well as securing state and federal grants. She joined the organization in 2018, and has become known by both staff members and external partners for taking innovative approaches to solving complex challenges.

“I am excited to have Lillian officially join our leadership team,” said Rich Fitzgerald, Executive Director of the Southwestern Pennsylvania Commission. “She has been with the organization for over six years, and in that time, has demonstrated her steadfast commitment to improving the quality of life for area residents. Lillian’s leadership style, expertise in transportation, and proven experience in securing grants for our region made her a natural choice for this position. She will hit the ground running and continue with SPC’s mission of planning for the continued success of Southwestern Pennsylvania.”

As Director of Transportation, Gabreski will direct the development of the organization’s required program documents like the region’s Transportation Improvement Program (TIP) and Long-Range Transportation Plan (LRTP). Both the TIP and LRTP plan for specific transportation and infrastructure projects across the 10-county region. Additionally, Gabreski will supervise all of the department’s programs including multimodal transportation planning, operations and safety, transportation demand management, a vanpool program, active transportation initiatives like trails, and many other initiatives.

During her time at SPC, Gabreski has served in a variety of roles. More recently, she has served as the Manager of Sponsored Program Development and led the organization’s development of competitive grant funding applications for local, state, and federal discretionary programs. She played a very instrumental part in developing the application which SPC, PennDOT, and Pittsburgh Regional Transit (PRT) submitted to the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) to secure the $142 million grant for the Eastern Pittsburgh Multimodal Corridor project. Additionally, she has guided the organization’s efforts on equity to ensure that programs adhere to the federal environmental justice requirements and Justice40 guidance.

Gabreski earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science from Penn State University’s Schreyer Honors College, and a Master of Public Administration with a concertation in economic and financial policy from Cornell University. She will officially assume the role on Oct. 24.

View the full article at beavercountyradio.com.

The Southwestern Pennsylvania Commission said Monday that Lillian Gabreski has been named its director of transportation, in which she will lead a department of 13 staff members and oversee transportation initiatives on behalf of the 10-county region.

“I am excited to have Lillian officially join our leadership team,” said SPC Executive Director Rich Fitzgerald. “She has been with the organization for over six years, and in that time, has demonstrated her steadfast commitment to improving the quality of life for area residents.”

As director of transportation, Gabreski will direct development of the organization’s required program documents such as the Transportation Improvement Program and Long-Range Transportation Plan, both of which plan for specific transportation and infrastructure projects across the 10-county region.

Also, Gabreski will supervise all of the department’s programs including multimodal transportation planning, operations and safety, transportation demand management, a vanpool program, active transportation initiatives like trails, and many other initiatives.

Since joining SPC, Gabreski has served in a variety of roles, most recently as manager of Sponsored Program Development, and led SPC development of competitive grant funding applications for local, state, and federal discretionary programs.

She played a key role in developing the application which SPC, PennDOT, and Pittsburgh Regional Transit submitted to the U.S. Department of Transportation to secure the $142 million grant for the Eastern Pittsburgh Multimodal Corridor project.

She also guided commission efforts on equity to ensure that programs adhere to the federal environmental justice requirements and Justice40 guidance.

Gabreski earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science from Penn State University’s Schreyer Honors College, and a Master of Public Administration with a concertation in economic and financial policy from Cornell University. She will officially assume the role on Thursday.

View the full article at indianagazette.com.

The Southwestern Pennsylvania Commission has announced that Lillian Gabreski has been named its director of transportation.

Gabreski will join the organization’s leadership team, lead a department of 13 staff members and oversee transportation initiatives on behalf of the 10-county region.

She brings a background in strategic planning and transportation, as well as securing state and federal grants, which includes her time with the commission she had joined in 2018.

Gabreski has served in a variety of roles. More recently, she has served as the manager of Sponsored Program Development and led the organization’s development of competitive grant funding applications for local, state and federal discretionary programs.

View the full article at butlereagle.com.

The Southwestern Pennsylvania Commission (SPC) announced today that Lillian Gabreski has been named its Director of Transportation. She will join the organization’s leadership team, lead a department of 13 staff members, and oversee transportation initiatives on behalf of the 10-county region. 

Gabreski has an exceptional background in strategic planning and transportation, as well as securing state and federal grants. She joined the organization in 2018, and has become known by both staff members and external partners for taking innovative approaches to solving complex challenges. 

“I am excited to have Lillian officially join our leadership team,” said Rich Fitzgerald, Executive Director of the Southwestern Pennsylvania Commission. “She has been with the organization for over six years, and in that time, has demonstrated her steadfast commitment to improving the quality of life for area residents. Lillian’s leadership style, expertise in transportation, and proven experience in securing grants for our region made her a natural choice for this position. She will hit the ground running and continue with SPC’s mission of planning for the continued success of Southwestern Pennsylvania.” 

As Director of Transportation, Gabreski will direct the development of the organization’s required program documents like the region’s Transportation Improvement Program (TIP) and Long-Range Transportation Plan (LRTP). Both the TIP and LRTP plan for specific transportation and infrastructure projects across the 10-county region. Additionally, Gabreski will supervise all of the department’s programs including multimodal transportation planning, operations and safety, transportation demand management, a vanpool program, active transportation initiatives like trails, and many other initiatives. 

During her time at SPC, Gabreski has served in a variety of roles. More recently, she has served as the Manager of Sponsored Program Development and led the organization’s development of competitive grant funding applications for local, state, and federal discretionary programs. She played a very instrumental part in developing the application which SPC, PennDOT, and Pittsburgh Regional Transit (PRT) submitted to the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) to secure the $142 million grant for the Eastern Pittsburgh Multimodal Corridor project. Additionally, she has guided the organization’s efforts on equity to ensure that programs adhere to the federal environmental justice requirements and Justice40 guidance. 

Gabreski earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science from Penn State University’s Schreyer Honors College, and a Master of Public Administration with a concentration in economic and financial policy from Cornell University. She will officially assume the role on Oct. 24. 

Media Inquiries: Caitlin O’Connor
Cell: 412-719-5366
coconnor@spcregion.org

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About Southwestern Pennsylvania Commission:
The Southwestern Pennsylvania Commission (SPC) is the federally designated metropolitan planning organization (MPO), local development district (LDD), and economic development district (EDD) that serves 10 counties in Southwestern Pennsylvania. The organization’s coverage area includes Allegheny including the City of Pittsburgh, Armstrong, Beaver, Butler, Fayette, Greene, Indiana, Lawrence, Washington and Westmoreland counties. It keeps the region connected and moving forward by helping to plan for its future. It is responsible for planning and prioritizing the use of state and federal transportation funding and establishing economic and workforce development priorities for the region.

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Many workers in southwestern Pennsylvania were left with few career prospects when economic and environmental concerns shifted coal mining to other regions. To address that challenge, the Pittsburgh Robotics Network yesterday announced that it has received a $750,000 grant to launch the Robotics Leadership Academy and provide new opportunities in robotics and autonomous systems.

The Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC) provided the grant as part of $68.2 million in funding for 65 projects through its Partnerships for Opportunity and Workforce and Economic Revitalization (POWER) Initiative. POWER directs federal resources to economic diversification and revitalization projects in Appalachian communities affected by the downturn of the coal industry.

With matching funds from regional contributors, the total funding for the Robotics Leadership Academy amounts to $1.5 million. This funding will support a three-year initiative to equip 220 workers with the skills necessary to drive innovation and commercialization within the region’s robotics cluster.

“We are incredibly grateful for the ARC’s support,” stated Jennifer Apicella, executive director of the Pittsburgh Robotics Network (PRN).

“This funding allows us to continue expanding Pittsburgh’s robotics business ecosystem by fostering a more skilled workforce capable of transforming both local and global markets,” she added. “The Robotics Leadership Academy will be instrumental in building the talent pipelines necessary to sustain our region’s competitive edge while accelerating the commercial growth of these companies.”

A similar program is the eKentucky Advanced Manufacturing Institute (eKAMI), which opened a robotics training center in 2020.

The Pittsburgh Robotics Network is a non-profit organization dedicated to building a leading robotics ecosystem around Pittsburgh. By connecting businesses, investors, and academia, the PRN said it works to accelerate the commercial growth and impact of robotics in the region and beyond.

Team members from the Southwestern Pennsylvania Commission, the region’s federally designated Local Development District (LDD), provided technical assistance and guidance throughout PRN’s grant-writing process.

“Our organization’s mission is to keep the region connected by planning for its future, and one of the ways we do that is by working to secure federal funding for area organizations like PRN,” said Rich Fitzgerald, executive director of the Southwestern Pennsylvania Commission. “Co-chair [Gayle] Manchin’s continued support of our region demonstrates the valued partnership that we have with the ARC team.”

“We are committed to fostering economic development through innovative methods, and PRN’s Leadership Academy will do just that by directly working to equip workers with the skills they need to be employed in and around the region’s growing robotics sector,” he said.

Robotics Leadership Academy involves regional partners
The Robotics Leadership Academy will also collaborate with Partner4Work, InnovatePGH, The Robotics Factory, Penn State University, and others to deliver two training tracks tailored for both technical professionals and students, said the Pittsburgh Robotics Network. The program will target diverse groups across the Appalachian region, with an emphasis on creating equitable pathways into high-demand, high-wage positions in the robotics industry.

“The RLA represents a pivotal moment for Pittsburgh’s robotics cluster,” noted Sean Luther, executive director of InnovatePGH. “By aligning education, industry, and community efforts, Pittsburgh is intentionally supporting a new generation of robotics leaders and building a workforce equipped for the future.”

Rob Cherry, CEO of Partner4Work, agreed that workforce development is key to regional growth.

“With the support of ARC, PRN’s efforts will give job seekers in Appalachia the skills needed to participate in the global robotics economy,” he said. “Together, we are shaping a more equitable and prosperous future for our workforce and businesses.”

Curriculum aligns with regional, federal goals
The Robotics Leadership Academy’s curriculum will explore the intersection between leadership and technical skills, bridging the gap between technology development and product commercialization, according to the PRN. It will also focus on creating equitable opportunities for underrepresented groups in the technology workforce.

“This grant enables us to not only grow the robotics workforce, but also ensure that opportunities are accessible to communities in our region,” said Jenny Sharpe, director of workforce development at the Pittsburgh Robotics Network.  “We’re committed to expanding access to education and training, particularly for those historically underrepresented in the tech sector.”

This award is aligned with the goals of the Build Back Better initiative, coordinated by the New Economy Collaborative. It received a $62.7M investment from the U.S. Economic Development Administration.

The Robotics Leadership Academy is scheduled to begin in late 2024, with training sessions held quarterly through to 2027. The PRN said it expects the initiative to train 220 workers and serve as a model for workforce development across the U.S.

View the full story at therobotreport.com.

The Appalachian Regional Commission awarded $68.2 million for 65 projects to aid economic revitalization in the U.S., including $18.5 million for programs in Pennsylvania to advance training for workers in robotics, advanced manufacturing and nursing.

The grants are through ARC’s Partnerships for Opportunity and Workforce and Economic Revitalization initiative, which is designed to improve job training and attract investment in Appalachian towns hurt by the downturn in the coal industry, including 52 of Pennsylvania’s 67 counties.

This year’s POWER awards were the biggest for ARC since the program began in 2015, according to the Washington-based federal-state partnership that serves parts or all of 13 eastern states.

Gayle Manchin, ARC Federal Co-Chair and wife of Democratic West Virginia Sen. Joe Manchin, said rural Appalachia’s natural resources continue to power urban centers, even though coal mining collapsed in many small towns long ago, leaving them hollowed out and distressed. The Appalachian region continues to need financial support to reach competitive parity with the rest of the U.S., she said.

“We’re talking about communities that turned on the lights in the country and continue to keep the lights on,” she said at a Wednesday news conference at Mill 19 in Hazelwood, a sleek structural iron and glass reconstruction of a former coke-making complex.

“We are starting to see momentum. We’re starting to feel hope. We have to keep pushing.”

U.S. Rep. Summer Lee, D-Lawrenceville, former Allegheny County Executive and current Southwestern Pennsylvania Commission executive director, Rich Fitzgerald, and Petra Mitchell, president and CEO of Catalyst Connection, were among the other speakers.

Mill 19-based private nonprofit Catalyst Connection received a $2 million grant from ARC to build a pipeline of qualified workers for advanced manufacturing opportunities in 12 counties in southwest Pennsylvania. Some 60 businesses and 400 workers are expected to benefit from the project.

The Jewish Healthcare Foundation, a Downtown-based nonprofit, received $1.9 million for a training program that is designed to expand the long-term care workforce in an industry that has been struggling since the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic to find enough nurse aides and other workers. A total of 478 workers or trainees will benefit from the program.

Independence Health System’s Westmoreland Hospital in Greensburg will get $769,193 to expand nurse training programs in partnership with vocational and technical schools in Westmoreland and seven other counties. A total of 435 nursing students are expected to benefit from the program.

Pittsburgh Robotics Network, a Lawrenceville nonprofit that sponsors conferences, networking and recruiting events for the industry, will receive $750,000 to provide Allegheny and nine surrounding counties with workforce improvements that will expand job opportunities. Businesses, workers and students are expected to benefit from the project.

Other projects that received funding include:

• Saint Vincent College, $662,672 to fund medical equipment and other supplies needed in the college’s new bachelor’s degree nursing program.
• Indiana University of Pennsylvania, $452,326 to create opportunities for entrepreneurship in Erie and Crawford counties.
• Greene County Commissioners, $50,000 to develop an economic development strategy focused on attracting new businesses and workforce development in the county’s 26 municipalities.
• Downtown-based Center for Employment Opportunities, $50,000 to expand job readiness and skills training and opportunities for formerly incarcerated individuals in Allegheny County.
• University of Pittsburgh Office of Child Development, $49,751 to assess workforce training needs and improve literacy in Fayette County.

View the full article at post-gazette.com.

Our Executive Director, Rich Fitzgerald, returned for his weekly spot on KDKA radio with Larry Richert to talk regional news. Rich and Larry recapped the AI Horizons symposium which featured prominent tech companies, industry leaders, and elected officials. The event highlighted how Southwestern Pennsylvania is seizing this opportunity and becoming a national leader in this space. Additionally, Rich and Larry discussed the recent improvements to the region’s infrastructure.

If you missed the show, you can catch up here: https://www.audacy.com/podcast/the-big-k-morning-show-8dd79/episodes/an-hour-with-rich-fitzgerald-14df3

On Oct. 14, East Liberty’s Bakery Square played host to the very first AI Horizons Pittsburgh Summit, bringing together global and local experts on artificial intelligence to discuss the future of the sector, safety and regulation, its unique energy requirements, and how it will impact different sectors and our world as a whole.

The event drew about 650 attendees and included a full day’s worth of networking sessions, keynote addresses and panel discussions with an A-list lineup of speakers and more.

The main sponsors for the event were financial giant BNY and Google, whose Pittsburgh offices are Bakery Square’s anchor tenant. Christopher Martin, senior director of BNY’s AI Hub, said the company was “proud to be doing this here in Pittsburgh” and that “one of the reasons why we’re here at this event is to try to help tell [Pittsburgh’s] story.”

Other local big names involved in putting the event together were Carnegie Mellon University, Duolingo, BlueTree Allied Angels, PNC Financial Services Group Inc., the Jewish Healthcare Foundation, the Allegheny Conference on Community Development and Walnut Capital, the owner and developer of Bakery Square.

For the event, Walnut Capital and the AI Avenue Working Group converted a floor of Bakery Office 3 to serve as the primary location. The floor was adorned with “AI Horizons Pittsburgh Summit” branded materials — the wall was plastered with custom wallpaper, and water bottles were distributed with the branding directly on them. But despite the production value and lineup, the event was organized in less than six months.

“What I learned from AI Avenue Working Group was that we have to move fast, and we’ve got to plant the flag,” Joanna Doven, AI Avenue Working Group strategy consultant, said. “I did some traveling and saw what other cities were doing, and I thought, ‘wait, nobody has the world’s No. 1 AI school.’ Nobody has it, but we have it. … We have a governor that literally has the state’s first economic development strategy in [AI].”

Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro was the keynote speaker, discussing government policy and its successes and shortcomings in utilizing and regulating AI technology. Shapiro also sat on a panel discussion with CMU President Farnam Jahanian and Cris Turner, global head of knowledge and information products at Google, moderated by former CNN Senior Tech Correspondent Laurie Segall.

Nvidia, a global leader in chipmaking, also had a presence at the event. Anthony Robbins, vice president, federal at Nvidia, was on hand to sign a formal memorandum recognizing Nvidia’s decision to invest in the Pittsburgh region and create its first ever AI Tech Community here in partnership with CMU and the University of Pittsburgh. Shane Shaneman, senior AI strategist, public sector at Nvidia, also was a speaker at the event.

Other prominent leaders in AI who spoke at the event included Zico Kolter, a board member at pioneering generative AI developer OpenAI and director of machine learning at CMU; Andrew Moore, CEO of national security startup Lovelace AI and former head of Google Cloud AI; and Stanford International AI Center Lab Director Karen Myers. Kolter and Myers both spoke on a panel discussing the balancing act of the benefits of AI with the potential dangers, including deepfakes and misinformation.

The event also brought together a litany of policymakers and policy experts, including former Allegheny County Executive Rich Fitzgerald, Lieutenant Gov. Austin Davis and White House Apprenticeship Board Chair Rob Cherry. Policy focused panels dealt with national security, urban development and the significant amount of energy that AI technologies require.

View the full story at bizjournals.com.