Pennsylvania Technical Assistance Program

PennTAP
119 Innovation Blvd.
University Park PA 16802

814-865-0427
heatherf@psu.edu

Heather Fennessey, PE, is the director of PennTAP. Her expertise and interests include tech businesses, renewable energy, energy efficiency, engineering, overall business efficiency, pollution prevention, and worker health and safety. She has helped hundreds of small businesses in Pennsylvania to improve operations and receive environmental grants and low-interest loans.

Heather is also the director the Penn State Small Business Development Center (SBDC) and the Pennsylvania Clean Technology Resource Center.

Heather has a bachelor's degree in chemical engineering from Penn State, a professional engineer license in Pennsylvania in environmental engineering, and many years of experience in pollution prevention, energy efficiency, and environmental compliance. Prior to coming to Penn State, Heather worked with the military and NASA to solve joint pollution prevention projects. She is currently pursuing a master's degree in energy and mineral engineering, with an option in environmental health and safety engineering, at Penn State.

PennTAP
200 Innovation Blvd., Suite 156
University Park PA 16802

814-865-0427
dlf14@psu.edu

Denise Bechdel provides environmental consulting assistance to small and midsize businesses of all sectors throughout Pennsylvania. She performs on-site pollution prevention and energy efficiency assessments, assists with regulatory compliance issues, and performs feasibility studies for alternative energy projects.

She has assisted more than 504 small to midsize businesses and has performed 209 on-site assessments to improve environmental compliance, reduce energy consumption and associated costs, decrease pollution created and related costs, and improve worker health and safety since she joined Penn State in 2002.

Denise holds an associate degree in environmental technology from the Pennsylvania College of Technology and a bachelor's degree in environmental resource management from Penn State. Prior to becoming an environmental consultant for the Penn State team in 2002, Denise was employed by the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) in the waste management department for two years, all of which gives her an unusual depth of experience that benefits her clients.

To that end, three of Denise’s clients were national Energy Star® for Small Business award winners in 2006. Two of her clients received the Governor's Award for Environmental Excellence: one in 2007 and one in 2008. Since 2005, eighty-three (83) of Denise’s clients applied for and were awarded over $1.95 million in federal and state grants with matching funds of $2.98 million in owner investment for the pollution prevention, energy efficiency, and renewable energy projects in their respective small businesses savings.

Furthermore, in 2010, Denise received her certification from the Association of Energy Engineers (AEEs) as a Renewable Energy Professional (REP), and in 2009 she received her certification from the Association of Energy Engineers (AEEs) as a Certified Energy Auditor (CEA). AEE's certification programs are recognized by government agencies such as the U.S. Department of Energy and the U.S. Agency for International Development, as well as by Fortune 1000 corporations, utilities, and energy service companies. In 2007, she received certification from the National Registry of Environmental Professionals (NREP) as a Registered Environmental Property Assessor (REPA). In 2005, she received certification from the National Registry of Environmental Professionals (NREP) as a Registered Environmental Manager (REM). This certification is one of the most respected credentials in the global environmental community and is recognized by many U.S. agencies, state governments, ministries of several foreign countries, and the private sector. Denise is also certified as a Hazardous Waste Operations Specialist.

PennTAP
200 Innovation Blvd., Suite 156
University Park PA 16802

814-865-4388
txk128@psu.edu

His activities include managing federal and state grant projects, as well as contracts and customer relationships with private sector companies.

Tim has been at Penn State since 1999, joining PennTAP in 2010. Prior to joining PennTAP, he concentrated his efforts on cultivating clients for Penn State Outreach through strategic, national corporate partnerships and assisting with strategic development and sales management for the Client Development Office. Tim is also an adjunct faculty instructor in marketing at Penn State's University Park campus.

Prior to joining the University, Tim had an eighteen-year career as an environmental project engineer and sales manager, working with large electric utility companies in the South (Atlanta, Dallas, and New Orleans) and on hazardous waste remediation projects for Fortune 500 companies in the northeastern part of the United States (Pennsylvania, New York, New Jersey, Delaware, West Virginia, and Maryland). Tim was involved in a successful entrepreneurial start-up company in Dallas and helped Delmarva Power and Light Company start, develop, and eventually sell (at a profit) a waste management company in Pennsylvania.

Tim earned his bachelor's in environmental science and technology at Slippery Rock University and his MBA at Penn State.

PennTAP
119 Innovation Blvd.
University Park PA 16802

814-865-0427
mtk15@psu.edu

Maria T. Kirby, MBA, joined PennTAP in 2012 and brings economic and business development experience from across a wide variety of industries, including manufactured housing, wood products, manufacturing, energy, banking, and retail sales.

Maria has coordinated industry consortiums and industrial efficiency improvement initiatives and led companies in workforce development; land, building, and equipment acquisition, product commercialization, and business start-up and expansion. She is a PhD candidate in the Human Resource and Organization Development track of the Workforce Education and Development program at Penn State and is currently pursuing export and trade counseling certification from the federal Small Business Administration.

PennTAP
119 Innovation Blvd.
University Park PA 16802

814-865-0427
tlt2@psu.edu

Theresa is the administrative support assistant for the Penn State SBDC and PennTAP. Theresa joined the SBDC in April 2012. Prior to her employment with the SBDC, she worked for more than 20 years with The Pennsylvania State University’s Academic Outreach/World Campus as an administrative support assistant for the executive director of Academic Outreach and two directors of the World Campus. Theresa will be supporting the new SBDC office in Philipsburg, along with a multitude of other duties. She’ll be the first person to greet clients in the lobby of 200 Innovation Boulevard.

PennTAP
180 Basher Road
Cranberry PA 16319-2602

814-882-2449
donl@psu.edu

Donald LeGoullon is a senior e-business consultant with the Pennsylvania Technical Assistance Program (PennTAP). He provides technical assistance to organizations and businesses in northwestern Pennsylvania.

Donald's background includes more than thirty years of IT development work in several large manufacturing corporations, the banking industry, and a small-medium manufacturing company. Previous responsibilities include Web development, extensive EDI experience; disaster/recovery, security, systems programming; managing a help desk; and custom programming on numerous platforms. Donald has experience with a number of EDI translators and VANS, HTML, COBOL, and the AS/400. His areas of expertise include e-business initiatives, website search engine optimization, EDI, and disaster/recovery planning.

PennTAP
The Pennsylvania State University
200 Innovation Blvd., Suite 156
University Park PA 16802

814-574-0813
rxm174@psu.edu

Ralene Molina-Kreiser is a Senior Technical Specialist with the Pennsylvania Technical Assistance, Program (PennTAP) of the Pennsylvania State University providing services to clients in environmental, health and safety, and energy efficiency to companies in Pennsylvania.  

Ralene’s recent work has focused on Energy and Environmental Management Systems.  She participated in DOE’s Mid Atlantic Superior Energy Performance (SEP) Demonstration project, assisted a client in the Northeast Demonstration project and is lead on the PA Demonstration Project that includes 5 industrial participants. She has training and experience in the implementation of ISO 50001 and SEP and is a Certified Practitioner in Industrial Energy Management Systems. She has also worked with several clients on ISO 140001 programs including implementation, auditing, and training. 

She has more than 20 years experience in Environmental Health and Safety Management in the manufacturing and pharmaceuticals industries with responsibility for environmental and safety program development and regulatory compliance at several small to mid-size companies.  Ralene has experience implementing various EHS programs including waste management, SARA Reporting, air permitting, TSCA compliance, DOT compliance, OSHA programs including Chemical Hygiene Plan and Hazard Communication Program, Emergency Response, Safety Teams, and ISO 14000 Training.

Ralene has a Bachelor of Science Degree in Environmental Resource Management and a Masters Degree in Environmental Pollution Control, both from Penn State University.  She completed her Master’s Thesis on the Implementation on ISO 14001 at Small to Mid-Sized Manufacturing companies.

PennTAP
2809 Saucon Valley Road
Center Valley PA 18034

610-349-8121
wtp102@psu.edu

Bill Paletski is a senior technical specialist with the Pennsylvania Technical Assistance Program (PennTAP). He has more than 27+ years of environmental and occupational safety experience in the public and private sectors, including five years with professional engineering consulting firms.

He has helped companies with environmental assessments, controls, permitting (EPA and DEP), management systems, ISO 14001, safety (OSHA) compliance and assessments, ISO 18001, quantitative data analyses, statistical process control, and DOT-required training.

Bill has a bachelor's degree in environmental engineering from Wilkes College and a master of engineering degree in environmental pollution control from Penn State.

Bill is a registered professional engineer (PE) in Pennsylvania and a Board Certified Safety Professional (CSP). He is also a Certified Level III Thermographer and an Authorized OSHA Outreach Instructor for the 10- and 30-hour course for General Industry and Construction. He has several publications in the areas of composting and environmental research and has presented papers and professional research in several dozen environmental, safety, and adult education conferences throughout the United States, including the University Economic Development Association (UEDA), the PA Water Environment Association, Hendrick Best Practices for Adult Learners Conference, and National Biocycle Conferences. He has also been the recipient of the University Economic Development Association Project-of-the-Year award on three occasions. To date, Bill has developed and conducted hundreds of educational and training courses for industrial and commercial companies in the areas of occupational safety and health and environmental compliance.

PennTAP
Penn State McKeesport
4000 University Drive
McKeesport PA 15132

412-889-5821
rogerprice@psu.edu

Roger Price, a senior technical specialist with the Pennsylvania Technical Assistance Program (PennTAP), is based at the Greater Allegheny campus of Penn State located in Allegheny County.

He provides technical assistance and information to help resolve specific technical questions or needs of businesses in southwestern Pennsylvania. Roger's areas of focus and technical assistance expertise are in energy efficiency, pollution prevention, and environmental compliance.

Roger has more than 35 years of experience as a practicing professional engineer. He is a recognized expert in the pollution prevention approach for identifying manufacturing process and procedure changes to improve industrial competitiveness, save energy, and reduce environmental emissions through process optimization. Roger has performed more than 150 industrial facility assessments for energy efficiency and pollution prevention opportunities, environmental management system performance, and environmental compliance. He has also conducted more than 170 professional training sessions on these subjects throughout the United States and in the Eastern Europe countries of Bulgaria, Slovakia, and Poland.

In 1991 Roger was appointed to serve on an advisory committee for the President's Commission on Environmental Quality (PCEQ), concerning its Pollution Prevention Demonstration Project. He is founder and co-chair of the Industry Pollution Prevention Roundtable for Southwest Pennsylvania. For twelve years Roger managed a statewide pollution prevention technical assistance program that was a 1992 regional winner (Region III) of the U.S. EPA's Administrator's Award. Prior to that, as corporate environmental specialist, he participated in the development of corporate-wide environmental management systems. On behalf of Gulf Oil, he also prepared a preliminary design for improving the drinking water supply systems in the village of Landana and in Cabinda Town, Cabinda Province, Republic of Angola.

Roger is a registered professional engineer. He has a bachelor's degree in engineering from Cornell University and a master's degree in engineering from Penn State.

PennTAP
Hanover Industrial Estates
75 Young Street
Wilkes-Barre PA 18706

570-819-8973
mtoda@psu.edu

Mark Toda has served the Pennsylvania Technical Assistance Program (PennTAP) as a senior technical specialist in northeastern Pennsylvania for more than 20 years. He has assisted numerous businesses with the technical issues facing them and has worked with a variety of resources, both within the University and without, in developing potential solutions.

Mark's technical background includes experience in engineering mechanics and finite element analysis. He previously served as manager of Packaging Design Analysis at IBM Corporation, providing mechanical analysis support to electronics packaging development engineering. He holds a bachelor's degree in bioengineering from Syracuse University and a master's degree in theoretical and applied mechanics from Cornell University.

Mark assists companies in a variety of technical areas and has experience in new product development, manufacturing process analysis, energy assessment, and entrepreneurship. He also has an understanding of the patenting process and has assisted entrepreneurs and start-up companies with various technical and business issues related to commercializing new products. He has a particular interest in linking industry with University resources and research expertise.

Mark works closely with the Ben Franklin Partnership Program, the Pennsylvania Industrial Resource Centers, and the Small Business Development Centers. He also works with other Penn State Outreach offices, including Continuing Education, Cooperative Extension, and the Penn State campuses in northeastern Pennsylvania. He maintains close working relationships with government agencies, such as the Northeastern Pennsylvania Alliance and the Northern Tier Regional Planning and Development Commission.

PennTAP
Towanda PA 18848

570-596-3585
dyale@psu.edu

Donna Yale is a Senior Technical Specialist and Advanced IT Solutions Team Leader (interim) working out of the Towanda, Pennsylvania, area. Donna provides technical assistance to small and midsize organizations and businesses across Pennsylvania, in all industry sectors, by providing hands-on technical assistance, information, and referrals to other resources and programs.

Donna’s background includes more than thirty years of IT development experience with several large corporations as well as the experience she has obtained working with small businesses while at PennTAP. Donna has a great familiarity with many programming languages and databases that include Web development with WordPress, Visual Basic, HTML, program processes such as EDI, RFID, and SQL databases. She is also fluent in Microsoft applications – Access, Word, Excel, and PowerPoint, to name a few.

Donna holds a B.S. in Computer Information Systems from Mansfield University, as well as a M.Ed. in Adult Education and a Distance Education Certificate both through Penn State University’s World Campus.