Beck, Gogolski & Co. Inc.
Jeff Gogolski, Beck, Gogolski & Co. Inc. (SUBMITTED)
Jeffrey D. Gogolski, CPA, CVA, a partner in the Honesdale accounting firm, has successfully completed the certification process with the National Association of Certified Valuators and Analysts to earn the Certified Valuation Analyst designation. The CVA designation is granted only to individuals who have met a high bar of prerequisite qualifications and passed a substantive examination, testing to the understanding of theory and the application of skills in the field of private company business valuation.
The National Association of Certified Valuators and Analysts is a global, professional association of over 7,000 members that delivers training and certification in consulting fields such as business valuation, financial litigation forensics, expert witnessing, forensic accounting, mergers and acquisitions, business and intellectual property damages, health care consulting and exit strategies.
To become accredited by NACVA, candidates typically have completed intensive training. An initial requirement to becoming a CVA is that the applicant either be a licensed certified public accountant holding an active, valid and unrevoked CPA license in their state or hold a business degree and/or a master of business administration or higher business degree from an accredited college or university, and have two years or more of full-time (or the equivalent of) experience in business valuation and/or related disciplines.
Luzerne/Schuylkill Workforce Development Board
Christine Jensen, Luzerne Schuylkill Workforce Development Board (SUBMITTED)
The development board announced the promotion of Christine Jensen to executive director, effective Jan. 5, upon the retirement of current Executive Director Patricia Lenahan.
Jensen brings more than a decade of workforce leadership experience and a strong record of community engagement to her new role. She joined the development board in 2011 and currently serves as site administrator for PA CareerLink Luzerne County, where she has demonstrated exceptional management ability, reliability and a deep commitment to advancing workforce opportunities throughout the region.
Before joining the board, Jensen held leadership roles with the city of Wilkes-Barre, where she developed extensive experience in public administration and organizational leadership.
A graduate of the Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C., Jensen is also deeply committed to lifelong learning and professional excellence. She holds the SHRM Senior Certified Professional designation and was successfully recertified in January 2024. Additionally, she is credentialed as a Certified Workforce Development Professional through the National Association of Workforce Development Professionals, with a Management Services endorsement.
North Branch Land Trust
Robert Clements, North Branch Land Trust (SUBMITTED)
Michael Bedrin. North Branch Land Trust (SUBMITTED)
The organization recently appointed two new members to its board of directors: Dr. Robert Clements and Michael D. Bedrin.
Clements is a dentist who had a practice in Dallas for 41 years. He retired recently. He is a graduate of Wyoming Seminary (1972), Wilkes College (1976) and Case Western Reserve School of Dentistry (1981). Clements served on Misericordia University’s President’s Council, was president of the Westmoreland Club and served as a board member of the F.M. Kirby Center for the Performing Arts. He enjoys playing golf. He is well-known in the community and brings diverse interests to the board.
Bedrin is an attorney with more than 35 years of experience in environmental regulation. He was regional director of the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection and previously chief counsel for the agency in Harrisburg. He is an adjunct faculty member at King’s College and Wilkes University. Bedrin is a graduate of Rochester Institute of Technology (1980) and Duquesne University School of Law (1986). He is a distance runner who has completed 23 marathons, two ultramarathons and many half-marathons. Bedrin brings to the board extensive knowledge of environmental programs and regulation.
Scranton Area Community Foundation
Ellen Burkey, Scranton Area Community Foundation (SUBMITTED)
Board chair Ellen Burkey has been recognized with a 2025 Invest in Others Award, a national distinction honoring financial professionals who are making a meaningful difference in their communities through philanthropy and volunteer service.
The Invest in Others Charitable Foundation celebrates the charitable work of financial advisers who strengthen communities across the country and around the world. Each year, it receives hundreds of nominations from across the financial services industry. Honorees are selected based on their leadership, dedication, and impact on the nonprofits and communities they serve.
Burkey’s recognition highlights her outstanding commitment to service, community leadership and philanthropy. As part of this honor, the Invest in Others Charitable Foundation has made a donation to the foundation, extending the reach of her impact and generosity throughout Northeast Pennsylvania.
A financial adviser with Ameriprise Financial in Dalton, Burkey brings more than 30 years of experience in the financial industry and has used her expertise to empower others through education and philanthropy. She began her career on Wall Street before earning dual degrees in finance and economics from Alfred University and an MBA with honors from the University of Scranton.
Since moving to Northeast Pennsylvania in 1995, Burkey has been a dedicated community advocate. She joined the foundation’s board of governors in 2019 and now serves as board chair.
The Wright Center
Maheswara Reddy Koppula, Wright Center (SUBMITTED)
A board-certified internal medicine physician and teaching hospitalist has joined the Wright Centers for Community Health and Graduate Medical Education.
Dr. Maheswara Reddy Koppula will serve as an internal medicine teaching hospitalist, focusing on the quality of patient care, teaching and supervising physicians participating in the Wright Center’s Internal Medicine Residency Program. Koppula will develop, implement, and assess the curriculum and mentor residents to ensure they achieve competency in their specialty. He will also serve as an associate program director for the Wright Center’s Internal Medicine residency program.
Additionally, Koppula will provide whole-person primary health services for individuals 18 and older, including checkups, physicals, screenings, and treatment of common illnesses and injuries at the Wright Center for Community Health Wilkes-Barre.
After graduating from GSL Medical College in Rajahmundry, India, in 2012, Koppula served as a medical officer at several hospitals in Hyderabad and Telangana, India. After moving to the United States in 2014, he completed observership rotations in Texas, Connecticut and Pennsylvania and an internship and internal medicine residency at St. Elizabeth Hospital in Youngstown, Ohio. His contributions to the health care field earned him a fellowship in the American College of Physicians.
Koppula formerly served as a faculty hospitalist and associate program director of the internal medicine residency at Crozer Chester Medical Center in Upland, Pennsylvania, since 2023.
United Neighborhood Centers of Northeastern Pennsylvania
Mike Tolerico, United Neighborhood Centers (SUBMITTED)
Mike Tolerico has been promoted to the organization’s senior leadership team as its new chief financial officer.
Tolerico previously served as UNC’s controller and brings more than 25 years of financial leadership experience to his new role. His extensive regional background includes management positions at VNA Hospice and Home Health and Marian Community Hospital, where he developed a strong understanding of financial stewardship within mission-driven organizations.
As chief financial officer, Tolerico will continue to support UNC’s long-term financial stability and strategic growth while advancing the organization’s commitment to serving individuals, families and neighborhoods throughout Northeast Pennsylvania.