Joy has more than 23 years of experience in municipal planning, community development, and public involvement that spans public, private, and non-profit sectors. She holds a B.A. in Political Science from the University of Pittsburgh and a M.A. in Communication Studies from California University of Pennsylvania. She is a member of the American Institute of Certified Planners and has led planning and community engagement efforts across Pennsylvania focusing on issues of importance to local governments.

Conner comes to Local Government Academy as Assistant Director from several years working in immigration law, focusing on professional and employment-based immigration. He holds an M.A. in philosophy from the University of Warwick in the United Kingdom and a B.A. in philosophy from Hampshire College. In his position as assistant director, Conner plays a key role in facilitating our programming including the Municipal Intern Program and Newly Elected Officials course as well as facilitating the annual golf outing. Conner also serves on the board of the Regional Trail Corporation. In his free time, Conner is an avid cyclist and enthusiastic gardener.

Christian is a graduate from Duquesne University with a degree in Digital Media Arts. He has joined Local Government Academy as Community Projects Assistant focusing on brand cohesiveness and social media marketing. This position is an inter-organizational partnership with Local Government Academy and Allegheny League of Municipalities (ALOM) developed to heighten organizational awareness and provide on-the-ground support to municipalities across the region. Working together, the Academy and ALOM seek to enhance resources to municipal stakeholders to promote our common goal of good governance in Southwestern Pennsylvania. In his free time, Christian can be found attending concerts or walking at the local park.

Olivia is a graduate of the University of Pittsburgh, where she earned a degree in Public Policy. She has joined the Local Government Academy as a Program Coordinator. With previous experience in AmeriCorps, Olivia is dedicated to making a positive impact in her community. In her new role, she will organize and facilitate programs such as the Municipal Intern Program and the Newly Elected Officials course. In her spare time, Olivia loves exploring the outdoors and enjoying ice cream.

Faith Turamye, an international student from Rwanda, is pursuing dual degrees in Management Information Systems and Management, with a minor in Marketing, at La Roche University. Currently, she is interning with Local Government Academy, where she focuses on building and optimizing a constituent database to enhance organizational efficiency. Faith is mapping out and implementing a plan to make the transferred data from a previous CRM system fully usable, collaborating with staff to meet the organization's needs.