Trustees

Community College of Philadelphia's 15-member Board of Trustees is appointed by the mayor.

Board officers:
George E. Davis, Chair
Thomas J. Butler, Vice Chair
Varsovia Fernandez, Vice Chair
Gilbert A. Wetzel, Vice Chair
Dorothy Sumners Rush, Secretary
Thomas Hawk, Treasurer

Johnny J. Butler, Esq.
Judge, Commonwealth Court of Pennsylvania
Before servicing on the Commonwealth Court, Judge Butler specialized in employment law at Booth & Tucker LLP. For eight years, he served as the secretary of Labor and Industry for the Pennsylvania Department of Labor, and served on the governor's Cabinet. He was also an attorney for the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.

Judge Butler is very committed to workforce development and the role of community colleges in workforce development. In addition, he is a member of the board of trustees at Drexel University and Lincoln University.

His awards include the Arthur S. Fleming Presidential Rank of Meritorious Executive Award, given to outstanding federal employees by the president of the United States, and the Distinguished Service Award from Lincoln University.

Judge Butler earned a B.A. and J.D. from Howard University and a LL.M. from Columbia University.

Thomas J. Butler
Executive Director, CORE Philly Scholarship Program
Vice Chair
As executive director of the CORE Philly Scholarship program, Mr. Butler oversees the awarding of up to $10 million in scholarships to Philadelphia high school students. Previously, he was director of Pre-College and College Retention Program Services at Philadelphia Futures, director of Philadelphia Education Fund's College Access program and director of Admission at Cheyney University of Pennsylvania.

His far-reaching involvement in education extends to numerous affiliations and memberships, including ACT 101 advisory boards of Philadelphia University and University of the Sciences, member of the Philadelphia Academies' Higher Education Advisory Board and member of the United Negro College Fund's Evening of the Stars Education Outreach committee. He also serves on the College's Northwest Regional Center Advisory Board.

He is the recipient of numerous awards, including The Pennsylvania Association of College Admission Counseling Human Relations Award and 100 Black Men Making a Difference Award.

Mr. Butler earned a bachelor's degree from Cheyney University of Pennsylvania and a master's degree in Counseling from Kutztown University of Pennsylvania.

Rhonda R. Cohen, Esq.
Former Partner, Ballard Spahr Andrews & Ingersoll, LLP
Ms. Cohen is an exceptional advocate for the cause of higher education for Philadelphians. She has been a member of the College's board of trustees since 1992 and served as chair from 2000 to 2006. Ms Cohen is involved in numerous organizations by serving as a board member of the Delaware Valley Friends School, the Christopher Ludwick Foundation, the Metropolitan Philadelphia Advisory Board of the Anti-Defamation League and White-Williams Scholars. She also is Commissioner of the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission and serves on the advisory group of After School Activities Partnership.

Ms. Cohen was co-chair of the Higher Education Transition Committee with Governor Rendell's transition team in 2002-2003, and member and chairman of a hearing committee for the Disciplinary Board of the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania from 1992-1998. As a partner with Ballard Spahr Andrews & Ingersoll from 1980-2000, she focused on federal and state security laws.

In 2005, she received a 40 Leaders award from Community College of Philadelphia for her contributions to education.

Ms. Cohen earned a B.A. from Swarthmore College and a J.D. from the University of Pennsylvania.

Michael G. Crofton
President and Chief Executive Officer, The Philadelphia Trust Company
Michael G. Crofton manages equity and fixed income portfolios for individuals, foundations, endowments, Taft-Hartley plans, as well as public and corporate pension plans in his position as president and chief executive officer of The Philadelphia Trust Company.

Previously, Mr. Crofton was vice president and senior portfolio manager at Rittenhouse Financial Services, Inc., where he managed $1 billion in assets. He was also a member of the portfolio review committee. At the United States Trust Company, Mr. Crofton served as senior vice president, responsible for managing $14 billion in mutual funds, institutional and individual assets and overseeing the trading, portfolio management and analytical staff. In 1998, he was a member of Governor Ridge's Trade Mission to South Africa.

Mr. Crofton has served on the boards of several corporations and organizations, including Cyberphone Inc., XRT Financial Services, Thistle Group Holdings, The Pennsylvania Impact Commission and the finance committee of the Archdioceses of Philadelphia Council of Managers, where he served as chair. He lectures widely on fiduciary issues and has done television and radio interviews.

Mr. Crofton earned a Bachelor of Science in Accounting and Finance from Lehigh University.

George E. Davis
Senior Vice President of Human Resources, Lincoln Financial Group (retired)
Chair
Mr. Davis has been involved with several workforce and educational organizations, including serving as chairman of the board for the Philadelphia Workforce Investment Board, vice president of the board for Philadelphia Futures and member of the board of overseers for the University of Pennsylvania's Graduate School of Education. He believes that education is necessary in order for the United States and its workers to compete in today's global economy.

Previous to his 12-year tenure at Lincoln Financial Group, Mr. Davis was the director of Corporate Executive Resources and Human Resources Strategy at Eastman Kodak.

His awards include the Liberty Bell Award from the mayor of Philadelphia and the Philadelphia Futures "Hats Off" award.

Mr. Davis earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Economics from Boston College and completed the Harvard Business School's Advanced Management program.

Varsovia Fernandez
President and Chief Executive Officer, Greater Philadelphia Hispanic Chamber of Commerce
Vice Chair
Ms. Fernandez comes to the Greater Philadelphia Hispanic Chamber of Commerce from her role as vice president of External Affairs for Congreso de Latinos Unidos, the leading Hispanic social services organization in Philadelphia. In this position, she formed strong relationships with legislators and staff from government agencies. She has been successful with her work on behalf of the federal Workforce Investment Act, Temporary Assistance for Needy Families Act, the Violence Against Women Act and Immigration Reform.

In response to the need for job placement and training, Ms. Fernandez helped to establish Calle Americana CareerLink, the first and leading bilingual job-seeking center in Pennsylvania.

She chairs the Calle Americana CareerLink advisory board and is a member of the Welcoming Center for New Pennsylvanians, the Latino Partnership Initiative and the Starfinder Foundation advisory board, which teaches youth leadership, character and strategies for personal growth through soccer.

Ms. Fernandez earned a Bachelor of Science degree from Rosemont College.

Sallie A. Glickman
Chief Executive Officer, Philadelphia Workforce Investment Board
Ms. Glickman is responsible for the overall management and direction of the Philadelphia Workforce Investment Board, which was established in 1999. PWIB is a nonprofit corporation with the mission to build Philadelphia's competitive workforce advantage. Previously, she was vice president of Institutional Advancement at the Private Industry Council of Philadelphia, where she was responsible for developing the city's Workforce Investment Act that was signed into law in August 1998.

Ms. Glickman is actively engaged in creating opportunities to benefit the city and its residents. She is first vice president in the U.S. Conference of Mayor Workforce Development Council; an appointed member of the city's Gaming Taskforce; co-founder and co-chair of Graduate! Philadelphia; founder of Excel Philadelphia, an initiative to increase adult literacy rates; co-founder and board member of Life Science Career Alliance; and a volunteer with the United Way of Southeastern Pennsylvania.

Ms. Glickman earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in History and a Master of Education degree from Temple University.

Daniel P. McElhatton, Esq.
McElhatton Foley, P.C.
A native Philadelphian, Mr. McElhatton began his distinguished career as a judicial law clerk for the Honorable Joseph L. McGlynn Jr. of the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania. He then served for over five years as an assistant district attorney for the Philadelphia District Attorney’s Office, where he tried more than 100 jury trials and numerous appeals in both the Superior and Supreme Courts of Pennsylvania. His public service also continued as a member of Philadelphia City Council from 1992 to 1996.

Mr. McElhatton’s practice has concentrated on trial work. He has represented several public entities in civil rights and wrongful death cases and has significant jury trial experience in such matters as age and sex discrimination, ERISA, breach of contract and personal injury. He is admitted to the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, the United States District Court for the Middle District of Pennsylvania, the United States Court of Appeal for the Third Circuit and the United States Supreme Court.

Besides his litigation work, Mr. McElhatton also manages the firm’s active real estate department. He has represented developers in appeals to the zoning board, the Court of Common Pleas and Commonwealth Court. He also served as vice chair of the city of Philadelphia Board of Ethics.

Mr. McElhatton has served a member of the Board of Trustees since 2002 and has served as chair since 2006. As a member of the Board of Trustees, Mr. McElhatton is the former chair of the Ad Hoc Committee on External Affairs and is a member of the Board’s Academic Affairs Committee. Mr. McElhatton also chairs the Pennsylvania Commission for Community Colleges Trustees Council, which was established in 2004 to assist the Commission with efforts to secure new funding for the Pennsylvania community colleges.

Mr. McElhatton earned a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from Villanova University and a Juris Doctor from Temple University School of Law.

Albert B. Murphy III
Principal, partner and director of Marketing and Client Service, PMG Advisors, LLC
Albert Murphy is principal, partner and director of Marketing and Client Service at PMG Advisors, LLC, an employee-owned institutional investment management and advisory firm. The firm currently manages $1.2 billion of separate institutional account assets. Prior to joining PMG Advisors, he was managing director and member of the management committee of RTE Asset Management for 12 years, where he was responsible for marketing, client service, compliance and product development.

Mr. Murphy's interest in investment banking and money management began in 1975 when he joined Philadelphia National Bank. He later became a vice president in the bank's corporate division.

Involved in a number of community activities, Mr. Murphy is chair of Radnor Township's Planning Board and is an advisory board member of Rosemont Partners, a private equity fund based in Philadelphia.

Mr. Murphy earned a bachelor's degree in Architectural Engineering degree from Pennsylvania State University and a M.B.A. from the University of Colorado.

The Honorable James R. Roebuck Jr.
State Representative, 188th Legislative District
Rep. Roebuck has served in the state House of Representatives since 1985. He has been a board member since 1993 and served as vice chairman from 2003 to 2006. His legislative committee service and appointments include first vice chairman of the Democratic Ward Executive Committee, a member of the board of directors of the Pennsylvania Higher Education Assistance Agency and member of the Legislative Office for Research Liaison. He is also the Democratic chair of the state Education Committee. For 14 years, he taught in the History/Politics department at Drexel University.

Active in the community, Rep. Roebuck is on the board of managers for the Alumni Association of Central High School, a member of the board of overseers for University of Pennsylvania's Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts, a member of the board of trustees of the Garden Court Community Organization and member of the board of directors for the Philadelphia chapter of the NAACP. He served as

His honors and awards include a citation from the National Association for Equal Opportunity in Higher Education and the Dr. William Ross Jr. Scholarship Fund Service award.

Rep. Roebuck earned a B.A. from Virginia Union University and a M.A. and Ph.D. from the University of Virginia. He also completed the University of Virginia-Darden School State Legislative Leaders Foundation's Advanced Management program and the John F. Kennedy School of Government Program for Senior Executives in State and Local Government at Harvard University.

Carole I. Smith
President and CEO, Workforce 2000 initiative and DigitalSistas.net
Carol I. Smith has developed and implemented numerous workforce development programs, as well as technical education and training programs for youth and adults as president and CEO of the Workforce 2000 initiative. She is also President and CEO of DigitalSistas.net, an online network for African-American women in technology. Ms. Smith is the executive director of the Mayor's Commission on Technology, a position she has held since 1996. She established the Telecommunications Technology Task Force in 1994 to increase awareness of the importance of technology in shaping Philadelphia's 21st century economy.

In addition, Ms. Smith is the Philadelphia coordinator for Black Family Technology Awareness week, a national program sponsored by Career Communications, Inc. and IBM; a columnist for the community paper The Neighborhood Leader; host of the weekly radio program Carole's Corner on Technology, which can be heard on WURD 900 AM and through www.talkradio900.com.

Active in several organizations, Ms. Smith serves as president of the Greater Philadelphia Chapter of the National Forum for Black Public Administrators; serves on the board of directors of the American Women's Heritage Society and National Urban Fellow, Inc.; and is a member of the National Coalition of 100 Black Women. In 2004, she was inducted into the Temple University League for Entrepreneurial Women's Hall of Fame, which recognizes leadership, entrepreneurship and excellence in the community. In 2002, she was appointed Fellow at Temple University's Fox School of Business.

Educated at Yale University, Occidental College and Temple University, Carole has a Master of Science degree in Public Administration.

Dorothy Sumners Rush
Vice President, Philadelphia Board of Education
Secretary
Dorothy Sumners Rush was vice president of the Philadelphia Board of Education. Dorothy Sumners Rush served as an educator for 19 years in elementary, middle and high schools teaching mathematics, science and reading. She has been a member of the board since 2002 and secretary since 2006. While a teacher and administrator, she wrote curricula, developed standards and conducted staff development for fellow educators. She then served as vice principal of Ada H.H. Lewis Middle School for 11 years and as principal for eight years.

For her contributions to education and the community, Mrs. Sumners Rush has been recognized by former Philadelphia Mayor Edward G. Rendell, former Pennsylvania Governor Robert P. Casey and Philadelphia Mayor John F. Street. She was appointed to the Board of Education for the School District of Philadelphia for a six-year term, then appointed to a second term. She was elected vice president. In 1999, she was appointed as co-chair of the five-person transition team to restructure city government by then mayor-elect Street.

Active in the community, Mrs. Sumners Rush is a fund-raiser and volunteer for the Southwest Belmont branch of the Y.M.C.A. She is the former treasurer of the Philadelphia Y.M.C.A. board of directors and vice chair of the Southwest Belmont Y.M.C.A. She is also a member of the Support Child Adult Network (SCAN) board of directors, an organization specializing in the prevention and treatment of child abuse and neglect and member of the Scholarship Endowment Foundation.

Mrs. Sumners Rush earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Mathematics and Science from The College of New Jersey and a Master of Education in Educational Administration from Temple University.

Gilbert A. Wetzel
Managing Director, Mayer & Associates
Vice Chair
Mr. Wetzel is the senior vice president of Mayer & Associates, a human resources consulting firm. He is the former chairman and CEO of Verizon of Pennsylvania and Delaware and former CEO of Geographic Business Publishers, Inc., the publisher of Business Philadelphia Magazine. A board member since 1993, he is also a founding member of the College's Foundation board.

Known for his expertise in succession planning and board development, Mr. Wetzel is past chairman of the Greater Philadelphia Chamber of Commerce, former board member of the Franklin Institute and former trustee at The Pennsylvania State University. Currently, he is a board member of the ACE*COM Corporation.

His awards include the Distinguished Honoree award from the American Lung Association, the Distinguished Service award from the Franklin Institute and a 40 Leaders award from Community College of Philadelphia for contributions to education.

Mr. Wetzel earned a B.S. in Engineering from The Pennsylvania State University.

Jeremiah J. White
Chairman, Osiris Group, Inc.
Mr. White is chairman of Osiris Group, Inc., a communications and business strategy firm. Through Osiris, he helped Congressman Chaka Fattah develop the CORE Philly scholarships.

Mr. White has spearheaded a number of initiatives and projects that have had citywide and regional impact. He is the founder of the Pathways Project, a program that examines the reasons why African-Americans are underrepresented in the life sciences. He also designed and secured funding for iNSPIRE, a partnership with the School District of Philadelphia that brings scientists and other life science professionals to schools to speak to and mentor students. Mr. White is board secretary of Community Capital Works, Inc. and board member of St. Christopher's Foundation and the White Dog Café Foundation.

His awards include a citation from Philadelphia City Council for years of service to Philadelphia Development Partnership and the city.

Mr. White earned a Bachelor of Science in Education and a Master of Arts in Planning and Administration in Health Services from Antioch College.

Marcellette Wise Ellison
Executive director, Insights partner, Vaccines, Wyeth Pharmaceuticals
Ms. Wise Ellison is executive director, Insights partner, Vaccines, at Wyeth Pharmaceuticals. Throughout her career, she has been involved in marketing efforts in the education, telecommunications, banking and transportation industries.

Her professional affiliations include the American Marketing Association and the Association of National Advertisers. Active in the community, she is a member of the Green Street Friends School Development Committee and the foundation chair and executive member of Jack and Jill of America, Inc., Philadelphia chapter.

Ms. Wise Ellison earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Special Education from Norfolk State University and a Master of Science degree in Research, Measurement and Design from New York University.