Who We Are

JT Hand joined The York Water Company in 2008 as the company’s Chief Operating Officer.  Prior to joining The York Water Company, J.T. served twenty-two years on active duty in the United States Army. J.T. graduated from The University of Vermont with a B.S. degree in civil engineering and is a graduate of the Defense Language Institute (Portuguese), and the Army’s Command and General Staff College. In addition to his service as Chairman of the York City Sewer Authority and Director of the Pennsylvania Chapter of the National Association of Water Companies, J.T. is the current Chairman for the Farm and Natural Lands Trust of York County, and a past chairman of the United Way of York County Board of Directors, a member of the Rotary Club of York, PA, serves on several, local, non-profit boards and committees and is passionate about coaching youth soccer and baseball. 

David W. Bernhardt is President of  Providence Engineering Corp., which provides structural engineering design and analysis services to the building design and construction industry.  David is an engineering graduate of  PSU Architectural Engineering.  He is a volunteer with York Special Olympics, Habitat for Humanity, the March of Dimes and also serves on the Board for The York Polar bears kids hockey team as well as the Red Lion Educational Foundation. 

Andrew Koplitz works for Peoples Bank as the Treasury Management Business Development Officer working with new and existing business customers in providing treasury management services designed to help businesses thrive.  Andrew graduated from Millersville University with a BS in Business Management and immediately climbed the banking ladder within the York area. Community activities for Andrew include serving with the United Way of York County’s Emerging Leaders Society and Allocations and Agency Review Committees.  He is an Alumni of Leadership York’s 2018 Leadership Training Program and a former Finance Committee member for the Dream Wrights Community Theater.

Dale Brickley is the Senior Director of Innovation and New Service Development for WellSpan Philhaven. Dale is responsible for innovation, quality, performance improvement, community partnerships, strategic planning, and professional development.  He provides leadership to new initiatives with in WellSpan Philhaven such as addictions treatment, telehealth, and physical health integration.   He has previously overseen operations in the Outpatient, Residential, Crisis and Access departments.  Dale holds a doctorate in Educational Psychology from Pennsylvania State University, an MBA from Lebanon Valley College, an MS in psychology from Shippensburg University, and has completed a post-graduate certification in sexual offenders treatment from Ohio University.

Ashley Cherry combines her business savvy with marketing experience to fuel her collaborative, purposeful approach to enhancing client success. Her client base includes not only independent medical practices in radiology, obstetrics & gynecology, and a range of other specialties, but also healthcare-related associations, nonprofits, and other organizations and brands. A key area of her expertise is facilitating client efforts to achieve a singular focus on exemplary customer experience, by strategizing, building out, and executing transformational cultural overhauls. As an internal cultural leader for Marketing Works and MW Healthcare, Ashley also works diligently to ensure that internal employees and processes harmonize perpetually with the company’s foundational values, with a focus on continuous improvement. She also spearheads efforts to scale our team’s approach to delivering bespoke client service experiences, by developing and managing vendor partnerships that align with the unique Marketing Works/MW Healthcare approach.

Phyllis Leonard is the Senior Wells Fargo At Work Relationship Manager who works with both businesses and schools to provide financial literacy as well as relationship building training.  Phyllis has received education from both York College of Pennsylvania and the American Institute of Banking.  She has a background in all lines of business in retail, wholesale, insurance, payroll, merchant and partnered with our Institutional Retirement Trust educational team with larger clients.  Phyllis has a passion for teaching financial education to all who need this critical life skill to succeed.

Melissa Markey is a senior relationship manager in the Business Banking division of M&T Bank.  She has been with the organization for 9 years and in the banking industry for 16 years.  Her primary focus is on understanding and supporting small business clients across a variety of industries.   

She is a 2002 graduate of Shippensburg University with a BSBA degree in Finance.  She is also a 2005 graduate of Leadership York and a 2014 graduate of Mentorship York.  Past community involvement includes volunteering with Junior Achievement, United Way of York County and serving on the New Birth of Freedom Council and York Hospital Auxiliary. 

Allison Meckley serves as the Program Director for the Girl Scouts in the Heart of Pennsylvania, connecting Girl Scouts with innovation throughout the organization's 30 county footprint. She works to secure partner events and oversees the organization's four STEAM Mobiles which deliver mobile programming to girls across the footprint. Having worked for a variety of nonprofits in her career, she is experienced in operations, development, and program management. Allison graduated from Gettysburg College with her Bachelor's in Psychology and later from Fairleigh Dickinson University with her Master's in Organizational Development.

Eloise Newsome completed her career in 2013 after more than 25 years in education as a Special Education teacher and Guidance Counselor. After graduating from Guildford College in Greensboro, N.C. she began her career in Lancaster, PA City Schools before moving to Arlington, Texas where she worked for Arlington Area Independent School District.  She received her Master's Degree in Guidance from Texas Christian University becoming a high school Guidance Counselor in Arlington and retired from William Penn High School in York as a counselor. Eloise is the mother of two sons and has been married to Michael for 42 years.

Diane Rodkey is a retired CPA and corporate finance executive. Diane also has diverse experience in accounting, budgeting, and forecasting.  Diane is the Membership Chair of Cub Scout Pack #180 of York; the past president and executive board member, York Chapter, Institute of Management Accountants; and the former tutor for York Literacy Council.

Darla Smith, is the National Accounts Manager for Victory Innovations, a company that manufactures cordless electrostatic sprayers utilized for infection control.  She is the proud mother of Carter, a student at the University of Pittsburgh, and Zak, a student at Central York High School.  Darla is a native Texan transplant and has lived York since 2003 with her husband, Keith, and their family.  She has a passion for adoption and is excited to support Children’s Home of York in its initiatives.