Principal Bios
Richard J. Gmerek, Esquire
President & CEO
Harrisburg Office
rgmerek@wolfblock.com
Mr. Gmerek has more than 20 years of experience with Pennsylvania state government. From 1980 to 1985, Mr. Gmerek served as counsel to the Pennsylvania Senate Republican Majority Leader and President Pro Tempore, Robert C. Jubelirer. Mr. Gmerek was also Deputy Chief Counsel to the Senate Republican Caucus, where he advised and counseled individual senators, developed Senate policy and negotiated complex legislation. Since 1985, Mr. Gmerek has maintained a private practice in government relations.
Chris P. Lammando
Harrisburg Office
clammando@wolfblock.com
Mr. Lammando served as an Executive Assistant to the Governor's Deputy Chief of Staff, as the Director for Legislative Affairs at the Department of Community and Economic Development and as the Deputy Secretary of Legislative Affairs for Governors Ridge and Schweiker.
Patricia A. Welty
Harrisburg Office
pwelty@wolfblock.com
A seasoned veteran in Pennsylvania government, Ms. Welty is the former Deputy Secretary for Legislative Affairs for the Office of Governor Edward G. Rendell. She joined WolfBlock Government Relations in 2005. Ms. Welty's previous government experience also includes service as both Acting and Deputy Secretary for Legislative Affairs under Governor Mark Schweiker and as both Legislative Director and Assistant Legislative Director for the Pennsylvania Department of Revenue during Governor Tom Ridge's tenure. In the private sector, Ms. Welty was a government relations specialist for a Harrisburg-based lobbying firm, where she lobbied the state General Assembly on behalf of a number of Fortune 500 companies, including those in the pharmaceutical, financial services, manufacturing and liquor industries.
Catharine M. Conner
Harrisburg Office
cconner@wolfblock.com
Prior to joining Wolf Block Government Relations, LP, Ms. Conner served as a Government Relations Associate with the Association of Independent Colleges and Universities of Pennsylvania (AICUP), where she advocated for the interests of eighty-three private colleges and universities within the Commonwealth. Previously, Ms. Conner conducted non-partisan research for the Pennsylvania General Assembly as a research analyst intern and later contract employee with the Pennsylvania House of Representatives, Legislative Office for Research Liaison (LORL). Ms. Conner also served as a legislative intern assigned to the Office of Democratic Caucus Chairman, Representative Mark B. Cohen.
Brian J. Hinkle
bhinkle@wolfblock.com
Mr. Hinkle joined WolfBlock Government Relations in 2007 after serving an internship with Pennsylvania Legislative Services, where he provided legislative reporting of committee meetings, sessions and press conferences. Mr. Hinkle received his B.A. in Political Science from Indiana University of Pennsylvania in 2005.
