Board Members
Our Board consists of nine members elected to serve, without compensation, for overlapping terms of four years each. These roles often include long hours, a great deal of sacrifice, and a strong sense of dedication to the mission of the District.
President, David J. Solenday
Mr. David Solenday is a graduate of Baldwin High School. He went on to earn a degree from Robert Morris University and now works as a project coordinator at Community Care Behavioral Health. Mr. Solenday has been a lifetime PTA member, works with the Baldwin Highlander Music Patrons, and volunteers for Baldwin Community Day. He has two children, Harrison a member of the class of 2016 and Elizabeth a member of the class of 2019.
Mr. Solenday is an ardent advocate of public education and feels BWSD’s active volunteers, fantastic staff, positive leadership, and diverse culture make it great. He became a member of the School Board “to represent different groups in the community and ensure that others have a voice in making educational and administrative decisions. I have a personal interest in preserving and improving the quality of our schools. I believe in quality public education for current and future students.”
First Vice President, Dr. Anthony J. DiCesaro
Dr. Anthony DiCesaro has been in practice as a chiropractor for nearly two decades and is currently the proprietor of Whitehall Health Centre. Dr. DiCesaro graduated from the University of Pittsburgh and Pennsylvania College of Chiropractic and has owned clinics across the country throughout his career. Dr. DiCesaro has one son, also named Anthony, in the District.
Dr. DiCesaro believes strongly in the character of each of our communities. “All of our surrounding communities are full of good, hard-working people that care deeply for their families and friends.” This is the foundation the school board builds on. “If we put the welfare of the children first and the community as a whole a close second, we cannot fail.”
Second Vice President, Karen L. Brown
Karen Brown brings a strong background in education to her work as a board member. She holds a Bachelor’s Degree in education from Slippery Rock State College and a Master’s Degree in administration from Duquesne University, as well as a Principal’s Certification. She has worked as a teacher in elementary and middle grades and as a middle school principal.
Ms. Brown and her two children (now college graduates themselves) graduated from the Baldwin-Whitehall School District, which was central in her desire to become a member of the board, “After being an educator for 40 years, I felt it was time to give back to the community that educated me and my children.” Brown feels that understanding the District’s legacy is key to progress, “This District was built with strong values and traditions. I want to uphold those traditions and values while finding ways to move the District forward. The more we can be on the cutting edge of education, the better we will be able to meet the needs of the students in our fast-technology world.”
Robert Achtzehn
rachtzehn@bwschools.net
Rob Achtzehn is a Senior Manager for Chainalytics where he provides supply chain consulting services to Fortune 500 companies globally. He is a graduate of the Belle Vernon Area School District and the Pennsylvania State University. He has traveled extensively for work and has lived in Harrisburg, PA, Atlanta, GA, and Houston, TX. Mr. Achtzehn and his wife, Lisa, have been proud Fighting Highlanders for the past 20 years and have two children in the District. Adia graduated in 2017 and Eli is a member of the class of 2020. He has devoted much of his time to youth sports (lacrosse and basketball) over the past 6 years, has been active with the Baldwin Music Patrons, and has volunteered for numerous school events and activities.
Mr. Achtzehn believes that each student has unique talents and gifts and those talents need to be nurtured and given a place to thrive. He is thankful for the education his children have received in the Baldwin-Whitehall School District, with its strong values and commitment to community. He wants to devote his energy on the school board to making sure ALL students have the opportunity to develop their talents for success. Coming from the business world and managing large departmental budgets, he has worked his entire career trying to “do more with less,” and he fully understands how to achieve those goals while maintaining a fiscal discipline. “I have always believed that every individual can achieve success when provided the right opportunities and surrounded by a supportive community. I have seen that in our District firsthand, and I believe if we work together we can achieve even greater things.”
Dan Knezevich
Mr. Daniel Knezevich was born and raised in Whitehall and graduated from Baldwin High School. He has worked at Schneider’s Dairy for nearly 30 years, first as a union driver and currently as Logistics Manager. Mr. Knezevich has two daughters; Katie (Class of 2017) and Molly, a junior.
Mr. Knezevich cites honesty, compassion, and a willingness to do anything in order to get the job done right as hallmarks of strong leadership. “I ran for school board in hopes of being able to make a significant change. I believe in the Superintendent’s vision of providing our students a quality education.”
Gerald G. Pantone
Gerald G. Pantone is a 1981 graduate of Carrick High School. He grew up in Bon Air, which is located in the City of Pittsburgh. Mr. Pantone and his wife Laura have lived in the Borough of Baldwin for the past twenty-two years. He has three daughters: Samantha, Alexandra (Class of 2014), and Rebecca, who is currently a student at Baldwin High School and a member of the Class of 2020.
Most of Mr. Pantone’s work experience is within the field of retail management. He worked at Three Rivers Stadium as a commissary manager, and he was also a manager/supervisor for the for Best Oil’s Toot & Scoot, a subsidiary of Handee Marts, Inc.
He has served in various leadership positions in both the Baldwin-Whitehall PTA Council and the PTSA at Baldwin High School. Mr. Pantone is currently an officer for the Baldwin Highlander Music Patrons, which supports the Baldwin Highlander Marching Band.
Mr. Pantone hopes to use his strong communication and team building skills to facilitate opportunities for all stakeholders within the school district to have their voices be heard. Mr. Pantone believes, “You never know what you can accomplish until you try.”
Louis J. Rainaldi, Jr.
Louis J. Rainaldi Jr. has worked in the Information Technology industry for over 20 years and currently leads a global team of IT professionals. Working in a high-pressure, deadline-driven culture, Mr. Rainaldi has honed the leadership skills he brings to the service of the Baldwin-Whitehall School Board. He volunteers with Not One More, Pittsburgh Chapter, and was involved in his church, Stewart Avenue Lutheran Church. He and his wife have two daughters in the District, Gianna and Savannah.
“I was motivated to run for an elected office to help restore pride and community trust in our District. Our District is facing major challenges and needs to have a trusting relationship with the community and staff. Having a long history of leadership experience in the corporate world, I have come to believe in servant leadership. I believe a true leader is there to serve others and lead by example, listening to all sides and viewpoints, and relating to others in an effort to unify for the common good. I also believe that a good leader is an active listener and energetic doer.”
Janice Tarson
Janice Tarson holds a Bachelor’s Degree in sociology from the University of Pittsburgh at Johnstown, a Master’s of Social Work Degree from the University of Pittsburgh Graduate School of Social Work, and an Associate’s Degree in nursing from Community College of Allegheny County. She is a Registered Nurse currently working in a post-anesthesia care unit of an ambulatory surgery center. She has two children at Baldwin High School: Nicholas, a senior, and Jenna, a sophomore. Her community volunteer efforts include working with the Greater Baldwin Whitehall Athletic Association, as a parent-member of the Baldwin Football Parents Club and the Baldwin Girls’ Tennis Club, Treasurer of the Baldwin Boys’ Basketball Boosters, and Secretary the WPISL Baldwin Girls’ Slow Pitch Softball Club.
Ms. Tarson joined the School Board, “to help grow and move the District forward, to maintain current opportunities for our students, and then grow and expand those opportunities once the District has achieved financial stability.” Her wish for our students is, “that they spend the rest of their lives believing that they grew up in the best community ever and that they remember their primary education fondly and their years at Baldwin High School as the best years of their lives.”
Louise M. Wolf
As a lifelong resident within the Baldwin-Whitehall community, Louise Mancuso Wolf, along with her three children: Ronnie (2010), Nicholas (2014), and Amanda (2017) Bernick, are graduates of Baldwin High School. She furthered her education, earning a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration/Finance Degree from Robert Morris University.
Mrs. Wolf offers strong leadership and organizational strengths with over 25 years professional experience in business, management, and development specializing in organizational leadership, client relations, and financial controls. She currently is employed as a business manager for a construction service company to the energy and utility industry. Additionally, Mrs. Wolf serves as the co-founder and board secretary of the Appalachian Pipeliners Association.
"I believe in the value of public education and plan to serve the Baldwin-Whitehall community in working towards stronger relationships between the district and the public, fiscal responsibility with taxpayer funding, and respect the diverse points of view of my fellow board members."