The Window Keeper: Civic Honors

Recognizing Pennsylvanians strengthening communities and sustaining civic life through the humanities

LaKeisha WolfUjamaa Collective (Pittsburgh) — LaKeisha Wolf
Ujamaa Collective (Pittsburgh)

Bryan WadeKeystone Oral Histories (New Cumberland) — Bryan Wade
Keystone Oral Histories (New Cumberland)

Todd PousleyCity of Carbondale — Todd Pousley
City of Carbondale

Tammy BlountErie County Public Library — Tammy Blount
Erie County Public Library

Octavia Mcbride-AhebeePoet (Philadelphia) — Octavia Mcbride-Ahebee
Poet (Philadelphia)

Lindsay VarnerCumberland County Historical Society (Carlisle) — Lindsay Varner
Cumberland County Historical Society (Carlisle)

Kyra TaylorErie's Black Wall Street — Kyra Taylor
Erie's Black Wall Street

Josh SherretsCrawford County Historical Society (Meadville) — Josh Sherrets
Crawford County Historical Society (Meadville)

Herman BeaversUniversity of Pennsylvania (Philadelphia) — Herman Beavers
University of Pennsylvania (Philadelphia)

Erin NinehouserRust Belt Mayberry (Ambridge) — Erin Ninehouser
Rust Belt Mayberry (Ambridge)

Ervin DyerAugust Wilson House (Pittsburgh) — Ervin Dyer
August Wilson House (Pittsburgh)

Chris RogersFriends of the Tanner House (Philadelphia) — Chris Rogers
Friends of the Tanner House (Philadelphia)

Carmen JamesMt. Tabor Preservation Project (Mt. Holly Springs) — Carmen James
Mt. Tabor Preservation Project (Mt. Holly Springs)

Ben SpeggenJefferson Educational Society (Erie) — Ben Speggen
Jefferson Educational Society (Erie)

Arrah FisherThe Cooperage Project (Honesdale) — Arrah Fisher
The Cooperage Project (Honesdale)

Rusty Baker
PA Museums (Harrisburg)

JoAnne HenrySusquehanna Valley Mediation (Selinsgrove) — JoAnne Henry
Susquehanna Valley Mediation (Selinsgrove)

Glynis M. JohnsBlack Scranton Project — Glynis M. Johns
Black Scranton Project

Tara JonesChester Cultural Arts & Technology Center — Tara Jones
Chester Cultural Arts & Technology Center

Ahmed Khalfani "K" BeyYMCA Homewood/Brushton’s Lighthouse Project (Pittsburgh) — Ahmed Khalfani "K" Bey
YMCA Homewood/Brushton’s Lighthouse Project (Pittsburgh)

Doug MillerPennsbury Manor (Morrisville) — Doug Miller
Pennsbury Manor (Morrisville)

Allie O'SheaPort Allegany Heart & Soul — Allie O'Shea
Port Allegany Heart & Soul

Lisa Cordiano
The PEOPLE Project (Gettysburg)

Meet PA’s Window Keepers

PA Humanities has officially announced the final 125 Window Keepers, bringing the total honorees to 180 people, recognized through this statewide initiative. Explore the complete list and interactive map below, and read our latest announcement to learn more about the people being honored and the Nov. 10 statewide celebration in Harrisburg.

The Window Keeper: Civic Honors is a statewide initiative from PA Humanities recognizing Pennsylvanians whose everyday actions help shape strong communities and sustain civic life through the power of the humanities.

Created as part of the nation’s 250th anniversary, the initiative is inspired by poet Yolanda Wisher’s “The Window Keeper,” commissioned by PA Humanities and ArtPhilly for America250PA’s National Convening of State Partners in 2024. In the poem, the Declaration of Independence is imagined as the windows of a skyscraper that must be continually cleaned, clarified, and cared for. The initiative was officially launched on April 15, when Rep. Joe Ciresi read the poem on the floor of the Pennsylvania House.

Through The Window Keeper: Civic Honors, PA Humanities is identifying community leadership, making it more visible, and connecting humanities champions across regions and sectors. Together, the Window Keepers form a growing statewide network of people using storytelling, history, culture, education, and civic engagement to strengthen their communities.

What is a Window Keeper?

Window Keepers are everyday Pennsylvanians who help sustain civic life through acts of service, care, connection and education.

Each Window Keeper is different, but collectively they contribute to their communities by:

Bringing people together and strengthening relationships within their communities
Using storytelling, dialogue, history or cultural practices to deepen understanding
Helping others feel seen, heard and connected
Encouraging participation in civic and community life
Sustaining traditions, knowledge and shared experiences across generations

They are neighbors, educators, organizers, librarians, faith leaders, volunteers and community members whose contributions often go unrecognized but have lasting impact.

Let us all be this believer,
Out on the scaffold of history…
Polishing the Giant Window
‘Til we see our own
Luminous faces.

How to Nominate a Window Keeper

Step 1

Learn what a Window Keeper is

Review this website, watch the video of the poem, and look at the examples of our first 25 Window Keepers.

Step 2

Identify a Window Keeper in your community

It could be a neighbor, educator, organizer, librarian, faith leader, volunteer, etc.

Step 3

Submit your Window Keeper through our online form

Your need their name, contact info, location, and a little about the work they do.

Nominate A Window Keeper In Your Community Today!

We’re inviting anyone in Pennsylvania to nominate a Window Keeper in their community. PA Humanities staff and a review committee will honor selected individuals, sharing and archiving their stories online, and creating a living map of these civic heroes who demonstrate care and community leadership across Pennsylvania. Together, these stories form a lasting public collection that reflects how democracy is practiced and sustained in daily life with our shared humanity at its core.

Deadline September 1st.

Window Keepers across Pennsylvania

PA Humanities is proud to recognize 180 Window Keepers representing almost every county across Pennsylvania.

The initiative began with 25 inaugural honorees drawn from PA Humanities’ statewide network and expanded through an open public nomination process that received submissions representing all 67 Pennsylvania counties.

Together, these Window Keepers reflect the many ways Pennsylvanians use storytelling, history, culture, education, civic engagement and other tools of the humanities to bring people together and strengthen the places they call home.

Click the map points to learn more about each Window Keeper, and what their nominators said about them, or explore the full list below..

Window Keepers List

While many Window Keepers’ contributions span more than one category, we’ve chosen one general “Field” for presentation purposes.

First Name	Last Name	Field	County	Region
Toya GiGi	Algarin	Arts	Philadelphia	SE
Nancy	Anthony	Community	Jefferson	NW
Emily	Arcaro	Community	Lackawanna	NE
Marlene Armato	Armato	Civic life	Montgomery	SE
John Armato	Armato	Education	Montgomery	SE
Kelly	Armor	Culture	Erie	NW
Kevin	Arrington	Education	Erie	NW
Marty	Ashby	Arts	Allegheny	SW
Rusty	Baker	History	Dauphin	SC
Laurie	Barnes	Arts	Allegheny	SW
Herman	Beavers	Education	Philadelphia	SE
Dr. Koreem R.	Bell	Culture	Chester	SE
Paul D.	Best	Storytelling	Philadelphia	SE
Jay	Best	Culture	Somerset	SW
Ahmed Khalfani "K"	Bey	Education	Allegheny	SW
Tammy	Blount	Education	Erie	NW
Robert	Boyce	History	Wyoming	NE
Dr. Charlotte	Brown	Civic life	Philadelphia	SE
Jonathan	Burdick	Storytelling	Erie	NW
Janis	Burley	Arts	Allegheny	SW
Gonzalo	Cano	Culture	Chester	SE
Jodi	Cessna	Community	Blair	SW
Daniel	Cocks	History	Fayette	SW
Chloe	Cole-Wilson	Storytelling	Northampton	NE
Susan	Coole	Community	Tioga	NC
Andre	Cooper	Education	Chester	SE
Lisa	Cordiano	Community	York	SC
Emily	Costanzo	Community	Cameron	NW
Mindy Gulden	Crawford	History	York	SC
Denise	Cummins	History	Washington	SW
Monica	D'Antonio	Education	Montgomery	SE
Jennifer	Dennehy	Arts	Erie	NW
Dr. Mary	Denison	Education	Allegheny	SW
Terry	Diener	History	Montour	NC
Jennifer	Dippold	Community	Elk	NW
Stephanie	Distler	History	Elk	NW
Laurie	Doan	Education	Chester	SE
Clare	Drobot	Arts	Allegheny	SW
Sandra	Duda	Culture	Carbon	NE
Patricia 'Ann'	Dunlavy	History	Huntingdon	SC
Ervin	Dyer	History	Allegheny	SW
Lisa Jo	Epstein	Arts	Philadelphia	SE
Catherine	Evans	History	Clearfield	NW
Louise	Feder	Community	Bucks	SE
Arrah	Fisher	Community	Wayne	NE
Dan	Flaherty	Community	Venango	NW
Shateria	Franklin	Civic life	Erie	NW
Erika	Funke	Journalism	Luzerne	NE
Marianne	Fyda	Arts	Clearfield	NW
Mary	George-Rhone	History	Clinton	NC
Donna	Gority	Community	Blair	SW
Georgie	Gould	History	Philadelphia	SE
Jean Howard	Green	History	Adams	SC
John	Gummo	History	Clinton	NC
Joyce	Gummo	History	Clinton	NC
Jessica	Guyer	History	Juniata	SC
Nick	Haberman	Education	Allegheny	SW
Paul	Hamilton	Culture	Erie	NW
Randolph	Harris	History	Lancaster	SC
JoAnne	Henry	Storytelling	Snyder	SC
Clyde	Hoch	Community	Montgomery	SE
Dr. Leroy T.	Hopkins Jr.	History	Lancaster	SC
Mabel	Howard	Arts	Erie	NW
Avery	Hower	Civic Life	Carbon	NE
Susan	Hoy	History	Cameron	NW
Carmen	James	Community	Cumberland	SC
Kristen	Janci	Community	Beaver	SW
Kate	Jaworski	Education	Montgomery	SE
Glynis M.	Johns	History	Lackawanna	NE
Alaina	Johns	Journalism	Philadelphia	SE
Duwenavue Santé	Johnson	Arts	Philadelphia	SE
Muriel	Johnson-Nuttall	Culture	Fayette	SW
Tara	Jones	Community	Delaware	SE
Curtis	Jones Jr.	Civic life	Erie	NW
Alexandria	Kaelin	History	Cambria	SW
Jacob	Kelley	Storytelling	Luzerne	NE
Conor	Kelly O'Brien	Arts	Lackawanna	NE
Kadida	Kenner	Civic life	Chester	SE
Jessica	Kiefer	Education	Westmoreland	SW
Clay	Kilgore	History	Washington	SW
Tannis	Kowalchuk	Arts	Wayne	NE
Frank	Kurtik	History	Fayette	SW
Rich	Lane	Education	Clarion	NW
Melinda	Lewis	Community	Elk	NW
Yocasta	Lora	Community	Montgomery	SE
Bob	Lott	History	Jefferson	NW
Tiff	Lowe	Community	York	SC
Kat	Lyons	History	Jefferson	NW
Harriet	Magee	History	Perry	SC
AJ	Maida	Education	Montgomery	SE
Dr. Mandy	Manna	Education	Philadelphia	SE
Michael	Mantooth	History	Lancaster	SC
Louis	Massiah	Storytelling	Philadelphia	SE
Trapeta B.	Mayson	Poet	Philadelphia	SE
Octavia	McBride-Ahebee	Poet	Philadelphia	SE
Patrick	McGinty	Storytelling	Butler	SW
Kat	McMichael	Education	Forest	NW
Nicole	Mesich Mitchell	Community	Greene	SW
Doug	Miller	History	Bucks	SE
Abby	Minor	Storytelling	Centre	NC
Aspen	Mock	Education	Somerset	SW
Monica	Montgomery	Storytelling	Philadelphia	SE
Ayisha	Morgan-Lee, EdD	Arts	Allegheny	SW
Jennifer	Moss	Education	Bradford	NE
Anthony	Moyer	Arts	Lehigh	NE
Christine	Musser	History	Cumberland	SC
Erin	Ninehouser	Storytelling	Beaver	SW
Jessica	Nirvana Ram	Arts	Union	NC
Michael	Norris	Civic life	Philadelphia	SE
Indah	Nuritasari	Journalism	Philadelphia	SE
Allie	O'Shea	Community	McKean	NW
Jody	Ocker	Community	Northumberland	NC
Jeannine	Osayande	Culture	Delaware	SE
Ernest	Owens	Journalism	Philadelphia	SE
Mairin	Petrone	Culture	Allegheny	SW
Victoria Huggins	Peurifoy	Storytelling	Philadelphia	SE
David	Pizer	Community	Indiana	SW
Anna	Poole	Culture	Crawford	NW
Thomas	Possinger	Community	Union	NC
Todd	Pousley	Community	Lackawanna	NE
Robert	Presnar	History	Lawrence	NW
Diana	Prosymchak	History	Schuylkill	NE
Courtney	Quaresimo	Community	Monroe	NE
Larry	Roeder	History	Montgomery	SE
Chris	Rogers	Community	Philadelphia	SE
Erica	Rogler	Arts	Wyoming	NE
Kerry	Royer	Arts	Lebanon	SC
Anjali	Sahay	Culture	Erie	NW
Diane	Samuels	Storytelling	Allegheny	SW
Curt	Savage	Arts	Lawrence	SW
Sharon	Savage	Arts	Lawrence	SW
Lee	Scandinaro	Civic life	Crawford	NW
Thomas	Schott	History	Clearfield	NW
Cindy	Schultz	Culture	Columbia	NE
Teya	Sepinuck	Storytelling	Philadelphia	SE
Adam	Serrano	Arts	Lancaster	SC
Shirley	Sharp	History	Jefferson	NW
Joshua	Sherretts	History	Crawford	NW
Susan	Shifrin	Community	Berks	SC
Tess	Shimer	History	Bedford	SW
Gavin	Siegfried	History	Sullivan	NE
Twyla	Simpkins	History	Chester	SE
Dr. Edward	Slavishak	History	Snyder	SC
Angela	Smith	Education	Montgomery	SE
Jordan B.	Smith	History	Philadelphia	SE
Michael "Mike"	Smith	Community	York	SC
Kristal	Sotomayor	Storytelling	Philadelphia	SE
Ben	Speggen	Culture	Erie	NW
Timothy	Spence	Community	Jefferson	NW
Judith	Stang	Community	Delaware	SE
Rachel	Stevenson	Community	Erie	NW
Lori	Strelecki	History	Pike	NE
Caleb	Stright	Journalism	Mercer	NW
James	Sulkowski	Arts	Washington	SW
Stephanie	Sun	Culture	Delaware	SE
David	Sylvester	Storytelling	Philadelphia	SE
tonya	thames-taylor	History	Chester	SE
Kyra	Taylor	Community	Erie	NW
Zabeth	Teelucksingh	Culture	Montgomery	SE
Dr. Norma	Thomas	History	Fayette	SW
Kylie Belle	Thomas	Community	Franklin	SC
Erin	Thompson	Education	Allegheny	SW
JJ	Tiziou	Community	Philadelphia	SE
Alice	Trowbridge	Community	Lycoming	NC
Suzanna	Urminska	Arts	Philadelphia	SE
Nancy	Van Dolsen	History	Philadelphia	SE
Jen	Vandermeer	Community	Clarion	NW
Lindsay	Varner	History	Cumberland	SC
Bryan	Wade	Storytelling	Cumberland	SC
Naomi M.	Waite	History	Fulton	SC
Erin	Wallace	Community	Warren	NW
Jessica	Warchal-King	Arts	Berks	SC
Nia	Watson	Culture	Lehigh	NE
Gabriela	Watson-Burkett	Journalism	Montgomery	SE
LaKeisha	Wolf	Culture	Allegheny	SW
Jacqueline	Wolfe	Community	Franklin	SC
Ksenya	Wong	Arts	Chester	SE
Danny	Younger	History	Monroe	NE
Bonnie	Yuscavage	History	Susquehanna	NE
Barbara	Zaborowski	History	Cambria	SW

Celebrating the Window Keepers in Harrisburg

On Nov. 10, The Window Keeper: Civic Honors will return to Harrisburg for a statewide gathering bringing Window Keepers together with public leaders and state partners.

The day will include recognition at the Pennsylvania House and a celebration at the Civic Club of Harrisburg, where honorees from across the Commonwealth will have opportunities to meet, share ideas, and build new connections.

Thank you to Erie Insurance for their generous sponsorship of the Nov. 10 event.

Thank you for your nominations

We deeply appreciate everyone who submitted a nomination to this project, and offer our sincere congratulations to all our Window Keepers.

Together, these stories create a statewide portrait of civic life, community leadership and the humanities in action.

They also reflect PA Humanities’ broader work to connect people and communities across the Commonwealth. For more than 50 years, PA Humanities has championed storytelling, dialogue, history and reflection as ways to strengthen communities, expand participation in civic life and help Pennsylvanians better understand one another.

Press Release

PA Humanities Announces 125 New Window Keepers, Bringing Statewide Total to 180

Final group joins The Window Keeper: Civic Honors ahead of Nov. 10 statewide celebration in Harrisburg

Window Keeper spotlights: Connecting people, strengthening communities

Strong communities are built on connections between neighbors, organizations, generations and people who might not otherwise cross paths. Across Pennsylvania, Window Keepers are making those connections happen, often through the simple but powerful acts of listening, bringing people together and making sure everyone has a place in the conversation.

Window Keeper spotlights: Keeping Pennsylvania’s stories alive

Pennsylvania is filled with history, and history is filled with stories. But in order to be inspired, guided by and connected to the past, we need people to keep those stories alive and share them with their neighbors and communities. These six Window Keepers are doing exactly that.

PA Humanities announces 30 new Window Keepers nominated by individuals across Pennsylvania

Pennsylvanians from 21 counties recognized by their neighbors and community members for strengthening civic life through the humanities

Get to know our Window Keepers: Part 2

These neighbors, educators, organizers, librarians, artists, volunteers and community members use cultural practices, storytelling, history and other tools of the humanities to bring people together and strengthen their communities.

Get to know our Window Keepers: Part 1

PA Humanities Launches “The Window Keeper: Civic Honors”

New statewide initiative honors 25 inaugural Window Keepers and opens public nominations for America’s 250th anniversary

Our Funders

The Window Keeper: Civic Honors initiative is supported in part by Pennsylvania state legislators, the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development, the National Endowment for the Arts, and individual donor Randall M. Miller. The Nov. 10 Window Keeper celebration in Harrisburg is sponsored by Erie Insurance. “The Window Keeper” by Yolanda Wisher was commissioned by PA Humanities and ArtPhilly for America250PA’s National Convening of State Partners Closing Dinner on September 21, 2024.

The Window Keeper: Civic Honors

Recognizing Pennsylvanians strengthening communities and sustaining civic life through the humanities

Meet PA’s Window Keepers