Staff
Dana Brown
Executive Director
(412) 365-2725
Dana M. Brown began her tenure as the new director of the Pennsylvania Center for Women and Politics and assistant professor of political science at Chatham University in July of 2010. Ms. Brown is a doctoral candidate (ABD) in American Politics and Women and Politics at Rutgers University and recently completed a year as a Visiting Assistant Professor of Political Science at Allegheny College.
Ms. Brown has had the honor of being an Eagleton Fellow at the Eagleton Institute of Politics and PLEN Coordinator for Douglass Residential College at Rutgers University. Ms. Brown has also been Research Assistant at the National Asian American Survey (NAAS) and a Graduate Assistant at the Center for Race and Ethnicity at Rutgers University. She has completed additional graduate work in political and social research at the University of Michigan at Ann Arbor. She has presented research on women in politics, political psychology, political media, and political participation by women of color. Before entering graduate school Ms. Brown worked in Washington, D.C., as a development assistant for EMILY’s List and for the mutual fund trade association, the Investment Company Institute. She earned her MA in political science from Rutgers University and BA in political science from Allegheny College.
Jackie Filla
Assistant Professor of Political Science & Faculty Affiliate of the PCWP
(412) 365-1817
Jackie Filla is Assistant Professor of Political Science and scholar for the Center. Previously an Assistant Professor of Political Science and Geography at Old Dominion University in Norfolk, Va., her research interests include direct democracy, political participation, public policy, urban politics, women and politics, and Constitutional law. Her current research includes “The Impact of the Initiative on Municipal Politics and Citizen Participation,” a book manuscript based upon her dissertation. Most recently she was awarded the John Randolph Haynes Doctoral Dissertation Fellowship Award (2008-2009), which included a $20,000 research grant. Dr. Filla earned her Bachelor’s degree in Political Science from California State University – Fullerton and her Master’s and Doctorate degrees in Political Science from the University of California – Riverside.
Mandie Zoller
Program Coordinator
(412) 365-1878
Mandie Zoller is the Program Coordinator for the Pennsylvania Center for Women and Politics. Ms. Zoller began her tenure at the Center January 9, 2012. Ms. Zoller graduated from Westminster College with her degree in Public Relations. After a few years working in the nonprofit field with AmeriCorps, she moved to corporate communications with a for-profit company in Pittsburgh. She is currently working toward her Master's in Corporate Communication from Duquesne University and will graduate in May.
Ashlee Warnecke
Graduate Research Assistant
Ashlee Warnecke is currently a graduate research assistant at the Pennsylvania Center for Women and Politics. Ashlee graduated with her Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from Ohio Northern University in May 2011. She started in the Master of Arts in Psychology program at Chatham in August 2011 and plans to graduate in August 2012. In addition to taking classes and working, Ashlee is a research assistant on the Psychology of Gender research team in the psychology department.
Rebecca Pressimone
Office Assistant
Rebecca Pressimone is a second year student at Chatham University and is majoring in Interior Architecture and minoring in Music. Rebecca is an active member in the Chatham community. She is a Class Representative for the class of 2014, a Resident Assistant (RA) on campus, the Chair of the Chatham Relay for Life Event for the second consecutive year, a student member of the American Society of Interior Designers (ASID), and is going on her second year as the Pennsylvania Center for Women in Politics Office Assistant. Rebecca is on track to graduate in May of 2013 and continue on to get her Masters in Interior Architecture.