Kathleen McGinty

PLEASE NOTE: The date for this event has changed since the publication of this story. It will now be held on August 4. Click here for more information.

Mark your calendars, because Pennsylvania Governor Tom Wolf’s chief of staff will be visiting the Lehigh Valley.

Kathleen McGinty will be the speaker for the Lehigh Valley Economic Development Corporation’s (LVEDC) “Conversation & Cocktails” event on July 9, less than two weeks after the deadline for the Pennsylvania budget, which is currently being debated by the state Legislature.

The free event will be held at the Renaissance Allentown Hotel.  For more information or to RSVP, visit the event’s Eventbrite page.

The Conversations & Cocktails series allows LVEDC investors a unique opportunity to have targeted interaction with speakers and members of the Lehigh Valley’s legislative body in an intimate setting to discuss pressing economic issues.

“We are honored to host Katie McGinty, who brings a wide range of knowledge about a variety of issues affecting Pennsylvanians, and a unique perspective into the first year of Gov. Tom Wolf’s administration,” said Michael Keller, LVEDC Director of Marketing. “It’s also promising to see the administration paying such close attention to the Lehigh Valley.”

LVEDC previously hosted Wolf’s first visit to the Lehigh Valley since his inauguration. During the Feb. 25 event at the ArtsQuest Center in Bethlehem, Wolf gave an early glimpse into his community and economic development agenda, and cited the Lehigh Valley’s impressive economic revitalization as a model that could be followed across Pennsylvania.

“I really have a great appreciation for what’s going on here in the Lehigh Valley,” Wolf said during the visit. “You’re not only producing economic development, but you’re doing it in a way that’s revitalizing this community. That’s really important not just for the Lehigh Valley, but it’s really important for Pennsylvania. We need to find a way to do that across the state.”

Click here for a full video of Wolf’s remarks during his Lehigh Valley visit.

A 2014 candidate for governor herself before joining Wolf’s administration, McGinty previously served as secretary of the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection under Gov. Edward G. Rendell. The first woman to hold the position, she worked on clean water and mercury reduction initiatives and encouraged job growth in the energy sector.

McGinty was an advisor to Vice President Al Gore, and chaired the White House Council on Environmental Quality under President Bill Clinton, becoming the first woman to head the office. She also previously led a global business cleaning up and redeveloping contaminated properties and developing renewable energy, according to the state.

The expected agenda for July 9’s Conversation and Cocktails event is:

• 4 to 4:30 p.m. – Attendee registration and networking
• 4:30 to 5:15 p.m. – Kathleen McGinty speaks, followed by Q&A
• 5:15 to 6:30 p.m. – Cocktails, hors d’oeuvres, networking
• 6:30 p.m. – Adjourn

This event is made possible by the continued generous support of our Conversation & Cocktails Series Presenting sponsor: