Candidates
Borough Council
David Creagan Please click to see bio.
Elisabeth Knapp
Please click to see bio.
Ralph Jacobs
Wallingford Swarthmore School Director
Mary Gay Scanlon Please click to see bio.
Rick Sonntag
County Council
Keith Collins is the Pastor of Church of the Overcomer in Trainer. He is a graduate of Geneva College and also holds M.B.S. and D. Min. Degrees from Friends International Christian University. He is listed in the Heritage Registry of Who’s Who in America 2004/2005 edition.
He has served as a 1st Lieutenant U. S. Army (Infantry/Airborne) and as a Corporal of Police with the Port Authority Transit Police of PA & NJ. Keith served as a Registered Principal (NASD Series 6, 63 & 26 Licenses) in the Securities industry and was a national sales leader.
Keith is a member of the Veterans Outreach Committee of “Heroes Today” and also serves on the Chester Prison Re-Entry Collaborative Project. In addition he mentors 1st generation at-risk college students through a program he developed known as “Tomorrow’s Scholar.”
Keith also serves an adjunct professor at Delaware County Community College. He has taken missions trips to Ghana and Nigeria West Africa and has completed a pilgrimage study tour of the Holy Land (Israel, Egypt and Greece). He is the author of “From Coach to First Class” and “The Responsibility of Redemption-Motivating Men to Transform Their Community”
Keith is a marathon runner and cyclist and has been married to Dr. Carolyn C. Collins for 28 years. They reside in Ridley Township.
Jayne Young - A 34 year resident of Delaware County, Jayne Young is in her third term as Mayor of Lansdowne Borough, and has an extensive resume of civic involvement. She is a member of the Governor’s Local Government Advisory Board; a member of the South Eastern Pa. First Suburbs Project Steering Committee, a former Democratic State Committee member; and past Chair of Community Council for Education.
Over the years Jayne has taken every opportunity to learn about and participate in good governance. She knows about infrastructure, roads and sewers, development and economic revitalization, and she has encouraged and participated in collaboration with neighboring communities. Jayne is committed to bringing experienced, accessible representation to all.
Lyn Axamethy FloydAs a member of County Council, Lin Axamethy Floyd will serve all the people of Delaware County. She'll do that by vigorously representing the strengths and needs of the County's diverse communities and by focusing on practical solutions to the challenges that face us. Her experience in state and local government and in business gives her a big picture view of how our county can work better for all of its residents.
A former president of the Nether Providence Township Board of Commissioners, Lin worked tirelessly to make local government accessible and accountable to all of its residents. Throughout her four-year term as Board president, she chaired the Township's Finance Committee, giving special attention to the Township's uniformed and non-uniformed employee pension plans and to its stormwater and sanitary infrastructure systems. She established the Township’s Recycling Task Force and involved interested citizens and the school district in a program redesign that has more than tripled recycling volume and greatly increased participation. The Sierra Club of Pennsylvania has endorsed Lin's candidacy for County Council.
A member of the Board of Directors of the Southeastern Pennsylvania First Suburbs Project, Lin has worked with this non-partisan, four-county group seeking solutions to region-wide challenges in infrastructure, educational funding, housing, and transportation. She also serves on the Board of Directors of Habitat for Humanity of Delaware County and chairs the Family Services Committee. Delaware County Council appointed Lin to its Women’s Commission. She is a past chairperson of that Commission.
A part-time patent attorney for a Philadelphia chemical company, Lin retired from the DuPont Company in 2005 after a 20-year career. Specializing in industrial biotechnology, licensing, and strategic planning, she earned her law degree at Temple University’s Beasley School of Law and later taught patent law there as an adjunct professor. Before attending law school she was a legislative research analyst for the Washington State Senate. Lin and her husband, Harold, have lived in Nether Providence Township since 1985. Their two daughters graduated from the Wallingford-Swarthmore School District.
District Attorney
Kendall Brown brings a unique blend of real-life community and legal experience to the race for the Delaware County District Attorney’s Office. Ms Brown’s extraordinary commitment to community, her advocacy skills, understanding of the special needs of small businesses, and experience for the benefit of crime victims make her uniquely suited to serve as District Attorney of Delaware County.
As a litigator for several years at two major national law firms, Brown handled sophisticated commercial litigation and white-collar crime cases. Before practicing law, she advocated for the victims of child sexual exploitation as the Policy and Communications director of a non-profit law firm that lobbied on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C. for victims of sexual exploitation and also worked to help municipalities across the country enact laws to protect their citizenry from predators. In that role, Brown gained insight into the extraordinary responsibility prosecutors have to protect the public from crime. Ms. Brown also co-authored amicus briefs for the United States Supreme Court in cases involving the constitutionality of laws that were designed to protect the community from criminal exploitation.
At the same time she was advocating for victims’ rights, Ms. Brown also created an organization that provided low-income single mothers with access to a crucial resources, including housing, legal assistance, medical attention, education and psychological counseling.
Ms. Brown also started, owned and operated a small business, which she took from scratch to becoming one of area’s premier event design and planning firms. From that experience she gained a keen understanding of the myriad challenges facing small and large business owners alike, including the destructive implications businesses face when they fall victim to crime. These implications go far beyond the individual businesses; they have a deep effect on the community as a whole – especially in Delaware County, which prides itself on being a healthy environment for small businesses.
Ms. Brown was also instrumental in organizing numerous charitable events, including the Race for the First Responders in Nether Providence Township, the Annual American Heart Association Red Dress Fashion Show and Luncheon in Philadelphia, and events benefiting Manna and the Ronald McDonald House in Philadelphia.
Ms. Brown graduated with highest honors from George Mason University and from the University of Virginia School of Law, where she was an editor of the Law Review and a Dillard Fellow.
Judge of the Court of Common Pleas
Sally-Ann Heckert Bikin received her J.D. from Temple University School of Law in 1992, where she received the Bertram K. Wolfe award upon graduation. She also graduated from Temple University's LL.M. in Trial Advocacy program in 1997. She was a member of American Association of Nurse Attorney's, Health Care Lawyer's Association and the Christian Legal Society.
In addition to her legal education Sally-Ann is a registered nurse with 32 years experience. She has a vast knowledge of the internal structure and functioning of healthcare facilities. Her familiarity stems from working in numerous hospitals, long term care and skilled facilities in the Philadelphia area.
In the practice of law, Sally-Ann has focused on medical malpractice with a special interest in working with the senior and disabled population. She has worked for boutique and corporate firms in Philadelphia and was mentored by James Beasley Sr. before opening her own practice in 1997. She was a sole practitioner who handled all aspects of litigation and trials. Sally-Ann also does consulting for other attorneys and law firms. In 2008, she formed a partnership and law firm with E. Nego Pile, Esq. dedicated to the legal needs and care of the senior and disabled population. The law firm is Heckert Bikin and Pile, LLP.
Sally-Ann was also a consultant for Philadelphia Corporation for the Aging and Philadelphia Coordinated Health Care, is on the advisory board of the Bio IT Coalition based in Washington D.C and the Governmental Affairs and Policy Committee in Washington, D.C. which gathers information and formulates policies related to national health care. She is admitted to practice law before the United States Supreme Court and the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania.
G. Lawrence DeMarco, LLM, graduated from Dickinson College Cum Laude in 1990 and Villanova School of Law in 1993. He immediately joined DeMarco & DeMarco, P.C. as an associate to work under the example of his father James J. DeMarco, Sr. and focused his practice protecting the rights of injured workers. He has made his mark practicing workers' compensation and personal injury law. He earned the LLM in Trial Advocacy from Temple University in 2003, the only trial certification available in Pennsylvania. Larry focuses on workers' compensation, automobile accidents, general negligence, slips and falls, and other areas of civil law.
Larry is an active member of several legal associations including the National Crime Victim Bar Association, Pennsylvania Association for Justice, Philadelphia Trial Lawyers, Philadelphia Bar Association, Delaware County Bar Association, Justinian Society, Lawyer's Society of Philadelphia, Midwest Sociological Society, Honorary Member. Larry has been admitted to practice law in the following Courts: Pennsylvania Supreme Court, Supreme Court of the United States of America, Third Circuit Appellate Court of the United States, and Eastern District Court of the United States.
Michael F. Schleigh recently launched his own litigation boutique, The Law Offices of Michael F Schleigh LLC. He has handled numerous arbitrations and has served as second chair in bench and jury trials in Pennsylvania and New Jersey state and federal courts. Mr. Schleigh previously handled premises liability, medical malpractice, toxic tort and motor vehicle cases. He handles construction litigation, premises liability, product liability, insurance coverage defense, construction litigation and bad faith litigation cases for the firm. While in law school at Rutgers School of Law - Camden, Mr. Schleigh interned for the late Honorable Myrna B. Field, drafting opinions in both civil and criminal matters, and also was authorized to practice in Philadelphia Municipal Courts, where he personally defended indigent tenants in eviction actions, including appeals to Common Pleas Court. In addition, he researched and wrote the legal brief that served as the basis of the New Jersey State Court system expanding a pilot jury questionnaire program. After law school, Mr. Schleigh clerked for the Honorable William Cook of the Superior Court of New Jersey law division, working on both civil and criminal matters and drafting opinions of the Court, including two which were affirmed by the New Jersey Supreme Court and are often cited as controlling precedent in insurance and consumer fraud cases. He lectures as a mock trial instructor for Temple University's James E. Beasley School of Law Masters in the Trial Advocacy Program on trial advocacy issues. Mr. Schleigh has numerous published articles on various issues concerning litigation and coverage issues. He is also a graduate of Central High School of Philadelphia and the University of Pennsylvania where he studied political science. He is an Eagle Scout and currently serves as a Councilperson for the Borough of Lansdowne where he accepts no payment for his many hours of service. He and his wife have lived in Lansdowne for seven years where they are raising their daughter, Violet who just turned one.
David Wecht
Superior Court of Pennsylvania
Hon. David N. Wecht
Court of Common Pleas of Allegheny County, Pittsburgh
Judge Wecht has served on the Court of Common Pleas since his nomination by the Governor and confirmation by the Senate in February 2003. He was “Highly Recommended” by the Allegheny County Bar Association and was elected to a full term in November 2003. Prior to taking the bench, Judge Wecht was twice elected as Allegheny County’s Register of Wills and Clerk of Orphan’s Court. In that capacity, Judge Wecht pioneered several innovations, including creation of a free will consultation program for seniors, and drafting of a state law that prevents accused murderers from controlling their victims’ estates. Judge Wecht is a 1984 Summa Laude, Phi Beta Kappa graduate of Yale College and at the Yale Law School, he was selected as Notes Editor of the Yale Law Journal. After graduation served as Law Clerk to U.S. Circuit Judge George MacKinnon on the U.S. Court of Appeals in Washington, D.C., and received the Award for Distinguished Service in that position. Judge Wecht practiced law with firms in Washington, D.C. and Pittsburgh until his appointment to the bench in February 2003. A frequent lecturer and author, Judge Wecht serves as Adjust Professor at Duquesne Law School, as a Master in the Inns of Court (Matrimonial), Pittsburgh Section, and on a number of civic and community boards, including the Law Enforcement Advisory Committee of the Pennsylvania Commission on Criminal Delinquency, and the Criminal Justice Advisory Committee of the Community College of Allegheny County.
Kathy Boockvar
Commonwealth Court of Pennsylvania
Kathy Boockvar is currently Senior Attorney for the Advancement Project, engaged primarily in non-partisan election-related work. This has included statewide and national advocacy and collaboration with government officials, administrative agencies, organizations, coalitions, unions, and legislators, to ensure that voting rights and election administration laws are enforced fairly, effectively, and accurately, so that no eligible voter is wrongly disenfranchised.
For ten years she maintained a law practice in Eastern Pennsylvania, focusing primarily on Employment, Unemployment Compensation, Insurance, Pensions, Estate Planning, Social Security Disability, and Civil Rights. This practice included litigation before the U.S. Court of Appeals and U.S. District Courts, Commonwealth Court, and administrative agencies.
Previously she was a staff attorney for Lehigh Valley Legal Services, Inc., and for Northern Pennsylvania Legal Services, Inc. where she represented clients in Unemployment Compensation, Social Security Disability, Family Law, Protection from Abuse, Housing, Elder Law, Bankruptcy, and Juvenile Dependency matters including litigation in state trial and appellate courts and administrative agencies.
She is a graduate of the University of Pennsylvania and holds a law degree from American University. She resides in Doylestown Township with her family. Boockvar was endorsed by the Democratic State Committee earlier this month and was recommended by the PA Bar Association.