For more than two decades, Erin Vecchio has been a steadfast advocate for the students, families, and taxpayers of Penn Hills. Now serving her ninth year as President of the Penn Hills School Board, and her 26th year overall on the board, Vecchio’s leadership reflects both deep knowledge and an unwavering commitment to the community she calls home.

In addition to her role in Penn Hills, Vecchio was recently named President of the Forbes Road Board, further affirming her reputation as a trusted and effective leader in public education.

As the district looks ahead, the Penn Hills School Board begins this next chapter with a combination of long-standing experience and new leadership. The board proudly welcomes three new members, Monica Colbert, Dr. Dawn Golden and Dr. Reginald Hickman, who bring a shared commitment to student success, fiscal responsibility and community engagement. Nicole Richardson, recently elected vice president, adds to the board’s strong leadership team. Together, their perspectives and expertise strengthen the board’s ability to guide the district forward during a critical period of continued progress and growth.

As board president, Vecchio’s responsibilities center on making sure students receive the quality education they deserve, protecting senior citizens from being taxed out of their homes, and keeping both students and the broader community safe. These priorities have guided her work during a period of significant turnaround for the district.

“Our goals right now are to keep moving it forward,” Vecchio said. “Our scores have come up, our discipline has gone down, our everything’s improving, and we just have to keep moving it forward, because it was in such a bad place when I got back on this board.”

She recalled the financial instability the district once faced, noting how far Penn Hills has come in recent years. “People don’t understand, when I got back on the board, Duquesne Light was shutting our lights off. And now we have a healthy surplus. We’ve come so far.”

Vecchio credits collaboration with state leaders, including the support and advocacy of Senator Jay Costa, for helping stabilize and strengthen the district’s financial footing. “We’re in a good position right now, and we cannot go backwards,” she said.

Under her leadership and alongside Superintendent Dr. Mozzocio, Penn Hills School District has seen significant improvements in academic performance, student behavior and school safety. The district has implemented its own security team and continues to work toward policies such as cell phone regulations that support a focused learning environment.

“I would like to send the message that we’re going to do everything we can to make this district great,” Vecchio said. “Penn Hills used to be the number one school district, and for so many years we had a black eye. Now we have to make sure we keep this district going forward. Our grades have come up, and we’re doing better, everything has turned around.”

For Vecchio, the work is deeply personal.

“It’s an honor,” she said. “We’ve come so far over the last five years bringing this district back, and I’m just going to keep moving it forward because Penn Hills is my hometown, and I’m not ever going to let it go backwards.”

With experienced leadership and the dedication of all board members, including newly elected Ms. Colbert, Dr. Golden, and Dr. Hickman, the Penn Hills School Board remains focused on building on recent successes and ensuring a strong future for students, families, and the entire community.