Michael Gossert*

Cumberland Valley School District

Mike Gossert has been a board director for Cumberland Valley School District since 2012. He also has showed his leadership skills by serving on many boards, including the American Heart Association Capital Region Heart Walk and Heart Ball, the board of Friends of Fort Hunter, and the PASSHE Foundation board. He also has served on the board of his local chapter of the National Marine Corps Business Network. On a regional level, he has been a member of PSBA’s governing board, and he is a board member of the Capital Region Economic Development Corporation. He is also chair of the Pennsylvania School District Liquid Asset Fund (PSDLAF). Professionally Michael owns his own government consulting business. As the owner of his small business, he helps local governments, school districts and authorities learn to run more efficiently, how to govern effectively and manage transitions.

In response to the nomination form question, “Why I wish to serve in this position and what I hope to accomplish?”

“It seems the important issues facing public schools continue to multiply. Many of us in our daily lives make lists that we need to accomplish and as we complete the tasks enumerated on the list, we cross them off. The list of issues facing public schools continues to get longer because there seems to be no desire from our legislators to fix them or cross them off the list. Pensions, charter schools, unfunded mandates, property taxes, funding equity and so forth. We hear our legislators complain but offer no real solutions.

Public schools are under attack from both sides of the political aisle. I would like to be that someone who has a powerful organization behind them to lead the fight to start crossing these and many other important issues off the list by finding common ground and advocating on behalf of public schools and resolving those issues.”