Research design

Lisa Olszak worked ten years in the service sector before establishing her firm in 1991. With over 20 years experience in both the private and public sector, she has managed multi-county, multi-agency cooperative ventures that require understanding and balancing diverse agendas, and the needs and expectations of key stakeholders. Lisa holds a B.S. in Psychology from the Pennsylvania State University, and an M.S. in Administration from Slippery Rock University. Lisa was named one of Pennsylvania's Best 50 Women in Business in 2001.

Glenda Murphy has more than 20 years of experience working with the public, facilitating meetings, and managing projects. She began her career in Consumer Marketing with the H.J. Heinz Company prior to joining Olszak. Glenda’s expertise in engaging the public and communities in both rural and urban settings through a variety of project experience including the Duquesne Light Company’s Infrastructure Investment Grassroots Outreach Program, the Allegheny County Comprehensive Plan, the Pennsylvania High-speed Maglev project and the Airport Multimodal Corridor Major Investment Study. Glenda holds a B.A. in Economics/Art History from Bucknell University, and an M.S. in Business Administration from Carnegie Mellon University.

Kate Sphar has worked over ten years in both for-profit finance and non-profit management. Her diverse experience has also given her expertise in analyzing organizational structures, managing financial growth, creating marketing strategies, and business planning. She began her post-graduate nonprofit career working for the Houston Grand Opera, where she oversaw the artistic budget of over $2.1 million. She has also served as Director of Accounting and Operations for Atlantic-Pacific Capital Inc., a private equity placement firm in Greenwich, Connecticut, and as Managing Director of Pittsburgh Musical Theater. Kate is a graduate of Duke University, and did her graduate work at Southern Methodist University, where she received her MBA in Finance and Accounting, and MA in Arts Administration.