Harrisburg, PA – Today, Governor Josh Shapiro will honor eight employees from the Office
of the Budget with Governor’s Awards for Excellence in recognition of their work to manage
billions in COVID-19 pandemic recovery funds for the Commonwealth. Pennsylvania has
received nearly $7.3 billion under the federal American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA).
“The Budget team came together quickly, working efficiently and effectively to respond to the
challenges that come with this enormous opportunity for the Commonwealth,” said Secretary of
the Budget Uri Monson. “The employees recognized today have consistently met federal
deadlines and maintained technical and thorough documentation that will ensure
Pennsylvanians continue to benefit from the federal dollars available under this program. I
applaud them for their efforts.”
The honorees are:
- Sandra Bruno, Administrative Officer 5
- Eric Gregerson, Administrative Officer 5
- Jamie Jerosky, Chief, General Accounting Division
- Colleen Kling, Executive Budget Manager
- Samantha Lockhart, Executive Budget Specialist 3
- Christine Rowe, Business Analyst 3
- Brad Woznisky, Accountant 3
- Debra Yutko, Assistant Director, Bureau of Budget Analysis and Budget Administration
The historic Coronavirus State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds (SLFRF), part of the ARPA,
required significantly more detailed reporting of expenditures in comparison to standard federal
grants. A new dedicated IT solution was needed to ensure that Pennsylvania could comply with
the SLFRF requirements, and dedicated staff were needed to oversee the grant and serve as a
central contact for agencies receiving the funds.
Staff from three bureaus within the Office of the Budget were tapped to lead this effort,
developing a strategy and a new system to collect, transform, and prepare data for submission
to the U.S. Treasury. The team pulled data from numerous sources, some housed outside of the
Commonwealth's network, and standardized and assembled that data to completely and
accurately report how funds were obligated and spent. Federal rules and guidance on reporting
the use of these funds continually evolved over the first two years of the program, requiring staff
to be flexible and agile in responding to changing requirements. As reporting requirements were
updated, frequent changes in reporting needs at the Commonwealth and subgrantee level were
identified and incorporated to ensure compliance was maintained.
As of June 30, 2023, the team has reported the use of over $5.8 billion in ARPA funds. This
includes 31 different major funding streams and more than 2,500 subawards across at least 17
different agencies. These funds are helping Pennsylvania to meet pandemic response and
recovery needs, including aid for healthcare practitioners and providers, support for affordable
housing, agriculture conservation and clean water programs, and law enforcement support and
violence prevention, among other programs.
This was accomplished by coordinating and leveraging the extensive knowledge and skills of
each team member. The team continues to participate in the national conversation on grant
reporting with other states, sharing best practices and solutions to federal requirements.
The Governor’s Awards for Excellence recognize individuals and groups of state employees for
exemplary job performance or service that reflects initiative, leadership, innovation and
increased efficiency. The Budget team members are among 54 employees from eight agencies
being honored by Governor Shapiro for exceptional accomplishments in 2022 during the Wolf
administration.
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