Staff

Bill Bartle joined Pennsylvania Partnerships for Children in March 2006 as Youth Policy Director. In this role, Bill will lead the Pennsylvania Ready By 21™ initiative which is committed to youth-centered public policies and programs designed to ensure that all Pennsylvanians aged 12-21 have equitable access to high quality education and support services that prepare them for school, work and beyond.

Prior to joining PPC, Bill was the Executive Director of the Lehigh Valley Business/Education Partnership and has over 20 years of communications and community relations experience in the electric utility industry. Bill holds a BS degree in business administration and marketing from Susquehanna University.

Joan L. Benso is President and CEO of Pennsylvania Partnerships for Children (PPC). Since 1995, Ms. Benso has been responsible for the organization's daily administration and effective functioning. She is directly involved in the organization's interaction with state-level public policymakers, Pennsylvania's congressional delegation, the news media, the children's advocacy community, funders and service sectors.

Pennsylvania Partnerships for Children is a strong, effective and trusted voice to improve the health, education, and well-being of the Commonwealth's children.

In Harrisburg and Washington, D.C., PPC voices policy solutions proven to guide Pennsylvania's children toward lifetime success and away from failure. PPC's vision is to move Pennsylvania into position as one of the top 10 states in the nation to be a child and to raise a child. PPC utilizes research and analysis, government relations, strategic communications, and grassroots and grasstops mobilization as core strategies to drive change.

Ms. Benso's leadership in child advocacy has had a profound impact on the well-being of Pennsylvania's children. PPC has championed many issues and led a broad array of coalitions during her tenure including those which had yielded the passage of state universal children's health insurance law, creation of a state pre-kindergarten program and a more rationale funding system for public education. Ms. Benso's work has lead to landmark investments in early childhood education including child care subsidy, quality, Head Start and pre-K, state support for full-day kindergarten, reduced elementary class, high school reform, dual high school/college enrollment, youth development programs and the implementation of tax strategies that allow low-income working families to keep more of their wages to raise their children.

Ms. Benso has served on various state and national boards addressing health care, school readiness, youth development, college and career readiness and other critical children's issues.


Andrea joined PA Partnerships for Children in May 2010. She has 19 years of accounting and management experience in both for profit and not-for-profit environments.

She has served as fiscal manager for other Harrisburg-based organizations as well as CFO for a small family owned business in New Jersey. Andrea holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Accounting from Rutgers University and is a Certified Management Accountant (CMA). She lives in York.

Suzanne Henning joined PPC in June 2003. Originally from Connecticut, she has extensive experience in administrative positions with insurance, engineering, and manufacturing firms.

George L. Hoover joined Pennsylvania Partnerships for Children in January 2011 as Health Policy Director. Prior to joining PPC, George worked in human services in state government for more than 36 years in numerous capacities. In 2005 he was appointed as Deputy Insurance Commissioner of the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) and the adultBasic Program in the Pennsylvania Insurance Department.

His work during this period was key to the 2007 expansion of Pennsylvania's CHIP through the Cover All Kids initiative, which allows uninsured children of any income to access CHIP coverage. George also administered adultBasic, a health care coverage program for low-income uninsured adults.

Prior to joining the Insurance Department, George worked in the Department of Public Welfare for more than 30 years, serving in a variety of key management positions, including the executive director of a local welfare office and director of eligibility policy for the Food Stamp Program (now known as SNAP), and from 1993 to 2005, directing Medicaid eligibility policy.

George holds a Bachelor of Science degree from the Pennsylvania State University and lives in Mechanicsburg with his wife.


Colleen Kopp joined Pennsylvania Partnerships for Children in Jan. 2011 as Vice President. Kopp, secretary of legislative affairs under former Gov. Ed Rendell, is leading PPC's government relations efforts.

As a member of Rendell's staff, Kopp was involved in the development and negotiation of key elements of the former governor's agenda, including increased funding for public education, passage of "Cover All Kids" which expanded CHIP for all children in Pennsylvania, and enhancements to the PACE program providing prescription assistance to older adults.

Prior to being named secretary of legislative affairs, Kopp served as deputy secretary for legislative affairs for four years and also held senior roles in the House of Representatives including as executive director and chief of staff to the Democratic Whip.

Kopp is a graduate of the Indiana University of Pennsylvania, where she currently serves as a member of the university's board of trustees.


Todd Lloyd joined Pennsylvania Partnerships for Children in August 2008 as Child Welfare Director. In this role, Todd will lead PPC's Porch Light Project: Forever Family for Every Child. The goal of this initiative is to enhance child welfare public policy in order to strengthen Pennsylvania families, reduce instances of child abuse and lessen the numbers of children experiencing the foster care system.

Prior to joining PPC, Todd engaged in program administrative work through the University of Pittsburgh, School of Social Work, Pennsylvania Child Welfare Training Program. His previous work included the management of statewide training and technical assistance provided to state-funded Family Centers, Title IV-E Independent Living Programs and county child welfare agencies. Todd has 10 years of child welfare direct service and social work administration experience, and holds a MSW from Temple University.

Sandy Moore came to PA Partnerships for Children as KIDS COUNT Director with 29 years of experience working for the Commonwealth of PA. Most of that time was spent at the Department of Public Welfare doing research, evaluation and data analysis.

She served as an affiliate to the PA State Data Center and US Bureau of the Census, sat on many interagency workgroups and provided technical assistance to DPW staff, counties and other agencies on data-related issues.


Michael Race joined Pennsylvania Partnerships for Children in September 2011 as Director of Communications.

He previously served as communications director for the Pennsylvania Department of Public Welfare and the Pennsylvania Department of Education. He also has nearly 20 years of experience as a reporter and editor in print and electronic journalism, including 15 years covering state government for numerous Pennsylvania media outlets.

He is a graduate of the University of Michigan, where he received a B.A. in English.

Alyshea Joined PPC in March 2009 as the staff Secretary. She graduated from Harrisburg Area Community College with an Associate’s degree in general studies. She is currently attending Troy University perusing her bachelor’s degree with a major in criminal justice and a minor in psychology. She resides in Enola.

Kelli Thompson joined PPC in June 2008 as Government Affairs Associate to represent PPC interests before the Pennsylvania General Assembly, state agencies, regulatory bodies and the Pennsylvania Congressional delegation.

Prior to joining PPC, Kelli worked as an assistant to the Secretary of Planning and Policy in Governor Rendell’s office and later represented the Pennsylvania School Boards Association (PSBA) for three years. While with PSBA, Kelli worked on a variety of school-related issues, including property tax reform, cyber charter school funding/accountability, statewide health care for school employees, and PSERS-related issues.

She holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science from Susquehanna University.