Meet the Team

University of Pittsburgh
School of Law
2027 JD candidate

Abbie Siecinski is a current resident of Lawrenceville but was born and raised in the beautiful Laurel Highlands. She is currently a 2027 JD Candidate studying at the University of Pittsburgh School of Law, with a certification in environmental and energy law. Before law school, she was a program coordinator with Venture Outdoors where she deepened her love of kayaking and conservation. As a law student, she has been an intern with the PA Department of Environmental Protections and a student worker with Pitt's Environmental Law Clinic. She is passionate about the intersection between the law, conservationism, and local policy work. In her free time, she loves to play volleyball and support the Pittsburgh theater community as an actor and an audience member. 

City of Pittsburgh
City Council
District 5 City Councilmember

Barb Warwick was sworn in as the District 5 City Councilmember on December 12th, 2022. She was re-elected and sworn in for a full four-year term on January 8, 2024.

A working mom with four young kids, Barb has been living in the Four Mile Run section of Greenfield (The Run) since 2014. She got involved with City politics through her neighborhood’s winning fight to stop the build-out of the Mon-Oakland Connector shuttle road through Schenley Park and instead use those funds to fulfill long-time community needs, such as playground rehabilitation, rec center improvements, and more. She served as an elected member of the Greenfield Community Association (GCA) Board from 2020-2022 and sat on the Board of Pittsburghers for Public Transit from 2021-2023. She is also a long-time member of Hazelwood Initiative. A former teacher, she has been a regular volunteer after-school teacher and tutor for The Pittsburgh Project and the Hazelwood Cobras Afterschool program.

University of Pittsburgh
PhD Student, Hydrology
Geology and Environmental Science

Beth Ann Lani is a resident of Greenfield and a PhD student at the University of Pittsburgh. She has a B.S. in Geosciences with a focus in Hydrogeology from the Pennsylvania State University and a Master’s in Hydrology from New Mexico Institute for Mining and Technology. She is currently studying environmental science, specifically focusing on hydrology and community engagement. In Spring 2025, Beth Ann mentored a group of undergraduate students, called the Panther Hollow Protectors, to advocate for the restoration of Panther Hollow Lake. This effort resulted in multiple, ongoing volunteer events to remove invasive plant species from the headwaters of the lake. Beth Ann continues to be an advocate for healthy, sustainable, and accessible water resources throughout the Pittsburgh region.

Carnegie Mellon University

Teaching Professor &
Assoc. Dept. Head Undergraduate Affairs for Engineering and Public Policy

Administer the Engineering and Public Policy undergraduate double major program.

Deanna Matthews educates students on the complexity of real-world problems related to technology, policy, and society, and the possibilities for how their professional and personal lives could make a difference in our future. She teaches courses in engineering, science and public policy, project management and professional skills, and analysis methods. She advises undergraduate and graduate students in their decisions about courses, extracurriculars, research, summer experiences, and career pathways. As associate department head, she manages the undergraduate and graduate educational programs administrative responsibilities for the department, oversees curricular development in the department and college, facilitates faculty-student interactions, and supports alumni relationships. She earned a BS from Duke University and MS and Ph.D. from Carnegie Mellon University, all in civil engineering.

City of Pittsburgh
Department Of Mobility & Infrastructure (DOMI)
Principal Planner 

Kris is a passionate urbanist and writer who loves finding opportunities to bridge the gap between data, public policy, and the human experience. Originally hailing from Erie, PA and a proud graduate of Point Park University, Kris's journey prior to joining the board of directors of the Mon Water Project has been one of multidisciplinary action; challenging the status quo and questioning how institutions operate both internally and externally in order to advocate for diversity, transparency, and innovation. 

Whether it's through his work as a Principal Planner for the Dept of Mobility & Infrastructure at the City of Pittsburgh or through his exploration of artistry as the Founder & CEO of his emerging independent film studio, Little Owl Studios, Kris seeks to dive deep into the problems that impact our communities most. By using a people-centered approach, he hopes to address these policy and governmental challenges with care, integrity, and creativity.

Hazelwood Initiative

Director of Engagement and Sustainability

Wesco

Marketing Manager