Committee Members

Chair - Emily Munson (District 5)

Emily is the Chair of the Democratic Committee of Dormont. She has called Dormont home for 17 years, where she lives with her husband, Josh, their three amazing boys, and two adorable dogs. As a military family, service and commitment to community are at the heart of how they live their lives. As a Business Analyst Consultant in the IT industry, Emily brings problem-solving and clear communication to her work leading the committee.

Raised as a conservative, she later embraced a progressive perspective - a change she passionately stands by, and one that led her to the Democratic Party and a deepened commitment to truth, accountability, and people-first leadership. Her motivation is simple and unwavering: to shape a community that works for everyone.

Vice Chair - Toby Greenwalt (District 10)

Toby is Vice-Chair of the Democratic Committee of Dormont, and is beginning his ninth year representing the 10th district. He has spent his career working at the intersection of emerging technology and community development, working as Director of Digital Strategy for Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh. He is currently the owning principal of Flywheel Strategies, a boutique consulting firm helping community-focused organizations define their secret sauce and amplify their impact to a wider base of stakeholders. He is also the co-convener for the Keystone Internet Coalition, a community of practice working to expand high-speed internet access, hardware and training across Pennsylvania. A resident of Dormont since 2014, Toby has made his home here with his wife Jordan, their two boys, and Mildred Bonk, the World’s Worst Dog™.

Secretary - Melissa Reinert (District 10)

Melissa who has actively participated on the Democratic Committee of Dormont since 2017, is its Secretary. During the day, Melissa works at a local non-profit preschool. She and Jason, her spouse of fifteen years, have called Dormont home since 2012, and are raising three children here. She has devoted a lot of time participating in several organizations during her time in Dormont, mostly focused on the elementary school and youth sports. Melissa strives to be a “good neighbor” in the Fred Rogers sense of the word. She is passionate about helping everyone's voice be heard and making our community more inclusive.

Treasurer - Brent Wasko (District 9)

Brent serves as Treasurer of the Democratic Committee of Dormont and has represented Dormont District 9 on the committee since 2018. He, his wife Emily, and their son Desmond have lived in Dormont since 2012. Brent has worked for Allegheny County for nearly a decade, including in the County Executive’s Office and the Department of Public Works, where he provides constituent services along with other key responsibilities.

Inspired by then–Presidential candidate Barack Obama’s health care reform agenda, Brent first became involved in politics in 2007 by registering voters, making campaign calls, and distributing materials door-to-door. That experience motivated him to continue taking an active role in supporting candidates committed to improving health care, strengthening infrastructure, protecting the environment, and reducing income inequality.

Alanna Kanawalsky (Philadelphia Avenue)

Originally from New York, Alanna has called Pittsburgh home since 2007. She and her husband, Wes, moved to Dormont in 2010, and it's the place where they truly feel at home. They are proud parents of two boys in the Keystone Oaks School District and enjoy being actively involved in their community. Professionally, Alanna serves as a Lead Child Life Specialist at UPMC Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh, where she is passionate about supporting neurodivergent children and their families through compassionate, individualized, and neuroaffirming care. Outside of work, you'll often find her cheering on local sports teams, hiking and area trails, practicing yoga, and exploring the many beautiful parks throughout Allegheny County.

Josh Snyder (Voelkel Avenue)

Josh and his partner Emily have been residents of Dormont for nearly 10 years, and are joined by their two little Dormonsters, Bridget and Colin.  In his free time, Josh likes keeping cool at the pool with his family, drinking good local craft beer, and playing video games.  Josh originally hails from Central PA, a place with a much different political landscape, and in fact, a defining moment politically was participating in his 8th Grade History debate advocating for Al Gore over George W Bush.  Josh was right then and he continues to be on the right side of politics now.

Josh in his second term on the Democratic Committee of Dormont hopes to outreach to new members and enrich his community, while still espousing Democratic virtues of compassion, equity, and diversity.  Josh (and Emily) will continue to support local Democratic candidates, politicians, and policies.

Joanna Bouldin (Peermont Avenue)

Joanna is a former community and labor organizer who has lived in Dormont since 2013 with her husband and kiddo. She served 4 years on Dormont Council, spearheading the passage of the borough's LGBTQ Non-Discrimination Ordinance as well as a community-driven strategic planning process. She serves as Chair of the Dormont Human Relations Commission, coordinates the volunteer teams behind community events like Porchmont and Dormont Bird Week, and is an embarrassingly enthusiastic volunteer for the Dormont Bird Town Committee. Need to chat? You'll find her on her porch!

James Olchowski (Latonia Avenue)

James is a recent transplant to Dormont who has spent over a decade canvassing for progressive causes and is excited to continue the good work with the committee. He also serves on the Dormont Stormwater Authority, trying to keep our collective basements from becoming swimming pools. During his spare time he’s usually cooking, helping in the garden, or reading.

The District 3 committee seats are currently vacant. If you’re interested in joining the committee, please reach out to its leaders at demcommofdormont@gmail.com.

Jessica Dobson (Voelkel Avenue)

Jessica is beginning her first term representing Dormont's 4th District on the Democratic Committee. A Brookline native and graduate of both Pittsburgh’s Creative and Performing Arts High School and West Virginia University, she has proudly called Dormont home since 2013. Jessica is the Director of Operations for TGY Operations, a local residential property management company. She and her husband Geoff (also on committee) are raising six children in the Keystone Oaks School District and have spent years volunteering in their schools, youth sports, and community organizations.

In her free time, Jessica is usually cheering on her daughters at Keystone Oaks soccer, basketball, flag football, swimming, and other school activities, or supporting the many athletic, music, and community events that make Dormont such a great place to live. Her favorite community tradition is the Dormont Street and Music Festival.

Geoff Dobson (Voelkel Avenue)

Geoff is beginning his first term representing Dormont's 4th District on the Democratic Committee. Born and raised in Dormont, Geoff is a Keystone Oaks High School graduate (Class of 1997). Geoff is a Computer Engineer at Amazon Web Services and holds degrees from Saint Vincent College, the University of Pittsburgh, and Carnegie Mellon University. He serves in the Air Force Reserve and his currently assigned to the Air Force Research Laboratory in Dayton, Ohio. 

Outside of work, Geoff spends much of his time coaching and volunteering in the community through youth soccer, basketball, and school activities. He serves on the Borough of Dormont Zoning Committee and is passionate about giving back to the town that helped shape him. He's a big fan of Gold Mountain Music and gets to as many shows as he can.

Emily Munson (Miles Avenue)

Emily is the Chair of the Democratic Committee of Dormont. She has called Dormont home for 17 years, where she lives with her husband, Josh, their three amazing boys, and two adorable dogs. As a military family, service and commitment to community are at the heart of how they live their lives. As a Business Analyst Consultant in the IT industry, Emily brings problem-solving and clear communication to her work leading the committee.

Raised as a conservative, she later embraced a progressive perspective - a change she passionately stands by, and one that led her to the Democratic Party and a deepened commitment to truth, accountability, and people-first leadership. Her motivation is simple and unwavering: to shape a community that works for everyone.

Christian Rieger (Belrose Avenue)

Chris, now serving his second term on the Committee, has been a Dormont resident since 2021. While running his own law practice, Chris also serves on Dormont Borough Council, where he has been a member since July 2023. He has served on committees in both blue and red areas, and never misses a chance to knock on doors to help Democrats up and down the ballot no matter where they are. During his spare time, you can find him getting coffee on Potomac Avenue, down at Pop Murray Field with his wife Tracy and son Darrow, or around town playing gigs with his acoustic guitar.

Beth Dabruzzo (Wisconsin Avenue)

Beth is a 23 year resident of Dormont & represents District 6. Beth is retired & lives with her husband Jim & their 2 dogs. 

Beth is temporarily staying in Scranton with Jim & the dogs since Jim accepted a healthcare travel position in order to spend more time together. Beth enjoys reading, cooking, baking, completing puzzles, hiking, fishing, kayaking & taking train excursions.

Jim Dabruzzo (Wisconsin Avenue)

Erin Anderson (Eastmont Avenue)

Erin Anderson has lived in Dormont since 2020. She was drawn to the close-knit neighborhoods of Dormont and has since cherished the opportunity to witness and be part of a community that supports growth and the well-being of its residents. After volunteering for the Biden campaign in 2020 and the Harris campaign in 2024, she wanted to continue to advocate for voters' rights, workers' rights, social and environmental justice, and fair and humane immigration laws. As an archivist, she is passionate about the transparent dissemination of information and hopes to bring this passion to the political sphere. She's looking forward to continuing work to foster collaboration among Democrats in Dormont and across the greater Allegheny County.

Ian Anderson (Wainbell Avenue)

Ian Anderson has been a Dormont resident since 2023, though his family has deep Dormont roots, originally moving to the borough during the prohibition era. He works as a licensed life insurance broker and a writer specializing in researching equitable, populist economic policies of the 1930s and 1940s. He also currently serves as Director of Development for the nonpartisan Battle of Homestead Foundation, a nonprofit organization dedicated to commemorating the 1892 strike and preserving the history of organized labor in the greater Pittsburgh area. Ian was involved in Washington County during the two Obama campaigns and subsequently worked for the Biden & Harris campaigns in 2024. He remains dedicated to helping elect Democrats up and down the ballot and lives in District 7 with his wife Riley and their cats, Sam and Harry.

The District 8 committee seats are currently vacant. If you’re interested in joining the committee, please reach out to its leaders at demcommofdormont@gmail.com.

Daniele Ventresca (Alabama Avenue)

Daniele was born and raised in Dormont. After spending several years living outside of Dormont, she returned in 2005 to raise her family in the community she proudly calls home. She and her husband are the proud parents of three young men.

Daniele is a licensed social worker and mental health professional committed to serving others through both her professional work and community leadership. She is currently serving her third term on Dormont Borough Council and is honored to serve as President Pro Tempore.

Daniele has been actively involved with the Democratic Committee of Dormont since 2015. She remains dedicated to ensuring that Dormont continues to be a welcoming, vibrant, and inclusive community for residents of all ages.

In her spare time, Daniele serves on the board of Dormont Arts, co-chairs the Dormont Arts Community Garden, and leads Dormont Bird Town.

Brent Wasko (Greenmount Avenue)

Brent serves as Treasurer of the Democratic Committee of Dormont and has represented Dormont District 9 on the committee since 2018. He, his wife Emily, and their son Desmond have lived in Dormont since 2012. Brent has worked for Allegheny County for nearly a decade, including in the County Executive’s Office and the Department of Public Works, where he provides constituent services along with other key responsibilities.

Inspired by then–Presidential candidate Barack Obama’s health care reform agenda, Brent first became involved in politics in 2007 by registering voters, making campaign calls, and distributing materials door-to-door. That experience motivated him to continue taking an active role in supporting candidates committed to improving health care, strengthening infrastructure, protecting the environment, and reducing income inequality.

Kate Ledford (Grandin Avenue)

Kate lives in Dormont with her husband and two young daughters. She has a background in public policy and higher education, and is an active volunteer with the local Moms Demand Action chapter advocating for gun violence prevention at all levels of government. She's been involved with the committee since 2019 and hopes to help neighbors get involved in any way they can. While none of us can do it all individually, we can each do our part to create a community we are proud of.

Toby Greenwalt (Dwight Avenue)

Toby is Vice-Chair of the Democratic Committee of Dormont, and is beginning his ninth year representing the 10th district. He has spent his career working at the intersection of emerging technology and community development, working as Director of Digital Strategy for Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh. He is currently the owning principal of Flywheel Strategies, a boutique consulting firm helping community-focused organizations define their secret sauce and amplify their impact to a wider base of stakeholders. He is also the co-convener for the Keystone Internet Coalition, a community of practice working to expand high-speed internet access, hardware and training across Pennsylvania. A resident of Dormont since 2014, Toby has made his home here with his wife Jordan, their two boys, and Mildred Bonk, the World’s Worst Dog™.

Associate committee members have the same goals and purposes of elected and appointed committee members. They are residents of districts that already have representation, or prefer greater flexibility related to committee meeting attendance and participation in events. Associate members may also vote on Democratic Committee of Dormont-only matters, with the exception of budgets, bylaws, and reorganization. They are active and engaged members of the DCD and are formally recognized as associate members by the Democratic Committee of Dormont.

Jim Lamb - District 2
Jim runs the Ireland Institute of Pittsburgh, a local non profit connecting Pittsburgh and Ireland around trade, training, business, cultural exchange, and other partnerships. He serves the government of Ireland as Honorary Consul for Western Pennsylvania. Jim also is a working musician, performing in pubs across the Pittsburgh area.

Jim and his wife, Ann live on Piedmont Avenue. Their son, Ciaran lives and works in Pittsburgh.

Jessica “Jess” Yoest - District 2

Joanie Mauger - District 9

Joanie and family moved to Pittsburgh in 2021. Both Joanie and her husband, Nick, are retired. In retirement, Joanie has become a Full-time Volunteer. You can find her helping at the Dormont Free Pantry, measuring fabric at Salvation Army Women Auxiliary in preparation for SAWA’s twice a year fabric sale, writing get-out-vote postcards to Democrat leaning voters across the country, and working on behalf of the League of Women Voters Pittsburgh. When not volunteering, Joanie is sewing/smocking children’s clothes which she sells on ArtisanOutreachpgh.com (Etsy) 100% of sale proceeds are donated to: Dormont Free Pantry, Dormont Library, the Outreach program of St. Paul’s Espicopal church, and the Salvation Army Western Pennsylvania programs. The buyer indicates which charity as part of the sale.