Announcing the Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful 2026 Annual Conference:
Connecting Nature, Community, and Equity
Join Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful on October 14–15, 2026 at the DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Reading for two days of inspiration, collaboration, and impact.
This annual gathering brings together affiliates, partners, volunteers, and supporters from across the Commonwealth to celebrate accomplishments, share innovative ideas, and strengthen our collective efforts to build cleaner, greener, and more equitable communities.
A special Thank You to Keep Reading Beautiful and the City of Reading for hosting the conference this year.
Conference Highlights:
- October 14: Kick off with a guided Reading Walking Tour, followed by an evening Reception to connect and network.
- October 15: The day begins at 8:00 AM with Registration and Breakfast, followed by engaging Keynote, Plenary Sessions, and Breakout Discussions.
- Returning by popular demand--Affiliates in the Shark Tank--a dynamic and interactive conference finale you won’t want to miss!
Registration and hotel reservation details are available below. For sponsorship opportunities, please contact Deb Woolley, dwoolley@keeppabeautiful.org.
We look forward to welcoming you to Reading for another impactful and inspiring conference!
Agenda
All Agenda Times and Sessions Subject to Change. Click each speaker's name to see their bio.October 14
- 1 - 4 PM Reading Walking Tour. Meet in the DoubleTree Hotel Lobby. Walk will be throughout the city of Reading. Wear weather-appropriate clothing and comfortable footwear.
Learn about the beautification and sustainability projects throughout the city of Reading. You will be led throughout the city reviewing their improvement projects by the team of experts from Keep Reading Beautiful and the Reading Public Works Department. - 5:30 - 7:30 PM Reception: Callowhill Ballroom at DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel, Reading, PA.
October 15
- 8 - 4:15 PM Annual Conference: Connecting Nature, Community and Equity
October 14
1:00-4:00 PM
Guided tour of the city of Reading
Meet in the DoubleTree Hotel Lobby. Walk will be throughout the city of Reading. Wear weather-appropriate clothing and comfortable footwear.
5:30-7:30 PM
CallowHill Ballroom at DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel, Reading, PA.
October 15
8:00 AM to 4:15 PM
8:00-9:15 AM
• Shannon Reiter
Shannon Reiter, Executive Director
Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful
Shannon serves as the Executive Director of Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful. Shannon started her career with the organization in 2004 when she joined the staff of PA CleanWays. In 2005, she took on the leadership role and in 2010, led the organization’s merger with Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful.
In 2003, Shannon earned an MPA-Nonprofit Management from the Graduate School of Public and International Affairs at the University of Pittsburgh and has been working to improve communities through her career of over twenty-five years in the nonprofit sector.
Over the past 19 years, Shannon has overseen and facilitated various strategic plans, managed multiple organizational restructurings, and led numerous research initiatives relating to illegal dumping, littering and enforcement. Most recently, Shannon provided direct support to the Governor’s Office and various state agencies in developing Pennsylvania’s first Litter Action Plan (2021), advised on the state’s first anti-litter public education campaign geared at changing behaviors, PA Fights Dirty and jointly orchestrated the just released Litter Enforcement Study Joint Project with Palmetto Pride.
9:15-10:00 AM
• Jerome Shabazz
Jerome Shabazz
Overbrook Environmental Education Center; KPB Board Director
Jerome Shabazz is a distinguished leader in environmental protection and public health with nearly three decades of experience driving sustainable community development. As the Founder and Executive Director of JASTECH Development Services, Inc., Mr. Shabazz has spent over 28 years bridging the gap between urban infrastructure and environmental justice. Under his leadership, the Overbrook Environmental Education Center was established in 2002 to empower vulnerable communities through the preservation of natural and built environments.
A recognized authority on land reuse and citizen engagement, Mr. Shabazz has provided expert testimony before the U.S. Congress’ Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure regarding brownfield redevelopment. His extensive background includes 25 years of operational and engineering experience with the Philadelphia Water Department and Philadelphia Gas Works. Currently, he serves on the boards of Keep PA Beautiful, DEP’s PA Environmental Justice, and Mayor Cherelle Parker’s Clean and Green Cabinet. Mr. Shabazz holds an M.S. in Environmental Protection from St. Joseph’s University and has held leadership roles with the US EPA’s National Environmental Justice Advisory Council and the PA DEP’s Citizen Advisory Council.
10:10-11:00 AM
• Kanika Greenlee
Kanika Greenlee, Senior Vice President
Keep America Beautiful
Kanika Greenlee serves as the Senior Vice President, Affiliate Network. In this role, she guides the development, performance, and impact of our 700+ affiliates nationwide.
Kanika is a pioneering environmental leader and public servant with more than two decades of experience uniting government, private industry, and local communities to build cleaner, greener, and more beautiful places to live. She most recently served as Executive Director of the Keep Atlanta Beautiful Commission and as Interim Deputy Commissioner for the City of Atlanta’s Department of Public Works, where she advanced recycling, beautification, and sustainability initiatives across the city. As a former Vice Chair of the Keep America Beautiful Board, Kanika has long championed the belief that everyone in America deserves to live in a clean, thriving environment.
Kanika began her career with the Keep America Beautiful network, serving as a program assistant for Keep Georgia Beautiful. An Atlanta native, she proudly calls the city home. She earned her degree in Mass Media Arts from Clark Atlanta University.
11:10 AM-12:00 PM
Youth Rising: Next Generation Leaders in Nature, Community, and Equity
• Kylie McCutcheon
Kylie McCutcheon, Affiliate Coordinator
Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful
Kylie joined the staff in 2021 as the Affiliate Coordinator and will be the main contact for current and future affiliates as well as awards programs and youth engagement programs.
Kylie graduated from the University of Pittsburgh at Greensburg with a bachelor’s degree in Biology with a concentration in Environmental Science. Kylie is also a part time employee of Allegheny CleanWays and is on DCNR’s NextGen Council. She is involved with the Master Watershed Steward Program through Penn State and is a Trail Ambassador of the Westmoreland Heritage Trail. Kylie also completed the Leave No Trace trainer course where she expanded her knowledge of Leave No Trace skills and ethics as well as techniques for educating others about low impact practices.In her spare time, she enjoys being outdoors with her friends, camping, kayaking, biking, and running.
Breakout Session 2, CallowHill II
Findings from the KAB Brand Study
• Kanika Greenlee
Kanika Greenlee, Senior Vice President
Keep America Beautiful
Kanika Greenlee serves as the Senior Vice President, Affiliate Network. In this role, she guides the development, performance, and impact of our 700+ affiliates nationwide.
Kanika is a pioneering environmental leader and public servant with more than two decades of experience uniting government, private industry, and local communities to build cleaner, greener, and more beautiful places to live. She most recently served as Executive Director of the Keep Atlanta Beautiful Commission and as Interim Deputy Commissioner for the City of Atlanta’s Department of Public Works, where she advanced recycling, beautification, and sustainability initiatives across the city. As a former Vice Chair of the Keep America Beautiful Board, Kanika has long championed the belief that everyone in America deserves to live in a clean, thriving environment.
Kanika began her career with the Keep America Beautiful network, serving as a program assistant for Keep Georgia Beautiful. An Atlanta native, she proudly calls the city home. She earned her degree in Mass Media Arts from Clark Atlanta University.
12:00-12:45 PM
12:45-1:30 PM
• Bethany Ayers-Fisher
Bethany Ayers-Fisher, Sustainability Manager
City of Reading Public Works; Coordinator, Keep Reading Beautiful
Bethany Ayers Fisher is the City of Reading Sustainability Manager. She serves in the Public Works Department where she has been employed since 2019. Bethany is an alumna of Reading Area Community College and Alvernia University, obtaining her Master of Arts Leadership- Sustainable Community Development, in 2022.
Bethany’s work portfolio includes Reading Conservation Corps as the City liaison, The GESA Energy Efficiency & Modernization project, Green Building Alliance liaison, the Bernhart Dam remediation project (Superfund liaison), Environmental Advisory Council liaison, Keep Reading Beautiful, Schuylkill River Greenways liaison, Berks County Conservation District liaison, Earth Day Berks co-chair, manages the City’s energy procurement contracts, and assists with strategic planning, technical assistance, environmental permit compliance, and grant writing/management for the City. She leads the Public Works community engagement efforts and the Public Works Public Service Announcement ads in the BARTA Bus Shelters and through Comcast. Bethany also serves as a co-chair for the Schuylkill Action Network’s stormwater workgroup and is a member of the Urban Sustainability Directors Network (USDN) and the US Water Alliance.
In her spare time, Bethany volunteers with League of Women Voters, Angelica Creek Watershed Association and Master Watershed Stewards.
• Tanya Melendez
Tanya Melendez, Chairperson
Keep Reading Beautiful
Tanya E. Melendez is a seasoned community resilience and sustainability leader with over 25 years of experience in operations, outreach, and capacity building across nonprofit, municipal, and community-based settings. Based in Reading, Pennsylvania, she serves as the Resilient Community Cohort Manager for the Green Building Alliance, leading efforts to strengthen buildings, infrastructure, and neighborhoods through equitable climate solutions.
She collaborates with schools, nonprofits, houses of worship, and small businesses to improve energy efficiency, affordability, and resilience. In partnership with the Met-Ed/Penelec Sustainable Energy Fund, she connects local organizations with technical assistance, funding, and workforce opportunities, advancing Reading’s goal of 100% renewable energy by 2050.
A longtime neighborhood advocate, Tanya has driven grassroots environmental efforts through the 18th Wonder Improvement Association, helping establish its Green Team and co-leading a community garden that increased food access and community engagement.
With a master’s degree in art education and bilingual fluency in English and Spanish, she excels at translating complex sustainability concepts into accessible, hands-on learning. Her work spans urban agriculture, water conservation, historic preservation, and civic pride through initiatives like the Day of Caring and Resilient Reading Roundtable.
Tanya is a certified Pollinator Steward and a founding leader of Keep Reading Beautiful, host of the 2026 Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful Annual Conference. She is known for her collaborative leadership and dedication to empowering communities to thrive.
• Valeri Harteg
Valeri Harteg, Director of Community Impact and Operations
The Wyomissing Foundation
Valeri serves as the Director of Community Impact and Operations at The Wyomissing Foundation, where she supports local grantmaking, community initiatives, and organizational administration. A Berks County native and graduate of Governor Mifflin High School, she is grateful for the opportunity to give back to her hometown community through her work at the Foundation. More recently, Valeri’s role has connected her with local leaders in urban agriculture—a priority strategic focus of the Foundation and something that aligns with her personal passion for stewarding the ongoing care of her family’s farmland in Mohnton. She also teaches Adult ESL part time for the Literacy Council of Reading-Berks.
Valeri holds a B.A. in Psychology and a master’s degree in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages and has worked in education, immigrant services, and community engagement both abroad and in the U.S. Prior to joining The Wyomissing Foundation, she spent seven years at HIAS Pennsylvania in Philadelphia, where she managed English language programs for newly arrived refugee families and led cross-sector collaborations focused on school-family communication and advocacy.
Outside of work, Valeri enjoys running, reading, drinking good coffee, and spending time with her husband, son, and lovable cats, Simba and Binx.
1:40-2:30 PM
• Chris Barrett
Chris Barrett, President/CEO
Pocono Mountains Visitors Bureau; KPB Board Director
Since 2017, Chris Barrett has provided strong servant leadership in the Pocono Mountains, focusing on tourism and hospitality while supporting business and nonprofit initiatives across Wayne, Pike, Monroe, and Carbon counties.
As leader of the Pocono Mountains Visitors Bureau, he guided the region through the pandemic and economic challenges beginning in 2020, launched the award-winning Pocono Promise, and championed diversity, equity, and inclusion, workforce support, and economic development.
Barrett founded the Pocono Television Network (PTN), now reaching over eight million homes, and continues to expand its content and serve as a host.
He also leads the Pick Up the Poconos campaign, mobilizing volunteers to remove more than 37,000 bags of litter. Barrett serves on multiple boards, including Keep PA Beautiful and Pocono Mountains United Way, and teaches at East Stroudsburg University.
Previously, he held executive roles at Target Media and spent over 20 years with Hershey Entertainment & Resorts. He remains deeply committed to enhancing community quality of life and visitor experience.
2:40-3:00 PM
• Jessica Shirley
Jessica Shirley, Secretary
PA Department of Environmental Protection
Jessica Shirley serves as the Secretary for the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (PA DEP), playing a pivotal role in the guidance of the department in its mission to protect and preserve Pennsylvania's environment while fostering sustainable and equitable practices.
Jessica arrived to the role of Secretary with extensive experience within the agency. Prior to her role as Secretary, Jessica served as the Executive Deputy Secretary overseeing all programs.
As the first appointed Infrastructure Implementation Coordinator at the PA DEP, Jessica oversaw the influx of federal funding supported by the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) and the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA). She ensured that the Department used all available funds for the betterment of Pennsylvania's environment, economy, residents, and communities. In this role, she also placed strong emphasis on consideration of the impact of programs in historically underinvested communities.
Jessica's previous role as Policy Director from May 2016 to April 2022 was marked by her dedication to shaping the environmental and energy policy agenda. In this position, Jessica helped to develop groundbreaking executive orders related to PFAS, climate change, energy conservation and sustainability in Commonwealth operations, and environmental justice. These executive orders established the first greenhouse gas reduction goal for the Commonwealth, set performance goals for state agencies, established the PFAS Action Team to remove silos and address emerging contaminants, and memorialized various processes and opportunities to meaningfully engage and address underserved communities in Pennsylvania. She coordinated the DEP Policy Office's efforts, while overseeing the finalization of numerous rulemakings and promoting meaningful dialogue with stakeholders. Jessica and her counterpart at PennDOT lead the effort to develop Pennsylvania’s first ever Litter Action Plan which received several awards and national recognition. Jessica also served on the agency steering committee of DiversEP, the agency’s DEI committee with a mission of actively cultivating a culture of equity and inclusion and establishing a more diverse workforce representative of the population we serve.
In her earlier role as Executive Policy Specialist, Jessica was a trusted advisor in various policy areas, including oil and gas development, air quality, climate change, energy, waste, clean water, and environmental cleanup. She also demonstrated leadership in diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts, and her representation of the Administration in discussions with key organizations showcased her influence and expertise. She built extensive relationships by serving as the Policy Office liaison to the Oil and Gas Technical Advisory Board, Air Quality Technical Advisory Board, Climate Change Advisory Committee, Small Business Compliance Advisory Committee, Cleanup Standards Scientific Advisory Board, Pennsylvania Energy Development Authority, Recycling Fund Advisory Committee, Radiation Protection Advisory Committee, Solid Waste Advisory Committee, Sewage Advisory Committee and Storage Tank Advisory Committee.
Jessica's educational background includes a Master's Degree in Public Administration from Pennsylvania State University and a Bachelor's Degree in Economics and Political Science from Indiana University of Pennsylvania.
3:00-4:00 PM
Affiliates will dive into a friendly competition inspired by the hit reality TV show Shark Tank. Each team will pitch their most innovative and impactful community improvement ideas to a panel of judges, all vying for a chance to secure a $2500 grant.
4:00-4:15 PM
Shannon Reiter
Shannon Reiter, Executive Director
Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful
Shannon serves as the Executive Director of Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful. Shannon started her career with the organization in 2004 when she joined the staff of PA CleanWays. In 2005, she took on the leadership role and in 2010, led the organization’s merger with Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful. In 2003, Shannon earned an MPA-Nonprofit Management from the Graduate School of Public and International Affairs at the University of Pittsburgh and has been working to improve communities through her career of over twenty-five years in the nonprofit sector.
Over the past 19 years, Shannon has overseen and facilitated various strategic plans, managed multiple organizational restructurings, and led numerous research initiatives relating to illegal dumping, littering and enforcement. Most recently, Shannon provided direct support to the Governor’s Office and various state agencies in developing Pennsylvania’s first Litter Action Plan (2021), advised on the state’s first anti-litter public education campaign geared at changing behaviors, PA Fights Dirty and jointly orchestrated the just released Litter Enforcement Study Joint Project with Palmetto Pride.
Hotel Registration
701 Penn Street, Reading, PA 19601 (directions)
Limited discounted room accommodations available but book early!
Group Code: CDTKPA
Make reservations by calling 610-375-8000 or click to book on-line.
Become a Corporate Sponsor
As a 501(c)3, Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful is dedicated to using its funding to further its mission and support its affiliate network in execution of our programming. Special sponsorship opportunities are necessary to facilitate a successful Annual Conference. We welcome your support as a sponsor, along with your invitation to the Conference.
Thank you for your consideration. For sponsorship opportunities, please click here or contact Deb Woolley, dwoolley@keeppabeautiful.org.
