Attorney General-Elect Josh Shapiro Thursday announced a series of appointments to his leadership team as he prepares to be sworn in as Attorney General next week.
Shapiro named the following persons as Executive Deputy Attorneys General to lead divisions in the Office of Attorney General--
-- Jennifer Selber, a career prosecutor with the Philadelphia District Attorney’s Office, has been appointed Executive Deputy Attorney General in charge of the Criminal Division.
-- Jonathan Scott Goldman, an experienced litigator at the Blank Rome law firm, has been appointed Executive Deputy Attorney General in charge of the Civil Division.
-- Sara Manzano-Diaz, an attorney with extensive experience and leadership skills in government service, has been appointed Executive Deputy Attorney General in charge of the Public Protection Division.
“I am thrilled to announce these appointments and additions to our senior leadership team that we’re continuing to build,” Shapiro said. “In Jennifer, we’re getting a tested prosecutor and proven leader. Jonathan is an experienced litigator who will bring a private practice mentality of efficient, effective representation. Sara brings extensive experience in government service at the state and federal levels and a passion for this work. Our team just got a lot stronger.”
Shapiro also announced that Abington Township Police Chief and Emergency Management Coordinator Bill Kelly will become Senior Agent in Charge overseeing all agents in OAG.
“Chief Bill Kelly is a highly respected law enforcement official in Pennsylvania, and we’re delighted that he has agreed to become our senior agent in charge of more than 250 law enforcement agents in our office,” Shapiro said. “Bill brings integrity and expertise to his new post.”
Selber currently serves as chief of the Homicide Unit in the Philadelphia District Attorney’s Office, where she oversees all homicide investigations and tries cases as well.
Selber successfully prosecuted the killer of Police Officer Chuck Cassidy, and more recently, the contractor responsible for the building collapse on Market Street that left six people dead.
As head of the Criminal Division, Selber will oversee 436 employees and an array of law enforcement actions, including the Attorney General’s efforts to combat the heroin and opioid crisis in Pennsylvania.
“I’m deeply honored to answer Attorney General-elect Shapiro’s call to public service,” Selber said. “I’m proud of my work with the District Attorney’s Office, and I cannot wait for the opportunity to lead the Criminal Division in the Attorney General’s office.”
Goldman is a partner at Blank Rome, where he specializes in commercial litigation and complex commercial disputes. In heading OAG’s Civil Division, Goldman will be responsible for a unit of 104 attorneys that represent the Commonwealth in a variety of complex matters.
The Civil Division represents state agencies, collects delinquent taxes and other debts, and reviews all state contracts and regulations for legality.
“I am privileged to be selected by Attorney General-Elect Shapiro and to have the opportunity to serve the Commonwealth in this role,” Goldman said. “While I come from the private sector, public service is a passion for me, and I look forward to applying the legal skills I’ve honed at Blank Rome for the people of Pennsylvania.”
Manzano-Diaz brings a wealth of government service and experience to her role leading the Public Protection Division and its 136 employees. Most recently, Manzano-Diaz served as regional administrator for the Mid-Atlantic region for the U.S. General Services Administration.
Her prior public service includes leadership roles at the U.S. Department of Labor, the Department of Housing and Urban Development, and at the Pennsylvania Department of State under Gov. Edward G. Rendell. Manzano-Diaz also served as an assistant attorney general in New York state, prosecuting consumer frauds.
“Public service is my calling and my career,” Manzano-Diaz said. “The opportunity to serve Attorney General-Elect Shapiro by leading the public protection division, safeguarding consumers, seniors and small businesses from scams, frauds and other adverse acts in the marketplace, is tremendously exciting.”
Abington Chief Kelly will serve as Senior Agent in Charge of more than 250 agents in the Office of Attorney General, including agents in the bureaus of criminal investigations, narcotics investigations and special investigations.
Chief Kelly has more than 44 years of law enforcement experience, including 34 years as a police chief in Ohio and Pennsylvania.
“As Chief of Police in Abington Township, I came to know Josh Shapiro and work closely with him in his role as chairman of the Montgomery County commissioners,” Kelly said. “Attorney General-Elect Shapiro is smart, ethical and driven to do the right thing – the same qualities I hope to bring to this new role leading every agent in the Office of Attorney General.”
Shapiro’s appointments follow earlier ones, in which he appointed Michelle Henry as First Deputy Attorney General, the first woman to serve in that role in Pennsylvania history, and Eric Fillman as Chief Integrity Officer, a new position intended to make adherence to ethics and integrity a top priority of the Office.
“With today’s appointments and our earlier announcements, we’re building the kind of team that will work to protect Pennsylvanians’ rights every day,” Shapiro said. “Whether the criminal is on the street corner on in the board room, we need a team focused on safeguarding Pennsylvanians’ health, safety and welfare. This team is, and I cannot wait to get started and work with the entire staff of the Office of Attorney General.”
Shapiro will be sworn in as Attorney General of Pennsylvania January 17th in Harrisburg.
