Board of Directors

Michael Courtad - Chair of the Board

Pittsburgh, PA

Courtad has been with Liberty Insurance Agency since 1998 originally as an employee benefits consultant and now serves as Vice-President of Employee Benefits. Courtad has served on the advisory boards for UPMC Health Plan and other regional insurance companies. His department specializes in alternate funding and aggressively managing the quality and cost of their employee benefit programs for the firm’s clients.

Katie Carr

Pittsburgh, PA

Ms. Carr comes with experience in the highly regulated fields of financial services including roles at Henderson Brothers, Inc., New York Life Insurance, and BNY where she will bring a strong understanding and key expertise in marketing and communications from these sectors. Over the years she has led content strategy to help recruiters and agents activate their ability to generate demand, nurture, sell, and recruit. She also has led the implementation of BNY’s recently refreshed logo design and streamlining the company’s umbrella brand and enhanced market recognition. In addition, she is actively involved in community service through roles as a Youth Basketball Coach, an Advisory Committee Member for United Way’s Be a Middle School Mentor Program, and as a Public Service Chair for the PRSA Pittsburgh Chapter. She is eager to contribute her marketing and operational skills and passion for community service to support LCBA’s mission.

Pat DiCesare

Burnt Hills, NY | Port St. Lucie, FL

DiCesare is a consultant on insurance related matters to several municipalities in NY and holds an insurance license in both NY & Florida. DiCesare has 50 years of experience in the insurance industry, having worked as an underwriter for the Insurance Company of North America, and as an account manager for a large insurance agency before forming his own successful agency. He has served on the advisory boards of several major insurance companies and was elected to the board of directors of a mutual fund where he was appointed to the SEC compliance committee. He is a graduate of Siena College and holds the Certified Insurance Counselor (CIC) designation. Mr. DiCesare has authored numerous articles in the insurance industry periodicals. He has been a member of LCBA for over 35 years.

Paul Kenny

Bradenton, FL

Mr. Kenny is a member of Branch 1556 and brings over 20 years of successful experience in managing financial, operational, and business development initiatives. A business degree graduate of St. Francis Xavier University in Antigonish, Nova Scotia, his particular expertise includes the development and application of key business indicators to evaluate financial operations and guide revenue growth. Paul served as President for McManis & Monsalve Associates in Erie, PA, a company devoted to helping businesses large and small identify corporate risks and opportunities for informed decision making. He has also held executive positions at Coca-Cola Enterprises and Seagram Distillers, both domestically and internationally.

Karen LeVert

Durham, NC

Venture Partner of Pappas Capital & CEO of Southeast TechInventures, an innovation lab focused on identifying and further developing promising university technologies from research labs that can improve the human condition.

Ms. LeVert has the Information Technology and Accounting skill set to serve LCBA. She spent her career in technology and financial arenas starting at a Fortune-500 insurance company in positions of increasing responsibility from computer programmer, to controller, to general manager of a 500-person Property & Casualty service center. Her entrepreneurial ventures include a franchise bioremediation company and a Silicon Valley venture-funded software company.

Her current board positions include: NCIDEA Foundation (Governance and Audit committee); Council for Entrepreneurial Development; and North Carolina School of Science and Math (Chair).

Ms. LeVert holds an MBA from the University of Dayton and an Information Technology undergraduate degree from Eastern Michigan University.

Robert Muth

Conneaut Lake, PA

Mr. Muth is the Director of Investments and Manager of Treasury Operations for Meadville Medical Center in Meadville, PA, where he utilizes investment techniques and strategies to maximize returns for four pension plans and three reserve portfolios. He is a Certified Financial Planner and holds a MBA from Gannon University. He also serves as a Board Member and Treasurer for the Economic Progress Alliance of Crawford County. Mr. Muth served as President and CEO of the Meadville Medical Center Foundation from 1998-2008 where he received the 2002 Outstanding Fund Raiser of the Year Award from the Association of Fund Raising Professionals (AFP) of Northwestern Pennsylvania. Mr. Muth is currently Vice President of the Meadville Noontime Kiwanis Club where he has been a member since 1989. His past distinctions include the 1983 NCAA Division III National Heavyweight Wrestling Champion title.

Bruce Rende

Mars, PA

Bruce Rende has been Managing Partner at Robb Leonard Mulvihill LLP since 2019, and has been with the law firm since 1987.

He has significant litigation experience in the areas of commercial litigation, premises liability litigation, transportation law, product liability litigation, professional liability litigation, extra-contractual insurance litigation, insurance coverage and insurance related litigation.

Mr. Rende has a BS in Political Science Indiana University of Pennsylvania and also a JD from University of Pittsburgh School of Law

He and his wife Pamela have a son Colin, a Freshman at Penn State University.

Anne Sweigart

Tellico Plains, TN

A member of LCBA since 1968 and a member of Branch 1155, Ms. Sweigart is a Registered Nurse serving as Emergency Department Shift Coordinator at St. Rita’s Medical Center in Lima, OH. An Applied Science, Nursing Major graduate of Owens Community College and the Rhodes State College EMT certification program, she also serves as House Supervisor at Van Wert City Hospital in Van Wert, OH. A past Fraternalist of the Year award recipient, Anne was once a special representative insurance saleswoman; has held offices in her local branch; served as a National Marshall under LCBA’s pre-2008 delegate-based governance structure; and is s 20-year Advisor for the 4-H program, with experience serving as county-wide 4-H Treasurer. Other professional affiliations include: Ohio State University Extension – 4-H Program; American Heart Association and American Academy of Pediatrics.

Cynthia Yeager

Altoona, PA

Cynthia Yeager was admitted to practice in the PA Supreme Court and began her career with the Law Firm of Andrews and Wagner in 1989. She has been a solo practitioner since 2000.

Ms. Yeager practices in Estate Planning, Estate Administration, Corporations and Business, as well as Commercial and Residential Real Estate. She has continued to represent not-for-profit entities since 1989.

Ms. Yeager has a BA from University of North Carolina in Wilmington and a JD from Duquesne School of Law.

She and Donald own a small farm with beef cattle, horses, dogs, cats, chickens and bees. Cynthia enjoys farm life, gardening and cooking.