Bill Pezza
American History and Government Professor, Author, and Raising the Bar Founder
Bill Pezza teaches American History and Government at Bucks County Community College. In 2014 he founded the non-profit civic group, Bristol Borough Raising the Bar. The group's mission is to stimulate economic development in the Borough through the promotion of dining, the arts, specialty retail, historic preservation and the Borough's most cherished resources. Raising the Bars most recent success was spearheading the Borough's effort in winning the national Main Street Small Business Revolution contest sponsored by Deluxe Corporation of Shoreview, Minnesota in 2017. The contest resulted in a $500,000 economic development infusion to the Borough's commercial district. Bill is the author of four books, including his most recent titled, How Bristol Won, and will keep on Winning in which he lays out a blueprint for other communities to follow Raising the Bar's organizational success.
Joe Doyle
Co-Founde rand General Manager of ActorsNET of Bucks County
Joe Doyle is Co-Founder and General Manager of ActorsNET of Bucks County – a small 501c3 non-profit theatre located in Morrisville, PA. Joe is also an historical interpreter for the American Historical Theatre Company of Philadelphia. He portrays Founding Father John Adams annually at the National Archives in Washington, DC, and has appeared at the National Portrait Gallery, the Library of Congress, other sites in the nation’s capitol, at Mount Rushmore, and at many public schools and colleges . He is also a playwright and in 2004 was commissioned to write the book, music and lyrics for THE MAN WHO BOUGHT A COUNTRY – celebrating the life and times of Founding Father Robert Morris, who bought the residence known as Summerseat which had been owned by patriot Thomas Barclay and would later be owned by Founding Father George Clymer. Summerseat still stands and is the only home owned by two signers of the Declaration of Independence – Morris and Clymer.
Nicholas Gribbon
Student Speaker
Nicholas Gribbon is a student of Pennsbury High School and a life time resident of Bucks County. He enjoys competitive racing (he ran the mile in sub 4:50 time), speech and debate, mentoring younger students (he was recognized by his school board for excellent service in a national mentoring program), and doing volunteer work. Nicholas plans to attend college and wishes to major in social sciences. Recently, he completed two weeks of environmental work in Portland, Maine.
Stacy Lentz
Co-owner of the Stonewall inn and LGBT activisit
Stacy Lentz is an LGBT activist and Co-Owner of the Stonewall Inn which was the birth place of the modern gay rights movements after the Stonewall Riots in 1969. In 2006 the Stonewall Inn was closed and Lentz was a part of a team of investors who along with owners, Bill Morgan, Kurt Kelly, and Tony DeCicco stepped into save the iconic landmark. Stonewall was recently named a National Monument making it the first LGBT national monument in US history. In addition Lentz also helped organize the March for Marriage rally uniting over 80 LGBT organizations and thousands of people to call for the repeal of DOMA in 2013. She is currently is the CEO and Co-founder of the Stonewall Inn Gives Back Initiative a non-profit helping some of the most underserved members of the LGBTQ community. She has also appeared on CNN, Fox News, MSNBC, ABC, CBS, NBC and Various other news outlets discussing gay rights and issues affecting the LGBT community.
Tara Bane
Art Therapist
Tara Bane has a masters degree in Creative Art Therapy and is a
registered Art Therapist through the American Art Therapy Association. She has been a mental health practitioner for over 20 years and has provided her services in a variety of settings including a crime victims center, a domestic violence center, and a residential treatment facility for boys. Through her position at Family Service Association of Bucks County, she provided clinician art therapy services to lower bucks schools (including Morrisville Schools) for those children in need who have limited ability to get to the agency for services. Tara has a long history of supporting those suffering from various forms of abuse, traumatic experiences, and grief due to loss. She has counseled countless clients with peer relationships issues, socialization struggles, behavioral issues, childhood anxieties and depressive symptoms. It is with this knowledge and experience that inspired her to create Blue Sky Therapy Center.