Penn-Trafford inducts eight alumni into Hall of Fame

Penn-Trafford inducted eight more people into its Alumni Hall of Fame Oct. 4 — including Penn Township’s former police chief, the CEO of the Westmoreland Cultural Trust and a district principal.

The Hall of Fame inducted its first class in 2020, growing to 45 members this year. It seeks to recognize alumni who have “brought honor, distinction and pride to the Penn-Trafford School District through their achievements, accomplishments and contributions,” according to its website.

This year’s inductees include:

Karen J. Smith, a former Penn-Trafford teacher

Robin Alexandra Lipinski Keith, the CEO of Procter & Gamble Beauty

John Otto, the recently retired Penn Township Police chief

Andrea Lonzo Porter, owner of Laser Hair & Skin Center of Monroeville and ACP Enterprises LLC

Paul Gamble, team lead test engineer at Elliott Company and Ebara Group

Cynthia S. Holden, social worker at UPMC Community Health Choices

Amy Horvat, Trafford Elementary Principal

Benjamin Luczak, CEO of the Westmoreland Cultural Trust

Wesley Kidd, a founder of the Penn Township Ambulance service and an auxiliary police officer, was also recognized at the ceremony. He was given the “Special Friend of Penn-Trafford School District” award.

Karen J. Smith

Smith worked at Penn-Trafford for more than four decades, starting the district’s early childhood development program.

The curriculum she developed for the program was later adopted in school districts statewide.

She also established the Penn-Trafford Bloodmobiles program, which encouraged students and the community to donate blood. She ran the program for about 45 years, collecting more than 17,000 units of blood which helped more than 51,000 patients. Her efforts contributed to the district’s American Red Cross School of the Year recognition in 2011.

Smith, a Harrison City resident, died in January 2021 at the age of 70.

Robin Alexandra Lipinski Keith

Keith graduated from Penn-Trafford in 1985. As CEO of Procter & Gamble Beauty in Geneva, Switzerland, she manages brand, research and development, supply chain and human resources departments for the more than $13 billion corporation.

She is an active board member for Girls on the Run in Cincinnati and the Personal Care Products Council. She was named to Fortune’s Most Powerful Women international lists in 2018 and 2019.

John Otto

After serving four years in the U.S. Marine Corps and graduating from the police academy, Otto was hired by the Penn Township Police Department. He retired Sept. 26 after three decades on the job — including 15 as chief.

During his time in the department, the 1989 Penn-Trafford graduate worked as a tactical commander, dog officer and the school district’s first school resource officer. He received the FBI Law Enforcement and Executive Development Trilogy Award and graduated from the FBI National Academy.

Otto continues to officiate WPIAL high school basketball games and is running unopposed for a spot on the school board in November.

Andrea Lonzo Porter

A 1989 graduate, Porter is a public speaker for Medicare for UPMC and Aetna.

She supports several charitable efforts — including Penn-Trafford’s Backpacks to Go food program, the Blackburn Women’s Shelter, the Ronald McDonald House for families with sick children, Persad Center for LGBTQ health care and St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.

Paul Gamble

A 1993 graduate, Gamble is a team lead test engineer for Elliott Company and Ebara Group in Jeannette. He is a 35-year member of the Penn Borough Volunteer Fire Department, where he has served as assistant chief and president.

Gamble is treasurer of the Westmoreland County Fireman’s Association and has led a Scout troop for 15 years.

He served more than 20 years in the U.S. Army Reserve, playing a key role in the 14th Quartermaster Detachment — an Army Reserve unit based in Hempfield. Thirteen of the unit’s members were killed in 1991 by an Iraqi Scud missile in Dhahran, Saudi Arabia.

Cynthia S. Holden

A social worker at UPMC Community Health Choices, Holden graduated from Penn-Trafford in 1975. She has spent her career in geriatric care, education, child welfare and mental health services.

Holden chairs the reunion committee for Penn-Trafford’s 1975 class and serves on the board of directors for nonprofit Glade Run Lutheran Services. She is also the vice chair of St. Andrews Lutheran Church in Pittsburgh’s Shadyside.

She volunteered eight years rebuilding Mississippi in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina.

Amy Horvat

Horvat, a 1987 graduate, has worked nearly three decades in the Penn-Trafford School District as an educator, reading specialist and, most recently, an administrator. Transitioning from her role as vice principal at the high school, Horvat took over as principal at Trafford Elementary in 2024.

A 15-year member of the Penn-Trafford Community Education Foundation, Horvat assists with fundraising and developing grant opportunities for the district’s teachers. She oversees the Penn-Trafford History Museum and serves on the committee for the Pat Kelly Memorial Scholarship.

Benjamin Luczak

Luczak, a 2005 graduate, worked at Des Moines Performing Arts, Asolo Repertory Theatre and Broadway Dallas before assuming leadership of the Westmoreland Cultural Trust in Greensburg last year.

As CEO, Luczak leads the nonprofit’s four historic properties, which serve about 157,000 guests annually. He volunters for the Community Foundation of Westmoreland County and serves on the boards for the City Theatre Company and Pennsylvania Society.