Harrison Township Manager Amy Rockwell honored for municipal leadership

Harrison Township Manager Amy Rockwell is among the best in the state for municipal management.

That’s according to news platform City & State, which honored Rockwell with its annual 50 Over 50 award for leaders who have made an impact in government, business or public service.

“This award is a reflection of years of hard work with amazing people in the communities in which I have served and lived,” said Rockwell of Lower Burrell.

Rockwell came to Harrison in 2023 with decades of experience under her belt. Most recently, she served as Lower Burrell city manager after five years as Millvale’s borough manager. Before that, she was township secretary in Upper Burrell.

She credits “dedicated public servants” in each town for demonstrating what leadership looks like.

Rockwell was credited for modernizing municipal operations, guiding infrastructure improvements such as the City Hall campus renovations in Lower Burrell and revamping fiscal operations by updating accounting and purchasing policies.

In Harrison, her team worked to secure critical funding for storm sewer projects on Harbison and Garfield streets while coordinating with outside agencies that included Norfolk Southern and ATI.

Over the last two years, she has helped guide local efforts to form a multimunicipal emergency services authority.

In Millvale, Rockwell oversaw a $4 million budget and managed 23 employees. She helped to develop the borough’s EcoDistrict Plan, which is a sustainable guide to development.

“Under my direction, several municipalities have advanced major projects that have improved local services and positioned those communities for long-term growth and stability,” she said.

At a recent ceremony in Philadelphia, Rockwell and other 50 Over 50 honorees gathered to share ideas on how to strengthen small government and shape the future of the state.

Among the winners were state Sen. Jay Costa, D-Forest Hills, and La Dawn Robinson, regional director of the Pittsburgh branch of the Pennsylvania Human Relations Commission.

Rockwell sits on the Pennsylvania Municipal Retirement Board of Trustees as the representative for the Pennsylvania Municipal League and is past president of the Association for Pennsylvania Municipal Management.

She also takes time to mentor new municipal managers on navigating the complexities of local government and finances.

“There is no playbook for municipal management,” Rockwell said. “No one can prepare you for the first time you get a phone call that your town will be without water on a holiday weekend or that a sinkhole has developed in a major roadway.

“It is an honor to be recognized among so many dedicated leaders from across Pennsylvania.”