Palisades School District

DR. BRIDGET O'CONNELL
Superintendent
Palisades School District

Bridget O'Connell, Ed.D. has served as the Superintendent of the Palisades School District (Bucks County, PA) since August 2011. During her tenure she has demonstrated student-centered leadership with a focus on promoting academic excellence, customized learning and community partnerships. This year, Dr. O’Connell was recognized as the Pennsylvania Superintendent of the Year. She was also recently recognized by the Patriot League (collegiate athletics) as a Trailblazer of Distinction during the 50th Anniversary of Title IX as well as the PIAA for paving the way and continuing to advocate for female student athletes. Dr. O’Connell has received leadership awards from the Red Cross for coordinating efforts with the community during Hurricane Sandy, National School Development Council, Blended Schools Network, and she was named a top five Superintendent to watch in 2015 by the National Academy of Education Arts and Sciences. She has collaborated with colleagues at both Google NYC and the U.S. Department of Education on issues related to technology in education and the U.S. Department of Education on COVID response. She serves as a board member for St. Luke’s Quakertown Hospital, the DaVinci Science Center and the Washington Crossing Council of the Boy Scouts of America. In addition, she was elected to the AASA Governing Board in 2020. Dr. O’Connell earned her Bachelor’s, Master’s, and Doctoral degrees from Lehigh University. 

In addition to her work at Palisades, she has served as an adjunct faculty member at Lehigh University in the College of Education since 2008 and is an avid scuba diver. Dr. O’Connell lives in Bethlehem, PA with her husband and four children. 

DR. MICHAEL DONNELLY Assistant to the Superintendent for Educational Services Palisades School District
Dr. Michael Donnelly is currently in his twenty-first year of public education in Pennsylvania. Having started his career as a middle school Spanish teacher in 2002 upon graduation from Dickinson College in Carlisle, PA, Michael served in that role with the Central Bucks School District for eight years (two of which included the additional responsibility as Dean of Students). In 2010, he joined the Centennial School District, serving as assistant principal and then principal of Willow Dale Elementary School for seven years. In 2017, Michael transitioned into a district-level leadership position with the Palisades School District, serving as Director of Curriculum & Instruction. In 2021, Dr. Donnelly became the Assistant to the Superintendent for Educational Services and Principal of Tinicum Elementary School in the Palisades School District, where he currently serves the community by fulfilling both positions.


MELISSA GRODEN - MS, HS-BCP, CFRS Director of Prevention, Training & Education The Council of Southeast Pennsylvania, Inc.

Melissa Groden, is a Human Service Professional with 28 years of experience in the field.  She engages in a person-centered approach to support, educate and empower those in need. 

Melissa has worked at The Council of Southeast Pennsylvania, Inc. for fifteen years, overseeing the Prevention, School Services, and Training programs.  She has also been an adjunct professor at Chestnut Hill College for fifteen years, instructing and writing curricula in both classroom and hybrid format for the School of Continuing and Professional Studies. 

Melissa is a Board Certified – Human Services Professional, Certified Family Recovery Specialist, a Certified Trainer in Pennsylvania Student Assistance Program and Youth Mental Health First Aid. She holds a Master’s Degree in Administration of Human Services from Chestnut Hill College with a Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology, minor Criminal Justice, from Temple University. 




BETH HALL
Assistant Program Director
Lakeside Global Institute

Beth Hall has been with Lakeside Educational Network for 34 years and currently serves as the Assistant Program Director of Lakeside Global Institute. Lakeside’s Programs include Lakeside School, The Vantage Academy of Souderton, the Vantage Academy of Upper Merion, Lakeside Girls Academy and NeuroLogic. Lakeside also provides counselors to area school districts to help students who are struggling in their districts to stay in school. In 2003 Lakeside launched a professional development and training division with Lakeside Global Institute (LGI). After developing over 35 courses and equipping over 10,000 professionals who provided programs to identified children and families, LGI developed a comprehensive professional trauma training curriculum including certification as a trauma-competent professional and adjunct trainer. Currently LGI trains education, early childhood, clinical, social service, criminal justice, first responders, health professionals, drug and alcohol and other professionals to understand the impact of trauma on the children and families they serve. Lakeside has provided trauma training in all Pennsylvania counties as well as numerous other states.
Beth is passionate about advocating for the emotional and relational health of children and families. She and her husband are residents of Upper Black Eddy and parents to two adult children who are alumni of the Palisades School District. They are also the enthusiastic, proud grandparents of four grandchildren.

KRISTI HOOVER Deputy District Attorney Bucks County, PA
Kristi Hoover is a Deputy District Attorney with the Bucks County District Attorney’s Office. She has served as the Chief of Juvenile Prosecution for the past five years. 

KATIE LLOYD School Crisis Counselor Palisades School District
Katie Lloyd is a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC). She earned her Master’s Degree in Counseling Psychology from Arcadia University with concentrations in both Child and Family Therapy and Clinical Bases of Treatment and Recovery of Trauma. Katie is currently the Licensed Professional Counselor for the Palisades School District, serving students K-12 in all five buildings. She also works independently at a private practice in Doylestown, PA. Katie has professional experience in outpatient, inpatient, and crisis settings where she worked with individuals experiencing a range of challenges. She has experience in individual, family, group, and play therapy, as well as crisis intervention, and utilizes a multitude of clinical interventions specific to the needs of each individual person and family. Katie is part of the Bucks County Suicide Prevention Taskforce and the Bucks County Truancy Taskforce. She participates in continuous professional development. When not working, Katie enjoys running, hiking, biking, traveling, live music, food, Philadelphia sports, and quality time with her family, friends, and dog Zoe.

CHIEF MIKE MCDONALD Springfield Township Police Department
Chief McDonald’s public safety service to the Community of Springfield Township has spanned almost 20 years. He was sworn in as the Chief of Police on May 22, 2012 after serving 9-1/2 years as an Officer for Springfield Township. Springfield Township was incorporated in 1743 and encompasses approximately 32 square miles making it the 3 rd largest Municipality in Bucks County and is populated by close to 6,000 residents. Chief McDonald began his law enforcement career in 2002 after graduating the Allentown Police Academy, where he still holds 2 fitness related records and certified as a Firearms Expert.  Chief McDonald held a variety of assignments during his 9.5 years of service as an Officer including Field Training Officer, Defensive Tactics Instructor, Taser Instructor, Commercial Vehicle Enforcement Officer, member of the Bucks County Crisis Intervention Team (CIT), and Drug Identification Instructor. In 2008, Chief McDonald completed the FBI Inter-county Detective School and continued to work a variety of cases until his appointment as Chief of Police in 2012. Chief McDonald still covers shifts when other Officers are not on duty, handling dispatched police calls as well as his administrative duties.  
Chief McDonald holds a Municipal Leadership Certificate from Penn State University and an Associate of Science from the Pennsylvania College of Technology. He is a graduate of numerous management and leadership training programs, including a trilogy award winner from FBI LEEDA, and is a member of Bucks County Chiefs of Police Association, the Pennsylvania Chiefs of Police Association, and the International Association of Chiefs of Police.
Chief McDonald enjoys weight lifting and various fitness related activities as well as riding his Harley Davidson motorcycle and spending time with friends and family.


DAVE STIANSEN Executive Director Haycock Camping Ministries
Dave Stiansen joined the staff at Haycock in June of 2012.  Camping ministry has played an integral part in his spiritual growth, and at a camp in West Virginia at the age of 13, he first laid eyes on his future wife!  After graduating from Grove City College in 2000 with a degree in Education, Dave and Shelley were married and moved to Indianapolis, IN.  From then until God’s call for them to take the position at Haycock, Dave served in many different aspects of urban ministry including running community center activities and alternative education programs.  He feels honored to lead Haycock into its next fifty years of fulfilling its mission to “lead individuals to Christ and train them to serve Him”.  Dave also has a Masters Degree in Organizational Leadership from Clarks Summit University.  The Lord has abundantly blessed Dave and Shelley with the best “gifts” anyone could ask for: Alayna, Libby, Kai, Molly, Lila, Micah, Luke, Kate, and Lincoln.