Sharon Regional welcomes three new board members





















           Diane Gardner                   Attorney James P. Epstein                

                                         

                                                   Attorney Mary Ann Odem


Three local community leaders with years of community involvement, Diane Gardner, Attorney James P. Epstein, and Attorney Mary Ann Odem, recently joined Sharon Regional’s board of directors. Ms. Gardner is with NatCity Investments/National City, Epstein is the former, long-time District Attorney for Mercer County, and Ms. Odem is currently assistant District Attorney for Mercer County and formerly served as a judicial law clerk for Mercer County Judge Thomas R. Dobson.

The Sharon Regional board also recognized Leo Winger on his retirement from the board after 44 years of service, which included serving as vice chairman and assistant treasurer of the board.

Ms. Gardner’s community service includes serving on the board of the Shenango Valley Urban League, including board chair 2005-2007; Penn State Shenango Advisory Board; United Way of Mercer County Commercial Division Co-chair 2006-07 campaigns; and the Shenango Valley Chamber of Commerce board starting this year. 

With NatCity Investments/National City since 1998, Ms. Gardner is a licensed financial consultant/consumer banker. She earned a MBA from Youngstown State University and a BS in Business Administration from Slippery Rock University.

Attorney Epstein’s recently retired as district attorney after serving 31 years in the office, including the last 21 years as chief district attorney. He also was a part-time instructor at Penn State Shenango from 1993-2000.

Community service for Attorney Epstein includes board positions with the Mercer County Association for the Retarded, Community Library of the Shenango Valley, Shenango Valley River Watchers, and the American Red Cross.

As district attorney, Attorney Epstein was a member of the Mercer County Prison Board, including its president in 1995-96 and 2002-2007; president of the Mercer County Crime Victim/Witness Advisory Board, 1986-2007; board member of the Mercer County Drug Task Force, the Mercer County Critical Incident Response Team and the Mercer County Criminal Justice Advisory Board.

He also was a member of the Mercer County Chiefs of Police Association, the Mercer County Bar Association, the PA Bar Association, and the PA District Attorneys Association.
Attorney Epstein graduated from the University of Pittsburgh School of Law, earned a BA in History from Westminster College, and graduated from Sharon High School.

Attorney Odem was admitted to the Pennsylvania State Bar in 2006 after graduating from the University of Pittsburgh School of Law. She earned a BA in Political Science from the Pennsylvania State University, and graduated from Sharon High School. Honors for Attorney Odem include the Frontier’s Association Award in 2007 and 1999, the Worker’s Compensation Award (highest grade in class) and the School of Law Outstanding Achievement Award for graduating in the face of extraordinary challenges.