Wolf made several key senior staff appointments to join him in the Governor’s Office in addition to Katie McGinty, who was previously named his chief of staff. Last week, Wolf named John Hanger as his secretary for planning and policy, Mary Isenhour as secretary of legislative affairs, and Obra S. Kernodle IV as deputy chief of staff and director, Office of Public Liaison.
John Hanger served as a commissioner of the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission from 1993 to 1998 and as secretary of the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection from 2008 to 2011. He was the founding president of Citizens for Pennsylvania’s Future (PennFuture) and served in that capacity from 1998-2008.
Mary Isenhour began her career as chief of staff to the Democratic Leader in the Kansas House of Representatives. She has since served as a national political director for the Washington, D.C. based Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee, executive director of the Pennsylvania House Democratic Campaign Committee (HDCC), and executive director of the Pennsylvania Democratic Party and as state director for Hillary Clinton’s Presidential Campaign.
Obra S. Kernodle IV served in Philadelphia Mayor Michael Nutter’s Administration as deputy of legislative affairs. He was part of President Obama’s reelection effort as the Pennsylvania southeast political director, and previously served as the political director for both Mayor Nutter’s 2011 reelection bid and District Attorney Seth Williams’ race in 2009.