Meet our
Staff

J. Shane Creamer, Jr. has been the Board’s Executive Director since 2007. As Executive Director, he leads the Board’s investigations and enforcement efforts. When Board investigations uncover evidence that support violations of the City’s Public Integrity Rules, Shane seeks to hold those accountable for the violations by having the Board impose monetary fines. Shane is also responsible for administrative operations for the office. Previously, he served as the Executive Director of the City’s advisory Board of Ethics and was Assistant Secretary of Education and Assistant Managing Director for the City of Philadelphia. Before joining City government, he was a partner with Duane, Morris & Heckscher. Shane is a Philadelphia native and a graduate of Gettysburg College and Villanova University School of Law. 

Jordana L. Greenwald joined the Board of Ethics in March 2019 as Associate General Counsel. She was selected as General Counsel in April 2023. Her work for the Board includes giving advice on City ethics laws, providing ethics training, and developing educational documents and resources. From July 2007 to March 2019, Jordana was a trial attorney with the U.S. Department of Labor, Office of the Regional Solicitor in Philadelphia. At Labor, Jordana handled enforcement litigation in the workplace safety and health, whistleblower protection, and wage and hour programs. Prior to her time at Labor, Jordana was an associate at Ballard Spahr and served as law clerk to the Honorable J. Curtis Joyner in the Eastern District of Pennsylvania. Jordana is a graduate of the University of Pittsburgh (B.A. 2000) and Temple University Beasley School of Law (J.D. 2004).

Danielle Gardner Wright joined the Board of Ethics in April 2020. Her work for the Board includes developing, coordinating and providing ethics training to City employees and officers, creating educational documents and resources, and providing advice on City ethics laws. Prior to joining the Board’s staff, Dani worked in the School District of Philadelphia’s Office of Talent where she provided strategic talent development and support to systems and school leaders. Before her time at the District, Dani was a Commercial Litigation Associate at White and Williams LLP and an Early Childhood Educator. Dani is a graduate of Spelman College (B.A. 2008), Chestnut Hill College (M.Ed. 2010), and Villanova University School of Law (J.D. 2013).

Thomas E. Klemm joined the Board of Ethics in November 2015. His work for the Board includes providing advice to requestors regarding the City ethics laws, serving as the open records officer for RTK requests, providing ethics training to City employees, officers and lobbyists, and developing ethics-related educational documents and resources. Before joining the Board’s staff, Tom was a litigation associate at White and Williams, LLP specializing in reinsurance and insurance-related disputes. He is a native of the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area and is a graduate of St. Mary’s College of Maryland (B.A. 1999) and the George Washington University Law School (J.D. 2002).

Richard Barzaga joined the Board of Ethics in March 2022. As part of the Board’s Enforcement Staff, Richard investigates potential violations of the City’s Public Integrity Laws. Richard previously worked for the City of Philadelphia Law Department, where he served as a Deputy City Solicitor in the Tort Litigation Unit. There, he was responsible for defending the City’s interests from case inception through resolution. He has also been a Judicial Law Clerk for the Superior Court of Pennsylvania and an Associate at a Philadelphia law firm. He is a lifelong Philly sports fan. Richard is a graduate of Columbia University (B.A. 2010) and Temple University Beasley School of Law (J.D. 2015). 

Michael Gutierrez joined the Board in April 2022. As a member of the Board’s enforcement group, he investigates and resolves violations of the City's public integrity laws ranging from lobbying and campaign finance to employee conflicts and financial disclosure. He also assists General Counsel Staff with revising and updating the Board's regulations. Prior to joining the Board of Ethics, he worked for the City Law Department, representing various agencies in all aspects of contracting, including enforcing Philadelphia's pay-to-play laws with City vendors. He attended Drexel University for both his undergraduate studies (B.S. 2009) and law school (J.D. 2012).

Dakota K. Baeringer joined the Board of Ethics in November 2022. Her work for the Board includes providing advice to requestors on the City’s campaign finance laws and government ethics, supporting compliance of the regulated community under the City’s campaign finance and lobbying laws, and assisting with revisions and amendments to the Board's regulations. Prior to joining the Board’s staff, Dakota clerked for the Court of Common Pleas. Dakota is a graduate of the Pennsylvania State University (B.A. 2016) and Drexel University (J.D. 2021).

Julia Sheppard joined the Board of Ethics in June 2023 as part of the General Counsel team. Her work primarily includes co-leading periodic ethics trainings, as well as providing guidance and advice on City ethics and Public Integrity Laws to City officials. Prior to joining the Board’s staff, Julia worked at the Defender Association of Philadelphia as a public defender. She is a graduate of Temple University’s Beasley School of Law (J.D. 2021) and Oberlin College (B.A. 2015). Though born and raised in Chicago, she is happy to call Philadelphia her home.

Bryan McHale is a native Philadelphian and Temple University graduate. He joined the Board in September 2012 and currently oversees compliance support to the regulated community for the Board’s reporting programs under the City’s Campaign Finance and Lobbying Laws, and annual Financial Disclosure requirement. He provides training to candidates, campaign staff, and lobbyists and develops educational resources for filers. Bryan has worked for the US Census Bureau and Internal Revenue Service, and prior to the Board was a facilitator at public meetings for the Penn Project for Civic Engagement.

Hortencia Vasquez has served as the Board’s Legal Support Services Coordinator since April of 2018. From August of 2008 to April of 2018, she was the Board’s Legal Services Clerk. Her work duties involve providing administrative and program support for the Board and all its various activities, including the Board’s financial disclosure system. A native of the Virgin Islands, she came to Philadelphia 16 years ago and attended Cite Business School, taking computer-related courses. Before joining the Board, she was an intern with the Police Advisory Commission. Hortencia is bilingual in Spanish and English.