The conference will also feature the popular State of the Conservative Movement panel moderated by Colin Hanna of Let Freedom Ring, USA and featuring John Gizzi, White House correspondent for Newsmax, Dr. Paul Kengor editor-in-chief of the American Spectator and Jeff Lord of Newsmax.
The Pennsylvania Leadership Conference is the premiere gathering of public policy conservatives each year in the Keystone State. It is the largest and longest-running of the state-based conservative conferences regularly attracting a long list of conservative elected officials, scholars, journalists, and activists for three days of speeches, panel presentations, workshops, and networking.
Registration for the 2025 Pennsylvania Leadership Conference is NOW OPEN at www.paleadershipconference.org. The Early Bird discount rate is built into the registration so there is no need to enter a discount code as it will be automatically applied. (The PLC web site also includes a brief video tutorial to help you navigate Cvent.)
Senator David H. McCormick was born in Washington, Pennsylvania, and raised in Bloomsburg. The son of two lifelong teachers and prominent educators and the oldest of two boys, Dave was raised to understand the value of hard work. Growing up, Dave played football and wrestled, trimmed Christmas trees, delivered newspapers, and bused tables at the Magee Hotel.
Dave was nominated to the United States Military Academy by a Pennsylvania Senator, and became the first kid from Bloomsburg to attend West Point in decades. After graduating, Dave went on to serve in the 82nd Airborne Division as a paratrooper. He was deployed to the Middle East during the First Gulf War and following his service in Iraq he retired as a Captain.
After the Army, Dave earned his Ph.D. in international relations from Princeton University before moving to Pittsburgh to start a career in business. He worked his way up to become the CEO of FreeMarkets, a successful tech startup that employed hundreds in Western Pennsylvania.
In 2005, Dave was called to service again, this time in the highest levels of government, including as Under Secretary of Treasury and as Deputy National Security Advisor. For four years, Dave spearheaded the fight to protect American technology from Chinese theft, advised the President on key national security issues, and helped negotiate the global response to the 2008 financial crisis.
Following the administration, Dave joined Bridgewater Associates, one of the largest, most successful investment firms in the world, which manages the pension plans of groups including teachers, firefighters and law enforcement. He served as CEO until he resigned to run for Senate in Pennsylvania in 2022.
Dave and Dina are proud to support organizations that work with veterans and their families. Senator McCormick is looking forward to using his unique leadership experiences over the last four decades to deliver results for the Keystone State. He isn’t afraid to stand up to both parties to do what’s right, and he’ll do whatever it takes to fix our broken economy and restore the American Dream for current and future generations of Pennsylvanians.
Here are details of 2025 Pennsylvania Leadership Conference panel presentations:
How to Create a Better Pennsylvania:
Moderator: Andrew Lewis, Commonwealth Foundation
Panelists: Camera Bartolotta, State Senator; David Rowe, State House GOP Policy Chairman; Judy Ward, State Senator
Efficiency and Accountability Through Regulatory Reform
Moderator: Emily Greene, Americans for Prosperity-PA
Panelists: Dawn Keefer, State Senator; Dallas Kephart, State Representative;
Kristin Phillips-Hill, State Senator
A New Generation of Conservatives
Moderator: Joy Johnson, Pennsylvania Manufacturers Association
Panelists: Electra Janis, Washington County Commissioner; Thomas Kutz, State Representative; Joe Picozzi, State Senator
New Media Leading America First
Moderator: Cliff Maloney, Citizens Alliance of Pennsylvania
Panelists: Jack Posobiec, Human Events Daily with Jack Posobiec; Rose Tennent, Rose Unplugged; Steve Turley, Turley Talks Podcast
Do No Harm: Protecting Our Children
Moderator: Dan Bartkowiak, Pennsylvania Family Institute
Panelists: Kurt Miceli, Do No Harm; To Be Announced
Register for the 2025 Pennsylvania Leadership Conference TODAY at www.paleadershipconference.org.