Soderberg will oversee all finance-related aspects of the state government's administration, including budget preparation, budget implementation, financial reporting, debt administration, payment processing, payroll operations and internal audit.
Philippines RPCV Mary Soderberg appointed Executive Deputy Secretary of the Budget and Chief Financial Officer of Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania Governor Rendell Appoints Mary Soderberg as Executive Deputy Secretary of the Budget and Chief Financial Officer of the Commonwealth
Tuesday August 9, 3:14 pm ET
HARRISBURG, Pa., Aug. 9 /PRNewswire/ -- Pennsylvania Governor Edward G. Rendell today announced the appointment of Mary A. Soderberg as executive deputy secretary of the budget and chief financial officer of the commonwealth. Soderberg comes to Governor Rendell's administration from the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education (PASSHE), where she was vice chancellor for finance and administration.
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Soderberg will oversee all finance-related aspects of the state government's administration, including budget preparation, budget implementation, financial reporting, debt administration, payment processing, payroll operations and internal audit.
"Mary's wealth of experience in many areas of public finance will be invaluable in her new role as the commonwealth's CFO," Governor Rendell said. "I am delighted that she has agreed to join our team and help me achieve our goal of making state government more efficient and cost-effective."
Soderberg, 54, was vice chancellor of PASSHE for two years. Her responsibilities for the 14 public universities in the system included policy development and system-wide leadership in the areas of budgeting, procurement, accounting, payroll, capital planning and financing, investment, commercial banking, emergency management and security.
"We are focused on promoting economic growth, improving student achievement, protecting the environment, advancing homeland security and still maintaining a balanced budget," Secretary of the Budget Michael J. Masch said. "That's why it is crucial to attract talented, dedicated and creative public servants like Mary Soderberg to our team."
Prior to her service at PASSHE, Soderberg was the executive director of the House Democratic Appropriations Committee from 1992 to 2003. As the committee's senior staff member, she coordinated the budget process on behalf of the House Democratic Caucus and participated in annual negotiations over the state budget with the Governor's Office and legislative leaders. She and her staff also researched and developed major policy initiatives to make state government more accountable and effective, and they provided analysis, advice and counsel on matters of fiscal policy to appropriations committee and caucus members.
"With Governor Rendell's aggressive agenda, it is an honor to be part of his team," Soderberg said. "After having spent many years working on state budgets from the legislative perspective, I am looking forward to representing the Governor and the executive branch in state budget negotiations. The Governor and his team are working hard to eliminate unnecessary expenditures, promote efficiency and use tax dollars to build a better life for the people of Pennsylvania."
Prior to her service with the Pennsylvania General Assembly, Soderberg was a presidential management intern with the U.S. Information Agency in Washington, D.C., where she negotiated contracts and budgets with nonprofit organizations for the Fulbright Exchange and Youth Exchange programs. Before that, she was the director of GUIDELINE, a telephone information and referral system for health and human services based at Mansfield University. From 1973 to 1975 she was a Peace Corps volunteer in the Philippines.
Soderberg earned a bachelor of science degree in agriculture from the University of Wisconsin and a master's in public administration from The Pennsylvania State University. She is a board member of the Whitaker Center for Science and the Arts in Harrisburg. She lives in Camp Hill with her husband and their son.
Soderberg replaces Rob Dubow, who left the Office of the Budget last month to become the new executive director of the Pennsylvania Intergovernmental Cooperation Authority, the state agency charged with financial oversight of the City of Philadelphia.
Governor Rendell also announced today that David Donley has been appointed director of the Governor's Budget Office (GBO), reporting to Soderberg. Donley, 40, was director of the GBO's Bureau of Budget Analysis and had been serving as acting director of the office. The GBO is part of the Office of the Budget, along with the Office of Comptroller Operations.
Donley has worked in the GBO for more than 10 years and has more than 16 years of service with the commonwealth. He was born and raised in Lebanon and received a bachelor of science in finance from The Pennsylvania State University. He lives in East Pennsboro Township with his wife and two children.
CONTACT: Susan Hooper, Pennsylvania Office of the Governor, +1-717-783-1116.
