It takes a dedicated person to serve as a County Maintenance Manager. For a woman to serve in this capacity the challenges can be daunting and stretch far beyond the non-traditional. Susan Skowyra has been meeting those challenges since April of 2019, when she became the Maintenance Manager for McKean and Elk counties—the second woman to serve this dual-county organization.
Susan began her career with PennDOT in 2008 as Roadway Programs Technician 2 at the Cameron Regional Repair Facility and moved to Potter County in 2011 to serve as a Roadway Programs Coordinator. Susan has also served as an Acting Assistant County Maintenance Manager in 2018.
Hailing from Massachusetts, Susan earned a Business Management degree from Nichols College. Prior to her career with the Commonwealth, Susan moved to the Mt Jewett area. In her new home area, she found that employment options were limited. She worked a variety of jobs while searching for meaningful, full-time work and she eventually became a licensed insurance agent, specializing in Life, Auto, and Health coverage. When she moved to the Mt Jewett area, and
Susan went through the LEAD program in 2012 and says that LEAD opened her eyes to opportunities she had to advance within PennDOT. LEAD also helped build her confidence and helped her realize she could accomplish anything she set her mind to. Aside from knowing she could perform the job; the position was appealing since it was closer to home and lessened her commute.
While everyone will have a variety of reasons for doing the job, if they're like Susan, they enjoy making a difference, cultivating a high-level work force, and bringing new ideas to the job.
Across the Department, while the number of women in Maintenance positions is growing, Susan is one of just two women currently serving as a County Maintenance Manager.
Because of Susan's background in Business, Accounting, and Purchasing, last week she began a special assignment in the District Fiscal Office.
Outside of work Susan enjoys spending time with her 14-year-old daughter, camping, boating, and hiking the many available trails. Living in Mt Jewett in the Allegheny National Forest allows Susan and her family to enjoy all of those outdoor activities.
Susan has volunteered in McKean County, helping to schedule area residents for COVID vaccines. And she continues to volunteer as a worker at the annual Swedish Festival in Mt Jewett.
Susan is an important part of the District 2 team, working hard to improve Maintenance Services in Elk and McKean County and touching lives in and outside of PennDOT.