Judy Schwank

Judith Schwank (born 1951) is an American politician. A Democrat, she was elected to the Pennsylvania Senate from the 11th district in a special election on March 15, 2011, to succeed the late Michael O'Pake. The district includes the city of Reading and most of eastern Berks County.

Education Schwank attended the Pennsylvania State University, where she earned a B.S. and M.Ed. in agricultural education. She continued her studies at Harvard University, where she completed the Executive Leadership Program through the Institute for Conservation Leadership and the Institute for the Management of Life-Long Education.

Career Schwank then worked as a Berks County horticultural agent with the Penn State Cooperative Extension for 19 years, during which time she established the Master Gardener Program.

From 2000 to 2007, Schwank served two terms as an elected Berks County Commissioner. ""I always thought Berks County was property-tax central," said state Sen. Judy Schwank, a Democrat whose district is in Berks County." In 2004, she was appointed by Governor Ed Rendell as chair of the Pennsylvania State Planning Board.

Her Republican opponent was Larry Medaglia, the Berks County register of wills. On March 15, Schwank defeated Medaglia by a margin of 58%-42%. She received 20,124 votes to Medaglia's 14,794. Appropriations