| Board of Directors |
Galena West, President
Galena West has served as Executive Director since her appointment on August 15, 2020. Prior to that she served as the Chief of Enforcement for the Fair Political Practices Commission since June 2015. She spent ten years as Senior Commission Counsel in the Enforcement Division, serving as second in command of the division. Term of office expires December 2026 Mark Wasielewski, President-Elect
Mark E. Wasielewski is currently the Ethics Enforcement Officer of the Connecticut Office of State Ethics (OSE) and has worked at the OSE since 2006. He received a B.A. from Tufts University, a M.A. in Economics from Trinity College, and his J.D. from the University of Connecticut School of Law. In his free time, Mark serves on the Board of the Wethersfield Academy for the Arts. Term of office expires December 2027 Bryan McHale, Treasurer
Bryan McHale is the Director of Compliance and Administration at the City of Philadelphia Board of Ethics, working with filers of campaign finance, lobbying, and financial disclosure forms. He has previously worked with the US Census Bureau and the Internal Revenue Service. Term of office expires December 2026 Daniel Cho, Immediate Past President
Daniel Cho is the Assistant Executive Director for Candidate Guidance & Policy at the New York City Campaign Finance Board (CFB). He serves on the Executive team and manages policies and procedures that affect candidates and campaign staff in complying with the Campaign Finance Act and Board Rules. Dan oversees the communications and advice related to campaign financial disclosures and the public matching funds program. He has served in various roles at the CFB as Director of Candidate Services, Payment Coordinator, Auditor, and Compliance Analyst. Term of office expires December 2025 Alexander Kipp
Alex Kipp is Director of Education & Engagement for the New York City Conflicts of Interest Board where oversees curriculum and instruction for a classroom training program that delivers over 800 classes per year, and serves as Producer of all video, print and social media projects. Alex has taught at the Council of Governmental Ethics Laws, the Practising Law Institute, the Asian American Bar Association of New York, the International Development Law Organization’s Cairo Office, Hunter College, Wharton, and the University of Kansas. In 2016 he was awarded the Powell Pierpoint Award for Outstanding Service to the Conflicts of Interest Board. Term of office expires December 2026 Kedric Payne
Kedric specializes in government ethics, lobbying law and election law. He began his career in private practice and has since served in the three branches of federal government. Term of office expires December 2028 Peg Perl
Peg Perl is Chief Deputy Clerk and Recorder for Jefferson County, Colorado. She was appointed to this position in January 2023 after serving as Election Director for Arapahoe County during the 2020 and 2022 election cycles. Prior to moving to Colorado, Peg served as nonpartisan counsel to the U.S. House of Representatives Ethics Committee and as a policy attorney with the Federal Election Commission. Peg grew up in Phoenix, AZ and earned a J.D. from Georgetown University Law Center and a B.A. from Arizona State University. Term of office expires December 2028 Michelle Renaud
Michelle Renaud is Manager, Communications and Outreach at the Office of the Integrity Commissioner of Ontario. She has 25 years of government and public sector experience in Canada and internationally and has spent more than half that time working in government ethics, providing policy advice and leading communication and outreach activities on conflict of interest and ethics rules, lobbyist registration and whistleblowing. She holds a Master of Arts in International Affairs and has previously taught an ethics course at Carleton University’s School of Public Policy and Administration. Term of office expires December 2028 Dorothy Rice
On November 8,2022, the House of Assembly approved the appointment of Dorothy Rice as the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) for the Province of Nova Scotia for a term of 10years. Term of office expires December 2027 Lisa Thornton
Lisa Thornton is the Public Records Officer for the University of Oregon, where she oversees response to public records requests made to the University. Prior to joining the University in 2011, Lisa worked as a Records Specialist for the Eugene Police Department, where she, in part, responded to public records requests for law enforcement records. Term of office expires December 2027 Shipra Verma, CPA, CA,
Ms. Shipra Verma is the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) of Manitoba. Ms. Verma joined Elections Manitoba in 2004 and in 2009, she was appointed to the position of Deputy Chief Electoral Officer. In 2010, she took on the additional role of Acting Chief Electoral Officer and in July 2013, she was appointed Chief Electoral Officer. As an independent officer of the Legislative Assembly, the CEO conducts provincial general elections and by-elections under The Elections Act and The Election Financing Act. The CEO also provides compliance assistance to political entities and ensures public disclosure of their expenditures and contributions. Through the public education mandate of the office, the CEO also delivers public education and information programs to foster democratic participation. Term of office expires December 2025 Susan Willeke
Susan Willeke is an accomplished government-relations professional with more than 30 years’ experience in public affairs, communication, and public speaking. Susan joined the Ohio Ethics Commission in 2005 as the Education and Communications Manager where she oversees and conducts educational and communication outreach. In that position, Susan conducts training sessions regarding the Ohio Ethics Law, creates and presents webinars and e-courses, drafts fact sheets, articles, and newsletters, and develops information strategies regarding agency programs. She also represents the Ethics Commission to Ohio citizens, the media, and the Ohio legislature. Prior to joining the Commission, Susan served in the communications office at the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency and as a legislative aide in the Ohio House of Representatives. Term of office expires December 2025
Christina Bauders, Executive Director
cbauders@cogel.org |
12/7/2025 » 12/10/2025
47th Annual Conference
