Joseph P. Tierney
Executive Director

Joseph P. Tierney joined the University of Pennsylvania in September 2002 as the Executive Director of the Robert A. Fox Leadership Program. As Executive Director, he is responsible for all aspects of the Robert A. Fox Leadership Program.

Mr. Tierney was previously Vice President of Public/Private Ventures where he was instrumental in developing several nationally recognized programs including the Youth Education for Tomorrow (YET) literacy centers, the Amachi mentoring program for the children of prisoners, Bridges to Work and the Youth Violence Reduction Partnership (YVRP). He has conducted research and developed programs in the areas of youth violence reduction, after-school programming, literacy, mentoring, employment and training, welfare reform, community development, national service and youth corps. He is the Principal Investigator of the landmark evaluation of Big Brothers Big Sisters of America, Making a Difference: An Impact Study of Big Brothers Big Sisters of America.

Mr. Tierney has an extensive list of published articles and reports, including Murder is No Mystery, Overcoming Roadblocks on the Way to Work and op-eds for The New York Times and The Philadelphia Inquirer. He serves on the Board of Trustees of Big Brothers Big Sisters of Southeastern Pennsylvania, and the Board of Advisors of Philadelphia After-School Activities Partnerships (ASAP). In 2001 he received the Philadelphia Business Journal's "40 under 40" award which annually recognizes 40 individuals under 40 years of age who are making their mark in their professional fields and in their communities.

He holds an undergraduate degree from Saint Joseph's University and an M.A. from Princeton University.

Chuck Brutsche
Associate Director

Chuck Brutsche is the Associate Director of the Fox Leadership Program. He received an undergraduate degree in sociology and a graduate degree in urban studies and environmental studies from the University of Pennsylvania. During his years at Penn, he has been involved in a wide variety of programs, activities, and initiatives. Prior to joining the Fox Program, he assisted MBA students and Fortune-500 firms in career management and development, was Registrar for the Philadelphia Wireless Technical Institute, Station Manager and radio personality for WPWT-FM Radio, and worked for the Philadelphia Stock Exchange.

Maura Bernt
Assistant Director

Maura Bernt is the Assistant Director of the Fox Leadership Program. From 2011-2012 she served as a member of the Jesuit Volunteer Corps (JVC), a faith-based national post-graduate service organization. As a Jesuit Volunteer she worked at Centro Altagracia de Fe y Justicia as a community organizer with Dominican immigrants in New York City. In 2011, she earned her bachelors degree in Sociology at Saint Joseph's University. While an undergraduate she was actively involved in the university service learning program, mentoring youth in Camden and exploring the criminal justice system alongside Philadelphia's inmates as a part of the Inside-Out Program. She also served as a resident assistant, and participated in student service immersion trips to New Mexico, Appalachia, and Guatemala. After spending a semester abroad at Casa de la Solidaridad she returned to lead the university's first student trip to El Salvador. As student intern for the Philadelphia Service Immersion Program, she coordinated a service learning experience to introduce incoming students to the rich opportunities for service and community engagement in the Philadelphia area.