CONTACT INFORMATION:

For state-level issues and state trends:

Kimberly Larson

Deputy Political Director
State PIRGs
(206) 357-1788
(213) 251-3680 x323

For federal issues:
Elizabeth Hitchcock

Communications Director
U.S. PIRG
(202) 546-9707

Beth McConnell
Director, Pennsylvania Public Interest Research Group (PennPIRG)
(215) 732-3747 ·

Expertise: tax and budget policy, prescription drugs, identity theft/privacy, media ownership/consolidation, bank fees, health care policy, transportation, financial services

Background: Ms. McConnell has been director of PennPIRG since 2002.  She leads consumer and good government campaigns, and is responsible for coordinating policy development, research, and legislative advocacy.  She has served as an organizer and spokesperson on several statewide initiatives, including projects to close corporate tax loopholes, lower prescription drug prices for seniors, and divert excess insurance company revenues to increase health care coverage for the uninsured. 

She has appeared as a guest on the Comcast Network’s Your Morning and Money Matters, and appears regularly in statewide television, radio and newspaper outlets.  Ms. McConnell has authored several reports, including "Closing Loopholes = Common Sense," a study of economic performance in states that have closed corporate tax loopholes; "The Great Escape:  How Major Corporations Avoid State Taxes;" and "Paying the Price: A 19 State Survey of Prescription Drug Prices." 

She has testified before the state legislature on dozens of consumer issues including identity theft, product safety and prescription drug pricing.  She serves on the board of directors of TheRestOfUs.org which promotes campaign finance reform; United Pennsylvanians, a statewide coalition of progressive leaders, and PennEnvironment, the states’ leading environmental advocacy organization.  Ms. McConnell also sits on the steering committee of One Philadelphia, a coalition of individuals and organizations fighting for public interest tax policy in City Hall.  In 1999, Ms. McConnell joined PennPIRG's staff as the Clean Air and Energy Advocate.  She began working with the state PIRGs in 1993 as a Telephone Outreach Project Director in Philadelphia, where she worked to build political strength and financial resources for several state PIRGs.

Ms. McConnell is also the Director for the PennPIRG Education Fund, the 501(c)(3) sister organization of PennPIRG.

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