City Council Members

Jean Belinski
Karen D. Dolan
Robert J. Donchez
Joseph F. Leeson, Jr., Esq.
Gordon B. Mowrer
J. William Reynolds
J. Michael Schweder

Jean Belinski
Member of council 1998 to present

Occupation: Former Elementary School Teacher, Diocese of Allentown.

Education: Ss. Simon and Jude Elementary, 1948; Bethlehem Catholic High School, 1952; Northampton Community College, 1982.

Council Activities: Chair of Parks and Public Property Committee; Member of Finance and Human Resources and Environment Committees; Library Board and Recreation Commission Appointee; Parking Authority Liaison.

Community Activities: Member of Bethlehem Area Public Library Board (2006-2009), Member of Alumni Board of Directors and Political Action Committee of Northampton Community College; Bethlehem Catholic High School Alumni Association; Bucks County Historical Society. Volunteer with the City of Bethlehem's Catholic Youth Organization. One-act-play director for Ss. Simon and Jude and Holy Infancy elementary schools for 31 years. Inducted in 1999 into Bethlehem Catholic High School's distinguished graduates hall of fame.

Karen D. Dolan
Member of council 2006 to present

Occupation: Teacher, Liberty High School, English and History; Executive Director of Illick’s Mill Partnership for Environmental Education, a non-profit corporation restoring Bethlehem’s Illick’s Mill into an environmental education center.

Education: Douglass College at Rutgers University, B.A. in English, 1989; Moravian College, Teaching Certification, 1990.

Council Activities: Chair of Public Works Committee; Member of Finance and Public Safety Committees; Bethlehem Housing Authority Liaison.

Community Activities: Historic Bethlehem Partnership, Council of Advisors, Member; Monocacy Creek Watershed Association, Board Member 1987-2007; President, Lehigh Valley Audubon Society, 2000-2005, Board Member 1995-2005; Lehigh Valley Greenways Committee, Member, 2004 to present; , Burnside Plantation, Secretary and/or Board Member, 1999-2004; Lehigh Valley Green Future Fund Committee, Member, Northampton County Co-Chair and/or Vice-President, 2000-2003.

Robert J. Donchez
Member of council 1996 to present

Occupation: Legislative Assistant to State Representative Joseph F. Brennan; Teacher, Allentown School District, December 1972 to June 2007.

Education: Liberty High School, 1968; Kutztown University, B.S. in Comprehensive Social Studies and Political Science; 1972; Graduate Courses, Kutztown State University, Wilkes University, and Allentown College; Master's Degree Equivalent, 1991.

Council Activities: President of Council (2008-2009); President of Council (1998-2001).

Community Activities: Member of Bethlehem Area Public Library Board (2004-2007), Member of Southside Neighborhood Center (1990-1999 and 2004-Present), Bethlehem Tourism Authority (1991-96); Northampton County Drug & Alcohol Commission (1990-95); Bethlehem Receation Commission (1990-93); Bethlehem Zoning Hearing Board (1983-88); Northampton County Election Board (1983-88); Bethlehem Area Housing Development Corporation (1982-84); Bethlehem Housing Authority (1978-1982).

Professional Associations: Allentown Education Association, Pennsylvania Education Association, National Education Association.

Joseph F. Leeson, Jr., Esq.
Member of council 2004 to present

Occupation: Attorney at Law, Leeson, Leeson & Leeson, Bethlehem.

Education: Freedom High School, 1973; DeSales University, B.A. in Economics, Cum Laude, 1977; Catholic University of America, Columbus School of Law, J.D., 1980; National Board of Trial Advocacy, Certified Civil Trial Lawyer, 1997.

Council Activities: Chair of Finance Committee; Member of Community Development and Human Resources and Environment Committees.

Community Activities: Chairman, Lehigh Valley Public Telecommunications Corp. (WLVT-TV, PBS Network Affiliate); past Chairman of Board, Lehigh-Northampton Airport Authority and Lehigh Valley Community Foundation; former Member of Board of Commissioners, Pennsylvania Public Television Network; Co-Author, Home Rule Charter for Northampton County, Pennsylvania.

Gordon B. Mowrer
Member of Council 2004 to present

Occupation: Retired, former Pastor, Advent Moravian Church, 1990-2002; Director of Lay Ministries, East Hills Moravian Church, 1989-1990; Pastor, Johnsonburg Methodist Church, Johnsonburg, NJ, 1978-1979; Past President of Hampson-Mowrer-Kreitz Insurance Agency 1959-1990; former Member of Council 1972-1974; former Mayor of Bethlehem 1974-1977 and 1987.

Education: Liberty High School, 1953; Dickinson College, B.A., 1959; Lehigh University, M. Ed., 1965; Moravian Theological Seminary, MAPC, 1989; Moravian Theological Seminary, Certificate in Theological Studies, 1992.

Council Activities: Chair of Public Safety Committee; Member of Community Development and Public Works Committees, Redevelopment Authority Liaison, and Chairman of the Blighted Property Review Committee.

Community Activities: Member, Rotary Club of Bethlehem, Past Rotary President, 1980-1981, Past Rotary District Governor, 1983-1984; Past President, Bethlehem Area Chamber of Commerce, 1982-1983; Associate Chaplain, St. Luke’s Hospital, 1985-Present; Trustee, Laros Foundation, 1986-Present; Advisory Board, KNBT; Board Member, Moravian Book Store.

Denominational Activities: Hope Conference Center, NJ (Moravian Church Camp), 1990-2002; Bethlehem Area Moravians Ministries Committee, 1998-2002; Member Eastern District Evangelism Commission of the Moravian Church, 1996-2000; Member, Provincial Planning Council, 1994-1998; Insurance Committee for the Moravian Church, 1990-2000; Director, Moravian Village of Bethlehem Retirement Community, 2000-2002.

J. WILLIAM REYNOLDS
Member of council 2008 to present

Occupation: Legislative Aide to State Rep. Steve Samuelson, 2003-Present.

Education: Liberty High School, 1999; B.A.-With Honors in Political Science, Moravian College 2003.

Council Activities: Chair of Human Resources and Environment Committee; Member of Parks and Public Property and Public Safety Committees; Library Board Appointee.

Community Activities: South Bethlehem Neighborhood Center (2006-Present), Mayor's South Side Task Force (2003-2007), Young Rotary Club of Bethlehem (2006-Present).

J. Michael Schweder
Member of council 1998 to present

Occupation: President, AT&T - New Jersey and Pennsylvania.

Education: Liberty High School, 1967; Lycoming College, B.A. in Political Science, 1971; University of Michigan, Executive Program in Business, 1987.

Council Activities: Chair of Community Development Committee; Member of Parks and Public Property and Public Works Committees; President of Council (2003-2007); Bethlehem Marketing Council of the Chamber of Commerce Liaison.

Community Activities: Member, Pennsylvania House of Representatives, 1974-1980; President, Liberty High School Alumni Association; Vice Chair, Lycoming College Alumni Association; Board Member, Bethlehem Area Public Library.