Mr. Mizerak is a graduate of Shippensburg University, where he earned a Master of Public Administration (1993) and a Bachelor of Science degree in Public Administration (1992). He has more than 25 years of experience developing strategies that define, prioritize, and implement projects addressing community and economic development goals. Mr. Mizerak has a proven track record of leveraging public and private funding for project implementation and increasing and diversifying revenue streams and job opportunities. His career journey includes Cumberland County municipal government community development and Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development (PA DCED) Land Use Planning and Technical Assistance Program management. This program was part of the state’s Growing Smarter initiative providing technical, educational, and financial support to local governments in the areas of planning and community and economic development.

While at the PA DCED, he worked with Shippensburg University President Anthony Ceddia, Ph.D., and University Geography-Earth Science Professor John Benhart, Sr., Ph.D., to create the Shippensburg Center for Land Use, where Mr. Mizerak served on the inaugural board— currently known as the Advisory Board for the Center for Land Use and Sustainability. He also managed the Pennsylvania’s Interagency Team responsible for reviewing and coordinating state agency policy related to land use, infrastructure, and the environment in addition to developing the Keystone State’s first set of investment criteria— “Commonwealth of Pennsylvania Keystone Principles for Growth, Investment & Resource Conservation.” He also managed the Pennsylvania State Planning Board.

Since retiring from PA DCED, he has spent the last 15 years working with private companies and municipal, county, and state governments throughout the US on community and economic development, disaster recovery and resilience, and strategic planning projects. Today, he serves as the Director of Planning and Economic Development for Dawood Engineering, Inc., in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania.