Allegheny County manager Jennifer Liptak will step down effective June 7, officials announced Friday.
Liptak was appointed to the position in February 2023 by then-County Executive Rich Fitzgerald, and she continued to hold it after current County Executive Sara Innamorato took office in January.
"It is bittersweet to accept County Manager Liptak’s resignation. She has been a phenomenal public servant for more than 20 years and her dedication and passion for Allegheny County is evident every day,” Innamorato said in a statement.
“I want to personally thank her for shepherding my administration with an exceptionally professional and smooth transition for the last six months,” Innamorato added. “We have learned so much from her and enjoyed working with her immensely, but after 12 demanding years as a chief of staff to the county executive and county manager, we respect her decision to start a new chapter in her professional journey."
Liptak has spent more than a quarter-century in local government. She has held multiple county positions, including finance manager for the Office of the District Attorney and budget director for County Council. She was also Fitzgerald’s chief of staff for more than 10 years, and she serves on multiple county boards.
In a separate statement, council President Pat Catena opined about the institutional knowledge Liptak takes with her, calling her a “huge asset to the county during her 25-plus year career.”
“Beyond the institutional knowledge, Ms. Liptak is extremely intelligent and a hard worker; traits that will make it difficult to replace her. We, in county government and all the residents of this county, owe her a debt of gratitude while wishing her all the best in her new role,” Catena said.
The county manager is one of the most powerful unelected positions in local government, with responsibility for day-to-day operations that include more than 6,000 county employees and a multibillion-dollar budget.
"I’ve been an Allegheny County employee for 26 years, and it has been an incredibly rewarding and meaningful privilege to work alongside such dedicated public servants. But I’ve decided it was time for me to try a new professional challenge,” Liptak said.
“It has been an absolute honor to work with County Executive Innamorato and her staff,” she added. “I have total confidence in her team and County leadership to continue to serve the people of Allegheny County with the highest standard of excellence."
Liptak will join Fitzgerald at the Southwest Pennsylvania Commission, where she will become the organization’s deputy executive director and chief operating officer.
Deputy county manager Steve Pilarski will serve as acting county manager until a new manager is selected. That selection must be approved by County Council.
