Blair County Commissioners
COMMISSIONER Biographies
DAVID KESSLING, Commissioner, President
David Kessling was elected to office in January 2024 as a Republican and serves as the Chairman of the Board of Commissioners. Prior to his election to office, he had been serving as the Warden at Clearfield County as well as a member of the Sheriff Office. Commissioner Kessling served as a Deputy Sheriff in Blair County and held the positions of Warden in Bedford and Deputy Warden and Warden in Monroe Counties.
He served 24 years in the Pennsylvania Department of Corrections, working his way through the ranks of Corrections Officer, Sergeant, Lieutenant, Captain, Major and Deputy Superintendent. During his time as a Deputy Superintendent, he managed a $56M budget and supervised over 500 employees. He served as a Correctional Emergency Response Team Member, a CERT Team Leader, and a CERT Regional Coordinator before being promoted to Major. Soon after, he assumed the position as Special Teams Coordinator, overseeing all of the state’s tactical teams/assets. He also served as the Major of Security for the Pennsylvania Department of Corrections, overseeing Correctional Institutions security needs.
Commissioner Kessling proudly served in the United States Air Force as a Jet Engine Mechanic on the F-16 Fighter. During his tenure in the Air Force, he was promoted below the zone and received the Maintenance Professional of the year award for the 388 Tactical Fighter Wing.
Commissioner Kessling is currently a member of the Southern Alleghenies Planning and Development Commission, Industrial Development Authority and General Authority, Transportation Committee and the CCAP Courts and Corrections committee.
AMY E. WEBSTER, Commissioner, Vice-President
Commissioner Webster was elected in 2019 and retained in 2024 as a Republican and serves as Vice-President of the Board of Commissioners. Prior to her election, she worked as a local attorney with a focus on real estate, estate planning and administration, business law, tax law, and general legal issues. She also worked as a real estate broker. Before the election, she helped many local homeowners with real estate tax appeals. Commissioner Amy Webster currently serves Blair County as a Commissioner full-time.
Commissioner Webster graduated from the Hollidaysburg Area High School in 1974. She attended the Altoona Campus, where she participated in student government, the Army Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC) program, and the Coed Affiliates Pershing Rifles (CAPERs) rifle drill team, serving as the rifle team commander in 1976. She graduated from Penn State University in 1978 with a Bachelor of Science in Political Science. She earned her law degree (Juris Doctor) in Pittsburgh when she graduated from Duquesne School of Law in 1981. Commissioner Webster has been a licensed attorney in Pennsylvania since 1982 and a real estate broker since 2014.
Commissioner Amy Webster is admitted to practice law with the Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS), United States Third Circuit Court of Appeals, the United States Western District of Pennsylvania, and the Courts of Pennsylvania. Her prior experience also includes the following: Penn State University Altoona lecturer, Blair County Deputy District Attorney, Blair County Child Dependency Hearing Master, Blair County Historical Society Solicitor, Hollidaysburg Borough Council, Hollidaysburg Borough Planning Commission, Pennsylvania State Association of Boroughs (PSAB), Board of Directors & Resolutions, Newry Borough Solicitor, Catharine Township Solicitor, and Canoe Creek State Park Chaplain.
In November of 2023, she graduated from Pennsylvania’s Academy for Excellence in County Government. She is a member of the Assessment and Taxation Committee of the County Commissioners Association of Pennsylvania (CCAP). She completed the Tax Assessment trainings for assessors, and the certifications through FEMA for NIMS training. Her Liaison Commissioner offices include Coroner, Register and Recorder, Prothonotary, Sheriff, 911/EMA, Fort Roberdeau, Buildings & Maintenance, Highways & Bridges, Veterans’ Services, Safety/Security, Prison, Records Management, Park & Recreation Advisory Board, Courthouse Preservation Advisory Board, Metropolitan Planning Organization, Farmland Preservation, Cooperative Extension Office, County of Blair Housing & Redevelopment Authority, Office Services, Explore Altoona, and the Blair County Airport Authority.
LAURA O. BURKE, Commissioner, Secretary
First elected in 2019, Commissioner Burke is in her second term as a County Commissioner. She is the Secretary of the Board of Commissioners and serves as liaison to Children Youth & Families, Social Services, Human Resources, Tax Assessment, Tax Claim, Elections & Voter Registration, the Coroner and the Controller. Commissioner Burke also serves as the Vice-Chair of the Retirement Board, the Chair of the Board of Elections, and the Secretary of the Records Improvement Committee. Laura holds a B.A. from the University of Richmond, a J.D. from Washington University in St. Louis School of Law, and a Certificate in Organizational Leadership from Villanova University. She is an alumna of the Blair County Chamber of Commerce's Leadership Blair County program and a graduate of the County Commissioner Association of Pennsylvania's Center for Excellence in County Leadership (CEL) program. As a part of her duties as County Commissioner, Laura serves on the Boards of the Southern Alleghenies Planning & Development Commission, United Way of the Southern Alleghenies, Blair Health Choices, Blair County Community Action Program, and Blair Senior Services. She is a member of the Healthy Blair County Coalition steering committee and DCED's Community Development & Housing Advisory Board. In 2023 Governor Shapiro appointed Commissioner Burke to the County Adult Probation and Parole Advisory Committee.
Office Contact Lists
DAVID KESSLING:
Blair County Airport Authority
Blair County Convention and Sports Authority
Courthouse Historical Preservation Advisory Board
District Attorney and Victim Witness
Explore Altoona
Geographical Information Systems
Information Technology
Metropolitan Planning Organization
Prison
Public Safety
Public Works – Facilities
Safety Committee
Security Committee
Sheriff
Southern Alleghenies Planning & Development Commission
Veteran’s Affairs
Amy E. Webster:
Blair County Conservation District Board (Soil Conservation/Farmland Preservation)
Blair County Planning Commission
Blair Drug & Alcohol Partnerships
Cooperative Extension Office
County of Blair Housing and Redevelopment Authority
Court Related:
- Costs & Fines
- JPO
- APO
- Domestic Relations
- Custody
- Court Administration
- MDJ’s
Finance
Ft. Roberdeau
Metropolitan Planning Organization
Parks & Recreation Advisory Board
Prothonotary
Public Defender
Public Works – Highway
Records Management
Register of Wills & Recorder of Deeds
LAURA O. BURKE:
Assessment
Blair Community Action Program
Blair County Leadership Coalition
Blair HealthChoices
Blair Senior Services
Children, Youth & Families
Controller
Coroner
Election
Human Resources
Metropolitan Planning Organization (Alt.)
Social Services
Southern Alleghenies Planning & Development Commission
Tax Claim
Treasurer
Contact
423 Allegheny Street
Suite 441 A
Hollidaysburg, PA 16648
(814) 693-3030
BLAIR COUNTY COMMISSIONERS
COMMISSIONER
David Kessling
COMMISSIONER
Amy Webster
COMMISSIONER
Laura Burke
CHIEF CLERK / COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR
Nicole Hemminger