Prior to joining K&L Gates, Ms. Diehl served as Deputy Secretary of Legislative Affairs to the Pennsylvania Governor, a senior staff position that involved the development and implementation of legislative strategy intended to advance the Governor's legislative priorities for several state agencies, including the Department of Environmental Protection, the Department of Revenue, the Department of Transportation and the Pennsylvania Lottery. Ms. Diehl was directly and integrally involved in the enactment of several major legislative initiatives, including the historic transportation funding package of 2013, numerous pieces of legislation impacting energy and environmental policies and programs for the state, as well as, significant reforms intended to enhance operations and funding for the Pennsylvania Lottery. She was also directly involved with negotiations with the House of Representatives and the Senate relating to the enactment of the annual General Fund budget and related enactments.

Prior to working in the governor's office, Ms. Diehl served as Director of Legislative Affairs for the Pennsylvania Department of Revenue. During her tenure as Legislative Director, and prior to that, as Assistant Legislative Director, she advocated for legislative priorities related to taxation and the Pennsylvania Lottery, including significant business tax reform packages that dramatically changed state tax administration and tax compliance.

Before joining the Department of Revenue, Ms. Diehl worked in a senior staff capacity for the House Democratic Caucus. Her responsibilities included monitoring House floor activities and advising House Democratic Leadership in message development and legislative strategy.

Ainsworth's practice focuses on Government Relations & Legislative Advocacy. He assists companies and employers across Louisiana and the U.S. by developing and communicating legislative priorities and regulatory policies that promote increased economic employment and business growth. His areas of focus include agriculture, energy, insurance, e-commerce/internet, financial institutions, manufacturing, and other industries.

STEPHEN M. DEFRANK is a senior advisor in Buchanan's state government relations group. He joins Buchanan after spending 23 years of his career in Pennsylvania state government. His most recent position was chief of staff for Senator Lisa M. Boscola.

Steve brings process and policy expertise to our Pennsylvania Government Relations Practice, having worked in state government for more than 20 years. He has served in several roles in his over two decades with the Senate of Pennsylvania, including chief of staff, committee executive director, and policy director. Steve called on his strengths differently in each of those roles: as a chief of staff for Sen. Lisa Boscola, he used his organizational skills and ability to multitask to advance the senator's legislative agenda in Harrisburg and manage constituent outreach and communications in her district office. As Executive Director for the Senate Consumer Protection and Professional Licensure Committee, Steve grasped new concepts quickly and effectively, and developed an area of expertise in issues affecting the energy and utility sectors. As Policy Director, he worked as a jack of all trades to advance a caucus-wide agenda that included initiatives related to legalized gaming, community and economic development, workforce development, education initiatives and government reform.

11-15 years

Chairman, WV Utilities, Telecommunications and Energy Coalition Leadership West Virginia Class of 2012
Purple Ribbon Award, WV Coalition Against Domestic Violence

Member of West Virginia Chamber of Commerce
Member, WV Utilities, Telecommunications & Energy Coalition
Member West Virginia Press Association
Member WV Business & Industry Council
Member Gas & Oil Assoc. of West Virginia

Scott Cosco was Manager of Governmental and External Affairs for Frontier Communications, a publicly held telecommunications company. He worked with public officials on telecommunications and broadband matters.

Prior to working for Frontier, Scott served in several capacities for Governor Joe Manchin, now a member of the United States Senate. As Director of Intergovernmental Affairs for Governor Manchin, Scott researched prospective state board and commission members on behalf of the Governor and followed through with more than 2,000 appointments. He also was Governor Manchin's state representative for the National Governors Association and Southern Governors Association.

Scott also worked for Senator Manchin when he was West Virginia Secretary of State, helping register 41,000 high school seniors to vote. Before entering government service, Scott was Director of Marketing and Creative Services for six of his 10 years at WOWK-TV in the Charleston/Huntington market.

Scott earned his bachelor's degree in communications from Marshall University.

11-15 years

A native of Buckhannon, West Virginia, Frank Hartman received his B.A. in American Studies (an American Literature and American History combined program) at The Evergreen State College in Olympia, Washington. Upon graduation, he was selected as a Teach for America corps member and served a full two year term as a fourth grade teacher in Baldwin, Louisiana.Accepted at the West Virginia University College of Law, Frank deferred his enrollment to become the statewide field coordinator for the 1996 Joe Manchin for Governor Campaign.After graduating from WVU, he clerked for the Honorable Thomas H. Keadle, Chief Judge of the 26th Judicial Circuit, and then established a family law firm in his home town of Buckhannon. While at Hartman & Hartman, he managed an extensive civil and criminal caseload. Five years into practicing law, Frankreceived a gubernatorial appointment to the West Virginia Insurance Commission as the Consumer Advocate. There he was responsible for the prosecution of consumer complaints in administrative hearings and for monitoring hospital rate filings and certificate of need applications.Hartman served as Consumer Advocate until joining the Charleston law firm of Lewis, Glasser, Casey & Rollins, where he had the opportunity to work with some of the most experienced lawyers in the valley. At Lewis Glasser, Frank litigated real estate, tort, contract, and election law in state court and was a registered lobbyist for business and civil rights interests in West Virginia. Frank is also the founding member of Hartman Law & Government Affairs, PLLC, focusing on litigation, administrative and election law, and criminal defense. A graduate of the 2009 class of Leadership West Virginia, he is a former member of the West Virginia Chamber of Commerce Government Relations Committee and former chairman of the Upshur County Democratic Party and current member of the West Virginia Advisory Committee to the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights.