Giana DePaul
Press Secretary
Giana DePaul is the Press Secretary at the Commonwealth Foundation.
A proud Montgomery County native, Giana, both as a professional and academic, knows the hows of communicating policy that is understandable, responsive, and impactful to the public.
Giana graduated Summa Cum Laude from Liberty University in 2023 with a BS in Government: Politics and Policy. While at Liberty, she was part of the university’s policy journal editorial team, publishing various articles on the Tenth Amendment, the intersection of economics and public policy, and other free market ideas. Moreover, Giana gained extensive policy experience through an internship at the Heritage Foundation, a policy-writing intensive with the Hoover Institute, and her work with federal, state, and local elected officials in both campaign and official roles.
Before joining the Commonwealth Foundation, Giana had the honor of serving as Executive Director of the Montgomery County Republican Committee during the 2024 presidential election cycle. Her priority was to lessen the information gaps between county regulations and the everyday voter.
Giana is also a member of the 2025 class of the Anne B. Anstine Excellence in Public Service Series.
Giana now lives in Harrisburg. When she’s not writing press releases, she loves to spend time with family, visit local thrift stores, go on scenic hikes, and find the best coffee shops in town.
Regulation
Wolf’s Wine Signature a First Step Toward Privatization
Wolf’s Wine Signature a First Step Toward Privatization Pitfalls of Government-Run Liquor Remain Unaddressed June 8, 2016, HARRISBURG, Pa.—Gov. Wolf’s anticipated signature today on HB 1690, which allows…
Press Release
Read More: Wolf’s Wine Signature a First Step Toward PrivatizationEducation
Is $27 Billion Enough?
Is $27 billion enough money for Pennsylvania's public schools? This is the question policymakers must answer before voting to raise taxes on …
Media
Read More: Is $27 Billion Enough?Education
School Spending Update, 2014-15
Pennsylvania school districts spent approximately $27.4 billion in 2014-15. This represents a $1.3 billion increase from 2013-14, despite a 12,000 student decrease in average daily membership.
Memo
Read More: School Spending Update, 2014-15Regulation
Wine Expansion Improves Convenience But Falls Short of Privatization
Wine Expansion Improves Convenience But Falls Short of Privatization Government Liquor Monopoly Remains Unaddressed June 7, 2016, HARRISBURG, Pa.—Today, the state House passed legislation allowing select grocery stores…
Press Release
Read More: Wine Expansion Improves Convenience But Falls Short of PrivatizationEducation
Ghost Teachers Bill Advances in State House
Ghost Teachers Bill Advances in State House Legislation Strictly Limits Union Work on School Time June 6, 2016, HARRISBURG, Pa.—Today, the state House Education Committee advanced HB 2125,…
Press Release
Read More: Ghost Teachers Bill Advances in State HouseEducation
Ghost Teaching Put to Rest?
Are ghost teachers about to be put to rest? Ghost teachers in Pennsylvania would be strictly limited under legislation approved by the state House Education Committee today. HB 2125 restricts…
Media
Read More: Ghost Teaching Put to Rest?
Sound Ideas Transcend Party Labels
When Jane Janeczek, a lifelong Democrat and daughter of former Democratic governor George Leader, was elected Commonwealth Foundation board chair, some wondered how she came to embrace our policy solutions.
Media
Read More: Sound Ideas Transcend Party LabelsPublic Union Democracy
Pennsylvania’s Ghost Teachers
Collective bargaining agreements in many Pennsylvania school districts permit school employees to take a full-time leave of absence from the classroom to perform union work. While on leave doing union work,…
Fact Sheet
Read More: Pennsylvania’s Ghost TeachersPublic Union Democracy
Pennsylvania’s Pension Funds Still on a Collision Course
If Pennsylvania were a ship, say the Titanic, then the iceberg that ship is bearing down on is the commonwealth’s public pension funds. At a combined $63.2 billion in debt,…
Media
Read More: Pennsylvania’s Pension Funds Still on a Collision CourseEducation
Wolf Admin. Thanks Excellent Teachers, But Won’t Protect Them
The Pennsylvania Department of Education recently released a video featuring Secretary Pedro Rivera congratulating students for completing a school year. He praises children for “show[ing] up each and every…
Media
Read More: Wolf Admin. Thanks Excellent Teachers, But Won’t Protect ThemRegulation
Erase Corporate Welfare from the Budget
Pennsylvania’s tradition of concentrating economic power in the hands of a few has proven to be inadequate at best, and harmful at worst. Corporate welfare spending makes this concentration…
Media
Read More: Erase Corporate Welfare from the Budget
Beneath the Surface: The Pennsylvania Public Pension Saga–Ten Years Later
Pennsylvania government employee-benefit plans operate in a vacuum. In a world where private-sector benefit cutbacks and cost reductions occur on a daily basis, state government in Harrisburg has not responded…
Memo
Read More: Beneath the Surface: The Pennsylvania Public Pension Saga–Ten Years Later
Ghost Teachers
Union work on school time—it's a provision called "release time" in most school district contracts with the teachers union. Teachers are allowed to leave the classroom to do work for a…
Commentary
Read More: Ghost TeachersRegulation
Pennsylvania is Losing Ground
Pennsylvania’s economic performance wasn’t always subpar. In the first half of the twentieth century, the commonwealth’s personal income per capita exceeded the national average. It then descended into mediocrity. While Pennsylvania…
Media
Read More: Pennsylvania is Losing Ground
Lawmakers Identify Billions in Budget Savings
Today the Taxpayers' Caucus, lead by state Rep. Seth Grove (R-Dover) and Sen. Scott Wagner (R-York), released a comprehensive report identifying over $3 billion in potential savings to Pennsylvania…
Media
Read More: Lawmakers Identify Billions in Budget SavingsState Budget
Tax Hike Alternatives Could Spare Pennsylvanians’ Pocketbooks
Tax Hike Alternatives Could Spare Pennsylvanians’ Pocketbooks Taxpayers’ Caucus Report Unveils Billions in Savings May 24, 2016, HARRISBURG, Pa.—As Gov. Wolf pushes for a multi-billion tax…
Press Release
Read More: Tax Hike Alternatives Could Spare Pennsylvanians’ PocketbooksGovernment Accountability
Jane Leader Janeczek Elected Commonwealth Foundation Board Chair
Jane Leader Janeczek Elected Commonwealth Foundation Board Chair Daughter of Former Governor Brings Passion for Reform to New Role May 24, 2016, HARRISBURG, Pa.—The Commonwealth Foundation Board of…
Press Release
Read More: Jane Leader Janeczek Elected Commonwealth Foundation Board ChairTaxes & Economy
PA Business Climate isn’t Winning any “Miss Congeniality” Contests
Why would one of Pennsylvania’s largest natural gas producers suddenly switch from selling all non-Pennsylvania assets to purchasing a $3.3 billion Houston company that operates exclusively in…
Media
Read More: PA Business Climate isn’t Winning any “Miss Congeniality” ContestsGovernment Accountability
Campaign for Contract Transparency Continues
CF has written at length about the lack of collective bargaining transparency in Pennsylvania’s school districts. Generally, school boards refuse to reveal the details of a…
Media
Read More: Campaign for Contract Transparency ContinuesEducation
An Easy Way to Give School Budgets a Boost
“I want to put more education dollars in our classrooms, not our school buses,” said Auditor General Eugene DePasquale, while releasing an analysis of 19 school districts that exceeded…
Media
Read More: An Easy Way to Give School Budgets a BoostEducation
Wolf Sacrifices Great Teachers for Union Approval
Wolf Sacrifices Great Teachers for Union Approval Governor Vetoes Protecting Excellent Teachers Act May 18, 2016, HARRISBURG, Pa.—Gov. Tom Wolf today chose to side with teachers’ union leaders over…
Press Release
Read More: Wolf Sacrifices Great Teachers for Union Approval