Headshot

Robert O’Donnell

Education Senior Fellow

The Honorable Robert W. O’Donnell is an Education Senior Fellow with the Commonwealth Foundation.

Bob is a Philadelphia-based attorney and a former Democratic Speaker of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives. As a member of the House for 19 years, Bob rose through the ranks of leadership, serving as caucus chairman, majority whip, majority leader, and Speaker of the House. While in public service, he developed a reputation as a thoughtful, dynamic, and intellectually honest member of the House. He has been a consistent advocate for equality of opportunity including supporting school choice throughout his tenure in the legislature.

Bob has served as a member of Public Employees Retirement Study Commission, the Federal Home Loan Bank of Pittsburgh, the Board of Trustees of the University of Pittsburgh, the Mayor’s Tax Budget and Advisory Committee (Philadelphia), the Chesapeake Bay Commission, the General State Authority, the Mayor’s Economic Recovery Task Force (Philadelphia), the Millrite Council, and the Philadelphia Port Corporation Board of Directors.

He is a graduate of Temple University and its law school and attended The Hague Academy of International Law. Arcadia College and Philadelphia University awarded Bod honorary degrees, and he has received several public awards including citations from the Pennsylvania League of Cities Service and Common Cause.

Bob resides in Chestnut Hill with his wife, Dr. Donna Gentile O’Donnell.

Regulation

Great Communicators: Pension Reform

  • August 30, 2014

Ed. note: These are the remarks given by Dawn Meling, CF’s director of marketing & outreach, at the Great Communicators Tournament in Denver, CO. on September 25, 2014. Thank…

Testimony

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Health Care

Healthy PA Approved, but Still Room to Improve

  • Elizabeth Stelle
  • August 29, 2014

On Thursday, the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) announced approval of the Healthy PA waiver, including a new private coverage option. But the approved waiver severely limited…

Media

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Education

Lies from PSEA Leadership

  • James Paul
  • August 29, 2014

Repeating the same lie over and over does not make it magically come true. Yet this hasn’t stopped the Pennsylvania State Education Association (PSEA) leadership from an…

Media

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Pennsylvania Deserves Flexibility in Medicaid Reform

  • August 28, 2014

For Immediate Release Commonwealth Foundation Contact: 717-671-1901 Without Fed’s Flexibility, Commonwealth Should Walk Away from Healthy PA August 28, 2014, HARRISBURG, Pa.—The Commonwealth Foundation commends Gov. Corbett for…

Press Release

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Education

Audio: 73% of PA Voters Underestimate School Spending

  • August 26, 2014

Yesterday, we released a new poll showing just how confused voters are about state education spending levels and the results that money is buying. When 54% of voters say…

Media

Read More: Audio: 73% of PA Voters Underestimate School Spending

Public Union Democracy

Union Lobbying Holds Back Lottery Performance

  • Elizabeth Stelle
  • August 26, 2014

Illinois’s decision to terminate its lottery private management agreement with Northstar is being misinterpreted as proof that Pennsylvania dodged a bullet by failing to approve a private lottery management…

Media

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Health Care

Falling Through the Cracks in Obamacare

  • Elizabeth Stelle
  • August 26, 2014

Mark Ferkler is a Delaware County resident in his mid-thirties. He’s healthy, gainfully employed and now, thanks to Obamacare, is newly uninsured. Yes, you read that right — uninsured. Despite…

Commentary

Read More: Falling Through the Cracks in Obamacare