WYOMISSING, Pa. — A new class of nearly 250 Penn State Berks students will receive their baccalaureate and associate degrees at 10 a.m. on Saturday, May 4, at the Santander Arena in downtown Reading, when Berks hosts its spring 2024 commencement ceremony. The honorary keynote speaker this year will be Lucine Sihelnik, president and CEO of the Greater Reading Chamber Alliance. Sihelnik is a leader in community and economic development and has spent the last 20 years working to advocate for sustainability in Berks County.

Sihelnik and her husband, Balasios “Saki” Lahaniatis, founded the Great American Creamery, and their business utilizes sustainable practices. It also uses product supplied from Penn State’s Berkey Creamery.

Years ago, Sihelnik started her first small business — a small, organic vegetable farm near Bernville, Pennsylvania. Later, she led the revitalization and expansion of the Penn Street Market, and served as food systems director to create the Regional Reading Food Policy and Action Council. The council coordinated several successful community initiatives under her leadership.

Later, while serving as Berks Agricultural Resource Network’s first female president, Sihelnik also won the District 1 seat on Reading’s City Council in 2019/2020. She served as vice president for two years and most recently as Commissioner of Berks County.

Sihelnik earned a master’s degree from Alvernia University, and currently serves on several boards and volunteers with many community initiatives. She said she believes that sustainability should and can be applied to every facet of people, planet and profit.