M. Joanne Foerster

Joanne Foerster joined the Allegheny County government as CountyStat Manager in 2015. She leads the County’s performance measurement and management initiative, known as CountyStats, as well as data analytics, open data, and process improvement. Prior to joining the County, Joanne had 24 years of experience in investment banking, financial consulting, program management, and local government. As a public finance investment banker and consultant, she managed more than $200 million in debt financing transactions for her municipal, school district, and non-profit clients. While Assistant Commissioner for the City of Chicago Department of Housing from 1993 to 1997, she managed a variety of programs to assist homeowners, homebuyers, and developers of affordable housing. Joanne led the implementation of the CitiStat performance measurement and management system for the City of Pittsburgh from 1999 to 2005 during the administration of Mayor Tom Murphy. And immediately prior to accepting her current role in the County government, Joanne was Mentoring Coordinator for Chatham University’s Center for Women’s Entrepreneurship.

Joanne holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science from The Pennsylvania State University and a Master of Science degree in Public Policy and Management from Heinz College at Carnegie Mellon University.

Joanne is a volunteer for the County parks system and serves on the boards of the Allegheny Land Trust and Pennsylvania Master Naturalist. She and her husband and two children live in the Highland Park neighborhood of Pittsburgh.