Saint Francis University Welcomes Two Alumni to Board of Trustees
Saint Francis University has announced the election of two distinguished alumni to its Board of Trustees, with four-year terms beginning this fall.
The newly elected trustees are Patrick J. Guinee ’91 of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Executive Vice President, General Counsel, and Corporate Secretary of L.B. Foster Company, and the Honorable Debra McLaughlin ’90 of West Virginia, a Circuit Court Judge serving Berkeley and Morgan Counties.
Both bring extensive legal experience, professional leadership, and a longstanding connection to Saint Francis University.
As members of the Board of Trustees, Guinee and McLaughlin will help guide the University's strategic direction, oversee institutional priorities, and support its mission of providing an education grounded in Franciscan values. Trustees serve four-year terms and may be elected to additional terms.
About the New Trustees
Patrick J. Guinee ’91
Patrick J. Guinee is Executive Vice President, General Counsel, and Corporate Secretary of L.B. Foster Company, a global technology solutions provider serving the rail and infrastructure markets.
A 1991 Honors Program graduate of Saint Francis University, Guinee earned his Bachelor of Arts in Political Science with a minor in History, graduating summa cum laude. He went on to earn his Juris Doctor, cum laude, from Duquesne University School of Law in 1994, where he was a member of the Duquesne Law Review.
Before joining L.B. Foster Company, Guinee held in-house legal positions with H. J. Heinz Company and Education Management Corporation. He also practiced corporate and securities law at a Pittsburgh law firm.
Guinee has maintained strong ties to Saint Francis, previously serving on the University's President's Cabinet. His community leadership includes service on the Board of Directors of Goodwill Industries of Southwestern Pennsylvania, where he held several leadership positions, including Board Chair and Chair of the Governance Committee.
He is a Knight of Magistral Grace of the Sovereign Military Order of Malta and a member of St. Michael the Archangel Parish in Mt. Lebanon, Pennsylvania. Guinee and his wife, Jennifer Hogan Guinee ’91, also a Saint Francis graduate and attorney, are the parents of five children.
The Honorable Debra McLaughlin ’90
Judge Debra McLaughlin serves on West Virginia's Twenty-Seventh Judicial Circuit Court, representing Berkeley and Morgan Counties. She was reelected to the bench in 2024, continuing a distinguished legal career spanning more than three decades.
A 1990 Honors Program graduate of Saint Francis University, McLaughlin earned her bachelor's degree in Psychology and Sociology with a concentration in Criminal Justice. She received her law degree from the University of Kansas School of Law in 1993.
McLaughlin began her legal career in Pennsylvania, practicing with Bochetto & Lentz in Philadelphia and Katherman & Heim in York. After moving to West Virginia in 1999, she joined Harmison & Savasten in Berkeley Springs and served as a part-time Assistant Prosecutor for Morgan County.
She went on to serve 15 years as Morgan County Prosecuting Attorney before her initial appointment to the circuit court in 2017. She was reappointed in 2019 and subsequently elected in 2020 and reelected in 2024.
Throughout her career, McLaughlin has demonstrated a commitment to community service, youth development, and civic leadership. As Morgan County Prosecutor, she helped establish a Teen Court program at Berkeley Springs High School that became a model for neighboring counties.
Her community involvement also includes service with Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA), the Morgan County Soccer League, and Rotary clubs in Berkeley and Jefferson Counties. She currently serves on the Finance Council of St. Peter's Catholic Church in Maryland.
McLaughlin and her husband, Kevin, have been married for more than 30 years. They have three adult children, including Saint Francis alumna Katherine ’22, and a granddaughter.
Governance at Saint Francis University
Saint Francis University is sponsored by the Franciscans of the Third Order Regular and governed by a Board of Trustees composed of both lay members and Franciscans. The Board provides strategic oversight and stewardship to advance the University's mission.
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