Kellie Goodman Shaffer, IOM – President/CEO
Kellie Goodman Shaffer has served as the President/CEO of the Bedford County Chamber of Commerce since 2010, managing and coordinating all of the organization’s activities and resources. Her previous non-profit experience included serving as Marketing Director of the Allegheny Mountains Convention & Visitors Bureau, Game Director of the PSFCA East West All-Star (football) Game and Manager of the PA Scholastic Football Coaches Association (PSFCA.) She is a 2020 graduate of the US Chamber Foundation’s Institute for Organizational Management, earning the professional IOM designation. She has also completed the Business Leads Fellowship Program.
Kellie spent more than 20 years as a broadcast journalist in the Johnstown-Altoona-State College television market, most notably leading the award-winning sports department for WTAJ-TV (CBS) from 1998-2008. The first woman to hold the post of Sports Director at a Pennsylvania television station, she was also a host/writer as part of the team of the Emmy-Award Winning Penn State Women’s Basketball Coaches’ Shows for WPSU. A multi-media and marketing professional, Kellie wrote a sports column for the Altoona Mirror for more than ten years, and continues to contribute to local magazine publications; she has served as play-by-play announcer for women’s college (Big Ten) and high school basketball games on both television and radio, including the PIAA state championships.
In addition to leadership roles with several boards and committees, including the WPSU Board of Directors, Kellie served the commonwealth’s Chamber industry as 2020-2021 Chair of the Board of Directors of the Pennsylvania Association of Chamber Professionals (PACP) and served on the organization’s board for 7 years. Bedford has been the proud to host the PACP Fall Conference in 2011 and 2023 and was honored as PACP Chamber of the Year in 2018. Kellie is a graduate of Penn State University, where she captained the Lady Lion Varsity Softball Team. She resides in Osterburg with her husband, Jeff. You can reach Kellie by calling 814-623-2233 or via email: kellie@bedfordcountychamber.org.
Gwen Querry – Vice President of Membership & Workforce Development
Gwen Querry serves as the Chamber’s Membership Liaison and Workforce and Education Coordinator. In addition to recruiting and onboarding new members and servicing Chamber member needs, she also spearheads all of the career exploration and workforce development initiatives of the Chamber’s 501-c3 Education Foundation, including the Business Community & Career Showcase, Community Reading Day, Steps to Success, Touch a Truck, 5th Grade Career Field Day, and 7th Grade Agribusiness Career Fair. She also lends support to all Chamber & Foundation programs and events, and spearheads the organizations’ Holiday Online Auction to benefit the Foundation.
Gwen was employed by the Bedford Area School District as their EAP Supervisor and then as an Instructional Assistant before beginning her role as the Assistant Manager/Farmer’s Market Manager for Downtown Bedford Inc. From 2017-2020, she served as the Marketing and Business Development Manager at Bedford Candies and was part of the team that brought Rita’s Italian Ice to both the Bedford and Altoona locations. After serving as the Vice-President of Programming and Membership Education at the Blair County Chamber of Commerce for a year, Gwen knew it was time to come back to Bedford County. Her role at the Bedford Chamber combines Gwen’s passion for working with students of all ages with her desire to serve her community.
Gwen and her husband Walt reside in Everett. They have two adult daughters, Jessica (son-in-law, Breton and grandson, Bryson) and Kaitlyn. You can reach Gwen by calling 814-623-2233 or via email: gwen@bedfordcountychamber.org
Angie Ferguson – Welcome Desk
Angie Ferguson serves as manager of the Chamber’s Welcome Desk, the first point of contact for Chamber communications, both in the office and over the phone. Angie is a life-long resident of Bedford County and a proud graduate of Bedford Area High School. She worked in an administrative position at Hedstrom Corporation for 25 years until the closing of the plant in 2004. She then served as part of Bedford County government, first in the Probation Department and later in Elections/Voter Registration, retiring from the county in 2023, soon after joining the Chamber team. Angie is an associate member of the Bedford Fire Department and in her spare time enjoys reading and visiting with friends. Angie resides in Bedford and loves spending time with her family – son Andrew, his fiance and their two grandchildren. You can reach Angie by calling 814-623-2233 or via email: welcome@bedfordcountychamber.org.
Bob Octavio – Bookkeeper
Bob Octavio serves as the Chamber’s contracted bookkeeper, managing the finances of the Bedford County Chamber of Commerce, Bedford County Chamber Foundation and Russell House Business & Education Center.
The Chamber is extremely fortunate to have the corporate expertise of Octavio, who retired from Cycling Sports Group in 2016. In addition to his work with the Chamber/Foundation, he also serves in leadership positions of the Bedford County Airport Authority and the Bedford Elks Lodge.
You can reach Bob by calling 814-623-2233 or via email: bob@bedfordcountychamber.org.
Dailey Chandler – Facilitator, Youth Leadership Bedford County
John “Dailey” Chandler has been part of the leadership committee and facilitator for Youth Leadership Bedford County for more than a decade, guiding students from all of the county’s high schools through the ten-month course of leadership development and discovery of the world around them.
Dailey is a first responder and flight medic in Central Pennsylvania. His prior experience includes serving as an EMT and Training Coordinator for the Bedford Area Ambulance Association and Youth Program Director for White Sulphur Springs/Officers Christian Fellowship.
Dailey was honored as Bedford County’s 2024 Citizen of the Year for his significant leadership and community service toward the youth and general public of the Bedford County region. He and his family reside in Bedford.
Dr. Dave Freidenbloom – Co-Facilitator, Leadership Bedford County
Dr. Dave Freidenbloom is the Director of Curriculum and Instruction at Chestnut Ridge School District, and serves as Co-Facilitator of Leadership Bedford County, where he provides leadership curriculum and mentorship to business leaders as they experience the 10-month flagship program of the Chamber Foundation. Dave himself is a 2020 graduate of Leadership Bedford County. Dave brings a wealth of leadership education and experience to his volunteer post with LBC, including a Bachelor of Science Degree in Secondary Social Studies Education from Penn State University, Masters Degree in Education Administration from Fort Hays State University and Doctor of Education & Administration from Point Park University.
Dave is a member of the Bedford Lions Club and Friends of Shawnee and Blue Knob, and he also supports many community and school activities both in the Chestnut Ridge and Bedford School Districts, as well as the Bedford County Fair, Junior Fair Board, and related activities. He and his family reside in Bedford.
Sarah Ferrari -Event Planner, Special Projects
The Chamber is delighted to work with Sarah Ferrari as she assists in coordinating the Chamber’s most significant signature event, the highly-anticipated Annual Dinner & Awards Celebration. A Bedford native and former exchange student through the Rotary foreign exchange program, Sarah lived in Italy for five years where she studied Interior Design in Milan at the Scuola Politecnica di Design before returning to Bedford where she helped to open LIFeSTYLE, an Italian market and Trattoria in downtown Bedford. She then spent four years with the Omni Bedford Springs Resort, working in catering and convention services, including as point-person for exquisite weddings and corporate events, including several significant Chamber functions. Sarah joined the Chamber staff in 2019, and in 2020 graduated from Leadership Bedford County. After four years as Program and Events Coordinator as part of the Chamber team, Sarah launched her own interior design and event planning business, Sarah Ferrari Designs, and then added her role as designer for Your Building Center to her extensive resume.
Sarah’s community involvement includes leadership positions in Your Save Haven, Women United, and Women Decision Makers of Bedford County. She and her family reside in Bedford. You can reach her via email: sarah@sarahferraridesigns.com
The Chamber is also bolstered by a HUGE team of volunteers who are all part of our Team! If you’d like to be part of our dynamic organization as a volunteer for one or more of our many programs, events and initiatives, don’t hesitate to reach out. Call the office at 814.623.2233 or email us for more information.