John A. Libonati – Mercer County Coroner

Mr. Libonati has over 40 years of experience in emergency medicine and trauma care as a firefighter, health care practitioner, and educator. Prior to relocating to Mercer County to accept employment with the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center in December 1997, Mr. Libonati served as a Trauma Service Coordinator with Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh and was responsible for the implementation of programs designed to improve the quality of prehospital treatment of adult and pediatric emergency trauma care throughout 17 counties in Western Pennsylvania. In addition to his emergency care background, Mr. Libonati is the founder of Canine Aided Emergency Search and Rescue (CAESAR) who has provided emergency search and rescue support throughout Western Pennsylvania for more than 30 years and has served as an advanced peer provider of crisis intervention services for emergency responders since May 2001. He is a member of Fredonia Volunteer Fire Department where he serves his community as an emergency medical responder. He also deploys federally as a Lead Health Technician (Paramedic) with Health and Human Services to provide acute medical care during large scale national disasters and high level security events in Washington D.C.. For the past 26 years, he has been involved with numerous programs and initiatives throughout Mercer County to improve the quality of life and emergency response to residents and visitors. He served as the Director of Operations for McGonigle Ambulance Service for 12 years where he was responsible to oversee the day-to-day operations and developmental planning of the organization.

In August of 2018, Mr. Libonati retired from local EMS and from his position with McGonigle Ambulance Service to focus his efforts of preserving life from what is learned through death investigation and to develop a community education initiative which provides a wide variety of inspirational presentations to groups and organizations of all ages. In addition to his community education initiatives, he provides quality lifesaving certification courses to community members and healthcare professionals at the lowest possible cost as a sole proprietor of Staying Alive in Mercer County LLC. For the past 16 years, Mr. Libonati has been a certified death investigator through the Pennsylvania State Coroners’ Education Board and has worked for the Mercer County Coroner’s Office where he has performed over 3,000 death investigations.

In November of 2015, Mr. Libonati was elected as the Mercer County Coroner and is currently serving in his third term as Coroner. As Coroner, he developed a comprehensive death scene investigation internship program for qualified college students pursuing a career in Forensic Science, or an associated field of study, that has been accepted by numerous colleges and universities. Mr. Libonati is committed to his profession and consistently strives to serve every person with the honor, dignity, and respect that they deserve.

Clarissa White, DNP, FNP-BC, CEN, PHRN

Clarissa White is a dedicated nurse practitioner with a wealth of experience across various healthcare settings and platforms, specializing in acute and chronic illness management in family care. Prior to her role as a nurse practitioner, Clarissa served as a registered nurse on a medical-surgical unit at UPMC Farrell for 1 year, and then joined the emergency department team for 4 years at UPMC Greenville, where she excelled in patient care, collaboration with multidisciplinary teams, and patient education. In 2010, she transitioned into her current role as a family nurse practitioner at the Greenville Medical Center, where she has been practicing for the past 13 years.

Clarissa started her nursing educational journey with a diploma in nursing from Jameson Memorial Hospital School of Nursing in 2005. Her commitment to education continued, and she proceeded to earn her bachelorette (BSN) and master (MSN) degrees in nursing from Clarion University. She also continued her education path and earned her doctorate in nursing practice (DNP) degree from Chatham University in 2013. Her passion for education and mentorship is highlighted by her nomination for Preceptor of the Year in 2020, showing her dedication to nurturing the next generation of nurse practitioners.

In her volunteer capacity, Clarissa has extended her expertise to community organization such as the Good Shepherd Free Medical Clinic and Fredonia Volunteer Fire Department, showing her dedication to serving underserved population.

Clarissa is an active member of professional associations such as the American Association of Nurse Practitioners and the Pennsylvania Coalition of Nurse Practitioners, where they continue to contribute to the advancement of healthcare practices.

Steve White, EMT,

Steve White is a seasoned professional with a diverse background in fire protection, emergency medical services (EMS), and education. With extensive experience as a Sales Technician at White Fire Protection for 13 years and President of White Fire Extinguisher Inc. for 32 years, Steve has been instrumental in promoting fire safety and servicing fire safety equipment.

In addition to his multiple roles in fire protection, Steve has also made significant contributions to the field of emergency medical services as an EMT for McGonigle Ambulance.

As a passionate educator, Steve has dedicated himself to teaching OSHA and fire safety classes to various industries, hospitals, universities, and businesses during his tenure at White Fire. Furthermore, Steve has served as a Pennsylvania State EMS Instructor since 2017, imparting his knowledge and expertise to future EMTs at institutions such as Community College of Allegheny County (CCAC) and Punxsutawney Ambulance Service.

Steve holds several certifications including PA State EMT, PA State EMS Instructor, American Heart CPR & First Aid Instructor, and Fire Fighter 1, reflecting his commitment to maintaining the highest standards of proficiency in his respective fields.

Outside of his professional endeavors, Steve has demonstrated a longstanding commitment to community service in various roles as a volunteer fireman, fire captain, and QRS Captain, highlighting his dedication to ensuring the safety and well-being of his community.