Posted: January 6, 2026 4:29 pm
As of January 5, Marisa Lehman (left) has succeeded Deb Winterscheidt as chief operating officer for Heritage Johnstown.
Marisa is no stranger to Heritage Johnstown, having served as the organization’s director of rentals and sales in 2023-2024, and she has worked in artist relations for the AmeriServ Flood City Music Festival and other music events since 2024. Her previous experience also includes almost eight years with the Community Foundation for the Alleghenies in positions ranging from scholarships and gifts administrator to executive assistant.
“Rejoining Heritage Johnstown gives me the opportunity to continue work that deeply matters – preserving our history, celebrating our culture, and creating opportunities to find community,” Marisa says. “I’m excited to help strengthen what’s already here while creating space for what’s ahead, together with an incredibly dedicated team.”
Deb Winterscheidt is entering semi-retirement after more than eight years with Heritage Johnstown. She will continue to assist through the transition and will also work on the AmeriServ Flood City Music Festival. First hired as an administrative assistant, she soon became director of development and membership, and added COO to her titles in June 2025.
Deb will retain her Heritage Johnstown email address, but her phone extension (x315) is now Marisa’s (whose email address is mlehman@heritagejohnstown.org).
“These years have been the most interesting of all my years working and volunteering,” Deb says. “No two weeks – often no two days – were ever the same, which kept the job fresh and exciting. Heritage Johnstown is a wonderful organization to be part of, because what we do matters to the entire community, using history, music, and cultural touchstones to share Johnstown’s stories.”
“Heritage Johnstown is so grateful for the past, present, and future contributions of these two dedicated, talented women,” says Dan Solomon, chair of Heritage Johnstown’s board of directors. “We thank Deb for all she’s done and will continue to do, and welcome Marisa back to our team. The future is bright.”
Please join us in congratulating Deb on this milestone, and welcoming Marisa!
