Philadelphia Department of Revenue: Tax Center Update Zoom

Peter N. Calcara, CAE
Vice President, Government Relations
PICPA

Peter joined the Pennsylvania Institute of Certified Public Accountants (PICPA) in 1999. Prior to that he was the vice president of government and industry affairs for the Professional Insurance Agents Association of Pennsylvania, Maryland, and Delaware. From 1986 to 1991, he was a legislative
assistant in the Pennsylvania Senate.

Peter is responsible for developing and implementing legislative strategy, lobbying state government, and overseeing PICPA’s political action committee and Key Person programs. Peter was instrumental in the passage of the 2011 Fair Share Act, landmark legislation that reforms how damages are recovered in civil lawsuits. More recently, Peter and his team spearheaded efforts to reform Pennsylvania’s archaic tax appeals process by reorganizing the Board of Finance and Revenue (Act 52 of 2013). Peter was also instrumental in repealing the Corporate Loans Tax (Act 71 of 2013) and in enacting a general experience requirement for CPA licensure in Pennsylvania (Act 15 of 2013).

In 2011, Peter earned his Certified Association Executive (CAE) designation from the American Society of Association Executives (ASAE). The CAE program is designed to elevate professional standards, enhance individual performance, and designate association professionals who demonstrate the knowledge essential to the practice of association management. Peter is a 1986 graduate of York College of Pennsylvania. He is a past president of the Pennsylvania Association for Government Relations (PAGR) and is a member of the ASAE. Peter lives in Mechanicsburg, Pa., with his wife, Nancy, and their three daughters.

Rebecca Lopez Kriss

Deputy Commissioner for Policy, Outreach, and Taxpayer Assistance Programs

As Deputy Revenue Commissioner, Rebecca Lopez Kriss leads Revenue’s inter-governmental affairs and policy group, oversees technical tax staff, outreach and communication teams, and the taxpayer assistance and tax credit group. Her efforts support the Department’s behavioral science initiatives, including data-driven communications projects, and improving and expanding outreach efforts.

Before her appointment in 2019, she was a Revenue Senior Policy Analyst and the Director of Strategic Outreach. Formerly, she was the Director of Marketing and Communications for the Philadelphia Department of Commerce, where she supported the creation of the Startup PHL Call for Ideas program, working to attract and retain tech firms in Philadelphia.

With a passion for civic engagement, she strives to enhance service delivery and improve the quality of life for all Philadelphians. She holds a Master of Public Policy from the Gerald R. Ford School of Public Policy, University of Michigan.