About Gail Shturtz

Ms. Gail Shturtz is an avid outdoor enthusiast and a tireless advocate for rural Pennsylvania.

She retired from the St. Marys Area School District after 36 years as an elementary school teacher. She also taught Kids College classes for Penn State University during her career. Ms. Shturtz was the School District’s Teacher of the Year in 2019, and one of 12 finalists for Pennsylvania Teacher of the year in 2000.

Ms. Shturtz has served on the board of the St. Marys United Way, and the Advisory Board for the Community Education Council of Elk and Cameron Counties. She is currently an active member of Women Who Care, an Elk County Community Foundation organization, where she works on a committee which annually distributes up to $45,000 for projects that support women and families in Elk County. Ms. Shturtz is also currently chair, the St. Marys Shade Tree Commission, which cares for the trees in the City of St. Marys and its parks, and organizes the annual Arbor Day celebration. In addition, she is an active member of the St. Marys Heritage Preservation Group, whose mission is to advocate for the conservation of the cultural, historic, recreational, and economic resources in the St. Marys Downtown District. She especially enjoys actively involving the young people in the community.

Gail and her husband, George, have raised 2 children in St. Marys and are enjoying their retirement in Elk County. They are active in golf, bicycling, snowshoeing, and skiing. One of their favorite hobbies is traveling to visit their 5 grandchildren. They feel fortunate to live in such a beautiful area of rural Pennsylvania.

Ms. Shturtz graduated from Edinboro University with a B.S., Elementary Education and an M.S., Reading Specialist.