The Department of Criminal Justice has many distinguished alumni. We have profiled only a select few here.

Kathryn Meloni, ESQ.
     Kathryn Meloni is a 1987 cum laude graduate of West Chester University where she majored in Criminal Justice and minored in both Psychology and Sociology. Following graduation, Kathryn attended Widener University School of Law and obtained a Juris Doctor in May of 1990. She then worked as an Associate in the Media firm, Michael A. Paul and Associates, P.C. for more than four years. In 1996 Kathryn opened her own law firm in Media, Pennsylvania and practiced in the areas of family law, personal injury, workers compensation, and wills.
     Kathryn has received multiple awards and recognitions and has held leadership positions in numerous professional organizations. She was the Chair of the Pennsylvania Bar Association’s Young Lawyers Division from 1999-2000. Throughout her membership, she played a role on the Children’s Issues Committee, the State-wide Job Fair Committee, and the State-wide Mock Trial Committee.
     In July of 2005, Kathryn was appointed as a Hearing Officer for the Disciplinary Board of the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania. She is currently in her third term as Judge of Elections for Chadds Ford Township, South West. In addition to her active law practice, she continues as an adjunct professor at Villanova University where she teaches Family Law in the post-baccalaureate paralegal program.

Oscar P. Vance Jr.
Chief County Detective
     Oscar P. Vance, Jr. received his Master of Science Degree in Criminal Justice from West Chester University. After serving in the United States Marine Corps, Chief Vance began working for the Montgomery County District Attorney’s Office in 1964. There he held the positions of investigator, detective, and deputy chief until 1982 when he was appointed Chief County Detective. He presently supervises the Montgomery County District Attorney’s Detective Bureau staff of fifty-two employees, responsible for investigating and preparing criminal cases for prosecution and formulating policy concerning the operation of the District Attorney’s Detective Bureau.
     Chief Vance has achieved many memberships and recognitions. In 1972 he served as the first investigator for the Disciplinary Board of the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania; enforcing the canons of ethics involving judges and lawyers within the Commonwealth. The courts recognize Chief Vance as an expert law enforcement forensic hypnosis investigator assisting law enforcement agencies in solving difficult crimes of murder, rape, burglaries, and robberies. He is also a narcotic expert in the detection and identification of narcotic drugs, sellers, and users. Professional memberships include the position of Chairman of the Executive Board of the Police Chiefs’ Association of Montgomery County, Executive Director of the International Forensic Hypnosis Association, President of the International Police Association, Region #13 Pennsylvania, and participation in the National Organization of Black Law Enforcement Executives.

Daniel DeSimone
Chief of Undercover Operations, FBI
     Daniel DeSimone entered West Chester University after completing five years of service in the United States Air Force. In his last semester, he worked for a major insurance company in the greater Philadelphia area to fulfill requirements for the Criminal Justice Practicum. He graduated summa cum laude from WCU, earning a Bachelor’s Degree in Criminal Justice in December 1986.
     In February 1988, Dan was selected to become a Special Agent in the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). After completion of the FBI Academy, Dan was assigned to the Los Angeles FBI office for ten years where he worked a variety of criminal investigations including kidnapping, bank robbery, and extortion matters. In 1994 Dan was the case agent for one of the FBI’s Top Ten Fugitives. In 1997 he returned to Philadelphia and was assigned to Organized Crime, Criminal Enterprise, and Intelligence matters. As one of the FBI’s certified undercover employees, Dan served in a myriad of undercover roles during his career.
     In 2001 Dan was promoted to Supervisor in the FBI’s Criminal Investigative Division and was assigned to Washington, D.C. He was subsequently selected as an FBI Field Supervisor in Las Vegas. In 2005 Dan returned to FBI Headquarters where he now serves as the FBI’s Chief of Undercover Operations.

Matthew Lysakowski
     After graduating magna cum laude from West Chester University in 1995, Matt attended the National Ranger Training Institute in Nelsonville, OH. He began working as a Law Enforcement Park Ranger for the National Park Service in 1996 at Lake Mead/Hoover Dam in Boulder City, NV. Matt continued working for the Park Service through 1997 until he began a master's degree program at Sam Houston State University in Huntsville, TX. After graduating from Sam Houston in 1999 with a M.A. in Criminal Justice, Matt accepted a position with the U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS Office). Matt is currently working for the COPS Office as a Social Science Analyst managing research and evaluation projects in the criminal justice field.
     Matt is a member of the Theodore Roosevelt Association (TRA) and the Capital Area Chapter of the TRA. As a member of the Capital Area Chapter, Matt serves on a committee that administers the Theodore Roosevelt Police Award in the Washington, DC area. This award is given annually to a local law enforcement officer who has overcome serious illness, injury, or hardship to return to full duty status in his or her agency.
     While working for the National Park Service in 1996, Matt received the Medal of Valor from the U.S. Department of the Interior for his assistance during an attempted suicide at Hoover Dam. He has also received numerous "On the Spot" and "Special Act" awards from the U.S. Department of Justice. Matt’s career interests include law enforcement in natural resource agencies, community policing, problem-oriented policing, and congressional operations.

| WCU HOME |
President's Message | Parents | Alumni | Prospective Students | Current Students | Visitor Info
Faculty & Staff | Administration | Academic Programs | Library | Athletics | Catalogs | News & Events
Text Only Site Map | Directories & Searches