Board Members

On October 19, 2019, Governor Tom Wolf appointed Denise J. Smyler to a three-year term as a Commissioner on the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board. She was appointed Chair of the Board by Gov. Wolf on July 17, 2021.

Ms. Smyler has served since January, 2015, as the General Counsel of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania after heading a thriving law practice in the private sector, The Smyler Firm, which she managed for more than sixteen years.

Prior to launching her private practice, Ms. Smyler worked as an assistant district attorney, as legal counsel to the Philadelphia Prison Commissioner and subsequently as chief legal counsel to the Philadelphia Police Commissioner.  While serving as counsel to the Prison System and Police Department, Ms. Smyler advised and represented the city in State and Federal Court proceedings and worked on drafting and negotiating contracts on behalf of the city agencies.

Long active in community service,  Ms. Smyler served on the board of directors of the Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority (SEPTA); the Philadelphia Redevelopment Authority Board; the Hearing Committee for the Disciplinary Board of the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania, board member of the Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine; and, was a longstanding board member of Pennsylvanians for Modern Courts.

Ms. Smyler has been the recipient of numerous awards during her career.  She has been named by the Philadelphia Tribune as one of the Philadelphia region’s “Movers and Shakers” and received the Legal Intelligencer 2016 “Lifetime Achievement Award”.  Ms. Smyler is a graduate of New York University and earned her J.D. from Georgetown University.