After five years as serving as the Board President, Michael J. Patrick is passing the torch to Jody Anderson Leighty. In March 2023, Jody became the new Chair of the Northern Central Railway of York, after serving on the Board since 2019. She has chaired the Customer Experience committee, leading the board, staff and volunteers in enhancing the daily customer experience, and has been a key contributor to soliciting funding and volunteers for the organization.
She is the fifth generation in her family to lead a railroad in Southern York County. Most recently, her father, D. Reed Anderson, was co-founder and President of Steam into History, now known as Northern Central Railway of York. In 1905, her Great Great Grandfather, John Henry Anderson was a founder and first President of the New Park Fawn Grove Railroad. Jody’s great Grandfather, D. Ross Anderson was also a President of the New Park Fawn Grove Railroad and her grandfather, John Hope Anderson, Sr was the President of the Stewartstown Railroad for many years. These are big shoes to fill, but she is up to the challenge and excited to carry on the family tradition.
Raised in New Park, Pa and graduated from Kennard Dale High School, she went on to receive a B. A. from Clemson University and earn her Juris Doctorate from the College of William and Mary. Upon graduation, she came back to southern York County and began practicing law alongside her father, D. Reed Anderson.
By day, she is a partner in the law firm of Stock and Leader, where she counsels clients on matters of real estate, estate planning and estate administration and is the chair of the Real Estate Group of Stock and Leader. She primarily works out of her office in Stewartstown, serving the people of southern York County. She lives in Stewartstown with her husband, Rich Leighty, and their two children, Tess and Hank.
In addition to NCR, she serves on the Board of the York County Community Foundation, currently chair of the Grants committee, and Pa Farm Link. She has served on the boards of the W. Dale Brougher Foundation YMCA, York County Farm and Natural Lands Trust, and the grants committee of the York County Bar Foundation. She has been recognized as one of the Central Penn Business Journal’s 30 “Women of Influence” and “40 Under 40 Business People.”
“This is an exciting time for NCR as we celebrate our 10th anniversary and continue to expand our excursions and experiences. We are a mighty organization dedicated to our mission of partnering with and enhancing our community. I love watching families make memories on the train. The joy on the faces of the multi-generational families that ride our train is my personal reward for all the hard work that goes into NCR. My goal is to strengthen the organization so that my great great grandkids can someday ride the train and experience that same joy.”