Denise S. Wolf, Esq.
Inspector General
Denise S. Wolf is a Certified Inspector General and a member of the Association of Inspectors General. She has over 20 years of experience as an executive level manager, federal prosecutor, and trial attorney. She previously served as the Chief of the Criminal Division of the United States Attorney’s Office (USAO) for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, where she supervised all criminal investigations and prosecutions. She also served as the Deputy Chief of Public Corruption and the Civil Rights Coordinator.
Denise has been the lead counsel on over 25 federal jury trials. During her tenure at the USAO, she prosecuted a wide variety of crimes, specializing in corruption, white collar, civil rights, and economic fraud. Denise was a law clerk to the late Honorable Lowell A. Reed, Sr. U.S. district judge for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania. Denise earned her law degree at The American University, where she graduated summa cum laude and served as editor-in-chief of the Law Review. She is a cum laude graduate of the University of Pennsylvania, where she was in the Sphinx Senior Leadership Society and was awarded the Trustees’ Leadership Award. She has proudly commuted to Center City aboard the Chestnut Hill East and West lines for over two decades, and especially enjoys riding Bus 23.
Michael J. Purcell, CFE
Director of Investigations
As Director of Investigations, Mike leads a dedicated team of investigators and oversees fraud, corruption, workplace violence and employee misconduct investigations at SEPTA. He brings 26 years of federal law enforcement experience to SEPTA OIG.
In 1996, Mike joined the U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) OIG as a Special Agent in Philadelphia conducting criminal investigations of financial frauds, public corruption, and transportation safety and security crimes. He served as a case agent on many high-profile investigations, including the criminal prosecution of a hazardous materials supplier related to a fatal explosion, and a $136 million construction fraud scheme against SEPTA and PennDOT, the largest case of its kind in U.S. history. Mike also served as a Federal Air Marshal to secure the national aviation system after the 9/11 terrorist attack.
In 2011, Mike began managing USDOT national investigative programs including all financial frauds, counterfeit parts, and fugitives. In 2019, he joined a special unit at the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) OIG as a Senior Special Agent where he proactively uncovered numerous fraud schemes nationwide and was the team leader of VA’s anti-counterfeiting program.
Mike served nine years in the U.S. Navy as a Sonar Technician on a ballistic missile submarine and as a Deputy Warden of the Philadelphia Naval Brig. He also served as a Military Police Officer for three years in the Naval Reserves. He earned a B.S. in Business Administration while on active duty from Limestone University. Mike is a proud member of the Federal Law Enforcement Officers Association (FLEOA) and the Fraternal Order of Police (FOP), serving in leadership roles since 1999.
Robin R. Deveney, Esq.
Director of Compliance
Robin Deveney is the Director of Compliance for Procurement and Regulatory Affairs within the Office of Inspector General. She is a licensed attorney with over 15 years of experience working on contract and regulatory compliance.
Robin has worked at SEPTA focusing on Procurement and Regulatory Compliance since 2015. During her time at SEPTA, Ms. Deveney has grown her extensive knowledge of the Federal Transit Administration’s Third-Party Procurement Requirements. Her focus is ensuring SEPTA remains in compliance of requirements from the local, state, and federal levels.
Robin was drawn to work at SEPTA primarily based on her love of the City of Philadelphia. She rowed many years on the Schuylkill River, studied at the Wharton School of Business at UPENN for her undergrad, and lived in Center City for over 15 years. Robin and the Compliance Division work daily to support SEPTA in its mission to improve the City of Philadelphia through transit.
Timothy J. Devine, CPA
Director of Audits
As the Director of Audits, Timothy “Tim” Devine is charged with leading a diverse group of professionals who are eager to make a difference at SEPTA by ensuring its assets are protected.
Tim holds a bachelor’s degree in accounting, a master’s degree in business administration, and maintains professional certifications in public accounting, internal auditing, and research administration.
He brings over 20 years of wide-ranging experience in internal auditing and “Big Four” public accounting. Tim has also had the benefit of leading large operational departments. This experience has put him on both sides of the audit experience, which gives him an appreciation of being audited and the ability to recognize the impact an audit can have on a department and organization. His philosophy is that audit departments are a resource within the organization, and should aim to partner with auditees and ensure open and regular communication to meet audit objectives.
Tim operates with the highest level of integrity and handles sensitive, confidential issues with discretion and professionalism. He is honored to be part of the Office of Inspector General, and proud of the great folks that make up the Audits Division and the work they do.