City & State Pennsylvania 021422

Solitary Confinement And the racial disparities in Pennsylvania prisons

Making every vote count

How redistricting efforts to better represent minorities are sometimes jeopardized

THE POWER OF DIVERSITY

BLACK

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FEBRUARY 2022

February 2022

Contents | FEBRUARY 2022

City & State Pennsylvania

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SOLITARY CONFINEMENT Studies show people of color are being punished with this practice more often and for longer periods of time

PENNSYLVANIA DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS

EDITOR’S NOTE … 4

Here’s how we handle inclusion and ranking on our power lists

FIRST READ … 7

We raise a glass to six politically powerful pairs across Pennsylvania

NCHE ZAMA … 10

An interview with the gubernatorial candidate who says PA needs a check-up

COMMENTARY … 12

Op-Ed: People need to be involved in the process of redrawing councilmanic maps

DISTRICT INTERPRETATIONS … 18

The redistricting process and accurate representation in communities of color

THE POWER OF DIVERSITY: BLACK 100 … 25

The strongest leaders and up-and-comers from around the Keystone State

WINNERS & LOSERS … 50

Who was up and who was down last month

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CityAndStatePA .com

February 2022

EDITOR’S NOTE WE TAKE OUR power lists seriously. We spend months cultivating each list, vetting the names, determining rankings and writing profiles that clearly underscore why each person was chosen for a particular list. But we don’t do this in a vacuum – and we don’t do it alone. A crucial part of relaunching City & State PA involved creating an advisory board that would be an independent voice weighing in on what we do and how we do it. Our board helps us select who makes our lists, but it’s our job as part of the editorial process to do the ranking.

As we’ve stated from the beginning, inclusion on a power list does not equal an endorsement or moral judgment on a person’s record in their industry. Because we believe that transparency is important, we would like to share our criteria for inclusion and ranking on our power lists: Editor-in-chief

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Track record: What policies has the person shaped? What programs has the person run, and how effectively?

Diversity: Do the people on the list reflect Pennsylvania’s diverse communities, and does this list as a whole reflect those who exercise power and influence the industry or shape the conversation around policy within it, including (but not limited to) race, ethnicity, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, disability, immigrant communities, socioeconomic status and geography?

Importance and size of the group or constituency that someone serves: Business executives, lobbyists, labor leaders and journalists all represent industries, clients, employees or customers – and with that responsibility comes some degree of power.

Proximity to power: Is the person in the inner circle of informal advisers and backers to top and influential elected officials?

Thought leadership: Do the people on the list shape the conversation around policy within the industry, whether through media, advocacy, lobbying or activism?

Economic power: Does the person on the list have economic power, and does it translate into policy changes or influence?

Insiders vs. outsiders: Does the list include grassroots activists who are having an impact in addition to establishment figures in traditional power roles?

We invite your feedback on these criteria and how they can be improved. Please direct your thoughts to editor@cityandstatepa.com. In the weeks ahead, you’ll also learn about City & State’s 2022 advisory board, to be headed by Michael Days. Days is the former Vice President for Diversity and Inclusion at the Philadelphia Inquirer and editor of the Philadelphia Daily News for more than 25 years.

JARED GRUENWALD

JENNY DEHUFF

Honoring

USW International Vice President

fred redmond for inclusion in City and State PA’s Power of Diversity: The Black 100 and his lifelong activism advancing civil rights and worker power

The USW represents 1.2 million active and retired members across North America employed in many industries that include metals, rubber, chemicals, paper, oil refining, the service and public sectors and higher education.

Pennsylvania

Transportation Summit

Wednesday, February 23, 2022 | 9:00 AM – 3:00 PM | Hilton, Harrisburg

Developing and Enhancing Transportation Systems Throughout Pennsylvania As the world changed with the pandemic, the transit system changed with it. There were more cars, bikes and scooters on the road, making the need for infrastructure investment even more apparent. Now, with federal funding coming to the state, we expect to see massive improvements to Pennsylvania’s roads, bridges, and public transportation options, as well as more focus on sustainability and innovation. This fullday, in-person summit will bring together experts across sectors to assess the current state of Pennsylvania’s transportation systems, break down recent legislative actions, and look towards the future of all things coming and going in Pennsylvania.

KEYNOTE SPEAKER Mark Compton, CEO; Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission

VIDEO INTERVIEW Leslie Richards, GM & CEO; SEPTA

PANELS & PANELISTS Moderated By Al Spivey, Principal; TSE, LLC Tim Hennessey, State Representative, District 26; Chairman, House Transportation Committee Melissa J. Batula, P.E., Acting Executive Deputy Secretary;PA Department of Transportation Infrastructure Funding for Pennsylvania’s Transportation Systems Panel Moderated By Justin Sweitzer, Senior Reporter; City & State PA Wayne Langerholc, Jr., State Senator, District 35; Chairman, Senate Transportation Committee Michael C.Keiser, P.E., Acting Deputy Secretary; Highway Administration Safety, Innovation, and the Future of Transportation in PA Panel Moderated By Cherelle L. Parker, Councilwoman, District 9; City of Philadelphia Marty Flynn, State Senator, District 22; Minority Chairman, Senate Transportation Committee Mike Carroll, State Representative, District 118; Minority Chairman, House Transportation Committee Sarah Clark Stuart, Executive Director; Bicycle Coalition of Greater Philadelphia Tara Leystra Ackerman,

SPONSORED BY

PURCHASE TICKETS HERE

GEORGE; CHIE DAHMS; KAIS TOLMATS; TOLGA TEZCAN/GETTY IMAGES; SUBMITTED

January 2022

City & State Pennsylvania

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HERE WOULD Rocky be without Adrian? What about Jim and Pam up in Scranton? In the second month of the year, what many consider the month of love, we’re here to celebrate the power of two.

Valentine’s Day wouldn’t be the same without your significant other, and Pennsylvania politics wouldn’t be the same without these power couples.

Power can take many forms, including political, media and legislative influence. Each of these couples has shaped Pennsylvania’s political landscape in one way or another, and many are just getting started.

Our first couple met in Harrisburg 20 years ago. At the time, Megan Crompton was working for Gov. Tom Ridge and Drew Crompton was working for state Senate President Pro Tempore Bob Jubelirer.

Together, they share more than 50 years of state government experience. More recently, Drew served as a Commonwealth Court

judge and Megan was the vice president of government relations at Long Nyquist. The legislative process follows the couple home as well, they said: as Drew “chairs” the family’s banking and insurance committee, while Megan “chairs” the children & youth and education committees, taking care of their two daughters.

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DREW CROMPTON & MEGAN CROMPTON

PARTNER MCNEES WALL ACE NURICK SENIOR ASSOCIATE ALLEGHENY STRATEGY PARTNERS

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THE POWER OF LOVE

AUSTIN DAVIS & BLAYRE HOLM ES DAVIS STATE REPRES

DIRECTOR OF COMM ENTATIVE UNIT Y RELATIONS PIT TSBURGH STEE LERS

This Pittsburgh-based couple first met at the August Wilson African American Cultural Center in summer 2012. The two grew up in Mon Valley and are now serving their western Pennsylvania community in a variety of ways. Austin Davis represents the 35th legislative district and is

Meet six Pennsylvania power couples making us gush

a candidate for lieutenant governor. Blayre Holmes Davis oversees the Steelers’ community goals and works with the NFL to execute league-wide social responsibility initiatives.

In 2019, Gov. Tom Wolf appointed her to the Pennsylvania Commission for Women.

By Harrison Cann

CityAndStatePA .com

February 2022

Dr. Matthew Miller messaged Malcolm Kenyatta on Instagram five years ago and the two fell in love when they finally met in person. Based in Philadelphia, Malcolm is a state representative and candidate for the U.S. Senate and Matt is an urban designer at the University of Pennsylvania

School of Design. Malcolm, who tied the knot with Matt on Feb. 5, jokes that Matt is his campaign’s creative director. He said Matt working outside politics is great because “he has made this campaign more beautiful, creative and fun for not just myself, but our team and supporters.”

ATTA MALCOLMEKWENMYILLER & MATTHPRESENTATIVE

STATE RE R OF NER, DIRECTO URBAN DESIG BELONGING JUSTICE AND NSYLVANIA PEN UNIVERSITY OF

SHERYL LEE & VINCENT HURAGHLPESH

This dynamic duo from Philadelphia, Sheryl Lee Ralph and Vincent Hughes, say they prefer to be called a “service couple.” The two met in New York City in 2002 when Vincent said he was asked to meet with Sheryl to provide assistance on a children’s hospital development project in Jamaica, and they’ve remained together in

the spotlight since. More recently, Sheryl’s breakout sitcom, “Abbott Elementary,” which depicts a struggling public school in Philadelphia, has brought even more attention to the need for more education funding. Both continue to advocate for literacy, the arts, voter registration and more.

ACTOR STATE SENATOR

Jonathan Lovitz and Steve Sosna look to serve the Philadelphia community in different ways. Jonathan is the senior vice president of the National LGBT Chamber of Commerce and a candidate for the 182nd House District, which includes Midtown Village, a/k/a the Gayborhood. Steve is an Emmy-award-winning meteo-

rologist for NBC10. The two formally met at the Out Magazine Pride Party in 2014 and have been together ever since. While working from home for most of COVID, Jonathan and Steve said they’ve been one another’s “stage managers, lighting technicians and makeup artists” when they do TV appearances from their kitchen.

Z JONATHANSLOOSVNITA E & STEV CY ADVOCATE

PUBLIC POLI ST METEOROLOGI NBC10

JENNIFER ZA & RAYMOND ZABOBORNRNEY EY PARTNERS RED MAVERICK ME DI

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Together, Jennifer and Raymond Zaborney lead one of the commonwealth’s major political consulting firms. The two have advised Republican campaigns, including now-U.S. Reps. Dan Meuser and John Joyce and state Senate President Pro Tempore Jake Corman’s current gubernatorial run. They

met on the campaign trail in 2004 during Tom Corbett’s campaign for attorney general, when Ray was the political director and Jennifer was working on her first campaign.

They said it’s helpful to have a partner with a perspective on the job and that they use each other “as a sounding board and gut check.”

LOVITZ & SOSNA; COLIN M. LENTON; SUBMITTED

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ViaPath Technologies congratulates Shirley Moore Smeal on being City and State PA’s Power of Diversity: The Black 100 award recipient.

We commend her excellent work and contributions in making a difference not only in Pennsylvania, but within our company and communities.

VIAPATH.COM | CONNECT WITH PURPOSE

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CityAndStatePA .com

December 2021

Q & A with

Dr. Nche Zama The surgeon and gubernatorial candidate shares an incredible story of overcoming impossible odds.

By Justin Sweitzer

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R. NCHE ZAMA was an early entrant into the state’s 2022 gubernatorial race. He brings an unconventional background to a field of candidates that includes state lawmakers, attorneys and business owners.

Zama, a cardiothoracic surgeon, has issued a stark prognosis: “Pennsylvania is sick” and needs the help of a specialist. The following interview explores Zama’s background and his vision for Pennsylvania. It has been condensed and edited for length and clarity.

I’m a cardiovascular and thoracic surgeon – a heart surgeon. I’ve lived in the Pocono area for over 15 years. I was born in a small, National Geographic village – in a grass hut village – in Africa. I came here in my early teens to attend college. I came with $15 – didn’t have anybody with me … In that village … my mother went to the hospital to give birth. It was a bush hospital, had no resources, only one doctor who wasn’t there that day, and she started to bleed. As I stood there holding her hand – I was 10 years old; she was 30 – she kept crying … I kept squeezing her hand, and she died. There was a nurse standing nearby who kept crying out: “There’s no doctor, there’s no doctor.” When I left and I started trekking back to the village, those words kept ringing in my ear. So, I made a decision. One thing I knew from what the nurse was saying, that if [there] was a doctor, my mother would be alive. So, I decided I wanted to be a doctor.

Given your medical background, what would your COVID-19 response look like at this point in the pandemic?

What would I have done? Messaging would have been consistent from a high-performance team … Also, I would have looked at all the options we have, not just a tunnel vision [with]

vaccines. I’m not an anti-vaxxer, but you’re talking about vaccines that have not really been tested, so you got to have other options because time is of the essence, human life is of the essence. And remember, months down the line, we realized that there are certain risk categories for severe disease from COVID – the obese, people with COPD, cardiovascular

disease, diabetes, the elderly … I would have immediately instituted policies and strategies to address all these risk factors to reduce the severity of disease and mortality in our population.

Vaccines have turned into a nationwide flashpoint in our political discussions. Are

EILEEN NOELLE PHOTOGRAPHY

What should Pennsylvanians know about your background and who you are?

December 2021

City & State Pennsylvania

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You said Pennsylvania is sick. What are the most pressing issues facing voters right now?

Number one is, we have to unite the state. I’m going to be a unifying governor. If we’re not united, there’s no need to talk about agendas, whether it is business, education and health care – it’ll never work … There’s so much disunity and so much polarization in this state … As I’ve stated, especially in business, business policies – not just our taxation policies – [are] so cumbersome.

We’re not embracing and we’re not attracting businesses to the state …

There’s this out-migration because of the hostile business environment here … [And] without a strong educational system, which undergirds every pillar in our life, we will never be successful. We should stop fooling ourselves.

to support – as we would have in a flu season anyway, because COVID is a flu virus … So, I would have looked at all the issues – nutrition, mental health, physical, organic conditions – that impact the risk of an individual contracting the virus and having severe disease.

As a teenager, Zama came to the U.S. on a student visa with just $15 in his pocket.

Today, he is a renowned heart surgeon.

they something you would use as a tool to fight COVID? As the knowledge evolves in the efficacy of vaccines, it will determine whether I support it or do not support it. Now we know that vaccines – the immunity we receive from vaccination is very short-lived. So, this is not

something that has sustainability. We began to know that, for we knew that a while back, but nobody has talked about it and we keep pushing it again and again. Yes, I would say for the elderly, who are extremely vulnerable.

There are people who have immune-deficiency conditions. Yes, I would encourage it, because those people, we will probably need to continue

There are a range of candidates seeking the GOP nomination. For voters who might be wary of voting for a surgeon compared to some of the others, what’s your message to them?

First of all, I’m a surgeon who believes that excellence trumps everything. It trumps diversity as a desirable goal. I’m a surgeon who believes that there’s no affirmative action in global commerce. I’m a surgeon who believes that whatever I do must be in the best interest of the ones I serve. I’m a surgeon who has been in a leadership position … and has been challenged to the extremes more than anybody else who’s running … People in Pennsylvania are looking for somebody who’s principled, has been tested in fire, disciplined, compassionate, and committed to excellence, transparency, accountability, integrity and team. I couldn’t think of a better candidate than myself.

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November 22 – November 29, 2021

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N DEC. 16, the Legislative Reapportionment Commission (LRC) released a draft of new state House and Senate district maps for Pennsylvania.

Following the release of this draft, Pennsylvanians from all across the commonwealth had the opportunity to submit public comments regarding the LRC’s maps. At One Pennsylvania, along with our partners at PA Voice and Keystone Counts, we were encouraged that the LRC’s process for redrawing our political maps included a degree of public access and transparency. One PA members from across the state participated in the drawing of Unity Maps, a community-driven process that had working-class people of color determine together how their voting districts should be drawn to best represent their communities.

Howard Fisher, a One PA core canvasser from North Philadelphia, was part of one team drawing those maps.

“It was an arduous process but, ultimately, the results were good,” Howard said of working with hundreds of community members throughout Pennsylvania to build the maps. “Our canvass team has built meaningful relationships with our communities. So, when we told people what redistricting was about and why it was important, you had this moment where people felt included. People were mad and upset when they realized this was going on without their knowledge; that resources, money and political power were being distributed and they had no input.”

The new maps will better allow for Pennsylvanians of color to elect people

LET THE PEOPLE HAVE A VOICE IN REDISTRICTING It’s time to rethink how Philly redraws councilmanic districts

By Alex Rhone and Kyle Turley Organizers from Make the Road Pennsylvania rally outside the state Capitol for fair legislative maps.

who best represent their communities and their interests. We were glad to see that the LRC also took steps to curtail the practice of prison gerrymandering, where incarcerated people are counted – for the purposes of redistricting – in the prisons where they are being held instead of where they’re from. This practice effectively robs voting power from their home communities and transfers it to the area where the prison is located.

Most recently, Philadelphia City Council released its

proposed district maps in 2022’s first council meeting.

These maps will be used for the next three city elections (2023, 2027, 2031) and will have a tremendous impact on how our city will look for years to come. Working-class Black and brown people who are being rapidly displaced by developers and corporate landlords should have a say in how these maps are drawn, especially given councilmanic prerogative.

This applies not only to Philadelphia. In Pittsburgh, an appointed advisory committee

is tasked with redrawing that city’s political lines. After seeing a 1% population drop, the committee has worked to ensure that the city’s two majority African American districts are not split.

But in Philadelphia, where City Council has had nearly six months since the 2020 Census data was released to engage the public and gather community feedback, a proposed citywide map wasn’t released until late last month, with only one public hearing for residents to provide feedback scheduled.

So far, the proposed mapping plan continues prison gerrymandering in the city, counting thousands of Philadelphians held in city- and state-run prisons instead of back home.

With the battle over democracy and voting rights raging nationwide, we must extend the democratic process in places that have the most effect on our lives: our workplaces, our homes and neighborhoods, and, in this case, the redistricting process.

People in Philadelphia should have a say in how their districts look. City Council should be hearing from residents about their neighborhoods and where political boundaries should be drawn. At One PA, we believe that protecting and empowering working people and people of color requires expanding democracy at all levels of government, not limiting it. Philadelphia’s City Council must ensure that residents across the city have a meaningful opportunity to have a voice in the districts in which they are represented.

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Alex Rhone is a member of the Pittsburgh core canvassing team for One Pennsylvania.

Kyle Turley is the Southeastern Political Associate at One Pennsylvania.

PENNSYLVANIA VOICE/FACEBOOK

COMMENTARY

SALUTES Greg Deavens and Lorina Marshall-Blake Congratulations to our own Greg Deavens and Lorina Marshall-Blake and all of the

Gregory E. Deavens President and CEO Independence Blue Cross

leaders named to City & State Pennsylvania’s The Power of Diversity: Black 100.

Greg and Lorina share a deep commitment to addressing racial health disparities to improve the health and well-being of the people and communities we serve.

Rev. Dr. Lorina Marshall-Blake

President Independence Blue Cross Foundation

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December 2021

THE LINK BETWEEN

RACE &

SOLITARY CONFINEMENT Eleven percent of Black men in PA born between ‘86 and ‘89 wound up in ‘the hole’ by age 32

By Harrison Cann

December 2021

City & State Pennsylvania

Prisoners at Philadelphia’s Eastern State Penitentiary were forced to spend the majority of their sentences alone in their cells.

This is what one looks like today. /Harrison Cann

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The Abolitionist Law Center has called solitary confinement “torture” and a “weapon of terror.” Demonstrators often protest the practice outside prisons and government buildings.

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N SOLITARY CONFINEMENT, incarcerated people are kept in cells about 8 x 10 feet. They’re provided only basic necessities, like a washcloth and a bar of soap, and they’re given food through a slot in the door.

The commonwealth has the sixth-largest prison population among all 50 states and its incarceration rate and racial disparity in incarceration are approximately equal to the national average. Unsurprisingly, the racial disparities seen in Pennsylvania’s incarceration rates persist throughout the use of disciplinary action in prisons.

A recent study published in Science Advances revealed that the risk of solitary confinement for Black men in the commonwealth is more than eight times the risk for white men.

The study, conducted by sociology experts at Columbia and Boston universities, found that Latinos are 2.5 times as likely as white men to be held in solitary confinement.

Looking at administrative records on state prisons from 2007 to 2016, the study followed a birth cohort of individuals born between 1986 and 1989. The analysis showed that 11% of all Black men in the state born during that period eventually wound up in solitary confinement by age 32.

“We know already that Black and brown men particularly, and women as well, are disproportionately represented in prison populations,” state Rep. Donna Bullock told City & State. “So, if you are using solitary confinement as a tool in those prison populations, that means that they’re overrepresented.”

The practice of solitary confinement got its start in Pennsylvania. The form of prison discipline was introduced at Eastern State Penitentiary in Philadelphia in the 1800s. Dr. Kristofer “Bret” Bucklen, director of the Pennsylvania Department of Corrections Bureau of Planning, Research & Statistics, said the practice is today

used for either disciplinary custody or administrative custody.

Administrative custody, which takes place when incarcerated people are put in confinement for population management or protective reasons, increased dramatically during the COVID-19 pandemic as prisons attempted to slow the spread of the virus. Disciplinary custody, by comparison, is in response to infractions.

While Bucklen said minor infractions can lead to less restrictive disciplinary actions, such as loss of privileges, he said there’s a fair degree of latitude in the response to a violation.

“If there’s enough evidence to uphold charges, then a sanction is imposed, which could be minor restrictions like loss of privileges, maybe loss of TV time, loss of some visits or something like that, all the way up to time in the restrictive housing unit, which is solitary confinement, essentially,” he said.

The number of people staying in restricted housing units has decreased in recent years, Bucklen said. According to the Department of Corrections, the number of inmates held in RHU decreased by nearly 30% from December 2019 to December 2020. At the same time, however, the average length of stay in the RHU increased from 104 days to 117 days.

John Thompson, a social and political organizer with the Abolitionist Law Center, was incarcerated for 37 years. He said he spent 13 to 14 of those years in solitary confinement.

“Most people think that the people that are confined in solitary confinement are the worst prisoners in the institution. That’s simply not true,” Thompson told City & State. “The majority of prisoners are down there for disobeying an order, which could be anything, or for possessing contraband … I’ve seen guys come down to the hole for 30 days, and three years

MICHAEL CEVOLI

Currently, nearly 1,000 Pennsylvania inmates are being held in solitary confinement. More than 75% have been in for longer than 30 days.

December 2021

December 2021

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”I’ve seen what it does to people.

Not only what it did to me, but it destroyed other men to the point where they would self-harm just so they could get a trip to the hospital.”

John Thompson, now an organizer with the Abolitionist Law Center, spent 37 years behind bars – almost half in isolation. He said the psychological harm it does to a person is sometimes irreversible.

PENNSYLVANIA DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS; JOE PIETTE, JOEPIETTE2 VIA FLICKR

– John Thompson

later, they’re still there.”

Not only is the practice associated with psychological harm and poor post-release outcomes, but its long-term usage has been deemed a violation of the United Nations Convention Against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment, or UNCAT. The UN issued a report in 2011 stating that more than 15 days in solitary confinement should be considered a violation. Thompson said his longest stint in solitary confinement was about three and a half years.

“I’ve seen what it does to people. Not only what it did to me, but it destroyed other men to the point where they would self-harm just so they could get a trip to the hospital. Or they would barricade themselves in their cell just to get some attention,” he said.

Incarcerated people in solitary confinement are typically locked in their cells for up to 23 hours a day with minimal contact. Special Management Units, which were created for dangerous or antagonistic inmates, have received backlash for their policy violations and related violence.

Thompson said he was one of the first 20 people to be put in an SMU, where he said, “you’re completely cut off,” as opposed to typical solitary confinement where you could still talk to inmates in your cell block.

“That was supposed to be a unit that would basically destroy people,” he said. Confinement has been shown to induce hallucinations, depression, anxiety, paranoia and other mental health issues. Thompson

said the nature of the confinement caused him to become more hostile in his responses to everything.

“We were extremely hostile because that was the only means of communication. You could not just ask for something, like a roll of toilet paper, and get it. You had to be actually very aggressive,” Thompson said. “So, that implanted in me that hostility, that aggression which I still suffer with right now.”

Twenty-three states and Washington, D.C. have enacted statutes that limit or prohibit solitary confinement, while several other states have limited its use through administrative code, policy or court rules. Pennsylvania is not one of them.

Bullock, chair of the General Assembly’s Legislative Black Caucus, introduced House Bill 1037 alongside state Rep. Tina Davis, a Democrat from Bucks County. The bill seeks to prohibit the use of solitary confinement within vulnerable populations in prisons, including pregnant women, members of the LGBTQ community and inmates under 21 and over 70. It would also put the cap on solitary confinement for all inmates at 15 days.

“Solitary confinement is inhumane and ineffective in many ways,” Bullock said. “I think if we moved away from a punitive [approach] then we can look at folks as humans and say, ‘How can we help them?’”

Bucklen said the DOC’s disciplinary procedures allow for other alternatives. He said they’ve implemented forms of informal sanctions that take away privileges such as visitations, but those with a history of violence or infractions often must be kept in confinement for the safety of others. He also noted that solitary confinement numbers and the racial disparities in incarceration have decreased since the study’s data was collected in 2016.

Outside of the DOC’s attempts to change the system, there are various statewide efforts to do away with solitary confinement. Thompson said the Abolitionist Law Center has campaigns to restrict its use in state and county prisons, and that he is engaging with Philadelphia City Council to ban it.”

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18 CityAndStatePA Members of the Delta .com Sigma Theta sorority attend a meeting in support of a member who testified before the Legislative Reapportionment Commission.

December 2021

December 2021

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Map Quest How Pennsylvanians are trying to bring racial equity to the fraught process of redistricting.

JAMES ROBINSON/PENNSYLVANIA SENATE DEMOCRATIC CAUCUS; LASAGNAFORONE/GETTY IMAGES

By Justin Sweitzer

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EDISTRICTING FIGHTS have traditionally been waged over political boundary lines.

Lawmakers and voting rights advocates in Pennsylvania have often sparred over whether newly drawn state legislative and congressional districts meet constitutional requirements, or whether they’re drawn in a way that purposefully gives one party an electoral advantage – a practice known as gerrymandering.

But a redistricting fight of a different sort has emerged this year: a battle to ensure that minority communities don’t have their voting power diluted.

To the surprise of no one, the decennial redistricting cycle occurring this year has led to claims of gerrymandering and political gamesmanship from both sides of the aisle.

It has also presented advocates for minorities throughout Pennsylvania with an opportunity to fight for the newest set of maps to reflect the state’s diversity – and to ensure they aren’t drawn in a way that weakens the voting power of people of color.

And that all starts with where exactly the lines are drawn.

Pennsylvania’s state legislative districts are drawn by the five-member Legislative Reapportionment Commission, made up of four lawmakers and an independent chair, while the state’s congressional districts are decided by the state Legislature and signed into law by the governor.

Both processes take place after the completion of the U.S. Census – and, given that Pennsylvania’s recent population growth was driven by communities of color, advocates say that mapmakers should be taking extra care to make sure that communities of color aren’t divided during the redistricting process – both now and in the future.

“These maps ingrain power in a very particular way that a lot of folks don’t pay as much attention to as an election cycle,” said Salewa Ogunmefun, the executive director of Pennsylvania Voice, a coalition of more than 30 organizations dedicated to expanding political power in communities of color.

“But really, because those elections are run in the districts that this process actually cre-

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access to power is what we see in the state House right now.”

In an attempt to rectify that, Pennsylvania Voice and a host of other organizations sought feedback directly from minority communities. They used that feedback to form their own maps that they then submitted to policymakers for consideration.

Khalif Ali, the executive director of Common Cause Pennsylvania, said the coalition of good government groups has held “several hundred conversations in which they talk to communities of interest and had them document where they saw value in their communities.”

Obtaining that input, for both state and congressional maps, is crucial to developing maps that reflect the state’s communities of color, Ali said.

“We don’t consider mapping just to be a mathematical exercise. It’s not just about equations. It’s about real people whose lives are invariably impacted by how these maps are drawn,” he said. “So we have to take into consideration the human factor of mapping. Yes, you need professionals who can talk about population deviation and partisan bias. You need those experts there. But you also need them to take into consideration the impact that could potentially have on traditionally marginalized populations.”

As a result of conversations with Pennsylvanians in diverse communities across the state, Keystone Counts, a project of Pennsylvania Voice that includes the Amistad

NATE KRESGE/GK VISUAL

ates, we saw an opportunity to actually make sure that these districts created more opportunities for people of color to be able to run for and win office.”

That process, Ogunmefun said, starts with identifying so-called “communities of interest” – or areas that have shared social, cultural, racial, ethnic or policy interests – and making sure those communities aren’t divided into multiple electoral districts – known in redistricting parlance as “cracking,” or shoehorned into a single district – known as “packing.”

Ogunmefun said that if voting power is diluted through either of those two approaches, lawmakers are unlikely to pass policies sought by Black voters, since their voting power would be diminished. “We can’t pass policies that people want to actually see in the statehouse, and that’s what we’ve seen over the last 30 years,” she said. She pointed to two referendums in Allegheny County and Pittsburgh that ultimately led to voters restricting the use of solitary confinement and banning no-knock warrants.

“If you took that same policy, and we started having that conversation at the state House, it would never even come up for a vote. And that is something that affects Black communities disproportionately more than any other communities,” Ogunmefun added. “But instead of being able to pass policies at the state level that put these protections in place … limiting the ability for us to pass legislation that is good for communities that have historically not had that same

MEI REGN; PENNSYLVANIA SENATE DEMOCRATIC CAUCUS; JOSH FRANZOS

As executive director of Pennsylvania Voice, Salewa Ogunmefun works to make sure Black communities aren’t divided into multiple electoral districts, known as “packing.”

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”My concern is with the neighborhood being split up, our power being reduced ... and not being able to say what it is that we want and need.”

After much debate, the Legislative Reapportionment Commission approved final state House and Senate maps in early February.

A Pittsburgh native, Khalif Ali of Common Cause has a background in democracy issues and community organizing.

Law Project and Common Cause Pennsylvania, submitted a series of eight “Unity Maps” that outlined recommended state House districts for mapmakers to consider.

The maps were formed from 700 individual submissions where voters outlined specific parts of their respective communities that they wanted policymakers to include in new state legislative districts.

Ogunmefun said that many of the preliminary districts proposed by the LRC have factored in the Unity Map requests, but others have expressed concerns with them.

Kris Henderson, executive director of the Amistad Law Project, said the preliminary maps approved by the LRC are an improvement from the last set of state legislative maps, which were based on 2010 U.S. Census data.

“They didn’t wholesale adopt them,” Henderson said of the Unity Maps. “But I do think that they seemed to be in coordination with each other. I think they make sense together.”

However, Henderson’s own community – Philadelphia’s Germantown neighborhood – would be divided under the preliminary plan approved by the LRC, which threatens to negatively impact the community’s vot-

– Kris Henderson

ing power.

“Germantown is a majority Black neighborhood,” Henderson said, noting that Germantown residents could end up having two separate state representatives in Harrisburg. “My concern is with the neighborhood being split up, our power obviously being reduced … and not being able to really say what it is that we want and need – what will be beneficial to this community.”

The LRC went on to approve final state House and Senate maps on Feb. 4, and Henderson said the final plan still leaves much to be desired in Philadelphia’s Germantown neighborhood.

“Most of the closest friends we have are now in our district but it still splits Germantown and keeps us from being in the same community of interest as most of the rest of Germantown,” Henderson said.

Bishop Dwayne Royster, executive director of POWER Interfaith, an ecumenical organization focused on racial and economic justice, knows firsthand how district boundaries can hurt communities of color.

Royster ran for state representative in the 70th House District in 2008 – a map that included the “very urban” Norristown and the “deepy rural” Harleysville. Royster said the two vastly different communities didn’t belong in one district, given their demographic and ideological differences.

“There was absolutely no connection between the folk in Norristown and the people in Harleysville,” Royster said. “There was no relationship; there was no reason

House Minority December 2021 Leader Joanna McClinton was the first Black woman to hold the leadership position.

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Bishop Dwayne Royster said he knows firsthand how district boundaries can hurt communities of color.

for that district to be drawn like that other than it was gerrymandered to make sure that Republicans could continue to win.”

Royster described campaigning in the district as a “struggle,” noting how difficult it was to connect with constituents so different from those in his own community in Norristown. “In normal circumstances, I would have just stayed up in Norristown and just worked Norristown really hard, but I wanted to build relationships with the folk all across the district, but some of the more upper-middle-class areas to more rural white areas just were not as receptive to my presence in that space at the time,” he said.

Republicans have also taken issue with some of the district boundaries on state legislative maps, believing that split communities could dilute Hispanic voting power in certain parts of the state. In recent years, there has been an uptick in Latino voters voting Republican, as evidenced by the 2020 census and studies by the Pew Research Center.

State House Majority Leader Kerry Benninghoff, a Republican who serves on the Legislative Reapportionment Commission, said in January that municipal splits in Harrisburg, Allentown, Lancaster and Reading left him “deeply concerned,”

and that those splits could “create specific problems” under the Voting Rights Act. He doubled down on his concerns when the LRC voted to approve a final plan for state House districts in early February.

“Many minority communities, particularly Hispanics in Allentown, Reading, Lancaster and Black voters in Harrisburg will be cracked and, if anything, denied a realistic chance of electing more members of the General Assembly that have their shared experience and can represent their communities from a place of familiarity,” Benninghoff said.

With both sides of the political spectrum expressing concerns over how minority communities are drawn into state legislative districts, the question becomes whether there is a viable solution and, if so, what it would look like. According to advocates following the redistricting process, the process itself needs to undergo some major changes.

While Ogunmefun praised the number of opportunities the public had to offer input on the LRC’s preliminary maps, she added that public hearings and other opportunities need to be codified either in state law or in the state constitution. She also suggested that the LRC hire an expert in “racially polarized voting and analysis.”

Others said citizens should have a larger role in the redistricting process, which could be accomplished by either expanding or replacing the commission that draws state legislative maps. But an independent citizens commission drawing maps instead of state legislators could present its own challenges.

“I can’t imagine how we’re going to get to that nonpartisan commission without the parties or political leaders appointing people that are going to go one way or the other,” Royster said, adding, “I do think there needs to be more public citizens on this commission. The fact that the commission is basically one citizen and then all political operatives, that can tend to be problematic.”

Ali agreed, noting that more citizen input into the development of the maps is a good place to start and could help ensure that Black and minority communities are properly reflected in future political maps. “There will never be a map that satisfies 100% of the people,” he said, before later adding: “But I think we can produce a commission that really reflects who the people of the commonwealth are and can take over this process and really make it transparent and really make it a citizen-driven process.”

■

SABRINA GUYTON-WRIGHT; PENNSYLVANIA HOUSE DEMOCRATIC CAUCUS; SUBMITTED

Kris Henderson is executive director of the Amistad Law Project, which works to end mass incarceration and abolish the death penalty.

Congratulations to PHRC Executive Director Chad Dion Lassiter, MSW on being recognized on the Power of Diversity: Black 100 List!

phrc.pa.gov

February 2022

City & State Pennsylvania

THE POWER OF DIVERSITY: BLACK 100

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These pioneers, innovators and icons are leading a new path forward in PA.

W

HEN MEMBERS OF the Black community think of power, it is almost synonymous with Black excellence – the best of the best. These people can be politicians, scientists, journalists, doctors, lawyers, musicians or athletes. They can be advocates who continue to demand fair and equal treatment, as well as those who speak to the needs of Black communities and provide adequate solutions to conflicts and struggles in everyday life.

The following list spotlights current power brokers in Pennsylvania who are people of color, along with the state’s next generation of change agents. As you read through the list,

view it not just as a ranking of the state’s Black leaders, but a documentation of Black history over the past year that not only recognizes people in positions of power, but those who work to empower others.

City & State’s Power of Diversity: Black 100 was researched and written in partnership with Afea Tucker, a Philadelphiaarea journalist, communications consultant and Vice President of Print of the Philadelphia Association of Black Journalists.

This list recognizes the many Black public servants, business executives, nonprofit leaders, union officials, advisers, advocates and activists who are blazing new trails across Pennsylvania.

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February 2022

Evans and Bullock have worked with members of their party to pass legislation aimed at advancing the middle class.

2

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DWIGHT EVANS

JOANNA MCCLINTON

RYAN BOYER

MEMBER OF CONGRESS

HOUSE MINORITY LEADER

BUSINESS MANAGER

U.S. Rep. Dwight Evans is working to advance legislative priorities such as reducing health disparities, gun reform, criminal justice reform and economic development.

Before winning the Third Congressional District seat in a special election in 2016, Evans served as a state representative for 36 years.

In 1990, he became the first African American chair of the state House Appropriations Committee, which he held for two decades. He currently serves on the Ways and Means and Small Business committees.

State Rep. Joanna McClinton’s meteoric rise to party leadership is said to be one of the fastest in Pennsylvania history. At age 39, McClinton has won four terms in the House of Representatives, shattered glass ceilings along the way as the first woman and first African American elected as House Democratic Caucus Chair, and as the first woman elected House Democratic Leader. Two weeks into the new year, she had already introduced a sweeping proposal to overhaul the state’s election laws.

Laborers District Council of the Metropolitan Area of Philadelphia and Vicinity In a tacit acknowledgment of his status as the region’s labor leader, Ryan Boyer was chosen last fall to replace John Dougherty as business manager of the Philadelphia Building & Construction Trades Council. Lawmakers and community members alike are hopeful that under his leadership, there will be a boost in minority participation in city-contracted union work.

Boyer is the business manager of the Laborers District Council of the Metropolitan Area of Philadelphia and

4 DONNA BULLOCK STATE REPRESENTATIVE Before joining the Pennsylvania House of Representatives, Donna Bullock worked as a special assistant to the Philadelphia City Council president’s office and as the chamber’s research and fellowship director. She currently serves as chair of the Pennsylvania Legislative Black Caucus and sits on the House committees on Appropriations, Consumer Affairs, Professional Licensure and Urban Affairs.

Bullock is an advocate for equal pay, increasing the

OFFICE OF CONGRESSMAN EVANS; PA HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

1

Vicinity, which represents four locals comprising the only majority-Black building trades union in the region.

We honor the people

who inspire us every day.

Congratulations to the recipients of the City & State’s 2022 Pennsylvania Power 100, including Tina Nixon, Vice President Mission Effectiveness, Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion at UPMC in Central Pa. UPMC celebrates these inspirational leaders who have made a positive, lasting impact in our community.

Congratulations to Doris Carson Williams

Continuously improving business and professional opportunities for African American business owners and professionals.

For more information call 412-392-0610 or go to www.aaccwp.com Samuel Stephenson Chairman

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minimum wage, clean energy and environmental justice, quality public schools, and sustainable community development.

benefit concert in the U.S. Together, they advocate for improved health care treatments and practices, especially as it pertains to people of color. As part of their 2021 #StopTheVirus campaign, the couple hosted several COVID-19 vaccination clinics throughout West Philadelphia.

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ALA STANFORD FOUNDER & CEO Black Doctors COVID-19 Consortium

6 SHARIF STREET STATE SENATOR State Sen. Sharif Street, who was elected to the chamber in 2016, began his career in public service as a community activist who formed a town watch group during his time at the University of Pennsylvania

AUDITOR GENERAL

DeFoor is the first person of color elected to statewide office in Pennsylvania.

Carey Law School. The son of former Philadelphia Mayor John Street, Sharif Street is committed to improving access to health care, reforming Pennsylvania’s criminal justice system, creating quality jobs, funding public schools, investing in science and technology and fighting for the rights of all Pennsylvanians.

7 VINCENT HUGHES & SHERYL LEE RALPH STATE SENATOR; ACTOR, DIRECTOR & ACTIVIST Representing Pennsylvania’s 7th Senatorial District, state Sen. Vincent Hughes is a leading progressive voice on local, state and national issues. He’s served as a state representative, chaired Pennsylvania’s Legislative

Black Caucus, and is the Democratic chair of the state Senate Appropriations Committee. Last month, he announced $30 million in allocations to stem the tide of gun violence across the Keystone State, including $15 million in violence prevention grants to Philadelphia.

The senator has also been recognized locally and nationally for his work on HIV/ AIDS. The wife of state Sen. Vincent Hughes, Sheryl Lee Ralph Hughes is known for her star power on film and on stage. She and her husband are regular guests on MSNBC political commentator Jonathan Capehart’s primetime show, often touting progressive causes important to them.

Ralph Hughes founded the DIVA Foundation, a nonprofit organization dedicated to promoting equitable health care. She founded DIVAS Simply Singing!, the longest consecutive running AIDS

Timothy DeFoor brings more than 25 years of combined experience in law enforcement and auditing, in both public service and private industries – including a stint as Dauphin County Controller – to his role as auditor general. As the state’s fiscal watchdog, DeFoor, who has vowed to deliver accountability, integrity and transparency to all Pennsylvania taxpayers, is the first Republican to win a row office seat in more than two decades and the first person of color elected to statewide office in Pennsylvania.

9 MALCOLM KENYATTA STATE REPRESENTATIVE In 2018, state Rep. Malcolm Kenyatta, who prides himself on being a voice for the working people, was elected to the Pennsylvania House of Representatives, becoming the first openly gay Black state legislator – and one of the youngest members ever – of the legislative body.

He serves as vice-chair of the Philadelphia House delegation, is a member of Gov. Tom Wolf’s task force on suicide prevention, and is on a host of committee leadership positions. Last year, at age 30, Kenyatta announced his candidacy for U.S. Senate.

COMMONWEALTH MEDIA SERVICES; JAMES ROBINSON/PA SENATE DEMOCRATIC CAUCUS

From church parking lots to street corners, Dr. Ala Stanford has provided COVID-19 testings and COVID-19 vaccinations wherever they have been needed most throughout the pandemic. Stanford founded the Black Doctors COVID-19 Consortium to reduce the incidence of disease and death from coronavirus in Black communities. She’s been hailed as both a modernday Harriet Tubman and an American hero. In November 2021, Stanford unveiled the Dr. Ala Stanford Center for Health Equality, a primary-care clinic geared toward equity in North Philadelphia.

TIMOTHY DEFOOR

The Commonwealth Foundation

CONGRATULATES LENNY MCALLISTER for championing diversity and education equity in Pennsylvania!

commonwealthfoundation.org • 717.671.1901 commonwealthfoundation.org | 717.671.1901 commonwealthfoundation

Community College of Philadelphia congratulates Dr. Donald Guy Generals, President for his Power of Diversity: Black 100 Recognition The Power of Diversity: Black 100 recognizes the most politically powerful and influential members of Pennsylvania’s Black community.

Liberty4PA

commonwealthfoundation

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12 EDWARD GAINEY MAYOR OF PITTSBURGH

JORDAN HARRIS STATE REPRESENTATIVE State Rep. Jordan Harris is one of the leading voices in the state House on issues that pertain to working-class families. First elected in 2012, he’s now serving a second term as the House Democratic Whip and is the second African American to be elected as Whip of the Democratic Caucus. Harris worked on critical topics such as education reform, gun violence reduction and criminal justice reform. He’s been praised for his work across the aisle with state Rep. Sheryl Delozier on Pennsylvania’s Clean Slate law.

11 DARRELL CLARKE PHILADELPHIA CITY COUNCIL PRESIDENT Darrell Clarke has advocated for policies that resulted in more funding for public education, increased public safety and jobs. Clarke’s 2022 priorities are centered on reducing poverty, boosting economic opportunities and reducing gun violence. To help achieve those goals, he is focused on advancing with his Neighborhood Preservation Initiative, a $400 million plan to invest in affordable housing and maintaining commercial corridors.

13 GREGORY DEAVENS PRESIDENT & CEO Independence Health Group Gregory E. Deavens leads Independence Health Group, one of the nation’s leading health insurers. As president and CEO, he leads business collaborations with various companies to increase health care services and enhance essential health care access for members. Under Deavens’ leadership, Independence worked with Quartet Health and invested in Evio Pharmacy Solutions, making it easier for people to access and afford life-saving medications.

Deavens chairs the board of directors of Hartford HealthCare and serves on several others.

Williams serves the 8th Senatorial District in Philadelphia and Delaware counties.

14 ANTHONY WILLIAMS STATE SENATOR A businessman-turnedcommunity activist, state Sen. Anthony Williams changed his life’s trajectory after the 1985 MOVE bombing in West Philadelphia. After watching his childhood neighborhood go up in flames and companies close across Pennsylvania, he decided to pursue a career in public service. In 1988, Williams ran for his father’s old state House seat and won. In 1998, he secured a seat in the state Senate. Williams is serving his

In January, Ed Gainey was sworn in as Pittsburgh's first Black chief executive.

fourth term in the state Senate and is the current Democratic Whip.

15 JASON DAWKINS STATE REPRESENTATIVE State Rep. Jason Dawkins is part of a new generation of legislators pushing for change in the Capitol. He was elected by his colleagues to chair the Philadelphia House delegation and is a member of the Legislative Black Caucus. Dawkins shaped several key pieces of legislation, amendments and policy initiatives, including first-of-its-kind legislation to create major reform in Pennsylvania’s criminal justice system. As a legislative aide for Philadelphia City Council Member Maria QuiñonesSánchez, he directed more than $4 million in capital

PA HOUSE DEMOCRATIC CAUCUS; JAMES ROBINSON

10

Pittsburgh’s 61st mayor is also its first Black chief executive.

Ed Gainey took office in January thanks in no small part to a platform focused on police reform, combating crime from a public health standpoint and equitable community development through new zoning and affordable housing policies.

Prior to winning the mayoralty, Gainey, who served in the House of Representatives for eight years, became the first African American to serve as chair of the Pittsburgh City Democratic Committee.

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CONGRATULATIONS Dr. Quintin Bullock President, Community College of Allegheny County

for being named to City & State PA’s

Power of Diversity: The Black 100 List

THE NEW PENNSYLVANIA PROJECT BOARD OF DIRECTORS CONGRATULATES

KADIDA KENNER For the well-deserved recognition on City & State's

Power Of Diversity: Black 100 List in 2022 Find out how you can help Kadida and her team expand Pennsylvania's electorate so it reflects the Commonwealth's demographically changing population by visiting: www.NewPAProject.org

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February 2022

funding toward redeveloping recreational facilities.

development expert. He has taught and held senior leadership posts at Stanford University, the University of Pennsylvania and Columbia University.

16 CHERELLE PARKER PHILADELPHIA CITY COUNCIL MAJORITY LEADER

17 ERIKA JAMES DEAN Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania Trained as an organizational psychologist, Erika James is a recognized authority on crisis leadership, workplace diversity and management strategy.

Prior to her appointment at Wharton, James was the John H. Harland Dean at Emory University’s Goizueta Business School from 2014 until 2020.

She is the first woman and first person of color to be appointed dean in Wharton’s 139-year history. James is an award-winning educator, consultant and researcher known for developing groundbreaking executive education programs.

20 AUSTIN DAVIS As a student attorney at Howard University law school, Lee handled civil rights complaints.

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SUMMER LEE

JASON WINGARD

STATE REPRESENTATIVE

PRESIDENT

State Rep. Summer Lee was a dedicated organizer, activist and advocate for social justice in her community long before being elected to the House in one of the biggest upsets of the 2018 election.

As a student attorney, Lee represented clients with civil rights complaints. The first Black woman elected to the state House from western Pennsylvania, Lee’s legislative priorities include criminal justice reform, education, health care and energy policy reforms, a progressive tax structure for Pennsylvania and raising the state’s minimum wage to $15 an hour.

Temple University Jason Wingard is Temple University’s first Black president in its 137-year history. A popular thought leader with more than 200,000 LinkedIn followers, Wingard is also a Forbes contributor who now oversees Temple’s 37,000-student university and its 17 schools across eight campuses. Wingard is the former dean of Columbia’s School of Professional Studies and is noted as a leadership

STATE REPRESENTATIVE The son of a bus driver from the Pittsburgh Port Authority Transit and a hairdresser from Allegheny County, state Rep. Austin Davis is a firstgeneration college graduate who became the 35th state House District’s first Black representative in 2020. He chairs the Allegheny County delegation and is vice-chair of the state House Democratic Policy Committee. The firstterm representative from the Mon Valley is now vying to become lieutenant governor.

If he wins the upcoming election, he will be the state’s first Black lieutenant governor.

21 CAROLYN NICHOLS SUPERIOR COURT JUDGE Carolyn Nichols is a secondgeneration member of the legal profession, following in

Nichols distributes food and clothing to the homeless with AHARI in Philadelphia.

JOHNNY PALMADESSA

Cherelle Parker made politics her business as a community organizer at the age of 17.

In 2005, she became the youngest African American woman elected to the state House. Ten years later, Parker was elected to serve on Philadelphia City Council.

As chair of City Council’s powerful Labor and Civil Service Committee, Parker prioritizes issues that can ensure financial security for workers in their retirement.

Making history again, she became the first woman elected to chair the Delaware River Port Authority Board in 2021.

Esteban Vera, Jr.

Execu vesB oa d,sMM ema bn era shgip Btiu in ers e& r Staff

Congratulates

An advocacy campaign including City & State First Read provides a targeted way to reach decision makers in Pennsylvania government and politics.

Campaigns Include:

Michael Joynes VP, Government & Community Relations Philadelphia Works

and all honorees recognized by City and State PA Power of Diversity: Black 100

ADVOCACY MESSAGING OPEN-HOUSE PROMOTIONS NEW HIRE ANNOUNCEMENTS Contact us at advertising@cityandstatepa.com for advertising and sponsorship opportunities.

Compiled by CITY & STATE

TUESDAY, JUNE 1, 2021 WEATHER: Philadelphia: partly sunny, high of 79; Harrisburg: mostly cloudy, high of 78; Pittsburgh: mostly cloudy, high of 76.

FROM CITY & STATE * Republican state Rep. Jim Cox has introduced legislation that would end the unemployment programs provided by the CARES Act while aiming to motivate unemployment claimants to find jobs by offering them a cash bonus for finding work.

NEW THIS MORNING: * Republican leaders of the state House of Representatives threatened last Friday to impeach Philadelphia elections officials if they count undated mail ballots from the May 18 primary, The Philadelphia Inquirer reports. * With the state’s wide-open races for governor and U.S. Senate taking shape, Republican candidates with strong ties to Donald Trump are running and considered strong contenders for the party’s nominations, The Associated Press reports. * Democratic state Rep. Amen Brown is crafting legislation to permanently get rid of a $5 copay state prison inmates are required to pay for medical care after prison officials said inmates had avoided COVID-19 tests because of the fee, NBC Philadelphia reports. * People receiving unemployment are concerned about the state’s planned weeklong shutdown of the online unemployment claims system for a full overhaul, Spotlight PA reports. * U.S. Sen. Bob Casey called GOP senators who haven’t supported a January 6 commission, voting rights protections or gun control measures “impediments to change” in an interview with MSNBC. * Philadelphia Magazine profiled state Lt. Gov John Fetterman’s “meteoric rise” from mayor to Senate candidate and writes about whether issues from his past could potentially sink his candidacy.

EDITORIAL PAGES

* The USA Today Pennsylvania Bureau writes via GoErie

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In December, Gov. Tom Wolf announced Chapman would be Pennsylvania's next top elections official.

the footsteps of her father, the late Edward K. Nichols Jr. Nichols, who began her career as an elected jurist 11 years ago on the Court of Common Pleas, is currently the only Black woman to hold one of the 31 appellate court seats in Pennsylvania. One of the strongest defenders of equal access to justice on the bench, Nichols has recently been speaking out against racial and political polarization.

DANIELLE BOWERS HARRISBURG CITY COUNCIL PRESIDENT

Department of State Secretary, she is responsible for fulfilling an array of responsibilities critical to the health and safety of Pennsylvanians. She also manages the electoral and economic functions of the state. Chapman previously served as policy director for the agency.

22 LEIGH CHAPMAN ACTING SECRETARY OF THE COMMONWEALTH Leigh M. Chapman is a voting-rights attorney and advocate who returned to the Department of State just in time to be thrust into the heart of the decennial redistricting process and a midterm election cycle that has garnered national scrutiny.

As the Acting Pennsylvania

Nearing her second anniversary as a member of Harrisburg City Council, Danielle Bowers was elected to serve as the legislative body’s president in 2021. In a Facebook announcement, Bowers described last year as having stretched her in the best ways and affording her with opportunities to propose impactful policies. With the support of her peers, she was instrumental in passing the Affordable Housing Legislative Package, which consists of four bills intended to provide affordable housing in the City of Harrisburg.

25 23 JALILA PARKER DEPUTY CHIEF OF STAFF Office of Governor Tom Wolf Jalila Parker has played a part in Gov. Tom Wolf’s

WANDA WILLIAMS MAYOR OF HARRISBURG Ed Gainey isn’t the only new mayor in the spotlight. Wanda Williams became the second African American and second female mayor in the capital city this year. Prior to winning the mayoralty, Williams was elected to City Council in 2005 and served as council

president for the last 12 years.

Among her accomplishments to date: working with Right Site Harrisburg to build the new federal courthouse; enacting legislation to “Ban the Box” on city job applications; and securing resources for Harrisburg.

26 CELESTE TRUSTY SECRETARY Pennsylvania Board of Pardons A long-time judicial advocate, Celeste Trusty was appointed secretary of the state Board of Pardons in January, following the departure of Brandon Flood. In this role, Trusty oversees the day-today operations of the board’s Harrisburg office and acts as a liaison between the staff and the board. She is responsible for striking a careful balance between meeting the needs of crime victims and realizing when there’s an opportunity for incarcerated Pennsylvanians to get a second chance at freedom.

27 RYAN SANDERS PENNSYLVANIA REGIONAL DIRECTOR, AFRICAN AMERICAN ENGAGEMENT COORDINATOR Republican National Committee As part of the continuing GOP effort to build a permanent ground operation and yearround presence in African American communities, Ryan Sanders is charged with the task of cultivating productive relationships with African Americans throughout the commonwealth. He was appointed as the first African

LAURENS ANTOINE STUDIOS; RACHEL OMBOK

administration throughout his two terms and serves as executive director of the governor’s Advisory Commission on African American Affairs. Parker has taken part in the campaigns of both Philadelphia and Harrisburg lawmakers, including U.S. Rep. Dwight Evans and state Sen. Art Haywood. Prior to joining Wolf’s office in 2015, Parker served as the Democratic state committee member for the 4th Senatorial District and as Election Day coordinator for the 10th ward in Philadelphia.

CONGRATULATIONS! La’Tasha D. Mayes Your incredible leadership across Pennsylvania and Ohio to build the Reproductive Justice movement is deeply inspiring. We thank you for 18 powerful years of specializing in the wholly impossible toward our vision for the complete health and well-being of Black women and girls, our families and our communities.

Thank You!

We are proud to congratulate 2022’s City & State, Power of Diversity: Black 100 honorees, including our leader, Donna Frisby-Greenwood, President and CEO since 2015.

thefundsdp.org

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February 2022

appointed as the first African American Engagement Coordinator for the state’s GOP following the 2014 election cycle. Previously, he served as vice president of economic development for the African American Chamber of Commerce of Central Pennsylvania.

on extensive renovations, upgrades and additions to the 422-acre, 56-building campus. Improvements include restoration of historic architecture and renewing and expanding campus housing.

28 BRET PERKINS SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT OF EXTERNAL AND GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS

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Comcast

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and citizens in need. She serves on more than a dozen charitable and nonprofit boards and committees, and has been appointed to serve on numerous committees by local and state politicians, including by Gov. Tom Wolf to the Pennsylvania Redistricting Reform Commission.

30 MUSTAFA RASHED

SHARMAIN MATLOCK-TURNER

PRESIDENT & CEO

PRESIDENT & CEO

Bellevue Strategies

Urban Affairs Coalition

Mustafa Rashed produces Bellevue Strategies’ strategic planning and vision. He also sets the company’s tone for how best to represent its clients. Serving as a strategic adviser to policy leaders, governors, senators, mayors and presidential candidates, Rashed relies on a vast

Sharmain Matlock-Turner joined the Urban Affairs Coalition in 1999 as its first woman president and CEO. She oversees the organization’s $100 million budget and keeps it focused on helping communities

KENNETH FRAZIER

Matlock-Turner credits civil servants Marian Tasco and Roxanne Jones with being among her biggest influencers.

EXECUTIVE CHAIR Merck

network of relationships to deliver tangible results for his clients. His experience in communications and policy has made the difference for political campaigns, advocacy efforts and crisis communications across the region.

31 BRENDA ALLEN PRESIDENT Lincoln University Named one of the “Ten Most Dominant HBCU Leaders of 2021” by the HBCU Campaign Fund, Lincoln University President Brenda A. Allen continues to build upon the legacy of using the liberal arts as a vehicle for producing leaders. As Lincoln’s 14th president, Allen has made progress

Kenneth C. Frazier became executive chair of Merck’s board of directors following his retirement from a decade-long tenure as Merck’s resident and CEO in 2011. Under his leadership, Merck continued to produce life-saving medicines and vaccines. Frazier substantially increased the company’s investment in research, while refocusing it on the launch and growth of products that provide far-reaching benefits.

Before becoming president and CEO in 2011, Fraizer held a number of positions within the corporation, including general counsel.

33 JAKE WHEATLEY DEPUTY MAYOR OF PITTSBURGH Jake Wheatley was first sworn into office in 2003 as a member of the state House of Representatives, where he served the 19th Legislative District. During

KARIM MUHAMMAD; MERCK & CO., INC.

As Comcast’s senior vice president of external and government affairs, Bret Perkins is responsible for local government affairs, strategic partnerships with state and local intergovernmental associations and national policy advocacy organizations.

Perkins joined Comcast in 2001 and has managed the company’s municipal government affairs during the course of its expansion from operating in 2,500 communities to 6,000 communities. He’s continued to manage relationships with state and local intergovernmental associations, develop political strategies and increase grassroots communications.

UAC joins City & State PA in saying

Congratulations!

SHARMAIN

MATLOCK-TURNER Congratulations to all the Power of Diversity: Black 100 Honorees

Start hiring now on Pennsylvania’s highestquality job site.

Sharmain Matlock-Turner President & CEO

Start hiring now on Pennsylvania’s highest-quality job site.

City & State Jobs help hundreds of job seekers and employers find the right fit every day

Jobs Contact us at jobs@cityandstatepa.com

38 CityAndStatePA .com

34 JERRY JORDAN PRESIDENT Philadelphia Federation of Teachers A lifelong Philadelphian, public school graduate, educator and stalwart advocate for public schools, Jerry Jordan has been a member of the Philadelphia Federation of Teachers negotiating team since 1992 and the union’s chief negotiator since 2000.

He has led the PFT through some of its most challenging times, from drastic cuts to public education to the recent COVID-19 crisis.

Jordan’s leadership style has been guided by his deep commitment to Philadelphia's students and staff.

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February 2022

DENISE JOHNSON PHYSICIAN GENERAL Dr. Denise A. Johnson spent 13 years in private practice in Meadville before being appointed as Pennsylvania’s Physician General. She is boardcertified in obstetrics and gynecology by the American Board of Obstetricians and Gynecologists and is a fellow of the American College of Healthcare Executives.

Johnson, who also serves on the Governor’s Commission for Women, has long been involved in various community and regional groups focusing on diversity and inclusion and is the current board chair of the Meadville Area Free Clinic.

36 ERNEST GARRETT PRESIDENT District Council 33 Ernest Garrett’s victory in 2020 was one of the most recent examples of the sea change among the leadership ranks of Philadelphia organized labor.

His ascent at AFSCME District Council 33, catalyzed by his promise to bring dignity and respect back to the union, marked the first leadership change there in more than two decades. The former Local 394 business agent currently represents a 10,000-member union made up of essential employees, including nurses, sanitation workers and civil engineers.

Johnson is former board chair of the Pennsylvania Coalition Against Rape.

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TONI MURPHY

KEN LAWRENCE JR.

SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT, KEYSTONE REGION

MONTGOMERY COUNTY COMMISSIONER

Comcast

The Montgomery County Court of Common Pleas was ahead of the curve when it appointed Ken Lawrence Jr. to the Montgomery County Board of Commissioners.

Lawrence was initially appointed to fill out the term of Attorney General Josh Shapiro when Shapiro left to serve as attorney general in 2017. Lawrence was later unanimously elected vicechair of the board, and in 2019, he was elected to serve a full, four-year term. He is the first African American commissioner in Montgomery County’s history and currently serves on the Pennsylvania Election Law Advisory Board.

In her role as senior vice president of the Keystone Region for Comcast – the first Black woman to hold this position in the company's history – Toni Murphy is responsible for the operational, strategic and financial performance across four different states. In addition to those responsibilities, she is also executive sponsor of Comcast’s Diversity & Inclusion Council. Prior to joining Comcast, she was an analyst at UBS Investment Bank in New York and worked in private equity for The Gores Group LLC.

PHILADELPHIA FEDERATION OF TEACHERS; ROY ENGLEBRECHT

his tenure in Harrisburg, he became the first African American to serve as the chair of the House Professional Licensure Committee. After his resignation from the State House on Jan. 31, 2022, Wheatley took on the role of Deputy Mayor for the City of Pittsburgh under Mayor Ed Gainey. He’s a decorated veteran of the U.S. Marine Corps.

The head of Comcast's Keystone Region, Murphy began her career in Philly. She is also a talented jazz singer.

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She’s received multiple awards for her work and serves on several boards focused on higher education and workforce development.

C. FRANK IGWE

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FOUNDER & PRESIDENT Moravia Health Dr. C. Frank Igwe founded Moravia Health in 2012. Today, the company serves more than 1,500 patients across Pennsylvania. Igwe, whose guiding philosophy is “Do well, by doing good,” believes that the most powerful tool a CEO has is being able to see changes on the horizon. Prior to founding Moravia Health, Igwe was the executive director of the nonprofit organization, City ACES (Athletes Changing Expectations).

40 CHAD DION LASSITER

DAN ZAMPOGN; MORAVIA HEALTH

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR Chad Dion Lassiter is a nationally recognized expert in the field of U.S. race relations. As executive director of the Pennsylvania Human Relations Commission, Lassiter formed “No Hate in Our State,” a town hall series designed to eradicate white nationalism in Pennsylvania.

He also led the statewide “Social Justice Lecture Series.”

Lassiter is the co-founder and president of Black Men at Penn, an organization at The University of Pennsylvania’s School of Social Policy & Practice. In 2021, the National Association of Social Workers’

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FRED REDMOND SECRETARY-TREASURER AFL-CIO Igwe said he admires Elon Musk because he "embodies my mantra of 'Doing well, by doing good.'"

Pennsylvania chapter named him “Social Worker of the Year.”

White House and received a MacArthur Genius Award and a Goi Peace Award.

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BILL STRICKLAND

SHEILA IRELAND

PRESIDENT & CEO

DEPUTY SECRETARY, WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT

Manchester Bidwell Corporation Bill Strickland, a lifelong resident of Pittsburgh’s North Side Manchester neighborhood, has an interest in the community that runs deep. He founded the Manchester Craftsmen’s Guild, an after-school arts, education and apprenticeship program. From that grew the subsidiaries the Manchester Craftsmen’s Guild and the Bidwell Training Center, both focused on providing job training and career opportunities. Strickland has been honored by the

Pennsylvania Department of Labor and Industry Sheila Ireland brings more than 25 years of experience in health care, consulting, government and the nonprofit sector to her role at the Pennsylvania Department of Labor and Industry. Known for her strong work ethic, she’s been quoted as saying, “A good idea is not enough, not even for the brightest bulb with the best idea.” Ireland manages a staff of more than 600 employees and oversees a $270 million dollar budget.

GlasoSmithKline became a household name with the help of Imasogie's vision.

Fredrick D. Redmond is the first African American to be elected secretary-treasurer of the AFL-CIO in the history of the labor federation. Prior to the federation’s 2021 election, Redmond served on its executive council. He was appointed to Gov. Tom Wolf’s Advisory Commission on African American Affairs in 2016. In 2020, he became chair of the AFL-CIO Task Force on Racial Justice.

Last year, Redmond was elected president of the Trade Union Confederation of the Americas, a prestigious international post.

44 OSAGIE IMASOGIE CO-FOUNDER & SENIOR MANAGING PARTNER PIPV Capital Osagie Imasogi is a professional with more than 30 years’ experience in the fields of law, finance and business management, health care and the pharmaceutical industry. Prior to co-founding PIPV Capital, a private equity firm focused on life sciences, Imasogie conceptualized and established GlaxoSmithKline Ventures and was its founding vice president. He is an adjunct professor at the University of Pennsylvania Law School and also a member of the institution’s board of overseers.

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MARCIA PERRY DIX

MICHAEL JOYNES

CEO & FOUNDER

VICE PRESIDENT OF GOVERNMENT & COMMUNITY RELATIONS

Outside of his work at PNC Bank, Jenkins serves on the board for Project H.O.M.E.

In 2014, Marcia Perry-Dix founded the Hersheybased Perry Media Group.

The firm, which focuses on marketing, public relations and advertising, now has offices in Harrisburg, Pittsburgh and Philadelphia. Perry-Dix has worked with local and national entities such as the Centers for Disease Control, the Academy of Country Music, Philips Electronics, the National Rifle Association, the U.S. Army and the U.S. Secret Service. She is also co-founder of the Greater Harrisburg African-American Chamber of Commerce.

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MARC JENKINS

DAVID DIX

VICE PRESIDENT, GOVERNMENT AND EXTERNAL AFFAIRS

MARKET LEADER, SOUTHEASTERN PENNSYLVANIA, DELAWARE AND SOUTHERN NEW JERSEY

CO-FOUNDER & CEO

PECO

Luminous Strategies

Doug Oliver manages the development of PECO’s legislative agenda. He is responsible for the utility’s external stakeholder outreach, marketing and economic development initiatives. Oliver previously served as PECO’s vice president of corporate communications, where he provided strategic oversight of its brand and reputation and led internal and external communications efforts.

Before joining PECO in 2016, Oliver was a candidate for mayor of Philadelphia and was vice president of external affairs at Philadelphia Gas Works.

PNC At PNC Bank, Marc Jenkins oversees marketing operations and sales services for southeastern Pennsylvania, Delaware and South Jersey.

Prior to joining PNC, he was appointed senior vice president and served as chief financial officer of the wealth management division at Bryn Mawr Trust. He joined Bryn Mawr Trust from Wells Fargo, where he worked as senior vice president and regional investment manager, regional finance manager and regional chief financial officer.

In addition to running Luminous Strategies, last year, David Dix and his wife, Marcia Perry-Dix, launched the Pennsylvania Chamber for Black Owned Business, which works to help and promote minority-owned small businesses in both the public and private sectors.

In 2016, Dix made headlines after hosting then-presidential candidate Donald Trump to discuss issues affecting African Americans – a meeting that ultimately led to Trump’s signing of an executive order in support of Historically Black Colleges and Universities. Dix is chair of the Governor’s Advisory Commission on African American Affairs.

DOUG OLIVER

Philadelphia Works Throughout his career, Michael Joynes has developed and nurtured positive working relationships with city, state and federal elected and appointed officials, corporate communities, faith-based institutions and local nonprofit agencies to support the city’s workforce development. As the vice president of government and community relations for the nonprofit Philadelphia Works, he spends most of his time working on the development of one-stop systems to benefit minority communities, including Pennsylvania Regional Centers, the state’s Employment Advancement and Retention Network (EARN) centers and PA CareerLink centers.

50 KATHY BARNETTE POLITICAL COMMENTATOR Author/political commentator/ Army vet Kathy Barnette, who is gunning for U.S. Sen. Pat Toomey’s open seat this year, rocked the state’s GOP establishment when a late

PNC BANK; VINCENT REMINI

Perry Media Group

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City & State Pennsylvania

summer campaign finance report revealed she raised more money than early Republican frontrunners Jeff Bartos and Sean Parnell.

She’s said she is focused on three things: the Constitution – specifically, the First and Second Amendments, critical race theory and freight costs and material shortages.

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and all of its stakeholders has remained the same since the beginning of his tenure: to produce students who excel in academics, character and social responsibility.

51 RICK WILLIAMS

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ANCHOR 6abc Rick Williams may be the new face of Action News at 11 p.m., but he certainly isn’t new to the station or to journalism.

Williams, a Howard University graduate, is a longtime anchor for Channel 6 who has been with the station more than 30 years. Last month, he replaced broadcast news legend Jim Gardner in the 11 p.m. anchor slot. Williams sits on the board of Philadelphia Futures, a nonprofit that mentors college-bound students. Every year, he co-hosts the station’s widely televised Thanksgiving Day parade.

52 VALERIE PRITCHETT NEWS ANCHOR & REPORTER

KRAMER PHOTOGRAPHY; MOSES WORRELL

abc27 Valerie Pritchett co-anchors abc27 News at 5 and 7 p.m.

In addition to her anchoring duties, she also reports on “Val’s Kids,” a special segment that shares stories of children looking for adoptive homes through the Statewide Adoption and Permanency Network. Pritchett’s production and reporting of Operation Safe Kids, which promotes fire safety and the

CATHERINE HICKS

Mitchell is clinical professor of Medicine and Medical Oncology at Sidney Kimmel Medical College.

installation of smoke alarms, played an instrumental part in the station winning a Service to Community Award from the National Association of Broadcasters.

53 EDITH MITCHELL CLINICAL PROFESSOR OF MEDICINE AND MEDICAL ONCOLOGY Jefferson University Hospital's Dr. Edith Mitchell, a clinical professor of medicine and medical oncology at Thomas Jefferson University, has dedicated her career to helping people in medically underserved communities. Her work exemplifies the vitality of community outreach and service. She is past president of the National Medical Association and is a part of a group of advisers who report to President Joe Biden on the

PRESIDENT Philadelphia NAACP

National Cancer Program.

In addition to her medical achievements, Mitchell is a retired U.S. Air Force Brigadier General who has been awarded more than 15 military service medals and ribbons.

54 AARON WALTON PRESIDENT Cheyney University of Pennsylvania Following a 40-year career in corporate management, Aaron A. Walton was appointed as Cheyney University of Pennsylvania’s interim president in May 2017. He was elected as the school’s permanent president by the board of governors of the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education that same year. His vision for the sustained success of Cheyney

Educational equity, financial literacy and violence prevention are the priorities for Philadelphia Chapter NAACP President Catherine Hicks.

In 2021, Hicks became the second woman president in the chapter’s history. Hicks is also publisher and co-owner of the Philadelphia Sunday Sun. In 2012, she joined the staff serving as their public relations consultant. She now oversees the daily operations and content development for the weekly newspaper, where she continues to honor the legacy of her predecessor, J. Whyatt Mondesire.

56 ROBERT BOGLE PRESIDENT & CEO Philadelphia Tribune Robert Bogle is the man behind the nation’s oldest continuously published newspaper serving the African American community. He has served as president and CEO of the Philadelphia Tribune

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57 BLAKE LYNCH SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT & CHIEF IMPACT OFFICER WITF Public Media Blake Lynch currently serves as the senior vice president and chief impact officer of WITF Public Media. In his role, he helps lead central Pennsylvania’s PBS and NPR affiliates, which reach more than 2.2 million people monthly. Lynch heads the station’s overall fundraising, corporate, government and community relations and strategy, marketing and education departments. A lifelong resident of central Pennsylvania, he was most recently the director of community relations and engagement for the City of Harrisburg.

58 ANGELA BLANTON VICE PRESIDENT OF FINANCE & CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER Carnegie Mellon University One year after serving as interim vice president and chief financial officer at Carnegie Mellon University, Angela Blanton was appointed vice president of finance and permanent CFO. As CFO, Blanton provides strategic leadership for the university’s business and financial functions and manages its financial and capital resources. Blanton oversees budget and financial planning, business systems and services, the controller’s office, procurement services, the treasurer’s office, finance training and communications and university audit services.

59 TIFFANY NEWMUIS DIRECTOR OF LOCAL MEDIA DEVELOPMENT Comcast Throughout her career, Tiffany Newmuis has been committed to advocating for equitable workplaces and driving diversity, equity and inclusion efforts. As director of local media development for Comcast, she is responsible for partnering across the organization and externally to enhance the communications and programming strategies for national outlets. Before

Lynch also serves as board secretary for the Central Pennsylvania Food Bank.

Newmuis serves as director of local media development for Comcast NBCUniversal, based out of Philadelphia.

joining Comcast, Newmuis was the senior director of community engagement and emerging markets at Thomas Jefferson University Hospitals and was a deputy chief of staff for the Philadelphia 2016 Host Committee for the Democratic National Convention.

60 CALVIN TUCKER DEPUTY CHAIR, DIRECTOR OF ENGAGEMENT AND ADVANCEMENT Republican Party of Pennsylvania In his dual roles as the Republican Party of Pennsylvania’s deputy chair and director of engagement and advancement, Calvin Tucker is responsible for recruiting African Americans and other minorities into the GOP. Tucker is also a finance professional with more than 30 years’ experience, including as an executive and senior

officer at Advance Bank, United Bank of Philadelphia and GMAC Commercial Mortgage Corporation, where he originated more than $750 million in loan transactions.

61 LORINA MARSHALL-BLAKE PRESIDENT, INDEPENDENCE BLUE CROSS FOUNDATION Lorina Marshall-Blake has deep roots throughout the City of Philadelphia as a community affairs-driven professional. She’s built a reputation for being devoted to her church and her community. Marshall-Blake has shaped Independence Blue Cross’ philanthropic arm through its foundation since 2011. In 2014, she earned the Corporate Foundation of the Year award from the Association of Fundraising Professionals, Greater Philadelphia Chapter. In addition to philanthropy, she’s

THE SOURCE CREATIVE HOUSE; COMCAST CORPORATION

since 1989. Prior to that, Bogle held other high-level posts at the newspaper, including as advertising director, marketing director and executive vice president and treasurer. In 2002, Bogle was appointed

by President George W. Bush to serve as a member of the National Museum of African American History and Culture Commission.

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an authority on corporate management, public relations and communications.

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create inclusive and equitable plans for communities of color throughout the commonwealth.

62 ROBERT CHERRY CEO Partner4Work Robert Cherry is the leader of Partner4Work, the public workforce system for Pittsburgh and Allegheny County. He was appointed CEO of Partner4Work after a national search that began in spring 2021. Prior to joining the Pittsburgh-based company, Cherry came from Milwaukee, Wis., where he worked as deputy secretary of the Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development.

Cherry is charged with understanding the region’s local labor market dynamics and helping connect young people with job seekers in their respective fields.

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CHIEF INNOVATION & GLOBAL DIVERSITY OFFICER

KHALID MUMIN

As Visit Philadelphia’s chief innovation and global diversity officer, Rachel Ferguson is responsible for growing the city’s leisure tourism segment.

In addition to leading Visit Philadelphia’s communications and diversity/equity/ inclusion efforts, she oversees the company’s revenuegenerating partnerships.

Under her leadership, Visit Philadelphia launched awardwinning campaigns to attract LGBTQ visitors to the City of Brotherly Love. She was inducted into Philadelphia

SUPERINTENDENT Lower Merion School District

JANET MCMILLAN; STEEL WORKS CONSTRUCTION

At the Pittsburghbased Partner4Work, Cherry works to connect people with new job opportunities everyday.

Khalid N. Mumin, Ed.D, is a regional change agent who was appointed Lower Merion’s school chief last year, becoming Pennsylvania’s 2021 Superintendent of the Year in the process. For more than 20 years, Mumin has served in various capacities as a teacher, dean of students, principal and central administrator. He joined Lower Merion from the Reading School District, where he was superintendent of schools.

Prior to that, Mumin was superintendent of Caroline County Public Schools in Maryland.

Visit Philadelphia

Business Journal’s Women of Distinction Class of 2021.

65 ANDREA FIELDS DIRECTOR, WESTERN PENNSYLVANIA Bellevue Strategies As part of Bellevue Strategies’ recent expansion effort, Andrea Fields was named as the new director of its Harrisburg location last month.

Prior to joining Bellevue, Fields served as executive director of the Pennsylvania Legislative Black Caucus, working under state Rep. Donna Bullock.

That experience allowed her to build deep-rooted relationships with members of the General Assembly, advocates and stakeholders to

Fields offered scholarships to students of color during her time in the Capitol.

66 JONATHAN BOWSER MANAGING PARTNER & COOWNER Integrated Development Partners Jonathan Bowser, the coowner and managing partner of Integrated Development Partners, brings more than 16 years of experience in business finance, economic development, real estate development and construction to his clients. Among his many leadership roles, he chairs the Community First Fund and Credit Union; is treasurer and trustee at HACC, Central Pennsylvania’s Community College; and is on the Dauphin County and Susquehanna Township Planning Commissions, and the Metro Harrisburg Home Builders Association. He is also the former CEO and president of Cumberland Area Economic Development Corporation.

67 DEREK GREEN PHILADELPHIA CITY COUNCIL MEMBER Derek Green chairs the committees on Finance and Disabilities and serves as vicechair of the committees on

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president of the Pennsylvania Court of Judicial Discipline.

REGINA HAIRSTON PRESIDENT & CEO African American Chamber of Commerce of Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Delaware

Aging, Law and Government.

He’s working to establish a public bank in Philadelphia to help disadvantaged businesses access credit.

Green and his wife, Sheila, co-founded the first Autism Support Class at Houston Elementary School to help autistic children, like their son. Green serves on several boards, including as director of the City Trusts, and is the regional director of the National Black Caucus of Local Elected Officials.

68 NICOLE FULLER EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR Philadelphia Area Project on Occupational Safety and Health Nicole Fuller relocated from Detroit to Philadelphia in 2007. Since then, she’s held the position of Training Coordinator and OSHA Trainer at the Philadelphia Area Project on Occupational Safety and Health (PhilaPOSH). In 2019, Fuller, who has received numerous

honors and accolades for her work with organized labor, became the executive director of PhilaPOSH. Before stepping into this new role, she served as a labor liaison for the United Way and the Philadelphia Council AFL-CIO.

69 CARLOS CARTER PRESIDENT & CEO Urban League of Greater Pittsburgh Carlos T. Carter, who was named as president and CEO of the Urban League of Greater Pittsburgh in November, has made it clear that in addition to the organization’s traditional focus on civil rights and helping marginalized communities, he is making his own workplace a priority. In a January interview with the Pittsburgh Business Times, Carter said that he wants to make the Urban League the best place to work in the city. He was previously the executive director of the Homeless Children’s Education Fund.

71 DORIS CARSON WILLIAMS PRESIDENT & CEO African American Chamber of Commerce of Western Pennsylvania Doris Carson Williams opened the African American Chamber of Commerce of Western Pennsylvania in 1998 with just 28 dues-paying members. Today, it is the ninth-largest such chamber in the entire 10-county region.

Williams enjoys advocating for small businesses and advises other entrepreneurs to “never give up on your goal, keep the faith and move forward.” She is the vice-chair of the board of directors of the Federal Reserve Bank of Cleveland and an immediate past

72 BRANDI HUNTER-DAVENPORT SENIOR ASSOCIATE Triad Strategies As a senior associate focused on public affairs for Triad Strategies, Brandi Hunter-Davenport can draw on her wide range of experience in everything from partnership-building and grassroots development to event planning, media relations and campaign outreach. Before joining Triad, Hunter-Davenport spent 20 years working in higher education, state government and nonprofits, including as the head of PA Forward, an outreach and training initiative for the Pennsylvania Library Association.

73 JOHN L. JACKSON JR. DEAN The Annenberg School for Communications at the University of Pennsylvania John L. Jackson Jr., who was named dean of the Annenberg School for Communication at the University of Pennsylvania in 2019, is a noted filmmaker, author and urban anthropologist whose research examines racial

NATALIE SOWINSKI/PHILADELPHIA COUNCIL AFL-CIO; MARC FAUBEL/ERFOTOS

A native of Detroit, Mich., Fuller relocated to Philly in 2007, where she worked as an OSHA trainer at PhilaPOSH until 2011.

As the leader of the African American Chamber of Commerce of Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Delaware, Regina A. Hairston is responsible for the organization’s vision, policies and programming. The chamber puts on a series of events to increase access to capital, and to further the development of a peership and mentorship program.

Hairston also leveraged corporate partnerships to help chamber members grow their businesses. Last year, the organization hosted its inaugural National Black Chambers and Mayors Convening to examine ways to increase Black business ownership in the region.

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City & State Pennsylvania

and class-based differences in contemporary urban environments. Jackson is one of the founding members of CAMBRA, a scholastic-based initiative that creates visual and performative-based research projects. Jackson is also the author of several books on race, class and political correctness in the U.S.

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cultural and educational backgrounds. Prior to arriving at CCP, Generals was vice president for academic affairs at Mercer County Community College in New Jersey.

74 DUANE HOLLOWAY

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SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT, GENERAL COUNSEL & CHIEF ETHICS AND COMPLIANCE OFFICER U.S. Steel As his job titles indicate, the buck stops with Duane Holloway when it comes to legal, ethics and compliance matters at the U.S. Steel Corporation. He is responsible for environmental affairs, corporate governance and managing relations with the corporation’s board of directors. Holloway joined the Pittsburgh-based company in 2018 as senior vice president, general counsel, chief compliance officer and corporate secretary. Later that year, he also took on the role of chief ethics officer, implementing a new set of principles for the company.

75 TINA NIXON VICE PRESIDENT, MISSION EFFECTIVENESS, DIVERSITY, EQUITY AND INCLUSION

MARC FAUBE; CCAC

UPMC Central PA Tina Nixon has spearheaded diversity, equity and inclusion efforts at the seven-hospital group of UPMC Central PA since 2015. Nixon, a veteran human services professional

QUINTIN BULLOCK

A native of Harrisburg, Nixon is a certified diversity executive and mental health first aid trainer.

previously spent 15 years with the YWCA of Greater Harrisburg, ultimately serving as CEO of the organization.

In 2018, Nixon was appointed to the governing board of the Intergovernmental Cooperation Authority. She also mentors high school students of color and provides board development training.

76 BENJAMIN MOBLEY VICE PRESIDENT & CLIENT ADVISOR J.P. Morgan As a vice president and client advisor at J.P. Morgan Private Bank, Ben Mobley helps people with their immediate and long-term financial goals through wealth planning, investment management, banking and lending. He combines his comprehensive knowledge of financial

PRESIDENT Community College of Allegheny County

strategies with the ability to understand the complexities of his clients’ needs. Prior to joining J.P. Morgan, Mobley served as a relationship strategist at PNC Wealth Management for six years.

Before that, he spent more than a decade as a financial advisor with Morgan Stanley.

77 DONALD GUY GENERALS PRESIDENT Community College of Philadelphia Since Donald Guy Generals became the sixth president of Community College of Philadelphia in 2014, he has focused on increasing the availability and the visibility of the city’s only public institution of higher learning, which serves more than 35,000 credit and noncredit students from diverse social,

Dr. Quintin B. Bullock launched academic and career programs that led to the Community College of Allegheny County’s largest campaign ever, totaling $65 million. He spearheaded several other large capital projects, including the construction of a new workforce center and the renovation of Chalfant Hall, which will house the college’s new Teaching and Learning Center. Bullock oversaw a successful accreditation review and is working to develop new strategic and comprehensive assessment plans. In addition to his success in academia, he is a dental surgeon.

79 SHIRLEY MOORE SMEAL CEO Moore Smeal & Associates Shirley Moore Smeal is a criminal justice consultant who moved into the private

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80 KADIDA KENNER EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR New Pennsylvania Project Kadida Kenner founded the New Pennsylvania Project in hopes of transforming and expanding the electorate throughout the commonwealth so it better represents its population demographics. Kenner’s nonprofit organization is modeled after the New Georgia Project and prioritizes civically engaging, registering, mobilizing and empowering constituents, specifically young voters and people of color across Pennsylvania.

Kenner also serves as cochair of Why Courts Matter Pennsylvania, an advocacy campaign whose mission is to protect the independence of courts and educate constituents.

81 DONNA FRISBY-GREENWOOD PRESIDENT & CEO The Fund for the School District of Philadelphia Donna Frisby-Greenwood has been a leader in the field of education throughout her career. She’s the first president and CEO of the Fund for the School District of Philadelphia, a nonprofit organization that supports the Philadelphia School District. FrisbyGreenwood was the only employee when she joined the organization and was charged with building a team and strategy. Under her leadership, the fund received $10.8 million during its 2020 fiscal year to support Philadelphia public school students.

82 KIM BRISTER VICE PRESIDENT & CHIEF DIVERSITY, EQUITY AND INCLUSION OFFICER WellSpan Health Kim Brister is the first person to hold the position of vice president and chief diversity, equity and inclusion officer within the organization. She’s led the organization’s diversity and inclusion efforts since 2019, when she was the senior director of talent acquisition, diversity and inclusion. With her latest promotion, Brister is advancing the organization’s efforts to build a more diverse workforce and strengthen its inclusive culture. She’s also

Mayes said her inspiration is Pittsburgh human rights activist Alma Speed Fox.

FrisbyGreenwood works to forge public-private partnerships to leverage investments in city schools.

actively involved in numerous community organizations.

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Pennsylvania and Ohio. Mayes recently announced a bid to run for state representative in the 24th Legislative District.

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PRESIDENT & CEO

SYDNEY ETHEREDGE

New Voices for Reproductive Justice

PRESIDENT & CEO

La'Tasha D. Mayes is a nationally recognized leader in the field of women’s rights and a vocal advocate for a woman’s right to choose. In 2004, she founded New Voices for Reproductive Justice, a leadership development community organization for Black women and girls. Under her leadership, the nonprofit has expanded its mission to improve the health and well-being of Black women, femmes, girls and genderexpansive people across

Planned Parenthood of Western Pennsylvania Last month, for the first time in nearly 40 years, Planned Parenthood of Western Pennsylvania welcomed a new leader. Sydney Etheredge brings a wealth of leadership experience, a passion for reproductive health, and a commitment to health equity to the organization. Etheredge comes to Planned Parenthood from Medicines360, where she was the associate director of national engagement.

NEIL KOHL; MOSES WORRELL

sector in 2019 after spending 32 years working at the Pennsylvania Department of Corrections. She started her career with the department as a clerk typist in 1987 and became its executive deputy secretary in 2010. Moore Smeal is also a past president of the National Association of Women in Corrections and the Association of Women's Executives in Corrections.

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Before her time in western Pennsylvania, she worked for Planned Parenthood Federation of America for nearly 10 years, where she provided guidance on ways to further improve women’s health practices.

co-chair a new Task Force on 21st Century Policing, which sought to improve relationships between police and the communities they serve. In 2017, he became a regular CNN contributor and is still considered one of the most respected influencers in law enforcement.

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LENNY MCALLISTER SENIOR FELLOW

ANDRÉ HORTON

Commonwealth Foundation

ERIE COUNTY COUNCIL MEMBER

Lenny McAllister is a leading voice for Black conservatives on local, statewide and national platforms. A political commentator who was once a contributor for the blog Hip Hop Republicans, McAllister’s op-eds are featured in publications across the nation.

In addition to his extensive work in politics and media, McAllister is an adjunct professor at LaRoche College in Pittsburgh. When he isn’t using his platforms to bring attention to policy reform or civil rights, McAllister is advocating for equitable education by way of school choice.

86 MONICA TAYLOR CHAIR

WHITNEY THOMAS

Delaware County Council When Dr. Monica Taylor isn't working on behalf of the constituents of Delaware County, she teaches at the University of the Sciences in Philadelphia, where she serves as the program director and associate professor of kinesiology. As a council member, Taylor took the lead to develop a health department for the county in the midst of responding to the coronavirus crisis. With the help of her colleagues, she

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At Philanthropi, Leaphart encourages giving by highlighting "everyday gifts of time, talent and treasure."

was instrumental in getting Delaware County’s first health department off the ground.

87 KEITH LEAPHART FOUNDER Philanthropi Keith Leaphart is a doctor, philanthropist and businessman. He has an active medical license and serves as a relief staff physician at Bryn Mawr Rehabilitation Hospital in Paoli. His parallel work in medicine and entrepreneurship has one common goal: to help as many people as possible. Leaphart considers his philanthropic endeavors among his most meaningful successes, as

evidenced by his founding of the nonprofit Philanthropi, which focuses on making everyday giving easier, and by his role as chair of The Lenfest Foundation.

88 CHARLES RAMSEY CNN CONTRIBUTOR, PENN LAW POLICY FELLOW Charles Ramsey is a distinguished policy fellow at the University of Pennsylvania Carey Law School. Now retired, the former Philadelphia Police Commissioner remains a revered voice in law enforcement and police-community relations across the country. In 2014, then-President Barack Obama tapped Ramsey to

McAllister helped secure a $30 million grant for charter school expansion.

André Horton is the first person of color to hold elected office in Erie County.

As a member of the County Council, he initiated the Summer Jobs and More program, which provided more than 400 part-time summer jobs for local youth. He also introduced the concept of Community Benefit Agreements, which actively engages participants in a development process seeking commitments to job training and employment for residents in the 2nd district.

Horton was a force in the fight for a community college for Erie County, which became a reality in 2020.

90 DARRELL CHOATES OWNER Choates G. Construction LLC Darrell K. Choates Sr. is creating a legacy that has already spanned four generations. The Black familyowned construction company, Choates G. Contracting LLC., is owned by Choates Sr., his father, son and grandson.

The firm, headquartered in Philadelphia, has seven new multimillion-dollar contracts on the books and is heading several large-scale projects.

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93 KENNETH HUSTON PRESIDENT Huston Trust Co LLC Huston is president of Huston Trust, which handles construction waste removal, workforce development and more.

Construction is not the only business Choates is managing: he also owns the Logan Enterprise Center and has expanded the Coates Family companies.

91 EVAN FRAZIER PRESIDENT & CEO Advanced Leadership institute In 2017, Evan Frazier took on the task to lead the implementation of new initiatives focused on cultivating Black executive leaders and creating a pipeline for Black professionals seeking leadership experience in the Greater Pittsburgh area.

Frazier is guiding and moving

the organization forward with signature programs like the Executive Leadership Academy, which was executed in partnership with Carnegie Mellon University’s Tepper School of Business. Prior to joining the Advanced Leadership Institute, Frazier was senior vice president of community affairs at Highmark Health.

92 ROBERT COLLIER SR. PRESIDENT The Black Clergy of Philadelphia and Vicinity The Rev. Robert Collier’s main goal is to seek solutions to gun violence and identify preventative measures to fight

Kenneth L. Huston is the founder and President of Huston Trust Co LLC, which has several divisions, including commercial cleaning, construction waste removal, workforce development consultation and entrepreneurial development.

He is also the executive director of Future Champs, Inc., a 501(c)3 workforce development group that supports youth and adults.

Huston serves as the pastor of Temple of Faith Ministries of Greensburg, which has laid claim as the oldest Church of God in Christ in Pennsylvania.

compliance of the minorityowned and controlled banking institution. Smalls oversees one of the last minority-owned banks in the region and still handles most day-to-day operations. She is also chair of the Philadelphia Authority for Industrial Development.

95 QUINTA BRUNSON ACTOR Viral comedy star-turnedactor Quinta Brunson is reaching national success with her new ABC sitcom, “Abbott Elementary.” The West Philadelphia native created the series, which tells the story of an underfunded public elementary school in Philadelphia and the struggles the staff face everyday.

Brunson stars as a secondgrade teacher alongside fellow Philadelphia actor Sheryl Lee Ralph. The show has become a rare freshman success, gaining viewers with each successive episode. Brunson was honored early this year by Philadelphia City Council for her tough-but-loving tribute to her hometown.

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KENNY GAMBLE

EVELYN SMALLS

The legendary co-creator of the Sound of Philadelphia, Kenny Gamble, is many things to many people: famed songwriter and gold-recordmaking producer, political influencer, community activist, advocate and realestate investor. He’s had a tremendous impact over the past five decades as a cultural icon, a businessman and a philanthropist. Gamble founded Universal Companies

PRESIDENT & CEO United Bank of Philadelphia Evelyn Smalls has served as the president and chief executive officer of the United Bank of Philadelphia for nearly 22 years. Prior to her appointment to this role, she was the senior vice president of human resources and

FOUNDER Universal Companies

OMEGA STUDIO, PITTSBURGH

crime in the state’s poorest communities. Since his reelection, he’s gathered with stakeholders, elected officials and community groups to form a collaborative resolution.

Collier is an advocate for quality education and is committed to increasing voter engagement. He considers the BCPV as the moral voice for clergy. During the past two years, he’s made an impact rallying behind renters facing eviction and issues regarding homelessness.

February 2022

City & State Pennsylvania

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McLeod runs the Change Our Future nonprofit.

Pacley (right) hosts the "Our Erie" podcast that boosts small business.

and has purchased hundreds of abandoned houses, refurbished old storefronts and constructed modern townhomes, creating affordable housing in South Philadelphia.

97 RODNEY MCLEOD SAFETY; CO-FOUNDER

ANTONE BARNES; JESSICA HUNTER PHOTOGRAPHY

Philadelphia Eagles; Change Our Future Throughout his six years as a Philadelphia Eagle, Super Bowl LII champion Rodney McLeod has been called a true leader both on and off the field. Through their nonprofit organization, Change Our Future, the Eagles safety and his wife, Erika, teamed up with WHYY to launch “Game Changers,” an initiative to empower youth learning.

Change Our Future’s efforts to help Philadelphians include

installing a wellness center at Olney High School, and its inaugural Sneaker Ball raised more than $200,000 for STEM and other student programming.

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owner Michael Rubin to donate $15 million to 110 Philadelphia-area private and parochial schools.

99 JAMES FRANKLIN

MEEK MILL

HEAD COACH

CO-CHAIR

Penn State University football

REFORM Alliance

In 2014, James Franklin was named to lead one of the highest-profile programs in the country when Penn State made him its 16th head football coach. Franklin is one of only six current FBS coaches to lead his team to a bowl game in each of his first nine seasons. He attributes his success on the field to his teams’ dedication to four core values: keeping a positive attitude, having the right work ethic, competitiveness and a willingness to sacrifice.

For years, Meek Mill has been the center of attention for reasons ranging from his landmark probation case to his music to his legendary Christmas largesse. The Philadelphia native is now known as a champion for change as a co-chair of REFORM Alliance, an organization dedicated to criminal justice reform. Mill, who has been nominated for multiple Grammys, recently partnered with comedian Kevin Hart and 76ers co-

100 DAVONA PACLEY PODCASTER, ‘OUR ERIE’ Program Associate, Erie Arts & Culture DaVona Pacley is an advocate for human rights and social justice. Pacley co-founded Erie’s Black Wall Street, a group that helps Black entrepreneurs in Erie promote and cultivate their businesses.

Praised as a multifaceted visionary, Pacley has turned her passions into action by co-founding the podcast, “Our Erie,” which was recently named “Best Local Podcast” by the Erie Reader. In addition to being a member of Erie Arts & Culture and sitting on the Pennsylvania Commission on LGBTQ Affairs, she is a certified doula.

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February 2022

CITY & STATE PENNSYLVANIA MANAGEMENT & PUBLISHING Publisher Susan Peiffer speiffer@cityandstatepa.com Group Publisher Tom Allon Event & Sales Director Lissa Blake Vice President of Operations Jasmin Freeman Comptroller David Pirozzi

Who was up and who was down last month

LOSERS WANDALYN ENIX The Christmas City made a historic selection to its City Council at the beginning of the month. Wandalyn Enix was unanimously appointed to Bethlehem City Council, becoming the first Black member in the city’s history. A retired middle school teacher and the granddaughter of a Bethlehem Steel worker, Enix said she will prioritize addressing affordable housing issues.

THE BEST OF THE REST

JEFF BARTOS & DAVE WHITE It was a good month to be a son of the southeast. Dave White and Jeff Bartos both capped off impressive GOP straw poll showings with one last victory at the Pennsylvania Republican Party’s Southeast Caucus meeting on Feb. 2.

Both candidates have notched multiple straw poll wins in recent weeks, giving them each some additional momentum heading into the GOP primary races for governor and U.S. Senate, respectively.

CLINT OWLETT While Republican lawmakers and Gov. Tom Wolf sparred over congressional maps last month, a spirit of bipartisanship was still in the air. They came to an agreement on $225 million in funding for Pennsylvania hospitals and health care facilities. The legislation, sponsored by state Rep. Clint Owlett, also establishes an Opioid Abuse Child Impact Task Force. Owlett’s bill was praised for providing the vehicle for investment to become reality.

OUR PICK

OUR PICK

CREATIVE Creative Director Andrew Horton Senior Graphic Designer Aaron Aniton Photo Researcher Michelle Steinhauser Junior Graphic Designer Izairis Santana

MARK PINSLEY Lehigh County Controller Mark Pinsley had to eat his words after suggesting that a proposed state legislative map could turn the Allentown and Bethlehem areas into a “ghetto.” Pinsley said his remarks were taken out of context, but he’s facing backlash from his fellow Democrats, who said the comments are “hurtful” and show a “lack of empathy.”

ADVERTISING advertising@cityandstatepa.com Senior Sales Executive Michael Fleck mfleck@cityandstatepa.com Sales Executive Frank Feinberg ffeinberg@govexec.com Sales and Events Coordinator Laura Hurliman events@cityandstatepa.com DIGITAL Digital Director Michael Filippi mfilippi@cityandstateny.com Marketing & Special Projects Manager Caitlin Dorman cdorman@cityandstateny.com Digital Marketing Associate Ben Taha ADVISORY BOARD Chair Governor Ed Rendell Board members Leslie Gromis-Baker, Gene Barr, Samuel Chen, Joseph Hill, Teresa Lundy, Anne Wakabayashi, Ray Zaborney, Tricia Mueller

THE REST OF THE WORST

BILL BACHENBERG & LISA PATTON Bill Bachenberg and Lisa Patton, two Keystone State natives, might be rethinking their decision to declare former President Donald Trump the winner of the 2020 presidential election. They’re just two out of 14 people subpoenaed by the House select committee investigating Jan. 6 for serving as “alternate electors” who sent fake slates of Electoral College votes to Congress.

KENYATTA JOHNSON Philadelphia City Council member Kenyatta Johnson, who’s under investigation for corruption charges, is getting more backlash for allegedly accepting Eagles tickets to watch the game in a box held

by IBEW Local 98, the union once led by John Dougherty. The tickets don’t add to Johnson’s charges, but do add to the allegations that he failed to report gifts on his financial disclosure forms. Even for an Eagles fan, that doesn’t fly.

Vol. 2 Issue 2 February 2022 Solitary Confinement And the racial disparities in Pennsylvania prisons

Making every vote count How redistricting efforts to better represent minorities are sometimes jeopardized

THE POWER OF DIVERSITY

BLACK

100 City & State PA P.O. Box 526 Chalfont PA 18914

WINNERS

February brings many things to the Keystone State: Groundhog Day, Valentine’s Day and of course, Budget Day. People will be talking about spending, fancy new purchases and big futures whether they’re interested in V-Day or B-Day. And with both days, there will be a fair share of winners and losers. Here are some people feeling the love this February, and some hoping for sunnier days ahead.

EDITORIAL editor@cityandstatepa.com Editor-in-Chief Jenny DeHuff jdehuff@cityandstatepa.com Senior Editor Greg Salisbury gsalisbury@cityandstatepa.com Senior Reporter Justin Sweitzer jsweitzer@cityandstatepa.com Staff Reporter Harrison Cann hcann@cityandstatepa.com

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@CIT YANDSTATEPA

FEBRUARY 2022

Cover illustration: Kingsley Nebechi

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PECO congratulates Doug Oliver for being selected to the Power of Diversity: Black 100 list, recognizing the most influential members of Pennsylvania’s black community.

As PECO’s Vice President, Governmental and External Affairs, Doug is responsible for the company’s state legislative agenda, local external affairs, energy efficiency programs and the company’s business development initiatives.

We’re proud of Doug’s work on behalf of our customers and his positive impact on communities across southeastern PA.

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