Power Moves: Talk about Black excellence

1. Bill McKinney named NKCDC executive director.

Dr. Bill McKinney has been named executive director of New Kensington Community Development Corporation (NKCDC), effective November 2. McKinney joins the organization eight months after the sudden death of the organization’s previous executive director, Felix Torres Colón.

“The board was humbled by the impressive pool of applicants, and we are proud to have someone with the experience, intelligence, and empathy of Dr. Bill McKinney, NKCDC’s long-time neighbor, at the helm,” Board President Tim Lederer said via the emailed announcement.

In addition to running his own consulting firm, Innovative Solutions Collective, for the past 20 years, McKinney most recently served as executive vice president and director of research and evaluation at The Food Trust

Before joining The Food Trust, he was deputy director and then director of the Howard Samuels Center at the Graduate Center of the City University of New York.

He is also a musician, part of the West Kensingtons band.

McKinney holds a bachelor’s degree from Cleveland State University, a master’s degree from the University of Maryland, and a doctorate from Temple University, as well as certifications in trauma-informed care and enhanced trauma awareness.

2. Intellectual disAbility Services appoints Kleckner J. Charles as new director.

The City’s Department of Behavioral Health and Intellectual disAbility Services (DBHIDS) has appointed Kleckner J. Charles to serve as director of its division of Intellectual disAbility Services (IDS), effective November 2.

Charles most recently served as counselor at Silver Hill Hospital in Connecticut. Prior to that post he served as CEO of The ARC Putnam New York; assistant executive director for Program Development Services, and assistant executive director for Edwin Gould Services for Children and Families, both in Brooklyn.

“Kleckner Charles brings a wealth of experience to this critically important role,” Jill Bowen, acting commissioner of the Department of Behavioral Health and Intellectual disAbility Services, said in an email announcement of the appointment. “We look forward to his joining and leading this division as IDS tackles new challenges and coordinates with our exceptional provider network in serving adults and children with intellectual disAbilities and autism, and in support of early intervention efforts for our newborn to 3-year-olds in Philadelphia.”

Charles holds a bachelor’s degree from Stony Brook University and a master’s degree from Long Island University. According to the announcement, he recently successfully defended his doctoral research at the University of Southern California.

3. Mayor Kenney appoints Tumar Alexander as managing director, promotes Vanessa Garrett Harley to first deputy managing director.

Mayor Jim Kenney recently announced the appointment of Tumar Alexander as the City’s managing director. Alexander has been serving as acting managing director since September, after the surprise resignation of his predecessor, Brian Abernathy.

Alexander has worked for City for 19 years in various capacities. Alexander became the director of legislative and external affairs for the Managing Director’s Office in 2016, becoming first deputy managing director in 2019.

“For nearly two decades I’ve had the privilege of working behind-the-scenes with countless municipal leaders to strengthen City services,” Alexander said via the announcement email. “I look forward to building on these experiences to improve how services reach all of our diverse neighborhoods.”

At the same time as Kenney made Alexander’s appointment public, he announced that Vanessa Garrett Harley, deputy managing director for the Office of Criminal Justice and Violence Prevention, is being promoted to first deputy managing director.

“In addition to her new responsibilities,” the announcement stated, [Garrett Harley] will retain oversight of two public safety departments — the Department Licenses and Inspections and the Department of Prisons.”

4. Matthew Stitt joins PFM as director and national lead for equitable recovery and strategic financial initiatives.

Matthew Stitt,  Philadelphia City Council’s chief financial officer, announced via his Facebook page that he will be joining the asset management group PFM as director and national lead for equitable recovery and strategic financial initiatives.

Stitt served as CFO of city council since 2016. He also served as a board member of the Board of Pensions and Retirement and the Philadelphia Accelerator Fund during his tenure.

Prior to working for the City, Stitt served as a youth services coordinator for the American Red Cross Southeastern Pennsylvania Chapter and for AmeriCorps, and as an account support representative at Independence Blue Cross.

He serves on the board of managers of Haverford College; the board of directors of the Greater Philadelphia YMCA; and an advisory group member of Germantown Friends School.

He holds a bachelor’s degree from Haverford College, a master’s degree from the University of Pennsylvania, and an executive master’s degree from the Fox School of Business at Temple University.

5. HIAS PA promotes Jennifer M. Joseph to deputy director and chief DEI officer.

HIAS Pennsylvania recently announced the promotion of Jennifer M. Joseph, to the position of deputy director and chief diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) officer. She has been HIAS Pennsylvania’s director of operations since April 2019.

Joseph also serves as associate pastor of Zion Church and Development Corp.; founder and president of the Women’s Fest Conference, CEO of Jennifer Joseph Enterprises.

Earlier in her career Joseph served as interim director and human resources manager at Accessible Home Health Care; human resources director at Always Best Care Senior Services; health providers billing department manager at Global Leadership Academy; and program manager at United Kingdom Youth Outreach.

According the emailed announcement,  though Joseph was born and raised in West Philadelphia, she is “the proud daughter of two hard-working immigrants who immigrated to the U.S in search of a better life,” and served on the board of the Haitian Professionals of Philadelphia for a number of years.

She holds a bachelor’s degree from Rosemont College, and is currently pursuing her master’s degree at Quantic School of Business and Technology.

6. The Philadelphia Orchestra names Doris Parent VP of IDEAS and strategic partnerships.

The Philadelphia Orchestra recently appointed Doris Parent vice president of inclusion, diversity, equity, and access strategies (IDEAS) and strategic partnerships.

According to the announcement of her appointment, Parent joined the Orchestra in September 2011 as senior director of corporate and foundation relations and became senior managing director of institutional development in October 2017.

Before joining the Orchestra, Parent served as interim director of development ,and associate director of corporate and foundation relations at Gallaudet University. Earlier she served as development associate at the Water Environment Research Foundation, and as the lead strategist for national youth programs at the National 4-H Council.

She is the president elect of the Association of Fundraising Professionals’ Greater Philadelphia Chapter, and serves on the boards of Piffaro, The Renaissance Band, and the Maven Leadership Collective.

Parent holds two bachelor’s degrees from the University of Maryland and a master’s degree  from the University of Phoenix.

7. Carniesha Kwashie joins Bicycle Transit Systems as chief equity and strategy officer.

Bicycle Transit Systems (Bicycle Transit), operator of the Indego Bike Share system in Philadelphia, has named Carniesha Kwashie its chief equity and strategy officer.

Kwashie is the principal at Fen D&P LLC, and most recently served as director of the Job Opportunity Investment Network (JOIN) of United Ways of Greater Philadelphia and Southern New Jersey.

According to the announcement of her appointment, at the same time as she worked at United Way, “Kwashie served as co-lead of the PHL COVID-19 Fund, which has funded more than 500 nonprofits during the pandemic.”

Before joining United Way, Kwashie served as the Better Bike Share grant manager for the City of Philadelphia, and the Green Jobs Innovation Fund project coordinator for OIC of America, Inc, among other posts.

She is a board member of Temple University Black Alumni Alliance.

Kwashie holds a bachelor’s degree from Temple University and a master’s degree from Drexel University.