Manuel Portillo is is the Director of Civic Engagement at Welcoming Center for New Pennsylvanians. He is a seasoned non-profit leader with a substantive career in community organizing and program management. He is originally from Guatemala and came to the United States as a refugee in the Sanctuary Movement of the 1980s during the internal armed conflict that left over 200,000 dead or disappeared. He is currently leading the Immigrant Leadership Institute, where he works on developing innovative approaches to civic engagement and building inclusive partnerships. He believes that our city is stronger when all residents are engaged in its civic life.