APPLAUSE! Salute to Stand-Out Non-Profit Leaders in Pittsbugh | 2026
NewPittsburghCourier.com
SALUTE TO
BLACK NONPROFIT LEADERS IN PITTSBURGH
APPLAUSE! TABLE OF CONTENTS 01
From the Publisher
02
Feature Story: Beyond Healthcare Insurance : Building a Culture of Care in the Non-Profit Workforce
03
2025 Stand-Out Non-Profit Leaders
05
2025 Non-Profit Leader Profiles
Rod Doss Editor and Publisher New Pittsburgh Courier 315 East Carson Street Pittsburgh, PA 15219 412-481-8302
Featured Non-Profits Carmen Anderson, Page 5 Godfrey Bethea, Page 5 Barata A. Bey, Page 6 Samuel Black, Page 6 Kenya Boswell, Page 7 Fred Brown, Page 9 Janis Burley Wilson, Page 9 Dr. Kathi Elliott, Page 10 William Generett Jr., Page 10 Peggy Harris. Page 11 Rochelle L. Jackson, Page 11 A.J. Jefferson, Page 13 Mark Lewis, Page 13 Rick Mason, Page 15 Charlese McKinnley, Page 15 Sabrina Saunders Mosby, Page 16 Maelene Myers, Page 16 Leon D. Pamphile, Page 17 Dr. Andre Samuel, Page 18 Charlise Smith, Page 18 Terry Smith, Page 19 Tammy Thompson, Page 19 Cheyenne Tyler, Page 20 Shemariah Waggoner, Page 21 LaToya Warren, Page 21
APPLAUSE!
PUBLISHER’S LETTER Greetings,
Welcome to the inaugural edition of APPLAUSE! Salute to 25 Standout NonProfit Leaders in Pittsburgh. On behalf of the New Pittsburgh Courier, I am proud to honor leaders whose dedication and service strengthen our neighborhoods and expand opportunities for the people who call this region home. Across Pittsburgh, Black nonprofit leaders are responding to needs that cannot wait. They are helping families put food on the table, connecting people with safe housing, guiding young people, advancing education, and opening pathways to economic opportunity. Often working with limited resources and growing demand, they make difficult decisions every day to sustain services that people depend on. The 25 leaders recognized in these pages represent the commitment, resourcefulness, and resolve this work requires. Their contributions reach beyond the organizations they lead. They build trust, bring people together, and advocate for communities whose needs too often go unheard. Their leadership reminds us that a city’s strength must also be measured by the opportunities available to its residents and the care extended to those facing hardship. At the New Pittsburgh Courier, telling the stories of Black achievement and community impact is central to our mission. With APPLAUSE!, we continue that commitment by shining a light on individuals whose work deserves greater recognition—and greater support. Presented by Real Times Media and the New Pittsburgh Courier, this special edition is both a celebration and an invitation to act. Read these leaders’ stories. Learn about the organizations they serve. Consider how your time, resources, or partnership could help advance their work. Recognition matters, and the support it inspires can help these organizations serve more people and sustain their impact.
Rod Doss
Rod Doss Editor and Publisher New Pittsburgh Courier
To our honorees: Thank you for your leadership, your perseverance, and your belief in the possibilities of Pittsburgh. We are proud to share your stories and give your contributions the applause they deserve. With deep respect and gratitude,
APPLAUSE!: Salute to Stand-Out Non-Profit Leaders in Pittsburgh
New Pittsburgh Courier
01
Nonprofit Leaders Meeting the Need, Strengthening Pittsburgh By: Cathy Nedd For a child without stable housing, staying in school can depend on access to tutoring, transportation and a trusted adult. For a family facing eviction, timely counseling can help prevent a crisis. For a young person navigating the legal system, a supportive relationship and a pathway to employment can change what comes next. Across the Pittsburgh region, nonprofit leaders work where these needs intersect—and where assistance can be hardest to find. The New Pittsburgh Courier’s 25 Standout Non-Profit Leaders represent a network of service reaching people who might otherwise go without essential resources. Their organizations connect families with food, help residents pursue stable housing, expand educational opportunities and support people confronting poverty, discrimination, trauma and disability. Their work recognizes that hardship rarely arrives alone. Housing instability can disrupt education. Financial insecurity can affect health. Limited access to professional networks can narrow employment prospects. Addressing one immediate need matters; helping people navigate interconnected barriers creates the possibility of lasting progress. “These leaders see the people behind the challenges and respond with commitment, compassion and action,” said Rod Doss, Editor and Publisher of the New Pittsburgh Courier. “They help ensure that circumstances do not determine who receives support, whose voice is heard or who has an opportunity to thrive.” That commitment takes practical form through neighborhood partnerships, mobile educational services, financial counseling, mentoring and hands-on career exploration. It also reaches the institutions that shape opportunity: strengthening nonprofit operations, directing philanthropic resources, advancing workplace inclusion and bringing community experiences into policy discussions. Collectively, these honorees help Pittsburgh respond to urgent needs while building the capacity to address them over time. Their leadership strengthens a community’s ability to care for its people—and helps ensure that those most often overlooked have meaningful access to assistance, dignity and opportunity.
02 New Pittsburgh Courier
APPLAUSE!: Salute to Stand-Out Non-Profit Leaders in Pittsburgh
APPLAUSE! 2026 CARMEN ANDERSON Vice President, Equity and Community Partnerships, The Heinz Endowments
FRED BROWN
President and CEO, The Forbes Funds
ROCHELLE L. JACKSON
Founding CEO, Black Women’s Policy Center
SABRINA SAUNDERS MOSBY President & CEO, Vibrant Pittsburgh
TERRY SMITH
President and CEO, M-Powerhouse of Greater Pittsburgh
NEW PITTSBURGH COURIER 25 STANDOUT NON-PROFIT LEADERS
GODFREY BETHEA
BARATA A. BEY
SAMUEL BLACK
Vice President, Equity, People & Culture, Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank
President, African American Chamber of Commerce of Western Pennsylvania
Director, Museum of African American History Senator John Heinz History Center
JANIS BURLEY
DR. KATHI ELLIOTT
WILLIAM GENERETT JR.
President and CEO, August Wilson African American Cultural Center
AJ JEFFERSON
CEO, Gwen’s Girls
MARK LEWIS
President & CEO, The Pittsburgh Foundation
RICK MASON
President and CEO, Homeless Children’s Education Fund
President and CEO, The POISE Foundation
Executive Director, The Pittsburgh Project
MAELENE MYERS
LEON D. PAMPHILE
DR. ANDRE SAMUEL
Executive Director, ELDI (East Liberty Development, Inc.)
TAMMY THOMPSON
President and CEO, Catapult Greater Pittsburgh
Bishop Financial Literacy Ministry of Haiti
President & CEO The Citizen Science Lab
CHEYENNE TYLER
SHEMARIAH WAGGONER
Executive Director, Café Momentum Pittsburgh
APPLAUSE!: Salute to Stand-Out Non-Profit Leaders in Pittsburgh
Managing Director, Black Equity Coalition
KENYA BOSWELL Senior VP of Community Affairs, Highmark Health; President, Highmark Foundation
PEGGY HARRIS President and CEO, Three Rivers Youth
CHARLESE MCKINNEY
Chief Program Officer, Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank
CHARLISE SMITH
Executive Director, Willissae’s Agency for Vision and Empowerment (WAVE)
LATOYA WARREN
Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer, Achieva; President, Achieva Resource
New Pittsburgh Courier
03
APPLAUSE! Carmen Anderson
Godfrey Bethea
Vice President, Equity and Community Partnerships | The Heinz Endowments
Vice President, Equity, People & Culture Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank
For Carmen Anderson, advancing equity means changing both how a foundation works and how it serves its communities. As Vice President, Equity & Community Partnerships at The Heinz Endowments, she brings that focus to organizational development, strategic partnerships and grantmaking.
Godfrey Bethea, Jr., makes equity an organizational practice, connecting how people are recruited, supported and retained with how communities are served. As Vice President of Equity, People and Culture at Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank, he leads strategies advancing social justice through human resources, community partnerships and workplace culture.
She leads efforts to address social injustice and inequity while helping embed diversity, inclusion and equity into the foundation’s operations. Her responsibilities include developing guiding principles and creating learning opportunities for staff and grantees, connecting institutional commitments with the people responsible for carrying them forward. Anderson also monitors emerging practices across the field to strengthen the Endowments’ policies, behaviors and operations. Through strategic community partnerships, she advances an equity agenda that informs the foundation’s goals, communications and funding decisions. Her leadership places equity at the center of institutional decision-making. By linking internal learning with community partnerships and grantmaking, Anderson helps shape a foundation whose commitment to addressing injustice extends across its culture, priorities and relationships throughout the communities it serves.
A Certified Diversity leader and human resources professional, Bethea brings experience across healthcare, transportation, logistics and charitable services. His work addresses economic disparities while strengthening employee engagement and organizational talent. His community leadership extends to board service with Mon Valley Initiative, Familylinks and the New Hazlett Theater. He also co-facilitates the Black Political Empowerment Project’s Corporate Equity & Inclusion Roundtable Working Group. Bethea holds an MBA from Waynesburg University and completed Leadership Pittsburgh and TALI’s Executive Leadership Academy. Named a 2025 New Pittsburgh Courier Men of Excellence honoree, he brings executive expertise to building inclusive institutions where equity informs decisions, relationships and opportunities for employees and the communities they collectively serve.
APPLAUSE!: Salute to Stand-Out Non-Profit Leaders in Pittsburgh
New Pittsburgh Courier
05
APPLAUSE! Barata A. Bey
Samuel Black
President, African American Chamber of Commerce of Western Pennsylvania
Director, Museum of African American History Senator John Heinz History Center
Barāta A. Bey connects financial expertise with a clear economic purpose: expanding opportunity for entrepreneurs and communities too often underserved. As President of the African American Chamber of Commerce of Western Pennsylvania, he brings more than 12 years of banking experience to advancing inclusive economic development.
Samuel W. Black preserves African American history through exhibitions, scholarship and museum leadership that connect individual experiences with national narratives. As Director of the Museum of African American History at the Senator John Heinz History Center, he brings that work to public audiences.
His work addresses two essential foundations of economic mobility: business ownership and career access. In Washington County, Pennsylvania, Bey designed a small business ecosystem strategy supporting minority, women and veteran entrepreneurs. In Beaver County, he led a workforce development initiative focused on career pathways for minority students. Previously Director of Community Finance at CNote and Vice President and Community Development Officer at Huntington Bank, Bey advised banking leaders on aligning corporate policy with community needs. His expertise in lending, access to capital and community engagement informs a practical approach to equitable growth. Through the Chamber, Bey brings that experience to championing Black businesses and strengthening connections between entrepreneurship, financial institutions and regional economic opportunity.
06 New Pittsburgh Courier
His award-winning exhibitions include From Slavery to Freedom and Soul Soldiers: African Americans and the Vietnam Era. His books examine Black military service, the Civil War and African American life in Cleveland. Black served as President of the Association of African American Museums from 2011 to 2016 and chairs Pennsylvania’s International Underground Railroad Month Committee. His distinctions include Smithsonian and Fulbright fellowships, the association’s Dr. John E. Fleming Award and ASALH’s 2024 Mary McLeod Bethune Award. A 2024 Davey Award recognized his writing on the Negro Motorist Green Book. Through research, interpretation and leadership in diversity, equity, accessibility and inclusion, Black helps museums tell fuller histories, ensuring African American experiences remain central to understanding our shared past.
APPLAUSE!: Salute to Stand-Out Non-Profit Leaders in Pittsburgh
APPLAUSE! Kenya Boswell
Senior Vice President of Community Affairs, Highmark Health | President, Highmark Foundation
Kenya T. Boswell connects philanthropy with community health across four states. As President of the Highmark Foundation and Senior Vice President of Community Affairs for Highmark Health, she oversees efforts that align charitable giving, community involvement and health priorities in Pennsylvania, Delaware, West Virginia and New York. With more than 20 years of experience in community affairs, philanthropy and nonprofit management, Boswell brings a broad perspective to improving health, wellbeing and quality of life. Her responsibilities include Highmark Bright Blue Futures, Allegheny Health Network’s community giving and support for Community Health Needs Assessments. Boswell holds degrees from the University of Pittsburgh and Robert Morris University. Her leadership has earned Pittsburgh Business Times recognition and a 2025 City & State Impact honor. Through institutional leadership and civic engagement, she connects organizational resources with opportunities to strengthen communities and advance wellbeing.
APPLAUSE!: Salute to Stand-Out Non-Profit Leaders in Chicago
Chicago Defender
07
APPLAUSE! Fred Brown
Janis Burley
President and CEO The Forbes Funds
President and CEO, August Wilson African American Cultural Center
Fred Brown strengthens the organizations communities depend on. As President and CEO of The Forbes Funds, he leads efforts to build nonprofit management capacity and impact across 12 counties in Southwestern Pennsylvania, bringing more than 35 years of experience to that mission.
Janis Burley Wilson has built enduring platforms for Black artistry, from intimate jazz performances to an international festival. As President, CEO and Artistic Director of the August Wilson African American Cultural Center, she brings more than two decades of arts leadership to programming that honors Black stories and connects audiences across generations.
Previously President and CEO of Homewood Children’s Village, Brown established the Innovation Lab for Nonprofits, giving leaders opportunities to explore diversified revenue, shared systems, succession planning and collaboration. His work also connects community development with environmental sustainability. The Imagine Larimer platform enabled residents to help design an environmentally sustainable neighborhood, contributing to the Larimer Consensus Group’s successful pursuit of a $30 million HUD CHOICE Neighborhoods Award. Through grassroots leadership training and youth STEM initiatives, Brown expands access to knowledge and opportunities in the green economy. Recognized by the Ford Foundation as a 21st Century Environmental Justice Leader, Brown brings a systems perspective to service, helping nonprofits strengthen operations while equipping residents to participate in shaping their communities’ futures.
During her 15 years at the Pittsburgh Cultural Trust, she launched JazzLive in 2003 and the Pittsburgh International Jazz Festival in 2011, creating lasting opportunities for musicians and listeners. At the Center, her curatorial vision encompasses music, film, dialogue and cultural celebration. She has commissioned new musical works and guided the creation of August Wilson: A Writer’s Landscape, the permanent exhibition exploring the celebrated playwright’s life and work. Her expertise also informs national and international arts organizations. Through thoughtful curation, artistic commissions and institutional leadership, Burley Wilson gives Black creativity a prominent stage, strengthening Pittsburgh’s cultural life while expanding opportunities to experience the depth of African American expression.
APPLAUSE!: Salute to Stand-Out Non-Profit Leaders in Pittsburgh
New Pittsburgh Courier
09
APPLAUSE! Dr. Kathi Elliott
William Generett Jr.
Dr. Kathi Elliott brings clinical expertise to a community mission: ensuring young people receive support before crisis becomes system involvement. As CEO of Gwen’s Girls since 2015, she advances holistic programs that empower girls and young women throughout Greater Pittsburgh.
William “Bill” Generett Jr. has built a career connecting underserved communities with economic opportunity. That experience now informs his leadership of The Pittsburgh Foundation, where he became President and CEO in August 2026.
A psychiatric nurse practitioner with more than 30 years of experience, Elliott combines nursing, social work and mental health knowledge with advocacy shaped by her mother, Gwen’s Girls founder Commander Gwen Elliott.
With approximately $1.6 billion in assets, nearly 3,000 donor funds and $70 million in annual grantmaking, the Foundation offers a significant platform for regional impact.
President & CEO The Pittsburgh Foundation
CEO Gwen’s Girls
In 2016, she convened the Black Girls Equity Alliance, uniting more than 75 stakeholders to address inequities across juvenile justice, child welfare, education and healthcare. That collaboration helped launch Caring Connections for YOUth in 2022, providing Allegheny County families access to a 24-hour call center connecting youth with community resources. Elliott’s leadership links individual care with systemic change, strengthening prevention and intervention while expanding alternatives to justice and welfare involvement. Her work carries forward a family legacy of service through practical pathways to safety, opportunity and lasting empowerment.
10 New Pittsburgh Courier
As founding President and CEO of Urban Innovation21, Generett gained national recognition for linking underserved communities to Pittsburgh’s innovation economy. His appointment to a U.S. Department of Commerce advisory council brought that perspective to national entrepreneurship strategy. At Duquesne University, he led civic engagement and external relations, establishing its community engagement office and strengthening fundraising and strategic partnerships. A Morehouse College and Emory University School of Law graduate, Generett combines legal, executive and entrepreneurial expertise. His leadership brings experience building organizations and partnerships to philanthropy, with a record of connecting institutions, resources and communities to expand participation in economic growth and opportunity.
APPLAUSE!: Salute to Stand-Out Non-Profit Leaders in Pittsburgh
APPLAUSE! Peggy Harris
Rochelle L. Jackson
Peggy B. Harris has guided Three Rivers Youth through nearly 26 years of change, bringing strategy, conviction and compassion to one of the region’s oldest organizations. As President and CEO since 2000, she draws on a career spanning human resources, financial management and nonprofit operations.
Rochelle M. Jackson builds power by placing Black women and girls at the center of decisions affecting their lives. As Founder and CEO of the Black Women’s Policy Center, she brings more than 25 years of advocacy experience to advancing social, racial, gender and economic justice.
Founding CEO Black Women’s Policy Center
President and CEO Three Rivers Youth
Before taking the helm, Harris spent 11 years at the Community Technical Assistance Center and helped lead the merger that created Wesley Spectrum Services. Her advocacy reaches across sectors, advancing opportunities for women, girls, underserved families, youth and people with disabilities. She has held leadership roles with the YWCA, Program to Aid Citizen Enterprise and numerous educational, philanthropic and civic organizations. A Virginia State University graduate with a master’s degree from the University of Pittsburgh, Harris also completed executive education at Harvard’s Kennedy School. Her honors include YWCA recognition for racial justice and lifetime achievement. Through institutional leadership, advocacy and mentoring young women, Harris extends her influence beyond organizational boundaries, strengthening Pittsburgh’s tradition of service.
After launching the Black Women’s Policy Agenda in 2020, Jackson established BWPC to address priorities too often overlooked in regional policymaking. Its work spans workplace equity, housing, education, maternal health, community safety and civic engagement. Through the Amplify Your Voice Advocacy Bootcamp and voter education efforts, she equips women to advocate for themselves and their communities. Step Up: Black Girls Lead initiatives extend that work to young people, helping girls engage policymakers and influence issues affecting their schools. Rooted in Pittsburgh and the Mon Valley, Jackson’s leadership combines policy expertise with lived experience. She creates opportunities for residents excluded from decision-making to be heard and to help shape the systems governing their everyday lives.
APPLAUSE!: Salute to Stand-Out Non-Profit Leaders in Pittsburgh
New Pittsburgh Courier
11
APPLAUSE! AJ Jefferson
Mark Lewis
President and CEO Homeless Children’s Education Fund
President and CEO The POISE Foundation
AJ Jefferson has turned personal experience with homelessness into leadership that expands educational opportunity for students facing similar uncertainty. As President and CEO of the Homeless Children’s Education Fund, she has grown the organization from $1 million to $3 million and tripled its reach from 400 students to more than 1,200.
Mark Lewis brings financial discipline and a commitment to collective action to his leadership of the POISE Foundation. A Pittsburgh native, he joined POISE in 2002 as its second President, following more than 13 years providing auditing and consulting services at Price Waterhouse and Ernst & Young.
Her leadership connects immediate support with lasting opportunity. The Childhood to Career Continuum serves students from pre-K through age 24, with a 96% graduation rate. Winnie’s Wagon brings tutoring and wraparound services directly to students through a mobile educational unit. Teen CEO helps high school students explore career pathways. Jefferson also brings youth homelessness into national view through appearances on Good Morning America and The Kelly Clarkson Show. Her advocacy has earned honors including the Pittsburgh Business Times C-Suite Award. By strengthening services, reach and infrastructure, Jefferson is building an organization equipped to help more young people pursue education, careers and stability despite the disruption homelessness brings to childhood.
A Certified Public Accountant since 1991 and Michigan State University graduate, Lewis pairs technical expertise with extensive civic engagement. He co-founded the National Network of Black Funds and Foundations, Black Equity Coalition, African American Funders Group and Sankofa Fund of Southwest Pennsylvania, building connections among organizations focused on Black philanthropy and equity. His board service spans education, healthcare, youth development, housing and nonprofit capacity, including the Jewish Healthcare Foundation, Program to Aid Citizen Enterprise and Western Pennsylvania School for the Blind. A Leadership Pittsburgh graduate and church Elder and Trustee, Lewis demonstrates a sustained commitment to service. Through foundation leadership, coalition building and community involvement, he strengthens relationships that support Pittsburgh’s nonprofit community.
APPLAUSE!: Salute to Stand-Out Non-Profit Leaders in Pittsburgh
New Pittsburgh Courier
13
APPLAUSE! Rick Mason
Charlese McKinnley
Executive Director The Pittsburgh Project
Chief Program Officer, Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank
Roderick “Rick” Mason, Jr., knows The Pittsburgh Project from the classroom to the executive office. Hired as an after-school teacher in 2009, he advanced through program and leadership roles before becoming Executive Director, bringing firsthand knowledge of the families and young people it serves.
Growing up in poverty taught Charlese McKinney the importance of resourcefulness, resilience and community support. Today, those lessons inform how she connects Southwestern Pennsylvania residents with food and essential resources.
Working alongside staff and the board, Mason helped eliminate more than $900,000 in organizational debt, refocus programming around youth and families, and position the nonprofit for a sustainable future.
As Chief Program Officer at Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank, McKinney oversees direct services and a network of more than 1,000 partners across 11 counties. That network includes food pantries, shelters, colleges, health systems, youth programs and community organizations, bringing assistance through many points of connection.
The faith-based North Side organization provides academic support, mentoring, enrichment and leadership development through after-school and summer programs. Mason’s approach centers on caring relationships that help young people recognize their gifts and potential. Originally from Maryland, he moved to Pittsburgh to attend the University of Pittsburgh, earning a psychology degree and beginning his nonprofit career. With more than 20 years of service, Mason combines financial stewardship with community commitment. His Christian faith and North Side roots ground leadership dedicated to sharing hope and strengthening opportunities for families.
McKinney and her team strengthen this network through technical, financial and administrative support, outreach, innovation and continuous learning. Her leadership emphasizes services shaped around neighbors’ needs and delivered with dignity and respect. An Army Reserve veteran, McKinney holds business and management degrees from Carlow University, including an MBA. Her approach combines lived experience with program management expertise. By helping diverse partners work collaboratively, she advances a responsive system of support grounded in equity, access and the belief that every neighbor deserves to feel valued.
APPLAUSE!: Salute to Stand-Out Non-Profit Leaders in Pittsburgh
New Pittsburgh Courier
15
APPLAUSE! Sabrina Saunders Mosby
Maelene Myers
President & CEO Vibrant Pittsburgh
Executive Director ELDI (East Liberty Development, Inc.)
Sabrina Saunders Mosby is helping Southwestern Pennsylvania compete for talent by connecting employers, institutions and communities. As President and CEO of Vibrant Pittsburgh, she leads efforts to strengthen workforce competitiveness, talent retention and organizational performance.
Maelene J. Myers began East Liberty’s transformation by listening. Hundreds of community meetings helped shape neighborhood plans that continue to guide East Liberty Development, Inc., where she has served as Executive Director since 1996.
Under her leadership, the organization has grown into a network reaching more than 50,000 stakeholders and engaging over 140 employers, institutions and community partners. Her approach draws on more than 20 years of executive and civic experience guiding organizational growth, building partnerships and diversifying revenue.
Those plans became the foundation for partnerships translating residents’ priorities into investment. By 2023, projects influenced by the plans represented more than $1.2 billion in commercial, residential and infrastructure investment. ELDI’s work also produced more than 1,139 new affordable rental units, 320 acquired and rehabilitated houses and 2,800 jobs.
In 2025, Mosby was selected among 10 regional leaders to represent Pittsburgh in Harvard Business School’s Young American Leaders Program. Her honors include the Pittsburgh Business Times C-Suite Award and the New Pittsburgh Courier’s Woman of Excellence recognition.
Myers has kept affordability central to revitalization, with approximately 38% of East Liberty’s rental units safeguarded as permanently affordable.
Her board service spans healthcare, higher education, cultural institutions and corporate governance.
Her influence extends across Pittsburgh through ELDI’s Plan, Advocate, Facilitate and Invest model and organizations it helped incubate, including Catapult Greater Pittsburgh, Rising Tide Partners and Main + Elm Development Company.
A Pittsburgh native, Mosby brings regional knowledge and executive judgment to building connections that strengthen the workforce and help employers and communities address shared challenges through sustained collaboration and partnership.
16 New Pittsburgh Courier
Myers demonstrates how sustained community engagement can guide neighborhood change, pairing major investment with a commitment to helping longtime residents remain and benefit from their community’s revitalization.
APPLAUSE!: Salute to Stand-Out Non-Profit Leaders in Pittsburgh
APPLAUSE! Leon D. Pamphile
Bishop Financial Literacy Ministry of Haiti Leon D. Pamphile has turned a commitment to education, healthcare and faith into decades of service in Haiti. Since founding Financial Literacy Ministry of Haiti in 1983, he has helped build an organization operating 75 literacy centers serving 4,500 participants and a primary school enrolling approximately 600 students. Its Excelsior Technical Institute prepares young people for employment, while medical missions have helped approximately 10,000 people. Working with the Building Goodness Foundation, FLM-Haiti also established a community health center serving rural communities. An educator and historian, Pamphile has authored nine books examining relations between Haiti and the United States. His scholarship explores the shared struggles of Haitians and African Americans against slavery, racism and discrimination. A University of Pittsburgh doctoral graduate and Church of God in Christ bishop overseeing 120 churches, Pamphile connects intellectual leadership with practical service. His work advances a durable vision for Haiti, equipping people with knowledge, skills, care and hope to strengthen their lives and their communities.
New Pittsburgh Courier
13
APPLAUSE! Dr. Andre Samuel
Charlise Smith
President & CEO, The Citizen Science Lab
Executive Director | Willissae’s Agency for Vision and Empowerment (WAVE)
Dr. Andre Samuel wants young people to experience science as something they can do. With a Ph.D. in Biology from Duquesne University and research focused on cold shock proteins in E. coli, he brings scientific depth to a mission centered on discovery, access and possibility.
Charlise Smith works to help families secure stable housing before instability becomes a crisis. As Founder and Executive Director of WAVE (Willissae’s Agency for Vision & Empowerment), she leads a PHFA/HUD-certified housing counseling agency serving Allegheny County and the greater Pittsburgh region.
As CEO of The Citizen Science Lab, Samuel leads hands-on laboratory experiences that invite people of all backgrounds to explore STEM. His approach gives curiosity room to grow through active experimentation, helping participants see themselves as capable scientific thinkers. That commitment also inspired the S.I.G.M.A Science Mentorship Initiative, which he founded to introduce diverse ninth graders to research. Samuel’s contributions have earned the BMe Leadership Award, the President’s Volunteer Service Award and the Carnegie Science Center’s 2020 Leadership in STEM Education award. By connecting rigorous science with accessible, engaging experiences, Samuel helps open doors to scientific exploration. His leadership encourages emerging scientists to move from wondering how the world works to investigating it for themselves.
18 New Pittsburgh Courier
A licensed Real Estate Broker with more than two decades of experience, Smith connects housing counseling with financial education, foreclosure prevention and pathways to homeownership. Her approach emphasizes preparation, life skills and accountability, helping women and families address the underlying causes of housing instability. WAVE honors her mother’s legacy. Following the loss of her son, Marcus, Smith channeled grief into service, deepening her commitment to families navigating trauma and systemic barriers. Her leadership extends to community development and housing advisory roles. Through partnerships with financial institutions, housing authorities, legal services and workforce organizations, she connects families with resources for lasting progress. For Smith, stable housing provides the foundation for healthier families, stronger neighborhoods and opportunity across future generations.
APPLAUSE!: Salute to Stand-Out Non-Profit Leaders in Pittsburgh
APPLAUSE! Terry Smith
Tammy Thompson
Terry Smith helps students connect emerging technology with careers they can envision and pursue. As Founder, President and CEO of M-PowerHouse of Greater Pittsburgh, he develops hands-on programs linking education, professional credentials and workforce readiness.
Tammy T. Thompson brings both professional expertise and lived experience to the challenge of poverty. As President and CEO of Catapult Greater Pittsburgh, she draws on her own journey from poverty to prosperity to help individuals and institutions recognize possibilities for economic advancement
His Robotics Aeronautical Program introduces participants to drones, aerospace engineering, robotics and artificial intelligence. Online FAA Part 107 preparation creates a pathway toward remote pilot certification for youth and adults.
An internationally recognized poverty expert, Thompson has more than 20 years of experience as a certified Housing Counselor. Her career centers on financial education within economic development, connecting knowledge about money and housing with the broader work of strengthening communities.
President and CEO Catapult Greater Pittsburgh
President and CEO M-Powerhouse of Greater Pittsburgh
Through the UPMC-sponsored Medical Milestones Program, students explore healthcare careers using clinical simulations, CPR, suturing and engagement with professionals. A Certified Biomimicry Educator, Smith also brings environmental science and sustainable design into learning. His collaboration with the University of Pittsburgh combines systems science and creative expression to help youth understand violence and develop conflict resolution skills. Recognized among the New Pittsburgh Courier’s 2020 Men of Excellence, Smith builds partnerships that expand students’ exposure to science, technology and professional possibilities. His work encourages young people to become creators, problem-solvers and leaders within their schools and communities.
Through T3 Media and T3 Consulting, Inc., she has produced media and led programs for organizations across the Pittsburgh region. As a sought-after speaker, she uses her personal story to encourage audiences to reconsider what is possible. A Point Park University alumna, Thompson lives in Pittsburgh, where she is raising her granddaughter. Her leadership connects counseling, education, storytelling and organizational service, giving her multiple avenues to advance a consistent mission: uplifting people and strengthening communities throughout Pittsburgh.
APPLAUSE!: Salute to Stand-Out Non-Profit Leaders in Pittsburgh
New Pittsburgh Courier
19
APPLAUSE! Cheyenne Tyler
Executive Director Café Momentum Pittsburgh Cheyenne Tyler believes young people deserve opportunities that reach beyond the systems and circumstances they encounter. As Executive Director of Café Momentum Pittsburgh, she puts that conviction into practice, creating pathways for youth impacted by the youth legal system. Named Executive Director in March 2024 after serving as the organization’s inaugural Director of Programs, Tyler brings more than 15 years of human-services experience. Her career includes work in juvenile facilities and community initiatives, giving her firsthand insight into barriers facing young people. At United Way of Southwestern Pennsylvania, she helped lead pandemic food relief that provided more than 1.4 million meals to students and families. Under her leadership, Café Momentum Pittsburgh earned the Pennsylvania Juvenile Court Judges’ Commission CommunityBased Program of the Year recognition and the Shyne Foundation Movement Award in 2025. Tyler’s leadership centers on strong relationships, equitable access and meaningful opportunity, helping young people build the skills, confidence and agency to shape their futures on their own terms.
20
New Pittsburgh Courier
APPLAUSE!: Salute to Stand-Out Non-Profit Leaders in Pittsburgh
APPLAUSE! Shemariah Waggoner
LaToya Warren
Managing Director Black Equity Coalition
Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer Achieva; President, Achieva Resource
Shemariah Waggoner brings operational rigor to the work of advancing racial equity. As Managing Director of the Black Equity Coalition, she directs initiatives connecting public health, community engagement and partnerships across government, healthcare, education, philanthropy and community organizations.
LaToya Warren oversees more than $50 million in organizational resources with a focus on strengthening the systems and people behind Achieva’s mission. As Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer and President of Achieva Resource, she leads functions spanning finance, human resources, technology, facilities, communications and advancement.
With more than two decades of experience, Waggoner oversees state, federal and privately funded grant programs alongside organizational budgeting and financial forecasting. Her leadership provides the structure needed to coordinate complex initiatives and steward resources responsibly. Her consulting career demonstrates that capacity at scale. At Emery Consulting Services, she led the integration of 10 acquired licensed entities into one business unit while navigating demanding regulatory requirements. Waggoner also brings experience developing diversity, supplier inclusion and workforce recruitment strategies. A Penn State graduate and Leadership Pittsburgh alumna, she serves on Auberle’s board. By combining compliance, financial planning and organizational leadership with community advocacy, Waggoner helps translate equity commitments into coordinated work supported by strong partnerships, clear accountability and the capacity for sustained action.
Since joining Achieva in 2021, Warren has guided implementation of its three-year strategic plan, strengthened operational reporting and advanced employee engagement. Her work connects financial sustainability with investments in staff, organizational growth, workplace security and inclusion. Previously, she held leadership roles with Allegheny County’s Department of Human Services, managing complex budgets, operations, compliance and workforce initiatives. Warren completed executive leadership training through Carnegie Mellon University’s Tepper School of Business and participated in The Advanced Leadership Institute. She mentors emerging leaders and serves on Disability LEAD’s Southwestern Pennsylvania Executive Committee. By pairing financial stewardship with collaborative leadership, Warren helps Achieva build the organizational strength needed to sustain its mission and serve its communities effectively.
APPLAUSE!: Salute to Stand-Out Non-Profit Leaders in Pittsburgh
New Pittsburgh Courier
21