La Salle University President joins the Urban Affairs Coalition Board of Directors

President Daniel J. Allen, Ph.D., will work alongside leaders from across Greater Philadelphia to solve complex challenges, expand economic opportunity, and strengthen community support systems.

La Salle University President Daniel J. Allen, Ph.D., is joining the Urban Affairs Coalition (UAC) as a member of its Board of Directors.

The UAC, headquartered in Philadelphia, brings together leaders from several different fields to help improve quality of life for people across the city and region, and to strengthen the over 50 nonprofits housed by the coalition.

"I look forward to being a part of the Urban Affairs Coalition. Its commitment to supporting our communities and finding solutions to improve the lives of our friends and neighbors aligns with our University's Lasallian values and mission," President Allen said. "The initiatives of the organization mirror many of the priorities we have at our institution including building economic mobility, working alongside local partners, and preparing people for their future careers and life pathways. It's important to me for our Explorers to not only thrive, but to see the same for the city of Philadelphia and the regions surrounding us in which we live, work, and play."

Established in 1969, UAC is a trusted civic institution in the city. With more than five decades of experience, the organization aims to not only address immediate needs, but to drive long-term, systems-level change.

UAC serves as a partner to various sectors on initiatives including workforce development, economic mobility, violence prevention, and neighborhood revitalization. This is a vital part of the organization's success as they aim to find solutions to problems that are "far too complex for one entity to solve on its own."

UAC focuses on four interconnected priorities:

• Strengthening Nonprofits and Community-Based Organizations

• Building Wealth and Economic Mobility in Urban Communities

• Developing Youth and Young Adults for Career Pathways

• Creating Strategic Partnerships that Drive Scalable Impact

Key work includes its Summer Youth Employment Program (SYEP) to provide young people with meaningful work experiences and career readiness; Community Economic Development (CED) to connect low- and moderate-income residents to financial tools and pathways to stability and wealth-building; the Thanksgiving Basket Program in collaboration with Brown's Super Stores to offer one of the city's largest giving efforts; and Economic Development Projects (EDP) to support minority- and women-owned business participation in major projects.

Allen joins a Board comprised of corporate and financial senior executives, public sector leaders, and grassroots and nonprofit organizers from across the Greater Philadelphia region.

"We are proud to welcome President Allen to the Urban Affairs Coalition Board. His leadership in higher education and deep commitment to expanding opportunity align closely with our mission. As we continue to bring together partners across sectors to address complex challenges, his perspective will strengthen our ability to connect education, workforce development, and economic mobility for communities across Philadelphia," said Urban Affairs Coalition Chief Executive Officer Sharmain Matlock-Turner.

Through its 60-plus programs and initiatives, UAC serves more than 250,000 individuals yearly.

Allen will attend his first UAC Annual Board Meeting in late June.