Neighborhood Allies’ own, Presley Gillespie, is excited to be serving along side this impressive list of great local leaders to plan Pittsburgh’s 200th Anniversary Celebration!
By: Justine Coyne, Pittsburgh Business Times, March 18, 2015
Marking Pittsburgh city government’s 199th birthday, Pittsburgh Mayor Bill Peduto on Wednesday named a committee of more than 25 civic leaders to help plan events around the 200th anniversary of the city’s incorporation.
The committee is charged with planning celebrations around the anniversary next year. Pittsburgh city government was incorporated March 18, 1816.
A signature event will feature descendants of Ebenezer Denny, the city’s first mayor, and as many relations as can be located for every mayor since, according to Peduto’s office.
Committee members include:
- Samantha Balbier, Greater Pittsburgh Nonprofit Partnership
- Esther Bush, Urban League of Greater Pittsburgh
- Karina Chavez, Pittsburgh Council on Higher Education
- Meg Cheever, Pittsburgh Parks Conservancy
- Mary Frances Cooper, Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh
- Nathan Darity, Amizade
- Craig Davis, VisitPittsburgh
- Rev. Richard L. Freeman, Pennsylvania Interfaith Impact Network
- Presley Gillespie, Neighborhood Allies
- Magdeline Jensen, YWCA Greater Pittsburgh
- Chris Koch, Design Center
- Andy Masich, Heinz History Center
- Kevin McMahon, Pittsburgh Cultural Trust
- Bob Nelkin, United Way of Allegheny County
- Barney Oursler, Pittsburgh United
- Lee Anne Pontis, New Pittsburgh Collaborative
- Audrey Russo, Pittsburgh Technology Council
- Harish Saluja, Silk Screen Film Festival
- Jack Shea, Allegheny County Labor Council
- Mitch Swain, Greater Pittsburgh Arts Council
- Barbara Sieck Taylor, Grantmakers of Western Pennsylvania
- Jeremy Waldrup, Pittsburgh Downtown Partnership
- Doris Carson Williams, African American Chamber of Commerce
- Dennis Yablonsky, Allegheny Conference on Community Development
- Lynn Zelevansky, Carnegie Museum of Art
- Arthur Ziegler, Pittsburgh History & Landmarks
“We have much to celebrate next year, from the 200th anniversary of Pittsburgh to the 100th anniversary of the City-County Building to Pittsburgh’s ongoing growth and transformation into a cutting-edge 21st Century city,” Peduto said in a prepared statement. “I am excited by the possibilities and want to thank all members of the anniversary committee for joining me in this effort.”
