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Visit Pittsburgh Board of Directors Names Jerad Bachar New CEO

The VisitPITTSBURGH Board of Directors has announced that Jerad Bachar has been named President and CEO of VisitPITTSBURGH following a nationwide search that began in January.  Bachar had been serving as Interim CEO.

“I am pleased to announce that Jerad has been chosen to lead VisitPITTSBURGH as our President and CEO following an extensive nationwide search that produced some extremely qualified candidates,” Bryan Iams, Chairman of the VisitPITTSBURGH’s Board of Directors, said. “Jerad’s domestic and international tourism experience, as well as his familiarity with the Pittsburgh tourism sector and VisitPITTSBURGH, were major factors in our decision, and his exceptional leadership as Interim CEO during these unprecedented times really made him stand out among our candidates. Jerad has demonstrated his ability to collaborate with key stakeholders, to be forward-thinking as we plan our market rebound strategy and to be willing to make tough decisions for the benefit of our organization and the local tourism sector.

“I would like to thank Searchwide Global, a highly respected leader in our industry; the members of the search committee who spent numerous hours helping to identify the right candidate; the many candidates who graciously met with us during the process; the VisitPITTSBURGH leadership team who continues to help guide us through this pandemic; and the entire VisitPITTSBURGH staff who are tirelessly working on retaining future business and sports events, as well as targeting future leisure travelers.”

Bachar brings to his new position more than 30 years of experience in tourism and economic development. Most recently, he served as Executive Vice President of VisitPITTSBURGH overseeing MeetPITTSBURGH, SportsPITTSBURGH, Destination Services, Partnership Development and Research.

Prior to that, he served as Executive Director – Economic Development for the Tourism, Real Estate, Education and Health Care sectors for Bahrain Economic Development Board and as Director – Business  Tourism for Dubai Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing. He also served as a strategic advisor to the Saudi Commission for Tourism and Heritage and the Abu Dhabi Tourism Authority.  Bachar previously worked for VisitPITTSBURGH as National Sales Director for a period of five years and began his career in several hotel leadership positions for Marriott International, Hilton Hotels and John Q. Hammons Hotels.

Bachar holds an MBA degree from the University of Liverpool. He also earned his Certified Destination Management Executive (CDME) designation from Destinations International.

VisitPittsburgh appoints new board chair, members

Thursday, March 31, 2022

Tags: Marriott Autograph Collection , VisitPittsburgh

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Meet the Four Pittsburgh Directors Joining the Familylinks’ Board

Pittsburgh, PA – Familylinks announces the appointment of four new members to its board of directors who will help support Familylinks’ mission to positively impact lives through integrated community, behavioral, and social programs. 

“We are pleased to add this incredible talent to our already strong board of directors,” said Stacey Vaccaro, Familylinks’ President and Chief Executive Officer. “Each person brings a unique expertise, and common passion and energy to the agency. We are fortunate to have them help guide us as we continue to execute our strategic plan towards Familylinks’ vision of thriving communities of healthy and strong people.” 

The new board members will begin their first of up to three three-year terms with Familylinks effective July 1, 2023. The four new board members are:

 Jonathan Buck – Chief Accounting Officer & Controller at MSA Safety, Inc.

 Derrick Maultsby – Attorney at Frost Brown Todd LLP

 Sarah Smalls – Retired, Youth Collaboratory

 Mark Winer – Retired, Fannie Mae

The newest board members join the current board in overseeing the implementation of the following strategic goals: 

·         Be a sought after and inclusive workplace

·         Maximize the reach and impact of services through strategic growth

·         Maintain long-term financial sustainability

·         Engage a network of community partners and supporters

·         Invest in infrastructure to support the mission, vision, and values

To see a full list of Familylinks Board of Directors, click here . 

About Familylinks

Familylinks is a nonprofit organization that exists to positively impact lives through integrated community, behavioral, and social services. Familylinks envisions thriving communities of healthy and strong people. To learn more, visit www.familylinks.org or call 866-583-6003.

Lauren Galletta

Director of Development & Outreach

412-942-0549

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Pittsburgh Power Moves: SWPA New Economy Collab hires board members for federal project

Plus, duolingo brings on a healthtech expert and cmu looks internally for its director of machine learning..

Federal funds currently flow into the region via the Economic Development Administration’s Build Back Better Regional Challenge. The coalition behind its local implementation just welcomed four new board members to the team. Plus, a longtime Carnegie Mellon University (CMU) professor got promoted to director of its machine learning department, and more. 

SWPA builds out its board to support regional economic dev

The Southwestern Pennsylvania (SWPA) New Economy Collaborative formed as an 11-county effort to grow the robotics scene. Now, it's building out its board to do just that. 

The group recently welcomed four new members : Gecko Robotics’ Troy Demmer, Victor Mrockowski from Total Production Solutions and Re:Build Manufacturing, Danielle Proctor of Advanced Construction Robotics and Agility Robotics’ Damion Shelton. 

“These new board members bring a wealth of knowledge and expertise and guide the Collaborative’s efforts in increasing economic productivity, job growth and advancing the adoption of robotics technology in southwestern Pennsylvania,” said Ben Pratt, chief economic competitiveness officer at the Allegheny Conference on Community Development, which administers the collaborative.

Organizations formed the coalition under the Economic Development Administration’s Build Back Better Regional Challenge . It’s a federal, $1 billion effort to boost economic growth post-pandemic. 

Healthtech leader joins Duolingo board

Mario Schlosser, cofounder of healthcare technology startup Oscar Health, now serves Duolingo as an independent board member . He still works as Oscar’s chief technology officer 12 years since its founding. 

Schlosser brings previous experience as a social gaming company’s co-creator to the mobile learning platform. He simultaneously serves on the boards of the Fraunhofer Institute of Applied Information Technology, Tech:NYC and the Guiding Council of One Mind At Work.

CMU appoints a new head of machine learning

Zico Koulter moved from professor to director as Carnegie Mellon University tapped him to lead its Machine Learning Department . 

Koulter has worked in CMU’s computer science school for more than a decade, during which he made machine learning a major topic of his research. wp

“In this moment, the research happening in the Machine Learning Department is influencing and will continue to influence the direction of artificial intelligence,” Koulter said. 

Before academia, Koulter spent several years in the tech industry. He worked in artificial intelligence research at engineering company Bosch and as a data scientist for enterprise AI firm C3.ai. 

More Power Moves:

• The space-themed Moonshot Museum hired Jimyse Brown as its executive director.
• University of Pittsburgh Vice Chancellor for STEM Research and Innovation James R. Martin, II will leave the school for a new role in North Carolina . He’ll be chancellor of North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University. 
• Pennsylvania State University will reduce its workforce at campuses across the commonwealth this summer. 383 employees, or about 10% of the institution, accepted buyouts.
• Allegheny County Executive Sara Innamorato appointed four people to the Pittsburgh Regional Transit board.

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New Kensington-Arnold School Board discusses approaching Burrell about merging

Current challenges faced by the Burrell School District have New Kensington-Arnold’s school directors wondering if the right time has come for the neighboring districts to again consider merging.

New Kensington-Arnold School Board member Bob Pallone raised the subject of approaching Burrell officials with the proposal at his board’s meeting Tuesday night.

He cited that Burrell now has the highest property tax rate in Westmoreland County after its board approved a 5.8% increase for the upcoming school year, and is considering closing Stewart Elementary School .

Pallone’s comment started a brief discussion, with fellow School Director Terry Schrock saying they could approach Burrell.

Schrock said his understanding was that, when raised in the past, New Kensington-Arnold was carrying too much debt for Burrell’s taste. As of June 30, the district’s debt is $29.4 million, Business Manager Jeff McVey said.

Schrock also cited cultural differences between the two districts.

“It’s always worth an ask,” Schrock said. “Now might be the time to do it.”

New Kensington-Arnold board member Rob Fusia was perhaps more optimistic. “They may approach us,” he said.

In 2014, the Burrell School Board declined to meet with their New Kensington-Arnold counterparts to discuss a merger. Several Burrell board members had said the time — now more than a decade ago — was not right.

Contacted Wednesday, Burrell School Board President Pam Key said the district’s board was unaware of New Kensington-Arnold’s discussion.

“We know nothing about it,” she said. “They haven’t approached us.”

Key, in her ninth year on the board, said the subject of a merger has not come up since she has been on the Burrell School Board.

Burrell Superintendent Shannon Wagner did not respond to a request for comment Wednesday.

TribLive reached out to all other Burrell board members for comment by email.

Board member LeeAnn Guido said a merger would be “an enormous change to propose and consider, and not a proposal that is originating from our board room.

”I was very taken aback to hear this had come up in conversation at the (New Kensington-Arnold) board meeting. This topic has never come up in conversation among our board in the time that I have served on the (Burrell school board),” she said in an email.

Guido said she was unable to say now if a merger is something she would consider.

“What I can commit to is that I am willing to participate in any conversation that the Burrell administration and my fellow board directors want to have,” she said. “However, I will always vote to do what I believe is best for the students and taxpayers of the Burrell School District.”

No other Burrell board members responded.

New Kensington-Arnold board President Tim Beckes noted the progress his district has been making since Superintendent Chris Sefcheck took over in 2021. The board expressed its confidence in Sefcheck on Tuesday in approving a new contract , extending his employment from 2026 to 2029.

Beckes said New Kensington-Arnold has been attracting people and adding programs while other districts have been cutting staff and closing schools.

New Kensington-Arnold can try to open a dialogue with Burrell, even if Pallone warned it could fall on deaf ears.

“The Tri-City is stronger together than apart,” Beckes said.

Sefcheck said he could contact the state Department of Education to find out what a merger process would look like.

Brian C. Rittmeyer is a TribLive reporter covering news in New Kensington, Arnold and Plum. A Pittsburgh native and graduate of Penn State University's Schreyer Honors College, Brian has been with the Trib since December 2000. He can be reached at [email protected] .

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Michele Meloy Burchfield Named VisitPITTSBURGH Chairperson

Eight Board Members Elected, Officer Slate Revealed

PITTSBURGH – Michele Meloy Burchfield, founder of Blume Honey Water, was named Chairperson of VisitPITTSBURGH’s Board of Directors this afternoon at the organization’s annual business meeting at the August Wilson African American Cultural Center.

Additionally, eight new board members were officially elected, four of which were previously announced, and the complete 2023 officer slate was revealed.

“We are fortunate to have comprised such an exceptional group of local leaders and voices on our board. They undoubtedly will continue to generate positive impacts that will be felt throughout our community,” said VisitPITTSBURGH President & CEO Jerad Bachar. “I look forward to working with Michele and the entire board, including our newest members, and know that we will benefit from their vast experience and knowledge.”

“I’m honored to join the board as chairperson, and I’m very lucky to be following a great line of previous leaders,” added Meloy Burchfield. “With the unique experience of serving on the board before, during and now after the upheaval of a global pandemic, I’ve had the opportunity to witness VisitPITTSBURGH help bolster Allegheny County’s travel economy during the best of times and perhaps the worst of times. Our entire board has been very inspired by how the organization has remained invigorated and stimulated business through it all – and I certainly look forward to continuing to provide support moving forward.”

The 2023 VisitPITTSBURGH officers are:

• Michele Meloy Burchfield, board chairperson (founder, Blume Honey Water)
• Perry Ivery, vice chairman (general manager, The Oaklander Hotel, Marriott Autograph Collection)
• Troy Schooley, treasurer (CEO, P3R)
• Shannon Baker, secretary (president of PR & marketing, Gatesman Agency)
• Meredith Meyer Grelli, immediate past chairperson (Carnegie Mellon University)

Michele Meloy Burchfield has more than 30 years of marketing/sales/sales management and distribution experience in the beverage industry. As founder and CEO of THE MBM Group in 2006, she independently created a beverage industry-focused consulting company working with clients such as FIJI Water, Sierra Nevada Brewing Company, Yuengling, Straub, New Belgium, Heineken and Firestone Walker to name a few. Prior to the MBM Group, Meloy Burchfield spent almost 15 years with the Boston Beer Company building the Sam Adams brand, contributing to the rise of the craft beer category. Meloy Burchfield is founder of Pittsburgh-based Blume Honey Water, a local producer of Organic Honey Waters.

The new VisitPITTSBURGH board members are:

• Curtis Aiken, ProTech Compliance
• Mamadou Baldé, CBRE (previously announced)
• Allison Beckner, Omni William Penn Hotel (previously announced)
• Jason Brown, Carnegie Science Center
• Stefanie Cedro Mohr, Carnegie Museum of Art (previously announced)
• Gerardo Interiano, Aurora (previously announced)
• Izzy Rudolph, McKnight Realty Partners

Curtis Aiken is president, CEO and founder of ProTech Compliance, offering custom technology solutions with a strong focus on healthcare and nonprofits for more than a decade. His depth of managerial, entrepreneurial and community development experience forms a foundation for business vision and executive leadership. Prior to founding ProTech Compliance, Aiken served as CEO of eSGS, where his experience and leadership allowed the company to utilize technology solutions to optimize processes for identifying, qualifying, bidding and reporting supplier diversity activity. He has also served as the director of marketing for Cameron Coca-Cola Company, where he drew on skills in management, sales operations, promotions marketing and advertising (print, radio and television) to contribute to their growth over a 12-year period. Aiken is an avid supporter of several community groups in the Pittsburgh region and also currently serves on the boards of organizations such as the Urban League of Greater Pittsburgh, the YMCA Metro Board, the Juvenile Diabetes Fund, the Intergovernmental Cooperation Authority (ICA) Board, which oversees the city’s finances, and the University of Pittsburgh Cancer Institute. Aiken graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Communications and a Minor in Business from the University of Pittsburgh, where he also excelled as a four-year starter and letterwinner on the 1983-1987 men’s basketball team.

Jason Brown is Henry Buhl, Jr., director at Carnegie Science Center and vice president at Carnegie Museums of Pittsburgh. He has an undergraduate degree in physics from Hobart College in New York, an MBA, a Master’s Certificate in Educational Technologies and New Literacies, is a certified Project Management Professional® and is a former New York-, Oregon-, and Pennsylvania-certified science teacher. Brown was named a Pennsylvania STEM Ambassador in 2018 and was a member of Leadership Pittsburgh XXXVII in 2020-21. During his 11 years in the classroom, he taught high school science (physics, geology, astronomy, environmental science, Project Lead The Way), alternative education and middle school technology, as well as served as an assistant professor in the construction management and architecture programs at the State University of New York. He also spent six years as a builder and residential construction project manager with a focus on historical restoration, building science, energy efficiency and sustainable building practices, and has developed and led professional learning opportunities in the areas of technology integration, behavior management, STEM education best-practices, and the utilization of online and digital resources in instruction. Prior to his current position, Brown served as senior director of science and education and directed all operations of Carnegie Science Center’s Center for STEM Education and Career Development, overseeing all student, teacher, district and early learner programs, as well as the Fab Lab Carnegie Science Center makerspace. While he now oversees all operations of the Science Center, he is still heavily involved in exhibition and content creation as well as the development of the overall educational, operational and long-term strategy.

Jim Jen has played an active role in the growth of the Pittsburgh technology sector over the last 20 years. Most recently, as chief operating officer of Innovation Works, he led initial investments in more than 200 pre-seed and seed stage companies, guiding some of Pittsburgh’s fastest-growing tech companies. Jen also co-founded AlphaLab, one of the first accelerators in the U.S., and subsequently helped launch AlphaLab Gear, AlphaLab Health and most recently, the Robotics Factory, innovative accelerators tailored to the unique needs of their sectors. Prior to moving to Pittsburgh, Jen led product and marketing for venture-backed software companies in California and also worked with consumer-facing companies in hospitality, retail, CPG and media/entertainment. As a consumer, he is an avid fan of sports and the arts, especially baseball and theatre. Jim holds a Bachelor of Arts/Master of Arts in Economics and a Master of Business Administration, all from Stanford University.

Izzy Rudolph is the president and CEO of McKnight Realty Partners, a Pittsburgh-based full-service, fully integrated real estate company that develops, owns, operates and provides service for 7 million square feet of commercial real estate in the Pittsburgh region and across the country. Rudolph is responsible for the company’s national development activities including commercial and retail development, property acquisitions and dispositions, real estate investment management and sourcing new business opportunities. Since joining the company, he has led projects such as the conversion and repositioning of the iconic Downtown Pittsburgh Henry W. Oliver Building into a 225-room Embassy Suites by Hilton hotel and nearly fully occupied office tower, as well as the acquisition and transformation of the former American Eagle Outfitters headquarters in Warrendale, Pennsylvania, into The Warrendale Commerce Center, which included a film production soundstage for Netflix and a warehouse and distribution center for a Fortune 500 company. Rudolph is currently leading the redevelopment of the 1-million-square-foot, historic, South Side riverfront Pittsburgh Terminal Buildings into the mixed-use office complex called The Highline. Rudolph also serves as vice president of the Board of Directors for Yeshiva Schools of Pittsburgh, the largest Jewish day school in the state of Pennsylvania, and he also is on the Board of Directors for the Pittsburgh Film Office, Pittsburgh Downtown Partnership and The Heinz History Center. Rudolph studied at the Rabbinical College of America. He resides in the Pittsburgh neighborhood of Squirrel Hill with his wife and children.

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Colorado Rep. Yadira Caraveo visits CU Boulder to talk quantum

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Colorado Congresswoman Yadira Caraveo dipped into all-things quantum June 3 as she made her first official visit to CU Boulder and JILA, a joint institute between the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) and CU Boulder.

As a member of the House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology arriving on campus only a day after it was announced that the Mountain West is receiving a $127 million infusion to bolster quantum technology and workforce, the discussion was energized and timely. The committee oversees vital policies related to the National Science Foundation (NSF), NASA, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), and NIST. The committee also handles several aspects of federal quantum policy.

Colorado Rep. Yadira Caraveo gets a tour of Jun Ye’s lab in JILA

“I am really looking forward to continued partnership with you all,” said Caraveo after hearing about a range of quantum initiatives on campus and across the region and taking notes. “I’m going to get down to work making sure these agencies are well-funded.”  

She was joined by university leaders, including Chancellor Justin Schwartz, Vice Chancellor for Research Massimo Ruzzene, Dean of the College of Engineering and Applied Science Keith Molenaar, and notable researchers and professors, including JILA Fellow John Bohn, JILA and NIST Fellow Jun Ye, Mike Gooseff, Scott Diddams, Greg Rieker, CUbit Quantum Initiative Director Scott Sternberg and representatives Laura Buccini and Dan LaBarbera from the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus.

“In my short time at CU so far, I have had the privilege of taking part in the exciting work that the university, in partnership with government and industry, is doing to build the quantum ecosystem in Colorado,” said Schwartz, who began his post as CU Boulder’s 12th chancellor on July 1. “It is a very exciting time and one of the reasons I was so excited to join the CU Boulder community.”

Schwartz also expressed gratitude to Caraveo for her leadership on the House Science Committee, which is leading the 118th Congress in updating the National Quantum Initiative Act, and offered the university’s support for passing the bill this year. The law, which has accelerated federal research in quantum, expired in 2023.

“CU appreciates the inclusion of many of our priorities in the House reauthorization bill, including expanded NIST partnerships in quantum sensing and quantum engineering, ensuring the current NSF quantum institutes are renewable, creating a new quantum center opportunity at NASA, and authorizing new NSF programs to expand efforts in education, translation, capacity building and infrastructure,” Ruzzene said.

In addition to giving her a better understanding of the latest advancements and challenges in quantum science, the campus conversation emphasized the critical role of ongoing federal support in continuing the United States' leadership in quantum research and innovation.

Learn more about quantum research and news at CU Boulder

Colorado’s growing quantum hub

Caraveo is one of many Colorado leaders who has recently visited CU Boulder and JILA to discuss ongoing efforts in quantum research.

Colorado is rapidly establishing itself as a quantum research and innovation hub, with CU Boulder playing a key role in helping to spawn many local quantum computing startup companies. The state government estimates the quantum industry could add thousands of jobs to Colorado over the next decade.

Just the day before, the U.S. Economic Development Administration announced that Elevate Quantum, of which CU Boulder is a key partner, received a Tech Hub Phase 2 implementation award from the Department of Commerce, unlocking more than $127 million in new federal and state funding. 

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Five Members Appointed to VisitPITTSBURGH Board of Directors

Members Represent Aurora, CBRE, Omni William Penn, Fairmont Pittsburgh and Carnegie Museum of Art

PITTSBURGH – Meredith Meyer Grelli, VisitPITTSBURGH’s Chairperson, announced five new board members for open positions at its most recent Board of Directors meeting. The appointees fill open seats on the board and will now proceed through the traditional election process.

The new VisitPITTSBURGH board members are:

• Allison Beckner , General Manager, Omni William Penn
• Mamadou Baldé , Managing Director, CBRE
• Gerardo Interiano , Vice President of Government Relations, Aurora
• Stefanie Cedro Mohr , Director of Marketing & Engagement, Carnegie Museum of Art
• David Sher , General Manager, Fairmont Pittsburgh

“I would like to congratulate Allison, Mamadou, Gerardo, Stefanie and David and welcome them to the VisitPITTSBURGH Board of Directors,” VisitPITTSBURGH Chairperson Meredith Meyer Grelli said. “This is such a talented group of individuals who represent a variety of sectors that support VisitPITTSBURGH’s major initiatives including the Tourism Master Plan, Tourism Brand Development and the Tourism Improvement District. Their collective experience and knowledge will help VisitPITTSBURGH as the organization continues to build back Allegheny County’s tourism economy.”

Allison Beckner is an accomplished hotel professional with extensive experience in repositioning assets in branded, independent and lifestyle hotels. A Pittsburgh native, she has more than 15 years of instrumental leadership experience, most recently stepping into the General Manager role at Omni William Penn. Previously, during her time with HEI Hotels & Resorts, Beckner refocused company resources on operational improvements to increase the Guest Service Index rating by 40% across six locations. Most recently in her role as vice president of operations at TPG Hotels & Resorts in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, she led the Southeast region to become the top performer for employee satisfaction, ranking 10 points above the company average, along with achieving the highest profitability margins within the company. Beckner earned a hospitality management degree from Pennsylvania Culinary Institute and certification from Le Cordon Bleu.

Mamadou Baldé is the Market Leader and Managing Director for CBRE’s Pittsburgh and West Virginia Operations. In this role, he oversees business operations and manages client relations, new business development and related services for the markets. Baldé serves as the strategic manager for all Advisory Services lines of business, including Property Management, Advisory & Transaction Services, Capital Markets, Project Management and Valuation & Advisory Services. Prior to joining CBRE in 2021, he was President of Fulani Millwork, Inc., and was a Developer-In-Residence with ACTION-Housing. In addition to real estate experience, he also practiced law at Pittsburgh regional law firms. Baldé is a graduate of Liberty University School of Law, where he earned his Juris Doctorate and his Bachelor of Science in Finance.

Gerardo Interiano is Vice President of Government Relations and Public Affairs at Aurora, where he leads the company’s efforts to help define self-driving policy and ensure self-driving vehicles are both developed and delivered to roads safely. Interiano has more than 15 years of advocacy, campaign and legislative experience and has brought highly regulated products to market in various industries, including transportation and telecommunications. Interiano has a B.A. and a J.D. from The University of Texas at Austin. He was appointed by Pennsylvania Governor Tom Wolf to the Pennsylvania Highly Automated Vehicle Advisory Committee on behalf of the self-driving industry, as well as the Pennsylvania Workforce Development Board.

Stefanie Cedro Mohr joined Carnegie Museum of Art in 2019 as the Director of Marketing & Engagement. In this newly created role, she brings strategic integrated marketing and communications leadership to the museum and has aligned the marketing function to the greater programmatic ambitions of the institution. Prior to joining Carnegie Museum of Art, Mohr held a variety of marketing and communications roles across the consumer goods, retail and media industries, including Assistant Vice President, Head of Corporate Communications for the Consumer Products Division at L’Oréal and Assistant Vice President, Integrated Marketing Communications for the L’Oréal Paris brand. She also previously spearheaded the PR team for Glamour Magazine and led field public relations for the east coast at Target. Mohr also spent eight years at The Estēe Lauder Companies Inc., working on three different global brand teams including Estēe Lauder, Jo Malone and Origins, with her most recent role being Director of Global Communications. Mohr earned her MBA from Fordham University and BA in Business and BM in Music Theatre from Baldwin-Wallace University.

David Sher is the General Manager for Fairmont Pittsburgh, a position he has held since 2020. He joined the Fairmont company in 2010, first serving as Director, Food & Beverage, at Fairmont Château Laurier before transferring to Fairmont Chicago, Millennium Park, in 2013, in the same role. Prior to relocating to Pittsburgh, Sher served as Director, Operations, for Fairmont Dallas for five years. His hospitality career began in 1997 at the Millennium Broadway/Millennium Conference Center New York. He also has worked with: RIHGA Royal Hotel in New York; Sheraton Hotel & Towers in Tel Aviv; InterContinental Hotel, Toronto; Sassafraz Restaurant (Toronto); Simply Zoup (Toronto); and Rosewater/Rosewater ROOM Toronto (Liberty Group). Sher holds a degree from the Institut Hôtelier “Cesar Ritz” Colleges in Switzerland in International Hotel Management. He also participated in the ESSEC Business School & Accor International Hotel Management Program (Hotel General Manager).

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Five Members Appointed to VisitPITTSBURGH Board

• October 10, 2022

Meredith Meyer Grelli,   VisitPITTSBURGH ’s Chairperson, announced five new  board  members for open positions at its most recent  Board   of   Directors  meeting. The appointees fill open seats on the  board  and will now proceed through the traditional election process.

The new  VisitPITTSBURGH   board  members are:

• Allison Beckner, General Manager, Omni William Penn
• Mamadou Baldé, Managing Director, CBRE
• Gerardo Interiano, Vice President  of  Government Relations, Aurora
• Stefanie Cedro Mohr, Director  of  Marketing & Engagement, Carnegie Museum  of  Art
• David Sher, General Manager, Fairmont Pittsburgh

“I would like to congratulate Allison, Mamadou, Gerardo, Stefanie and David and welcome them to the  VisitPITTSBURGH   Board   of   Directors ,”  VisitPITTSBURGH Chairperson Meredith Meyer Grelli says. “This is such a talented group of  individuals who represent a variety  of  sectors that support  VisitPITTSBURGH ’s major initiatives including the Tourism Master Plan, Tourism Brand Development and the Tourism Improvement District. Their collective experience and knowledge will help  VisitPITTSBURGH  as the organization continues to build back Allegheny County’s tourism economy.”

Allison Beckner is an accomplished hotel professional with extensive experience in repositioning assets in branded, independent and lifestyle hotels. A Pittsburgh native, she has more than 15 years  of  instrumental leadership experience, most recently stepping into the General Manager role at Omni William Penn. Previously, during her time with HEI Hotels & Resorts, Beckner refocused company resources on operational improvements to increase the Guest Service Index rating by 40% across six locations. Most recently in her role as vice president  of  operations at TPG Hotels & Resorts in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, she led the Southeast region to become the top performer for employee satisfaction, ranking 10 points above the company average, along with achieving the highest profitability margins within the company. Beckner earned a hospitality management degree from Pennsylvania Culinary Institute and certification from Le Cordon Bleu.

Mamadou Baldé is the market leader and managing director for CBRE’s Pittsburgh and West Virginia Operations. In this role, he oversees business operations and manages client relations, new business development and related services for the markets. Baldé serves as the strategic manager for all Advisory Services lines of  business, including Property Management, Advisory & Transaction Services, Capital Markets, Project Management and Valuation & Advisory Services. Prior to joining CBRE in 2021, he was President  of  Fulani Millwork, Inc., and was a Developer-In-Residence with ACTION-Housing. In addition to real estate experience, he also practiced law at Pittsburgh regional law firms. Baldé is a graduate  of  Liberty University School  of  Law, where he earned his Juris Doctorate and his Bachelor  of  Science in Finance.

Gerardo Interiano is vice president of  Government Relations and Public Affairs at Aurora, where he leads the company’s efforts to help define self-driving policy and ensure self-driving vehicles are both developed and delivered to roads safely. Interiano has more than 15 years  of  advocacy, campaign and legislative experience and has brought highly regulated products to market in various industries, including transportation and telecommunications. Interiano has a B.A. and a J.D. from The University  of  Texas at Austin. He was appointed by Pennsylvania Governor Tom Wolf to the Pennsylvania Highly Automated Vehicle Advisory Committee on behalf  of  the self-driving industry, as well as the Pennsylvania Workforce Development  Board .

Stefanie Cedro Mohr joined Carnegie Museum  of Art in 2019 as the director  of marketing & engagement. In this newly created role, she brings strategic integrated marketing and communications leadership to the museum and has aligned the marketing function to the greater programmatic ambitions of  the institution. Prior to joining Carnegie Museum  of  Art, Mohr held a variety  of  marketing and communications roles across the consumer goods, retail and media industries, including Assistant Vice President, Head  of  Corporate Communications for the Consumer Products Division at L’Oréal and Assistant Vice President, Integrated Marketing Communications for the L’Oréal Paris brand. She also previously spearheaded the PR team for  Glamour  Magazine and led field public relations for the east coast at Target. Mohr also spent eight years at The Estēe Lauder Companies Inc., working on three different global brand teams including Estēe Lauder, Jo Malone and Origins, with her most recent role being Director  of  Global Communications. Mohr earned her MBA from Fordham University and BA in Business and BM in Music Theatre from Baldwin-Wallace University.

David Sher is the general manager for Fairmont Pittsburgh, a position he has held since 2020. He joined the Fairmont company in 2010, first serving as Director, Food & Beverage, at Fairmont Château Laurier before transferring to Fairmont Chicago, Millennium Park, in 2013, in the same role. Prior to relocating to Pittsburgh, Sher served as Director, Operations, for Fairmont Dallas for five years. His hospitality career began in 1997 at the Millennium Broadway/Millennium Conference Center New York. He also has worked with: RIHGA Royal Hotel in New York; Sheraton Hotel & Towers in Tel Aviv; InterContinental Hotel, Toronto; Sassafraz Restaurant (Toronto); Simply Zoup (Toronto); and Rosewater/Rosewater ROOM Toronto (Liberty Group). Sher holds a degree from the Institut Hôtelier “Cesar Ritz” Colleges in Switzerland in International Hotel Management. He also participated in the ESSEC Business School & Accor International Hotel Management Program (Hotel General Manager).

Emily Olson

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