GLOBAL PHILADELPHIA - Key Persons
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- Vice President of Communication, Free Library of Pennsylvania / Vice President of External Affairs
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- Board of Directors
- President & CEO, the Welcoming Center of Philadelphia
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- Architect
- Board of Directors
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- Co - Founder of the CEO Access Network at the Greater Philadelphia Chamber of Commerce
- President and CEO of BFW Group
- President and CEO, BFW Group, LLC
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- Chief Financial Officer
- Staff
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- Board of Directors
- President, Foreign Policy Research Institute
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- Board of Directors
- Senior Director of External Affairs, Visit Philly
Rochelle ("Chellie") L. Cameron is the current President & CEO of The Chamber of Commerce for Greater Philadelphia.
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- Board of Directors
- President, Consular Corps Association of Philadelphia
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- Communications Specialist
Clotilde Berling is a communications specialist. She graduated from La Sorbonne in Paris with a bachelor degree in Business and Languages. She then studied one year abroad at the Copenhagen Business School in Denmark, before completing her master's degree majoring in Marketing and Communications in a French business school (Sup de Co Reims). She has worked in various industries, such as tourism, trade credit insurance and engineering, where she was in charge of developing branding initiatives, internal communications and external media relations.
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- Board of Directors
- Deputy Secretary, OIBD PA, Department of Community and Economic Development of PA
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- Board of Directors
- Board Treasurer, Managing Director - Investments and Financial Advisor, Kron & Polis Financial Group of Wells Fargo Advisors
Principal David M. Raab has more than thirty years experience as a marketer, consultant, author and analyst. He has consulted with major firms in financial services, health care, telecommunications, publishing, consumer goods, technology and other industries. Mr. Raab has written hundreds of articles on marketing issues and addressed audiences in North America, Europe, Asia and Australia. He is author of The Marketing Performance Measurement Toolkit, published by Racom Communications.
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- Director of Anchor Economy at Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia / President of Campus Philly
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- Social Media Specialist
- Staff
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- Staff
- Sustainable Development Goals Program Manager
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- Event and Program Manager
- Staff
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- Board of Directors
- Board of Trustees Chairs, International House
Gigi's professional background has been in community engagement, intergenerational literacy and social services. She defines herself as a performance artist and writer who uses social practice to create books, plays, projects, transitory exhibits and site-specific events that are designed to encourage open discussion around themes and topics that affect us in our lives.
Job Titles:
- Dentist
- Vice Chair
- Board of Directors
Harold B. Yaffe, D.D.S. has a long and solid history of service to the local community as well as to the American Jewish Commitee. Having served as President, Chairman and, currently, Chair Emeritus and Advisory Councils of the Philadelphia/Southern New Jersey office of AJC. As a political activist, Harold's knowledge and support of issues important to the community is renowned.
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- Executive Director of National Association of Academies of Science / Founder, Let 's Be Direct LLC
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- Associate Professor of Social Ethics, Saint Joseph 's University
- Board of Directors
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- Board of Directors
- City Representative, City of Philadelphia
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- Board of Directors
- Vice President, Government and Community Affair, University of Pennsylvania
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- Board of Directors
- Chancellor, Philadelphia Bar Association
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- Communications Coordinator & EIJP Editor
- Staff
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- Vice Chair
- Global Interdependence Center in 2008 As the Assistant Director
Jill Fornito joined the Global Interdependence Center in 2008 as the assistant director with a broad scope of responsibilities including organizational and program management. In 2011, Jill assumed the role of director of operations, focusing mainly on the planning and execution of GIC's domestic and international conferences. Jill was named the executive director in 2017 as she continues to oversee the daily operations of the GIC office, including development, financial administration, program coordination and communications. She is also the author of GIC's Travel Blog.
Jill currently serves as a Vice Chair on the Board of the Global Philadelphia Association and on the Advisory Board of the Women's Energy Network of Greater Philadelphia. Jill earned the CFA Institute Investment Foundations certificate in 2017 and recently completed a Spanish Language Immersion Program with Agualivar Spanish School in Málaga. She graduated with a BA in Communication from La Salle University, resides in Philadelphia, PA and is an active volunteer with Saved Me Dog Rescue.
Job Titles:
- Board of Directors
- Vice Chair, Executive Director, Global Interdependence Center
Before joining the GIC staff, Jill worked as the director of treasury for Greater Philadelphia Cares, a non-profit organization committed to volunteer engagement throughout the Philadelphia region. It was there that she strengthened her background in program administration, relationship building, and non-profit management. Prior to her professional transition to the non-profit sector, Jill worked as a human resources administrator at Towers Perrin, managing employee profit sharing, health & welfare and defined benefit plans.
Joan Detz is the author of How To Write & Give A Speech , which The Washington Post praised as "A how-to classic". She writes speeches, consults on presentations, prepares executives for media interviews, and rehearses speakers for conferences.
Job Titles:
- Chairman Emeritus
- Chairman of the Board
- Senior Counselor
- Board of Directors
John Smith is the Board Chair Emeritus and Senior Counselor of the Global Philadelphia Association (GPA). The Association was created in 2009 to serve the international community of the Greater Philadelphia Region; to raise awareness of the many international interests, activities, and resources (including Independence Hall, a World Heritage Site) in the Region; and to expand the Region's business reach and global profile. It has grown rapidly since its founding. Today, GPA consists of over 140 organizational and individual members, each of which is vitally interested in Philadelphia's involvement in the larger global context, the region's international business vitality, the preservation of its unique heritage, and the development of deeper ties with the world community. Among the many projects that the Association has undertaken are the development and maintenance of a website (www.globalphiladelphia.org) that serves as an international directory, bulletin board, and magazine for the City; conducting an international exposition that featured over 100 events in the fall of 2013; instituting an international journalism project for college and university students; and organizing the effort to secure the prized World Heritage City designation for the City of Philadelphia. The coming year will see the publication of an international resource guide, the Philly Navigator, and an even bigger international exposition, GlobalPhilly™2015. The Association works closely with each of its members, including the World Trade Center of Greater Philadelphia, and the City itself in each of these regards and speaks out regularly on matters of international interest.
Mr. Smith is also Of Counsel to a large international law firm, Reed Smith LLP, with 1800 attorneys and 25 offices around the world. He has practiced broadly in the areas of civil litigation, business counseling, and fiduciary matters, and has had extensive experience in the fields of insurance, banking, health care, governmental relations, director and officer fiduciary responsibility, the licensing of intellectual property, constitutional interpretation, and employment and civil rights. He served on the firm's Executive Committee from 1992 to 2003, founded the firm's Chinese Fellowship Program, and was the first Chancellor of the firm's corporate-style educational arm, Reed Smith University.
Throughout his career, Mr. Smith has been active in public and professional matters. He was an officer in the United States Navy in the 1960's and served as Operations Officer for the Navy's River Division 511 in Can Tho, Vietnam. More recently, he has served as President of the Foundation for Individual Responsibility and Social Trust (FIRST), Chair of the Board of Trustees of International House Philadelphia, Chair of the Board of Directors of the Economy League of Greater Philadelphia, and Program Chair of the World Affairs Council of Philadelphia. He is listed in The Best Lawyers in America, Who's Who in America, Who's Who in American Law, and Pennsylvania Super Lawyers.
He is married to the former Susan Jane Brown. They live in Villanova, Pennsylvania, and have three sons and four grandchildren.
Job Titles:
- Board of Directors
- U.S. Practice Director ( Managing Partner ), Green & Spiegel Law Firm
- U.S. Practice Director and Managing Partner for Green
Jonathan Grode serves as the U.S. Practice Director and Managing Partner for Green and Spiegel. Jonathan has worked continuously in the U.S. business immigration law field since 1999 and has amassed considerable experience obtaining nonimmigrant and immigrant visas for new company start-ups, professional workers, artists and entertainers, athletes, physicians, and scientific researchers. In addition, Jonathan has significant experience dealing with Department of Labor and Department of Homeland Security enforcement actions as well as immigration related aspects of Mergers and Acquisitions.
Jonathan has been a panelist and moderator on immigration law topics for numerous organizations, including the American Bar Association, Greater Philadelphia Chamber of Commerce, French Chamber for Commerce and Industry (Paris, France), and the American Immigration Lawyers Association. He also writes regularly for industry publications and academic journals. In addition, Jonathan is an Adjunct Faculty at Temple University's Beasley School of Law where he teaches Business Immigration Law, Advising Global Corporations, and Law Practice Management. In 2020, Jonathan Grode was named Adjunct Faculty of the Year by Temple University.
Notably, Jonathan has been listed as one of SuperLawyers Rising Stars from 2012-2019 and since 2020 continuously been named a Super Lawyer. He has also been honored with the 2014 Pennsylvania Bar Association Special Achievement Award for "Dedication and Commitment to the High School Mock Trial Competition", for which he has served as Lead Author since 2007. Jonathan was also the recipient of Lexology's Client Choice Award in 2019 and was named in the 2020 and 2023 Edition of The Best Lawyers in America. Jonathan graduated first in his class from Temple University Beasley School of Law in 2008.
Job Titles:
- Founder of Gerben Law Firm
Josh Gerben is the founder of Gerben Law Firm, PLLC, an IP law firm that focuses heavily on t rademark services . The firm also has a depth of experience with patent and copyright services. Josh started the firm in 2008 and through dedication has been cited by national news outlets as well as the American Bar Association.
Job Titles:
- Board of Directors
- President & CEO, Urban Engineers
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- CEO, Chemtech International
Born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Lauren Helga Cifoni embraces a series of accomplishments both on and off the stage worldwide. She graduates with a Bachelor's degree in Psychology and a Minor in Italian language and literature from St. Joseph's University in Philadelphia. Her studies in music and opera start in 2004 at the Conservatory Francesco Morlacchi of Perugia, Italy; and finish in the Conservatory Gaetano Braga of Teramo, Italy, where she graduates with a music degree in Music and Vocal Performance in 2010. In 2010 she continues her specialization in Vocal Performance in Rovigo, Italy and in 2011 completes her vocal specialization at Cantare l'Opera in Rome, Italy. In 2013 she earns her Master's degree in Communications/Artistic Management and Productions at the University of Teramo, Italy. Currently, she is working on finishing her Master's and Doctorate's degree in Social Work at Widener University.
Job Titles:
- Board of Directors
- Vice Chair, President, World Affairs Council
Lauren leads the World Affairs Council of Philadelphia as President and CEO, the 7th in the organization's more than 70-year history as one of the nation's leading educational organizations on public and international affairs. Previously, Lauren was Deputy Commerce Director of International Business & Global Strategy for the City of Philadelphia. With a focus on global business attraction, foreign direct investment, and promoting exports, her work created hundreds of jobs and strengthened the local economy. She crafted the global strategy for Philadelphia and hosted delegations, diplomats, business and investors from abroad, and represented the City of Philadelphia worldwide.
Lauren has also served as the Deputy Director at the non-profit trade association, Food Export USA - Northeast, working to promote U.S. exports in over 40 countries around the world. Funded by USDA, this public-private partnership produced over $500 million in export sales annually. Lauren has experience running her own consulting firm specializing in international project management and food marketing. She has lived and worked abroad in Copenhagen and London.
Lauren is a Board Member of Leadership Philadelphia and a 2016 Core Class Fellow. She serves on the Board of Directors for Women Against Abuse and Global Philadelphia Association and on the Advisory Board for the Philadelphia Global Identity Project. She earned a B.A. in Communications at Randolph-Macon Woman's College with minors in Business Economics, Spanish, and Philosophy.
Lauren is an accomplished speaker at conferences and events around the world. Awards include "40 Under 40" Honoree in 2019 from the Philadelphia Business Journal and Temple University's Fox School of Business International Business Partner of the Year in 2016-2017. She speaks some Danish and Spanish and has traveled for work and pleasure to over 25 countries.
Job Titles:
- Board of Directors
- Director of Entrepreneurship, the Welcoming Center
Job Titles:
- Board of Directors
- Director of Guest Experience Philadelphia International Airport
With a career spanning 25 years as a litigator, Leslie Anne Miller has achieved numerous groundbreaking milestones. She proudly holds the distinction...
In 2022, the French government appointed Marine Havel to the role of Honorary Consul of France in Philadelphia. As an official representative of the French government, and thanks to a intensive program at the Collège des Hautes Études de l'Institut Diplomatique (French Diplomatic Institute), her missions are to assist and protect the citizens of the country which she represents, to establish and grow trade and Cultural Relations between our two people.
Job Titles:
- Board of Directors
- President of the United Nations Association, Greater Philadelphia Chapter
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- Principal at CultureSnap Consulting LLC Executive Director at Global Water Alliance
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- Executive Director of Greater Philadelphia Coalition Against Hunger / Executive Director of the Jon Bon Jovi Soul Foundation
Michael Malarick is a Pennsylvania and New Jersey attorney who has been licensed for over 28 years. Michael is the owner of the Law Office of Michael T. Malarick, Esq., PC located in Boothwyn, PA. Attorney Michael Malarick serves the Delaware County community, Chester County community, greater Philadelphia community, and more.
Paul Steinke became Executive Director of the Preservation Alliance for Greater Philadelphia in 2016.
Job Titles:
- Senior Director, Business Strategy, City of Philadelphia
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- Board of Directors
- Commissioner & CEO, Philadelphia Water Department
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- Board Chair, Practice Partner, Greater Philadelphia Region, Deloitte LLP
- Board of Directors
- Managing Partner of Deloitte 's Greater
Robert J. McNeill, Jr. is the managing partner of Deloitte's Greater Philadelphia practice, where he oversees more than 1,700 professionals and is responsible for the strategy and direction of Deloitte's efforts and activities in the Greater Philadelphia region. Along with the management of exceptional audit, tax, consulting, and financial advisory services to leading public and private companies in the Greater Philadelphia area, Rob also serves as the Lead Client Service Partner and the Advisory Partner for many of Deloitte's key clients in the region.
Rob started his career with Deloitte and has more than 25 years of public accounting and advisory experience, primarily serving clients in the manufacturing, retail, and service industries. Rob has also been active in the civic community and recently chaired the Board of Directors of the Economy League of Greater Philadelphia.
Job Titles:
- Vice Chair, Vice Provost, Global Engagement, Drexel University
In 2016, Mayor Jim Kenney appointed Sheila Hess to the position of City Representative. Her office serves as the premier PR, marketing and promotional department of the City of Philadelphia, producing ceremonial and special events while celebrating Philadelphia's diversity through citywide event creation, community engagement and innovative experiences.
Job Titles:
- Board of Directors
- Vice President of Global Tourism, Philadelphia Convention & Visitors Bureau
Following internal medicine and gastroenterology training in Philadelphia under Dr Donald Castell at the Philadelphia Naval Regional Medical Center, and Board Certification in both, I practiced academic gastroenterology for several years and then was in private practice in Massachusetts for 3 years.Driven by a desire to return to clinical research, I began my 36 year career in Pharma and Biotech at SKF. Positions at Merck, PharmaKinetics, CSRI (personal start-up CRO), Pharmaco LSR, Applied Bioscience International, Eisai, Ferring, private consulting, Berlex and Bayer followed. I served 26 years in the Navy and Air Force and retired as a Colonel, MC (Senior Flight Surgeon) from the Air Force.
Job Titles:
- Board of Directors
- President and Chief Executive Officer, World Trade Center of Greater Philadelphia
Tiffany Chang Lawson is a life-long Pennsylvania resident. She was born and raised in Pittsburgh, PA but moved to Hershey, PA when she was eight years old to attend the Milton Hershey School (MHS). Currently, she works at Deloitte Consulting as a Senior Consultant.
Job Titles:
- Marketing Coordinator at the Chamber of Commerce for Greater Philadelphia
Job Titles:
- President
- Board of Directors
- Staff
Zabeth Teelucksingh - a seasoned, award-winning international executive, Zabeth has spent her global career, educating organizations and communities on the infinite rewards of thinking globally. Since 2011, Zabeth has been the President for the non-profit Global Philadelphia Association (GPA) and under her leadership, in November 2015, GPA partnered with the City of Philadelphia for membership in the Organization of World Heritage Cities (OWHC), making Philadelphia the first World Heritage City in the US. Zabeth has represented Philadelphia at many OWHC meetings, including in Peru, Portugal, Italy, Germany, Lithuania and South Korea.
Zabeth's mission to promote the global significance of Philadelphia and its international community has helped to grow our region's global profile. Zabeth has developed multiple signature international programs, including GlobalPhilly™ - the first ever international Expo in Philadelphia. Zabeth also created GlobalKids, PhillyThinks, EIJP (a global journalism program), a robust internship program for millennials and the #IamaGlobalPhiladelphian awareness campaign. Most recently she has spearheaded a public art campaign in Philadelphia to highlight the UN Sustainable Development Goals.
With more than 25 years of international business, b2b and non-profit experience, Zabeth is highly skilled in all aspects of Strategy, Communications and Branding with a global vision. Before joining GPA, Zabeth served in several international roles in the U.S. and in Europe. Her network of strategic alliances stems from prior professional appointments including six years of marketing for Time, Inc. in Paris, six years as Marketing Director at the World Congress, in Boston, and several years in advertising with J. Walter Thomson in Greater Miami.
Zabeth contributes her time as a board member for: the Alliance Francaise de Philadelphie, Philadelphia250, U.S. Global Leadership Coalition Advisory Committee, Temple Fox School CIBER Board and Women for Greater Philadelphia. She is on the U.S. selection Committee for Eisenhower Fellows.
A frequent Public Speaker and Moderator on all things global, Zabeth has received the Philadelphia Business Journal "Women of Distinction award," & "Power100" the Smart CEO "Brava Award", the Young Caribbean Professional Network, "International Entrepreneur of the Year Award," and the "Sustainable Impact Award" from City and State PA.
Born in Carthage, Tunisia, Zabeth was educated in boarding school in the UK and the French Lycee in London, graduating from Lancaster University with a triple major in Philosophy, Politics and History. She studied French Civilization at the Sorbonne in Paris. She holds a Global Social Impact Leadership Diploma and recently completed a Certificate in Design leadership from the Weitzman School, both from The University of Pennsylvania.
Zabeth has lived in 6 countries and is a citizen of both France and the US. She is fluent in English and French, proficient in Spanish and Arabic, and has working knowledge of Hindi and Italian. She lives in Merion Station, PA with her husband Ken.