Our Team
Alex Doty
Executive Director
Alex has a strong professional history in bringing small organizations forward with focused strategic planning, growing coalitions, and creative fundraising to support this growth. As Executive Director of the League of American Bicyclists in Washington, DC, he oversaw a national summit, built stronger local advocacy, stabilized their membership program and consolidated data information. Locally, he led the Bicycle Coalition for 11 years, growing it from two staff and a small budget to a staff of 20 with a budget of $1.2 million. He has shared best practices with partner organizations, worked to advance equity, diversity and inclusion within his organizations, and cultivated skills and growth among his staff.
adoty@parksrecheroes.org
(215) 326-9229
The rest of our staff team is made up of part-time contractors, including:
Steve Taylor, Communications
www.linkedin.com/in/stevederive/
staylor@parksrecheroes.org
Jennifer Shropshire, Strategic Planning
www.linkedin.com/in/jennifer-shropshire-4313157/
Nunera Amun, Communications
www.upwork.com/freelancers/~01e3ee1014f4197bbc
Dennis Maurice Dumpson, Sponsorship
www.investblk.org/
Board Members
Jim Burnett, Board Chair
A native of Philadelphia, Jim Burnett is the Executive Director of Vested In, a sixteen year old non-profit community lending institution located in West Philadelphia. He has worked in the financial services industry for over 25 years, beginning his career with Fidelity Bank 1988. As Executive Director for WPFSI, Jim led the development of the ParkWest Town Center; a 30 acre, 341,000 square foot, $55,000,000 retail center in West Philadelphia; the creation of the only non-profit mortgage brokerage company and the first youth Individual Development Account program in the state of Pennsylvania. In 2013 Jim developed a new program for seniors that will focus on saving their homes and maximizing the transfer of wealth to their heirs. He is a passionate orator and is asked to speak on issues surrounding community economic development. In addition to his professional focus, Jim has served diligently on various community and professional boards and is committed to the promotion of financial education, access to capital and sustainable lifestyles.
Robert P. Thomas, Vice Chair
Bob Thomas is a founding partner of Campbell Thomas & Co. Architects, a firm founded in 1976 and noted for historic preservation, energy conscious design, community development, greenways, accessible design and appropriate technology. Bob specializes in historic preservation, energy-conscious designs, community development and greenways. Bob is affiliated with several organizations in different capacities. Some include: Board Member, Philadelphia Historical Commission; Preservation Committee Member, American Institute of Architects (AIA); Past President, Bicycle Coalition of the Delaware Valley; Founding Steering Committee Member, Greenspace Alliance; Advisory Board Member, Preservation Alliance for Greater Philadelphia; President of Philadelphia Chapter, Professional Services Management Association; Board Secretary, Schuylkill River Parks Alliance; and Former Chairman and Board Member of the Schuylkill River Greenway Association.
Maura McCarthy
Maura is the Executive Director of the Fairmount Park Conservancy. Previously, for 13 years she headed the Friends of the Wissahickon, a 92 year old nonprofit. In her time as Executive Director of FOW, Maura launched multiple sustainability initiatives, lead numerous park and trail restoration projects, and completed the most comprehensive survey the Wissahickon has ever seen, “My Park Counts.” Before Friends of the Wissahickon, Maura worked as a development associate for the Interfaith Center on Corporate Responsibility (ICCR). Maura received a doctorate in Anthropology from the University of Oxford.
Dr Darren Lipsomb
Darren is the Associate Vice President for Enrollment Management at Philadelphia Community College. “I am committed to bettering myself, the people that I come into contact with each day, and the various communities in which I am included. I do so through my own continual pursuit of knowledge, formally and informally, and by facilitating others' pursuit and gain of knowledge. I also do so through a commitment to personally outputting positive energy and leading by example even in taking on tasks that are perceivably menial. My industry is higher education, but what drives me is the opportunity to see people and communities progress.”
Kara Franklin
Kara is Assistant Principal at Russell Byers Charter School and a Curriculum Developer at The Antiracism Academy.
Internships
We are seeking interns for the following campaigns
Site Profiles
Building on a history of white papers and report cards on the Parks and Recreation system, we have set a goal to profile each of the 300+ parks and recreation centers in Philadelphia and give a citywide overview of the opportunities and needs across the system. Interns will work on data collection, site visits, basic GIS analysis, infographics and preparing presentations for City Council.
Heroes Celebration
The staff and volunteers of the Parks and Recreation Department are often unsung heroes in their neighborhoods. We are launching an awards and recognition programs that will tell the stories of our heroes and culminate in an awards ceremony gala at a Recreation Center. Interns will work on organizing the awards ceremony, identifying potential sponsors and in-kind contributions and promoting our heroes stories.
Communications
Help us grow our online presence by producing content for our website, newsletter and social media accounts.
To apply, email adoty@philaparks.org with your resume and a cover letter. Call Alex at (215) 326-9229 with any questions.