Metro Philadelphia Power Women 2023

As one of a handful of women working in the NBA in a player evaluation role, Liz Jenkins provides thoughtful insights and recommendations on all 76ers scouting matters, while overseeing departmental processes and logistics. In her free time, she serves as part of the Emerging Leaders Board for Shooting Touch, an international sport-for-development organization whose mission is to use the power of basketball to bridge gaps for youth and women facing racial, gender, and economic inequalities.

Have there been any recent strides for gender equity in your industry?
As sports teams, agencies, and organizations start to value the perspective and insight that women bring to the table, they’ve begun to prioritize having female voices in the rooms where decisions are made. We’re seeing more and more women being given the opportunity to lead from positions of power in the sports industry, and they’re crushing the game! 

What more do you think needs to be done to support women in Philadelphia?
The problem of the gender gap in Philadelphia won’t be solved overnight, but we can make great strides and set the foundation for many years of success if we begin to prioritize the next generation of female leaders. Prioritizing young women and girls and putting them in positions to succeed should be a main focus for our community. 

Which women have paved the way for you?
In sports, there have been many women lately who have set the bar and held the standard for what women can do in the workplace. By being excellent in their positions, they’ve paved the way for the rest of us to be given opportunities to prove we can succeed as well. 

Katherine Kelton is the chief compliance officer and Head of Global Regulatory for Vault Health. She was previously the general counsel, corporate secretary, and chief people officer for StayWell, and spent a decade at Aramark as the global chief compliance officer and an assistant general counsel for Healthcare. She is proud to serve as the president of The Forum of Executive Women and the chair of the Wilma Theater.

What more do you think needs to be done to support women in Philadelphia?
I hope by the time this goes to print we will have elected a woman as our 100th Mayor! The women and girls of Philadelphia deserve leaders in government and industry who understand the intersectional impact of unpaid domestic labor, the expense of child care, gender and racial discrimination, and inequitable compensation structures, and will work to remove these obstacles. This city is majority female and our success demands dedicated investment and recognition. 

Which women have paved the way for you?
So many. I’d like to thank my colleagues at The Forum of Executive Women for their friendship and support, their faith in my leadership, their dedication to the development of women and girls in our region, and their tireless efforts to amplify the experience of women in the workplace. Hire women. Promote women. Vote for women. 

Kadida Kenner is the founding CEO of the New Pennsylvania Project. A tireless advocate for social and economic justice issues, Kadida is motivated to empower and excite the electorate to enthusiastically vote in every election. Kadida has led efforts to stop a problematic judicial gerrymandering constitutional amendment, raise the minimum wage, fairly fund public education, protect federal courts from problematic judicial nominees, and protect the state courts from extremist attempts to undermine their independence. 

Have there been any recent strides for gender equity in your industry?
It’s exciting to see more women, and particularly Black women, take on senior leadership roles in the progressive nonprofit ecosystem. Bringing lived experiences and expertise to voting rights and issue advocacy campaigns and organizations in the Commonwealth is essential to a more representative democracy, at home and across the country. Witnessing U.S. Supreme Court justice Ketanji Brown Jackson and PA Speaker Joanna McClinton exalted into the highest positions in government is proof of recent strides.

What more do you think needs to be done to support women in Philadelphia?
More women publicly supporting other women by amplifying each other’s work and accomplishments goes a long way towards supporting women overall. Continuing to grow a pipeline of women who will be fully supported with funding and mentorship for elected office and appointed positions will benefit the entire city as we look to bring social and economic justice to our first class city.

Which women have paved the way for you?
Iconic civil rights heroes, Ida B. Wells, Fannie Lou Hamer, Rosa Parks, and Coretta Scott King are a few of the women who have paved the way for today’s voting and civil rights advocates. Historical figures aside, the most consequential woman in my life is my mother. As the first to attain a college degree in her entire family, my mother has always stressed the importance of being curious, pursuing continued education, and working hard.

Kelly Lee is the chief cultural officer for the City of Philadelphia and executive director of the Office of Arts, Culture and Creative Economy. Appointed by Mayor Jim Kenney in 2016, Ms. Lee leads OACCE’s efforts to support free cultural programming throughout Philadelphia, create opportunities for local artists and creative organizations, connect Philadelphians to quality arts experiences, preserve the City’s public art, and ensure culture and creativity are essential components of the City’s strategies.

Have there been any recent strides for gender equity in your industry?
Although there has been recent significant progress toward gender equity in Philadelphia’s arts and culture sector, it is still a work in progress. Under Kelly’s leadership at OACCE, the City has made unmatched progress in diversifying and expanding the City’s public art collection by commissioning public artworks. Since Kelly Lee started at OACCE in 2016, OACCE has commissioned or is currently commissioning six public artworks honoring Black, Indigenous, Women of Color.

What more do you think needs to be done to support women in Philadelphia?
OACCE’s programs always strive to represent the city of Philadelphia’s population. In 2022, over 50% of artists hired across all of OACCE’s programs were women. In addition, OACCE supports free, family-friendly programs throughout Philadelphia’s neighborhoods to ensure access to women, children, and Philadelphia’s communities.

Which women have paved the way for you?
Kelly Lee is committed to diversity and the inclusion of women in OACCE’s programs, and that commitment begins with its staff. Since beginning at OACCE in 2016, Kelly has developed a staff that is 75% women, and will soon be expanding that by hiring an additional female staff member.

Romana Lee-Akiyama MSS, MLSP is focused on ensuring the most impacted communities have a seat at the table. While at the City, she launched the Black + Gold Series, providing an opportunity for Black and Asian residents to come together to heal; the City’s first-ever AAPI City Resource Group, designed to strengthen the City’s workforce; and the Strategy Group to Stop AAPI Hate, an internal City-wide and cross-departmental group focused on addressing anti-Asian hate and violence. 

Have there been any recent strides for gender equity in your industry?
It’s exciting to see the increase in the number of women candidates running for political office and taking on leadership roles in government. We need to make sure that this is the trajectory moving forward, especially when reproductive rights are on the line. Pipeline leadership development programs for women of color have received increased support in the last few years, and it’s crucial that we find ways to elevate those at the margins.

What more do you think needs to be done to support women in Philadelphia?
More women need to be moved into front-facing leadership roles and given the credit that they deserve for the work that they have been doing (often quietly behind the scenes), as well as equal compensation. For our working moms out there, we need to maintain flexible and hybrid work arrangements so that we do not burn out; increase access to affordable, quality childcare; and establish more progressive parental leave policies.

Which women have paved the way for you?
I look up to Cecilia Moy Yep, the founder of the Philadelphia Chinatown Development Corporation, who gave me my first job and taught me what it meant to advocate for the community. Former Deputy Mayor Dr. Nina Ahmad created the office that I now lead, and former Councilmember Helen Gym is the first Asian American woman to serve in the City Council. They’ve made it so that I’m not the first to be in City Hall.

Admiral Rachel Levine serves as the HHS Assistant Secretary for Health and head of the U.S. Public Health Service Commissioned Corps. She fights to improve the health and well-being of all Americans. Her storied career, first, as a physician in academic medicine focused on the intersection between mental and physical health. Then as Pennsylvania’s Physician General, and later as Pennsylvania’s Secretary of Health, she addressed COVID-19, the opioid crisis, and other public health challenges.

Have there been any recent strides for gender equity in your industry?
The Biden-Harris Administration issued the first-ever National Strategy on Gender Equity and Equality and has taken significant steps to advance equal rights and opportunity. Among other actions, the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Health is issuing a final rule to strengthen the Title X family planning program, which will advance the Administration’s commitment to restore access to affordable, quality family planning services for people across the country. 

What more do you think needs to be done to support women in Philadelphia?
Society trains women to pick at each other’s flaws at times. I challenge everyone to build each other up instead. Mentor the younger generations, and empower them to live up to their full potential. But you should focus on yourselves as well. You cannot help others if you are running on empty. Take time for self-care and to celebrate yourself for the progress you have made and the glass ceilings that you have shattered. 

Which women have paved the way for you?
A woman that paved the way for me is Dr. Angela Diaz at Mt Sinai in Adolescent Medicine many years ago.

Yocasta Lora is passionate about creating equitable intergenerational spaces that intersect design, policy, and governance, with a focus on sustainable economic growth. She serves in various organizations, The City of Philadelphia’s Office of Community Empowerment and Opportunity, Share Food Program, HACE, Montgomery County Advisory Council for Equity, and was appointed to PA Pedestrian Advisory Committee. Yocasta studied Education and Business Administration at La Salle University in Philadelphia, and Executive Education at Yale University and Harvard University. 

What more do you think needs to be done to support women in Philadelphia?
We have to be intentional, focused, and directed regarding gender equity. Women in leadership roles are more likely to promote, amplify, support, mentor, and sponsor other women to create spaces of inclusion and, most importantly, where we can have a voice. 

Which women have paved the way for you?
I am very fortunate to have strong women in my path who I have learned from and have been empowered to challenge myself to become a better and professional person. When I show up in a room, I bring their experiences, voices and support a mi lado (at my side)! 

Quetcy Lozada was born and raised in the 7th District. Before winning the election in November, 2022, Councilmember Lozada most recently held the position of Vice President of Community Organizing and Engagement at Esperanza, where she was tasked with ensuring that community residents had access to resources. The need to get personally involved in assisting people with their problems continues to be a vital part of her work and her motivation.

Liz Magill is president of the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia’s largest private employer. A legal scholar and an inspiring leader, Magill joined Penn in July 2022 after serving as executive vice president and provost at the University of Virginia and, prior to that, as the Richard E. Lang Professor and dean of the Stanford Law School. Before her career in higher education, Magill worked in the U.S. Senate and at the U.S. Supreme Court.

Which women have paved the way for you?
Many women have paved the way for me, including Penn’s former female presidents Dr. Amy Gutmann and Dr. Judith Rodin. Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, who I worked for as a clerk at the U.S. Supreme Court, also paved the way for me as a pioneering women’s rights advocate and a personal role model.

Kate Marlys emerged on the public relations scene over ten years ago when she launched www.PhillyPRGirl.com, her successful special events blog, with the goal of keeping readers in the know about all things Philly. Now, Philly PR Girl is one of the most well-connected PR Firms in the city, creating major buzz for their clients. Philly PR Girl LLC offers a full range of services, including event planning, influencer marketing, digital and social media, and public relations.

Have there been any recent strides for gender equity in your industry?
I see PR in general as a very female-dominated industry nationwide. What’s interesting, though, is that here in Philadelphia, I do see a lot of diversity of gender in the field. 

What more do you think needs to be done to support women in Philadelphia?
Women in any field have to work ten times harder than their male counterparts. I’ve seen that my whole life. One of the reasons I started Philly PR Girl was because I wanted to mentor and empower young women to stand up for themselves, become more confident in the workplace, and excel wherever life takes them.

Which women have paved the way for you?
Something not too many people know is that I started my career in radio. Back then, radio in Philadelphia was a very male-dominated field. There was one woman in particular I always admired and looked up to – Cindy Webster. Now, years later, Cindy is not only a mentor of mine, but a trusted colleague too. We partner on several clients together and she has truly paved the way for so many women in the PR and media field.