Christopher Spahr Appointed Executive Director of the Dornsife Center for Neighborhood Partnerships
Dear Members and Neighbors of the Drexel Community,
We are very pleased to announce that Christopher Spahr, PhD, will be the next Executive Director of the Dornsife Center for Neighborhood Partnerships, effective April 1, 2024. For the past seven years, Dr. Spahr has served as the Executive Director of the Centennial Parkside Community Development Corporation, a nonprofit organization emphasizing equitable redevelopment in the East Parkside neighborhood of West Philadelphia. He has worked with a dedicated board to expand the organization from a staff of one part-time employee to a committed staff of 10 full and part-time employees, laying the foundation for continued growth of the organization.
Dr. Spahr completed a PhD in Urban and Regional Planning from the University of Wisconsin-Madison in 2019. He has also served as an Urban Innovation Fellow at the Lindy Institute for Urban Innovation at Drexel since 2018, where his work has focused on exploring community-owned solar energy as a tool for equitable development. His experience also includes four years of service in the Peace Corps, where he served as a Volunteer and Volunteer Coordinator in Paraguay. Chris lives in Powelton Village with his wife and two daughters.
We are delighted to welcome Chris to Drexel and look forward to his leadership as the Dornsife Center enters its second decade of forging authentic neighborhood partnerships. We are grateful to Rachel Viddy, Director of Partnerships & Programs in the Office of University & Community Partnerships, for her outstanding service as Interim Executive Director. We also wish to thank the many Drexel colleagues and community members and partners who were part of the extensive search process. Please join us in welcoming Chris to Drexel and supporting his new role in April.
Sincerely,
Paul E. Jensen
Executive Vice President
Nina Henderson Provost
Youngmoo Kim
Vice Provost
University & Community Partnerships