Speaking of Change

A Gift of Belief: Philanthropy and the Forging of Pittsburgh chronicles the rich but largely untold story of the diverse and lesser known philanthropists whose legacy shaped the region.

This season of Speaking of Change invites philanthropic practitioners and community leaders to comment on the book's themes and draw parallels and lessons to inform current practice.

Pittsburgh and the word philanthropy are often inextricably linked. Ask a Pittsburgher to define philanthropy and most often you’ll hear name like Carnegie, or a financier called Mellon. These captains of industry endowed Pittsburgh with numerous cultural and educational institutions. Their legacies endure in Pittsburgh today – so much so that many residents think these titans invented philanthropy in the region. 

In fact, they did not. Instead, these wealthy industrialists joined an already vital tradition of individuals, communities and congregations who pre-ceded and succeeded them. In
A Gift of Belief, 12 authors show how women, African Americans whole communities and many individuals worked alongside and sometimes in place of the titans to improve Pittsburgh. Taken
together, our more expansive treatment illustrates how both groups contributed to Pittsburgh’s philanthropy and civic culture.

Book editor Kathy Buechel sits down with chapter author Greg Witkowski of Columbia University to discuss Pittsburgh's titans of philanthropy what made them tick. Greg's chapter sketched how they differed from their industrialist peers in their giving and specifically, in how they framed their philanthropic support of education. Kathy and Greg sit down in this episode to dig into the details and hear lesser known parts of how the titans approached their philanthropy, and how history remembers them.

A Gift of Belief: Philanthropy and the Forging of Pittsburgh chronicles the rich but largely untold story of the diverse and lesser known philanthropists whose legacy shaped the region.

This season of Speaking of Change invites philanthropic practitioners and community leaders to comment on the book's themes and draw parallels and lessons to inform current practice.

Book editor Kathy Buechel sits down with chapter author Bob Gleeson of Cleveland State University. Bob and Kathy discuss . Pittsburgh is a city with a long history of business driving economic development. But what about how philanthropists may have supported Pittsburgh’s own economic transformation. Did private philanthropy play apart in this part of Pittsburgh’s story? If so, what did they do and why?

Bob and Kathy dig into the answers in this episode. And, the two discuss progress yet to be made and what the future of the field may hold for economic progress and philanthropy's supporting role.

A Gift of Belief: Philanthropy and the Forging of Pittsburgh chronicles the rich but largely untold story of the diverse and lesser known philanthropists whose legacy shaped the region.

This season of Speaking of Change invites philanthropic practitioners and community leaders to comment on the book's themes and draw parallels and lessons to inform current practice.

Book editor Kathy Buechel sits down with chapter author Andrew Simpson of Duquesne University. Andrew and Kathy unpack how philanthropists found niches of opportunity to advance medical science and improve health outcomes in the Pittsburgh region.

A Gift of Belief: Philanthropy and the Forging of Pittsburgh chronicles the rich but largely untold story of the diverse and lesser known philanthropists whose legacy shaped the region.

This season of Speaking of Change invites philanthropic practitioners and community leaders to comment on the book's themes and draw parallels and lessons to inform current practice.

Book editor Kathy Buechel sits down with Heather Arnet  of the Women and Girls Foundation of Southwestern PA and chapter author Tony Macklin of Tony Macklin Consulting. Heather, Tony, and Kathy discuss the tool of advocacy in philanthropic practice - how different foundations have used this tool, some of its successes and stumbling blocks, and how individuals gained agency through philanthropic advocacy.

A Gift of Belief: Philanthropy and the Forging of Pittsburgh chronicles the rich but largely untold story of the diverse and lesser known philanthropists whose legacy shaped the region.

This season of Speaking of Change invites philanthropic practitioners and community leaders to comment on the book's themes and draw parallels and lessons to inform current practice.

Book editor Kathy Buechel sits down with Heather Arnet  of the Women and Girls Foundation of Southwestern PA and chapter author Tony Macklin of Tony Macklin Consulting. Heather, Tony, and Kathy discuss the tool of advocacy in philanthropic practice - how different foundations have used this tool, some of its successes and stumbling blocks, and how individuals gained agency through philanthropic advocacy.

A Gift of Belief: Philanthropy and the Forging of Pittsburgh chronicles the rich but largely untold story of the diverse and lesser known philanthropists whose legacy shaped the region.

This season of Speaking of Change invites philanthropic practitioners and community leaders to comment on the book's themes and draw parallels and lessons to inform current practice.

Book editor Kathy Buechel sits down with Kristy Trautmann of the FISA Foundation and chapter author Jessie Ramey of Chatham University. Kristy, Jessie, and Kathy discuss women's roles in civic and philanthropic life in Pittsburgh - from pre-suffrage through institution building to women holding prominent leadership roles in current day. And, the three discuss progress yet to be made and what the future of the field may hold.

A Gift of Belief: Philanthropy and the Forging of Pittsburgh chronicles the rich but largely untold story of the diverse and lesser known philanthropists whose legacy shaped the region. This season of Speaking of Change invites philanthropic practitioners and community leaders to comment on the book's themes and draw parallels and lessons to inform current practice. 

Book editor Kathy Buechel sits down with Joylette Portlock, Executive Director of Sustainable Pittsburgh; chapter author Susan Rademacher, former Parks Curator for the Pittsburgh Parks Conservancy, and chapter author Angelique Bamberg, principal of Clio Consulting and adjunct professor at the University of Pittsburgh.

Joylette, Susan, Angelique, and Kathy discuss new combinations of civic and philanthropic leadership that gave rise to parks, open riverfronts and a destination cultural district downtown. Each of these partnerships was to transform Pittsburgh in new ways. Each offers critical lessons in community consultation, public private partnerships and the value of prioritizing sustainability and community health.

They discuss what lessons the past can impart for current day practitioners of philanthropy - and what the future of the topic may hold.

A Gift of Belief: Philanthropy and the Forging of Pittsburgh chronicles the rich but largely untold story of the diverse and lesser known philanthropists whose legacy shaped the region. This season of Speaking of Change invites philanthropic practitioners and community leaders to comment on the book's themes and draw parallels and lessons to inform current practice. 

Book editor Kathy Buechel sits down with Michelle McMurray, Vice President for Program and Community Engagement at The Pittsburgh Foundation and Mark Lewis, President of the POISE Foundation in this episode.

Michelle, Mark, and Kathy discuss the ways African Americans participated in civic dialogue through their philanthropy and community building, even before they had the vote. The three trace the history of lesser known philanthropists like Daisy Adams Lampkin and Alma Illery and their contributions to the region.

They discuss what lessons the past can impart for current day practitioners of philanthropy - and what the future of the topic may hold.

Sally McCrady, Director of Community Affairs at PNC Bank, discusses the corporation’s philanthropic engagement. Focused on early childhood development, PNC’s flagship “Grow Up Great” strategy uses data, community partnerships, and a culture of learning to move the needle on an important national issue.

Tom Butler, Vice President for Advocacy at Tompkins Conservation, takes the listener through his experience working on two continents and over more than three decades. With philanthropists at Tompkins Conservation, he has helped to secure over 13 million acres and re-wild other lands to create more than a dozen new national or regional parks. Tompkins Conservation is the philanthropy of Kris Tompkins (former CEO of Patagonia) and Doug Tomkins (founder of the North Face and Esprit).