The Pittsburgh Regional Alliance (PRA), an affiliate of the Allegheny Conference on Community Development, recently named Mark Anthony Thomas as the entity’s new president.
Thomas will be responsible for advancing partnerships to drive job creation and business investment and creating, developing, and executing the region’s economic development strategy. He will assume the role on July 15.
“We’re excited to bring Mark aboard to lead the PRA and contribute to our shared regional vitality goals of a strong economy, thriving people and a high quality of place,” PRA Chairwoman Laura Shapira Karet said. “With nearly two decades of experience driving economic growth, Mark is uniquely suited to advance the Pittsburgh region’s strategic economic development objectives – supercharging business attraction, including international marketing of the region, and doubling down on making sure that companies already located here have the best possible environment in which to grow and prosper.”
Thomas previously served as senior vice president of partnerships for the New York City Economic Development Corp. and as an inaugural FUSE Executive Fellow for the City of Los Angeles. FUSE is a nonprofit that partners with local government to assist urban communities.
Thomas has also served as director of the Los Angeles mayor’s Operations Innovation Team and was an investigative journalist.