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Riverlife announces new board leaders and promotion of Rhonda Madden

By February 10, 2017March 26th, 2018Press Releases

February 6, 2017
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

CONTACT:

Stephan Bontrager, Riverlife
(p) 412.258.6636 x 105
(c) 412.606.2187
(e) Stephan@riverlifepgh.org
RiverlifePgh.org

PITTSBURGH –Riverlife, the nonprofit organization working to reclaim, restore and promote Pittsburgh’s riverfronts, is pleased to announce the election of new board leaders and the promotion of senior staff. [Related: About Us]

Margaret McCormick Barron was elected as chair of the Riverlife board of directors. McCormick Barron is a government relations and public affairs consultant. She has previously worked as Executive Vice President of External Affairs at West Penn Allegheny Health System, Director of Communications and Intergovernmental Affairs under former Mayor Tom Murphy and Director of Government Affairs, Carnegie Mellon University.

New members joining the board of directors for a three-year term include:

  • Diana Bucco, President, The Buhl Foundation
  • Cindy Donohoe, Senior Vice President, Marketing, Highmark Health
  • Kamal Nigam, Engineering Director, Google Pittsburgh
  • Paul H. O’Neill, Jr., Managing Member, O’Neill Alpha Fund
  • Grant Oliphant, President, The Heinz Endowments
  • Sam Reiman, Associate Director, Richard King Mellon Foundation

Riverlife President and CEO Vivien Li also announced the promotion of Rhonda Madden (image, top) to Vice President, Strategic Initiatives.

Ms. Madden brings over twenty-five years of nonprofit organizational development and strategic planning experience. She is responsible for advancing execution of the organization’s strategic plan, monitoring performance, and providing expertise to board, leadership volunteers and staff on fund development. Prior to the position at Riverlife, Ms. Madden oversaw development and communication efforts for Allegheny Land Trust. She also served as Regional Director of Development and Public Relations for The Trust for Public Land’s Mid-Atlantic Office and was responsible for raising support and awareness for the New York City and Newark Parks for People initiatives and land conservation initiatives in the seven-state region. In addition, she oversaw external affairs operations for The Academy of Natural Sciences in Philadelphia.

Rhonda Madden has a Bachelor of Arts in English from Richard Stockton College, pursued graduate work in Environmental Studies from the University of Pennsylvania, and completed the Emerging Women’s Leadership program at the Palumbo Donahue School of Business at Duquesne University. She is currently pursuing executive leadership coursework with the Lilly Family School of Philanthropy at Indiana University. She is a member of the Association of Fundraising Professionals and is a mentor for new fundraising professionals. Ms. Madden serves on the Development Committee for the Manchester Youth Development Center raising awareness for its youth and community programs and is a volunteer for Allegheny Land Trust. She formerly served on the Communications Committee for the Greater Pittsburgh Nonprofit Partnership and on the Membership and Outreach Program Committee of the national Land Trust Alliance.

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About Riverlife
Riverlife (formerly Riverlife Task Force) is a public-private partnership established in 1999 to guide and advocate for the redevelopment of Pittsburgh’s riverfronts. Riverlife works to reconnect Pittsburgh with its rivers by bringing recreation, ecological restoration and economic opportunity back to our waterfronts. www.riverlifegh.org