Mercy Neighborhood Ministries of Philadelphia, Inc.

It was a privilege to host Women Shaping the Future of Philadelphia: Innovating Today, Transforming Tomorrow with The Franklin Institute this past Tuesday, where inspiring women came together to share their experiences and guidance in a meaningful and thought-provoking conversation. We are incredibly grateful to our panelists — Krista Seng, Jayatri Das, Melissa Scott, MBA, and Vanesa Karamanian, MD, MPH — along with our moderator, Danya Henninger, for their insightful discussion on leadership, change, and the importance of empowering women in all spaces. A special thank you to Nina Ahmad, Sylvia T. Spivey, and Darryl N. Williams, PhD, for opening the event with a powerful introduction. Lastly, thank you to everyone who joined us! Your presence and participation made this event truly special. Together, we’re shaping the future and building a stronger, more inclusive Philadelphia.

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Over the past few weeks, we've had the pleasure of introducing the incredible speakers joining the Women Shaping the Future of Philadelphia event with?The Franklin Institute?on March 18th. Today, we’re excited to spotlight our final panelist,?Vanesa Karamanian, MD, MPH! Dr. Vanesa Karamanian is the Director of Healthier Together at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP), which is a multi-tiered community health initiative to improve the social, economic, and environmental conditions for children and families in West and Southwest Philadelphia. With a background in medical care, public health, and research, Dr. Karamanian has extensive experience collaborating with national and international organizations, governmental agencies, healthcare systems, and academic institutions. Dr. Karamanian earned her Medical Degree from Universidad Favaloro in Buenos Aires, Argentina, and a Master of Public Health from the University of Pennsylvania. In addition to her role at CHOP, she serves as an Adjunct Professor at the University of Pennsylvania's Perelman School of Medicine. She is also the President of the Powelton Village Civic Association in West Philadelphia, where she resides with her family and plays an active role in advocating for and supporting her community. Join us for this free event, which will offer unique insights and networking opportunities, bridging education, healthcare, technology, business, and community leadership. Registration closes tomorrow - RSVP today at?https://lnkd.in/e7ji2Fqe

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We look forward to hearing Melissa Scott, MBA's insights at the Women Shaping the Future of Philadelphia event with The Franklin Institute! Melissa is the City of Philadelphia’s Chief Information Officer, CIO. As CIO, she holds a critical leadership role and oversees the city's information technology strategy, infrastructure, and operations. She also ensures that technology initiatives align with Mayor Parker’s goals and deliver effective, efficient, and secure services to residents, businesses, and city departments. Melissa is a lifelong public servant, highly experienced professional with a distinguished background in both the public and private sectors. Her diverse work experience has equipped her with the skills and knowledge needed to excel in her roles and significantly impact the organizations she has served. In recent years, Melissa has led several groundbreaking initiatives within the City of Philadelphia's License & Inspections Department, revolutionizing how services are delivered to residents. Notably, she spearheaded the development of the L&I Virtual Inspection Application, a state-of-the-art platform that allows building regulation experts and inspectors to offer services virtually through remote inspection software, live-streaming videos, photos, and custom inspection reports. This innovation is anticipated to boost L&I productivity by an impressive 80%. Additionally, Melissa collaborated with a team of 50+ in decommissioning 2,000 voting machines in Philadelphia, collaborating with vendors and tech teams to implement an ADA-compliant, paper-based voting system that improved efficiency and convenience on election day. Melissa also guided developers in creating software to support the Philadelphia Beverage Tax, generating over $100 million in revenue. Join us on March 18th to meet a dynamic group of women leaders who will explore the transformative power of STEM in Philadelphia and discuss strategies that foster innovation, collaboration, and civic engagement across the city’s neighborhoods. RSVP is required—register now at https://lnkd.in/e7ji2Fqe

Meet Jayatri Das, one of the key voices at the Women Shaping the Future of Philadelphia Event with The Franklin Institute on March 18th! Dr. Jayatri Das is Director of Science Content and Chief Bioscientist at The Franklin Institute and an invited Fellow of the Center for Neuroscience & Society at the University of Pennsylvania. She has led content development of multiple exhibitions at TFI, including Body Odyssey and Your Brain, a national award-winning exhibit about the neuroscience and psychology of the human brain. She also directs local and national programming initiatives to advance informal science education about vaccines, materials science, neuroethics, and other areas of emerging science and their societal impact. Das earned undergraduate degrees in biology and biochemistry from Penn State and a Ph.D. in evolutionary biology from Princeton University. Prior to joining TFI, she conducted postdoctoral work at both the Koshland Science Museum and the University of Pennsylvania, and she continues to serve as an advisor to the National Informal STEM Education Network. Her work and community impact have been honored with the American Alliance of Museums’ Nancy Hanks Award for Professional Excellence, the Philadelphia Business Journal’s Women of Distinction Award, and the Blooloop 50 Museum Influencer List. She is an honorary fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science. This event is free to attend, and breakfast is included. Join us for unique insights and networking opportunities to connect education, healthcare, technology, business, and community leadership! RSVP is required—register now at https://lnkd.in/e7ji2Fqe

We’re excited to announce the finalized panel for the Women Shaping the Future of Philadelphia event with The Franklin Institute! Although this event is STEM focused, it is not limited to those working in STEM. Whether you’re a rising professional, seasoned leader, or simply interested about the future growth of Philadelphia, this event will offer valuable insights and networking opportunities. RSVP is required. Register today at https://lnkd.in/e7ji2Fqe

We are grateful to share that Krista Seng, Lead of Corporate Giving and Community Affairs for Aqua, will be a panelist at the “Women Shaping the Future of Philadelphia” event with The Franklin Institute on March 18th! As an environmental scientist, she will bring her unique background and perspective to the conversation, offering valuable insights on shaping the future of our community. Krista has experience working in the nonprofit, government, and utility sectors, always with the steadfast goals of protecting water resources and building partnerships to make the world a better place. She has been with Aqua, an Essential Utilities company, for seven years and has played an instrumental role in the company’s source water protection program, which led the charge to sample local waterways affected by PFAS “forever chemicals” and hold polluters accountable. Krista currently runs the company’s Essential Foundation and leads corporate volunteer efforts, including Essential Earth Day, a 9-state initiative she created to give back to the environment on a large scale. She is also the founder and chair of Essential Utilities’ Pride Employee Resource Group. This event is free to attend, and breakfast is included. Join us for a conversation with women leaders in the health, education, business, civic, and community spaces to discuss STEM's present and future state in our city/region. RSVP is required—register now at https://lnkd.in/e7ji2Fqe

We are excited to announce that Danya Henninger will be leading the conversation at the “Women Shaping the Future of Philadelphia” event with The Franklin Institute on March 18th! Danya is a Philadelphia journalist who believes in local news. As editorial director at Technical.ly, she leads a multi-local newsroom covering tech, entrepreneurship, and pathways to economic mobility. She previously led Billy Penn at WHYY, a Philly news startup acquired by public media, and is a former food and beer writer. Prior to journalism, she and her husband ran a commercial photo-video firm. This FREE event will offer unique insights and networking opportunities to connect education, healthcare, technology, business, and community leadership. Join us for a discussion with women leaders about STEM's current and future state in our city/region! Breakfast is included, and RSVP is required—register now at https://lnkd.in/e7ji2Fqe and share with others in your network!

We are thrilled to co-host the second annual “Women Shaping the Future of Philadelphia” event with The Franklin Institute, bringing together women leaders to explore the transformative power of STEM in Philadelphia. Join us for a conversation with health, education, business, civic, and community leaders about STEM's present and future state in our city/region. This event is FREE and includes breakfast and networking opportunities. RSVP is required. Register today by scanning the QR code or through this link: https://lnkd.in/e7ji2Fqe, and be sure to share with others!