Join us for a Policy Coffee Talk featuring Professor Mike DiBerardinis and Nicole Westerman, director of real estate and economic development for the New Kensington Community Development Corporation (CDC). "The Possibilities & Challenges of Collaboration" Coffee Talks are offered to the MPA cohort as a unique “off-record” opportunity to discuss current events and relevant policy issues with active practitioners. These intimate talks are a key component of MPA career programming and allow students to gain insight and learn valuable lessons on public sector leadership.
About Nicole Westerman
Nicole Westerman ‘00 is currently the director of real estate and economic development for the New Kensington Community Development Corporation. Nicole has over 20 years of experience working primarily with local governments. During two different stints with the City of Philadelphia, she managed capital projects and then managed part of the capital budget, and later led Mayor Kenney's Rebuild initiative. Rebuild is a program to renovate parks, recreation centers, and libraries across the city with the input of neighborhood residents while building systems to increase the participation of minorities and women on construction sites and contracts. Prior experience includes working with the School District of Philadelphia on operating budget initiatives, Philadelphia Industrial Development Corporation on innovative financing programs, the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania as the chief of staff to the budget secretary, and Public Financial Management as a consultant to local governments. Nicole was also a founding member of the Government Finance Officers Association standing committee on economic development and capital planning and co-taught two classes at Fels, "Reinventing Government" and “Advanced Budgeting.”
