Pittsburgh, PA – March 12, 2024 – Today, the Board of Directors of OPDC announced the appointment of Andrea Boykowycz as its sixth Executive Director. As the public face of OPDC, Andrea will focus on fostering and maintaining working relationships with a wide range of stakeholders, with a firm commitment to the sustainability and growth of OPDC’s efforts in Oakland.
“The Board could not be more excited to have Andrea serve as our next Executive Director,” said Board President Eric Macadangdang. “Andrea exhibits all the qualities you want to see in a community leader. She has a collaborative mindset that is grounded in justice, equity, and the recognition that the systemic challenges Oakland faces must be met with systemic solutions. She knows what Oakland was and is, and has a constructive vision of what it can become. She wants to see her neighbors thrive - and she possesses the skills and relationships to bring that vision to life in OPDC’s programs and projects.”
Andrea first joined OPDC’s board in 2006, reconnecting with the neighborhood she grew up in, after fifteen years spent living, studying, and working for a variety of nonprofit organizations and foundations in cities around the world. She joined OPDC’s staff in 2017 and has played a pivotal role in integrating and re-focusing the organization’s programs, outreach, and advocacy. In December of 2022, she was named Interim Director, and in the intervening 18 months has focused intensively on stabilizing the organization’s programs and strengthening the Board, insisting on a thorough search process for the permanent Executive Director.
Prior to working with OPDC, Andrea worked with several Pittsburgh-based nonprofits, including Citizens for Pennsylvania’s Future (PennFuture); before moving back to Pittsburgh in 2004, she worked for Center for Court Innovation and the Open Society Institute in New York. She brings to the executive directorship a lifelong passion for economic and social justice, deep familiarity with Oakland’s neighborhoods and development history, and multidisciplinary experience in community engagement, advocacy, political organizing, data management, and nonprofit administration.
The OPDC Board was inspired by Andrea’s vision, dedication, and creative spirit. Their decision to appoint her Executive Director was unanimous. “I am grateful to the Board for the care and commitment they’ve demonstrated in this search, and excited to engage my neighbors in the implementation of the new Oakland Plan, building vibrant, inclusive, and sustainable communities with room for all. I look forward to continuing to work with OPDC’s many community partners to deliver that vision,” Andrea said.
