Welcome, New FOW Board Members Rob Armstrong, Mallory Dennis, and Leah Silverstein
Friends of the Wissahickon and our members gathered earlier this month at our Annual Meeting to share a look Behind the Scenery of the beautiful Wissahickon Valley Park and FOW’s work to conserve it.
Joined by community members that make our work possible, our membership, we elected a new class of board members who generously donate their time and professional experience to advancing FOW’s mission.
Rob Armstrong, PhD is a Project Manager in WSP’s Philadelphia office where he works on a variety of trail, transportation, historic preservation and park projects throughout the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania for a variety of clients.
“I am looking forward to working on projects that improve the park’s infrastructure in order to make the Wissahickon fully accessible to all park users while creating a sustainable and resilient park for future generations to enjoy. The Wissahickon represents the forethought of past generations of Philadelphians to preserve this unique space within this dense, urban environment. It is up to us to continue this vision in order to connect users to the natural and historic resources to fully realize the Wissahickon as a space in balance between the natural and the physical environment.”
Prior to joining WSP in early 2022, Rob worked for the City of Philadelphia for over 16 years at both Philadelphia Parks & Recreation, serving as Preservation and Capital Projects Manager, and at the Office of Transportation, Infrastructure and Sustainability (OTIS), serving as Trails and Transportation Program Manager.
Rob has served on FOW’s Infrastructure committee and on the Pennsylvania State Historic Preservation Board from 2015 to 2023, including 2 years as Board Chair. Rob is a Certified Park and Recreation Professional through the National Recreation and Park Association. He earned his PhD in US History from Lehigh University in 2012, studying the Planning and development of Philadelphia’s City-wide Park system between 1854 and 1929. Rob is a native of Lancaster County and has resided in Philadelphia for over 20 years. He presently lives in the Graduate Hospital neighborhood.
Mallory Dennis serves as an Executive Director in the Client CIO Group for TIFF. She works with client and prospective client organizations with strategy design, asset allocation, and investment policy consulting. In this role, she is responsible for delivering TIFF’s comprehensive investment management solution to organizations in support of their mission and objectives.
Prior to joining TIFF, Mallory was a Senior Investment Consultant at Vanguard advising nonprofits on customized investment solutions aligned with long-term goals. Before Vanguard, Mallory worked at SEI as a Client Portfolio Manager and Director of Nonprofit Strategic Advice. She earned a BS in Finance from the University of Scranton. Mallory serves on the Board of Directors and Finance Committee for The Crossing, a three-time Grammy Award-winning professional chamber choir.
“As both a nonprofit professional and a longtime visitor to the Wissahickon, I’m excited to join the board and support FOW’s efforts to preserve and strengthen this remarkable place for the entire community. The park has been an important part of my life for many years, and I look forward to helping ensure it remains a vibrant resource for generations to come.”
Leah Silverstein is the Chief Financial Officer at Philly Office Retail, a social impact real estate development company based in Northwest Philadelphia, focusing on community revitalization and adaptive reuse projects. Prior to that role, she was the Director of Operations and Special Projects at the Chestnut Hill Conservancy where she had the opportunity to work closely with Friends of the Wissahickon.
“I’ve long been impressed by FOW as an organization, its staff and volunteers, having worked alongside and observed it over the last 10 years. And it’s a definite honor to join the Board of an organization I deeply respect and admire. For the last few years, I’ve been a member of the RCO Committee and I’m excited to discover more ways to participate and support the organization in this new capacity. And maybe after visiting and wandering the Wissahickon my entire life, I might even finally learn the trail color names!”
Leah brings over a decade of leadership experience in financial management, strategic oversight, and nonprofit administration, governance, and management. A skilled project manager and creative problem solver, she has hands-on experience in a variety of fields including community planning, open space conservation, sustainability, preservation advocacy, community outreach and engagement, placemaking, public programming, digital humanities, and film and video production. She has served on the Board of the Preservation Alliance for Greater Philadelphia for over seven years and chairs its Advocacy Committee.
FOW is proud to welcome Rob, Mallory, and Leah to our team of dedicated green space advocates. Drawing on decades of experience, they bring valuable expertise and fresh perspectives that will enhance FOW’s projects and programs. Thank you for brining your talents to FOW’s board!