Title: Executive Director
E-mail: josiah@pump.org
Phone: 412-338-2133 ext. 10
Josiah Gilliam is the Executive Director of PUMP. For the last decade, he has served the Pittsburgh region through nonprofit and governmental community-building work. A 40 under 40 honoree in 2017, Josiah has served on PUMP’s Board of Directors since 2019, most recently as Vice Chair. Given his governmental experience, he is passionate about PUMP’s advocacy work and served as chair of its Public Policy and Advocacy Committee.
After graduating from Penn State, Josiah came to Pittsburgh and began working with an Allegheny County Meals on Wheels provider. This experience allowed Josiah to explore local neighborhoods and communities. He also discovered the region’s strong network of organizations, churches, programs, foundations, and volunteer groups working to improve the lives of all Pittsburghers.
While at Homewood Children’s Village, he became the Program Manager for the My Brother’s Keeper initiative. Launched with an initial strong focus on Black men and boys, the initiative is a national network of locally-driven collective impact efforts aimed at improving lived experiences and outcomes. After catalytic grantmaking focused on addressing the digital divide and improving digital literacy, Josiah worked with the Sprout Fund and Heinz Endowments on a County-wide action plan process to articulate a vision, develop a structure, and fundraise to continue this work. This eventually led to an opportunity to work for the City of Pittsburgh and Mayor Bill Peduto as the City’s My Brother’s Keeper Coordinator in the Mayor’s Office. Josiah was asked to stay on with the Gainey administration, where he became the Special Initiatives Coordinator for the City of Pittsburgh, focused on food equity, workforce development, youth in education, and Downtown Pittsburgh as a neighborhood.
A Pittsburgh native that boomeranged in and out of the city, Josiah graduated from Penn State with a Bachelor’s degree in Political Science and Government and an Associate’s degree in Spanish Language and Literature. A resident of Downtown Pittsburgh, Josiah enjoys hitting the streets and trails of Pittsburgh on his bike, reading, playing video games, and spending time with his friends checking out live music, dancing, and exploring Pittsburgh’s cultural, food, and drink scene.
Photo: Christopher Sprowls Photography
