PHILADELPHIA — Today Ajeenah Amir, director for the Mayor’s Office of Public Engagement (OPE) announced Amanda Finch will serve as the City’s Chief Service Officer for the Office of Civic Engagement and Volunteer Service (OCEVS).

“As more Philadelphians want to be civically engaged and take direct action in improving their neighborhoods and communities, I’m pleased that Amanda is leading this office at this critical time,” said Ajeenah Amir, Director for the Office of Public Engagement. “Amanda’s passion for service, her deep roots in Philadelphia’s volunteerism community and wealth of experience in engagement makes her a natural fit for her new role. She has been instrumental in furthering OPE’s mission to strategically engage diverse communities across Philadelphia to increase residents’ knowledge of key Kenney Administration initiatives.”

Housed within the Mayor’s Office of Public Engagement, OCEVS oversees, supports and promotes the City’s civic engagement efforts. As part of that mission, OCEVS oversees the Mayor’s Volunteer Corps, an initiative that connects Philadelphia volunteers with high-quality, impactful service opportunities that reflect Mayor Kenney’s priorities and addresses areas of critical need in the city, including education, employment, and food and housing security. The office also educates community members in the principles of community organizing through the Civic Engagement Academy and manages two programs funded by the Corporation for National and Community Service: AmeriCorps VISTA and Foster Grandparents.

“I look forward to continuing this impactful work to make volunteering and civic involvement a part of every Philadelphian’s daily life,” said Amanda Finch, Chief Service Officer for the City. “Engagement can take many forms; from cleaning your sidewalk to committing to a year of full-time service, but getting involved in some way is essential in building community and creating real change in our neighborhoods. In this role, I will continue to strengthen the Office of Civic Engagement and Volunteer Service to inspire and support our residents to take action and get involved in their community.”

A Bonner Scholar and National Service alum of both City Year and AmeriCorps VISTA, Amanda’s expertise is grounded in mobilizing communities, recruiting volunteers, and developing partnerships. For the past three years, Amanda served as the Deputy Service Officer in the City of Philadelphia’s Office of Civic Engagement and Volunteer Service where she led efforts to strengthen and expand the National Service community in Philadelphia as well as developed strategies to improve and track community engagement efforts across City departments.

Amanda has worked extensively to make both best practices in civic engagement and volunteering more accessible through community education efforts like the Civic Engagement Academy and overseeing the launch of the Mayor’s Volunteer Corps.

Amanda Finch’s headshot is available upon request.