RAD Board of Directors
Dusty Elias Kirk (Chair)
Appointed by Allegheny County Executive
Dusty Elias Kirk is a Partner at Reed Smith, LLP’s Global Real Estate Practice Group. She concentrates her practice on all aspects of real estate development including acquisitions, economic incentives and litigation. She has extensive experience throughout Pennsylvania resolving real estate tax assessment appeals, land-use appeals and eminent domain proceedings. Ms. Kirk also counsels here clients on an array of sustainability issues that impact development projects and facilities. This includes advice on sustainable development matters involving the US Green Building Council’s Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design rating system, better know as LEED. She has counseled clients on a variety of regulatory compliance matters with clients depending on her proven experience with greenhouse gas emissions, approvals, dispute resolution, risk avoidance and negotiating complex contractual arrangements.
Ms. Kirk’s work in real estate development includes the acquisition, financing and economic/tax incentive financing for all forms of commercial real estate. She represents developers, owners and non-profit institutions on issues regarding real estate valuation, tax-exempt status, mineral rights and tax abatements for new construction and reconstructed properties. Her experience in real estate litigation extends throughout Pennsylvania where she often appears before administrative hearing boards as well as trial and appellate proceedings.
Ms. Kirk is an active member of the business and charitable communities. Nationally, she is a board member of Dress for Success. Locally, she is on the boards of the Riverlife Task Force and the Real Property Section of the Allegheny County Bar Association. A devoted supporter of women in the legal profession, Dusty is also a member of the Women in the Profession Committee of the Pennsylvania Bar Association. She has served on the boards of Planned Parenthood of Western Pennsylvania and the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (JDRF).
Ms. Kirk earned her B.A. from Allegheny College and her J.D. from the Dickinson School of Law. She has two children and resides in Squirrel Hill.
Sylvia Fields (Vice-Chair)
Appointed by City of Pittsburgh Mayor
Ms. Fields is Executive Director of the Eden Hall Foundation. She is the first and only African American woman to direct a major private foundation in the Pittsburgh region. A veteran grantmaker and administrator, Ms. Fields manages the legal and financial business of the foundation. She began her grantmaking career at the Duquesne Light company, where she also managed the Employee Involvement Committee, United Way annual campaign and the company school partnership program. While at Duquesne Light, Ms. Fields was best known for having established a Pittsburgh chapter of the American Association of Blacks in Energy.
Ms. Fields initiated the Women in Philanthropy program with Grantmakers of Western Pennsylvania to create a networking mechanism for female grantmakers and to highlight outstanding female philanthropists from our area. Ms. Fields is also a founding member of the African American Funders Group of Southwest Pennsylvania. This group advances effective and responsive philanthropy in black communities in southwestern Pennsylvania.
Ms. Fields is chair of the Education Committee of the World Affairs Council of Pittsburgh, under which she has overseen the development of an international relations summer program for high school students. She is the former board Chair of the YWCA – USA based in Washington DC and a past director of Grantmakers of Western Pennsylvania, Seton Hill University, the YWCA of Greater Pittsburgh, the Carnegie Museum of Natural History, Children's Museum of Pittsburgh, Magee-Womens Research Institute and Foundation, the Pittsburgh Cultural Trust and The Ellis School. Ms. Fields is a trustee of the Jewish Women's Foundation and was a 2009 honoree of the YWCA Tribute to Women.
Ms. Fields received her bachelor's degree from Seton Hill College and a master's degree from Carnegie Mellon University. She and her husband, Fred, are lifelong residents of Pennsylvania and have two adult children.
Dr. Kendra Janelle Ross is the Head of Social Impact at Duolingo, where she leads the community engagement and global philanthropic strategy. Before joining Duolingo, she served as an Assistant Professor of Sports, Arts, and Entertainment Management at Point Park University, where she also completed a Ph.D. in Community Engagement. Her dissertation research focused on Black women artists and cultural workers in the Hill District, where she serves as the co-chair of #ArtsInHD, a collective of Hill District creatives. Passionate about building a more equitable arts ecosystem in the region, Dr. Ross has served as co-chair of Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra's Community Advisory Council. She currently serves as interim chair of the Unisound Steering Committee, supporting out-of-school youth music programming. In addition, she is one of the architects of Unisound's Black Teaching Artist-In-Residence program through her firm, ACT3 Consulting Partners. ACT3 has advised arts organizations and other regional non-profits on their community engagement strategies over the past six years.
A music industry veteran and business professional, Dr. Ross spent two decades in New York City working both on stage and behind the scenes in the entertainment industry. She managed label operations for Universal Music Group, the world's leading music company, for over a decade. Dr. Ross is a veteran songwriter, vocalist, and producer who has recorded with renowned artists such as Quincy Jones, Lauryn Hill, Talib Kweli, and Kanye West, to name a few. She has headlined New York's legendary Blue Note Jazz Club more than ten times as a bandleader. In addition, she is a member of the Board of Governors of the Philadelphia chapter of the Recording Academy. Dr. Ross continues to write and record music and advocate for other artists. She has been awarded grants for her solo work and artistic collaborations from The Heinz Endowments, the Pittsburgh Foundation, and the Opportunity Fund.
Dr. Ross is a proud graduate of Pittsburgh Public Schools, K-12, and holds a Bachelor of Music in Music Business and Technology from New York University and master's degrees from Brooklyn College/CUNY and The New School for Social Research. She resides in the Banksville section of Pittsburgh.
Bridget Daley
Appointed by Allegheny County Executive
Bridget J. Daley is Senior Counsel at Highmark Inc., where she provides legal guidance on a variety of health insurance related matters and regulatory requirements. Before joining Highmark’s Law Department, Bridget previously served as Senior Attorney at Argo AI, LLC and an associate at Buchanan Ingersoll & Rooney PC. Recognized by Best Lawyers in America: Ones to Watch in 2022 for Commercial Litigation, Bridget has represented clients in complex civil matters in federal and state court. In 2020, Bridget completed the Legal Council on Legal Diversity (LCLD) Pathfinder program.
Active in the Pittsburgh community, Bridget is committed to amplifying local voices and fostering community connections and growth. She is a speaker curator for TEDxPittsburgh and has served on numerous nonprofit boards. Her leadership was recognized in 2019 when she was named one of Pittsburgh Magazine’s 40 Under 40. She also completed Leadership Pittsburgh’s Leadership Development Initiative Class XXIV in 2016.
Bridget holds a Juris Doctor from Duquesne University School of Law, where she was an associate note and comment editor of the Duquesne Law Review, editor-in-chief of Juris magazine and co-president of the Women’s Law Association. Prior to pursuing a legal career, Bridget worked as an editor at a local book publisher, contributed articles to various publications and spent a year working abroad in Rome, Italy. She also holds a Bachelor of Arts in Journalism from Duquesne University.
She and her husband, Chris, live in Upper St. Clair with their two young children. As a family, they love exploring all that Allegheny County has to offer — from museums and libraries to beautiful parks and playgrounds to the many wonderful arts and cultural events and more.
Jamie Ducar, EdD
Appointed by Allegheny County Executive
Dr. Jamie Ducar is the assistant vice chancellor of The Engaged Campus at the University of Pittsburgh where she leads efforts that advance Pitt’s capacity to be a visible and responsive collaborator within its local communities. Dr. Ducar began her career in higher education at the University of Pittsburgh in 2017 after a 10-year career as a human services practitioner and nonprofit consultant. She is the first community engagement professional to have earned the full Campus Compact certification for her field and was recognized as a 2024 Compact Impact Awardee for transformational leadership in advancing the public purposes of higher education. Jamie regularly presents and publishes on the intersections of hyperlocal engagement, engaged culture stewardship, and engagement architecture.
She serves the field nationally as chair of the Place Based Justice Network and as an advisor of Weave: The Social Fabric Project of The Aspen Institute. Locally, Jamie serves on the board of the Steel Valley Enterprise Zone dba Steel Valley Accelerator as well as the Greater Pittsburgh Nonprofit Partnership Advisory Team.
Dr. Ducar received a Doctor of Education degree as part of the inaugural Urban Education cohort at the University of Pittsburgh, a Master of Public Management from Heinz College at Carnegie Mellon University, and a Bachelor of Science degree in Organizational Leadership from Duquesne University. She lives in the Lincoln Place neighborhood of the City of Pittsburgh where she enjoys the assets of Council District 5 with her husband and two sons.
Joy Evans
At-large public member
Joy Evans is Senior Market Maker - Managing Director for Accenture, building off groundbreaking success in various enterprises for over 20 years which includes business transformation. information technology, AI, Cloud, Data Analytics; combined with adeptness in developing and maintaining C-Suite relationships with Fortune 1,000 and fast-growing companies.
Throughout her career, Ms. Evans has been a trailblazer with an entrepreneurial mindset who has helped Fortune 1000 companies craft strategies focused on value, embed the right technology, employ tested solutions, create digital environments, and develop scalable operating models to drive rapid sales expansion. Recognized for her exceptional leadership skills, Joy excels in building and managing elite, high-performance teams that ensure alignment and drive excellence, seamless execution, and enhanced client experiences.
Ms. Evans holds a Bachelor of Science in Accounting and Computer Science from the University of Pittsburgh. She has been awarded Oracle Partner of the Year and YMCA Business Leader of the Year and is an Athena Award Finalist. When Joy is not helping C-suite executives conceptualize new ways of expanding their business, she participates on several non-profit boards and enjoys traveling, spending time with children, and giving back to the community by helping young entrepreneurs start and grow their small businesses.
Monica Malik
Appointed by Allegheny County Executive
Monica Malik is an accomplished and results-driven leader, renowned for her strategic thinking, strong business acumen, and exceptional leadership skills. Currently serving as the Vice President of Public Affairs Market Manager of Western Pennsylvania and Upstate New York for Citizens, Monica is responsible for developing and executing the company's strategic marketing and communication plans and corporate giving in her markets. She excels in building and maintaining relationships with key stakeholders, overseeing corporate giving in her markets, and managing Citizens' reputation and brand.
Monica has a proven track record of driving organizational change and fostering a culture of innovation and collaboration. As a serial entrepreneur, she has owned a franchise restaurant, started a consulting company, and created businesses for others, demonstrating her deep passion for community and economic development. In 2022, she was honored as one of the "40 Under 40" for her remarkable contributions to her field.
Educationally, Monica holds a Bachelor's degree in Economics from the University of Pittsburgh. She is a frequent speaker on topics such as community engagement, workforce development, economic impact, and the social determinants of health. Her commitment to her community is further evidenced by her service on the boards of several nonprofit organizations, including Goodwill of Southwest PA, Professional Women’s Network, Uptown Partners of Pittsburgh, the PWSA L.I.A.C.C, and The Andy Warhol Museum Advisory Board.
Monica's passion lies in socioeconomic impact, workforce development, and mentorship. Her expertise spans the restaurant industry, corporate giving, technology, healthcare, and the arts and culture space, where she has guided numerous professionals in developing the essential skills needed for career success. Her mentoring approach is centered around creating a safe space for individuals to explore their strengths, weaknesses, and aspirations. Monica's dedication to understanding her mentees' needs and goals enables her to offer personalized and impactful guidance, fostering both personal and professional growth.
Monica Malik's unwavering commitment to excellence, community, economic and personal development has made her a distinguished leader and mentor. Her ability to inspire and drive positive change continues to leave a lasting impact on the organizations and individuals she engages with. As she continues to innovate and lead, Monica remains dedicated to making a meaningful difference in both her professional endeavors and the broader community.
