Press Release: Accelerator for America Welcomes Philadelphia City Controller Rebecca Rhynhart to Advisory Council

For immediate release: Monday, January 13, 2020

Los Angeles, CA —Accelerator for America today announced the addition of Rebecca Rhynhart, City Controller for the City of Philadelphia, to its Advisory Council. It is the mission of the City Controller to promote the effective and efficient operation of government, and Controller Rhynhart made history in 2018 when she was sworn in as the first woman ever elected City Controller for the City of Philadelphia.

“I’m thrilled to join the Advisory Council for Accelerator for America. It’s a unique opportunity to learn from and share knowledge with a dynamic group of leaders from across the country to develop solutions that can be applied here in Philadelphia to support our residents,” said Controller Rhynhart.

The mission of Accelerator for America is to find and develop solutions to economic insecurity and share them with cities to create national change from the ground up. It was co-founded by Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti and Rick Jacobs in 2017 around the idea that while Washington is broken, change is still needed and must be made from the local level. It has since developed community wealth-building tools that are being used in over 55 cities nationwide and has helped local communities generate over $22 billion in funding for local transportation infrastructure initiatives.

"We are thrilled to welcome Controller Rhynhart to our Advisory Council. Her experience in the public and private sectors in addition to her personal passion for improving people’s lives will be a powerful asset to our work," said Accelerator CEO and Co-Founder Rick Jacobs. “With the help of the best minds in government, business and philanthropy, the Accelerator provides local communities with the necessary tools to help themselves and spark nationwide change from the ground up.”

Prior to being elected Controller, Rebecca served under previous Philadelphia Mayor Michael Nutter as City Treasurer and Budget Director, and most recently as the Chief Administrative Officer under Mayor Jim Kenney where she oversaw 11 City departments. She has also served as an executive specializing in public finance with Fitch Ratings and Bear Stearns & Co.

Rebecca has a Master of Public Administration from Columbia University and a Bachelor of Arts from Middlebury College.

Full List of Accelerator for America Advisory Council Members:

  • Mayor Steve Benjamin, Columbia, SC

  • Angela Glover Blackwell, CEO, PolicyLink

  • James T. Callahan, General President, International Union of Operating Engineers

  • Mayor John Cranley, Cincinnati, Ohio

  • Mayor Michelle De La Isla, Topeka, KS

  • Cheryl Dorsey, President, Echoing Green

  • Michael Dubin, Founder and CEO, Dollar Shave Club

  • Council Member Amanda Edwards, Houston, TX

  • Mayor Eric Garcetti, Los Angeles, CA

  • Lt. Gov. Cyrus Habib, Washington

  • Mayor Quentin Hart, Waterloo, IA

  • Mayor David Holt, Oklahoma City, OK

  • Larry Jacob, Vice President of Public Affairs, Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation

  • Bruce Katz, Co-founder, The New Localism

  • Doug McCarron, General President, United Brotherhood of Carpenters

  • Swati Mylavarapu, CEO, Incite.org

  • John Porcari, President, US Advisory Services for WSP

  • Steve Robinson, CEO, Reimagine

  • Rebecca Rhynhart, City Controller, City of Philadelphia

  • Mayor Andy Schor, Lansing, MI

  • Shamina Singh, President and Founder, Mastercard Center for Inclusive Growth

  • Rob Slimp, President and CEO, HNTB

  • City Clerk Anna Valencia, Chicago, IL

  • Mayor Nan Whaley, Dayton, OH

Advisory Council Members Emeriti

  • Pete Buttigieg, Mayor of South Bend, IN

  • Gregory A. Kelly, President and CEO, WSP USA

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ACCELERATOR FOR AMERICA finds and develops solutions to economic insecurity and shares them with cities to create national change from the ground up. We support initiatives that connect people with existing jobs, create new opportunities and foster infrastructure development. www.AcceleratorForAmerica.org

The Office of the City Controller is the independent financial watchdog for the City of Philadelphia, it is the mission of the City Controller to promote the effective and efficient operation of Philadelphia government by identifying cost savings, recommending best practices and modernization, and exposing fraud and mismanagement. Under City Controller Rebecca Rhynhart, the office is committed to transparency, accountability and good government.

Contact:

Accelerator for America

Yusef Robb, 323-384-1789

yusef@acceleratorforamerica.org

Office of the City Controller

Jolene Nieves Byzon, 215-300-1071

jolene.nieves.byzon@phila.gov