Team :: Partnership Coordinator

Terrell Thomas

Partnership Coordinator

Terrell Thomas (He/Him/His), Pittsburgh native, has worked to build high-level relationships and community power through various tactics, such as creating coalition partnerships, lobbying elected and other government officials, recruiting and developing volunteers, and engaging voters. He has helped to develop, strengthen, and nurture alliances and work in coalitions with different communities, youth groups, formerly incarcerated peoples, and other advocacy groups. Terrell strives to elevate the stories and experiences of affected communities and individuals, ensuring that the interests and vision of impacted populations within the broader community are reflected in the work he does.

Terrell recently served as the executive director of The Isaiah Project youth development program, which caters to the needs of vulnerable Pittsburgh-area teenagers. He has created numerous curricula and programs that educate and unify residents and organizations around efforts to address people’s challenges that often lead to violence. Terrell was responsible for implementing trauma response services, crisis intervention meetings, mediation strategies, workforce development programing, group therapy, and life coaching workshops. As one of his initiatives, Terrell created the Peacekeeper Pact, which assisted active gang members or individuals living a high-risk lifestyle to obtain employment and skills needed to become successful.

More recently, Terrell has worked on public policy research and advocacy as a consultant for several organizations working to address economic and social issues. He has helped lead federal criminal justice reform policy research and analysis efforts to develop, communicate, and move toward implementing research-driven policy ideas, with a particular focus on shrinking the footprint of the justice system and ensuring safe communities for everyone.