On April 29, Philadelphia Foundation hosted a Conversations in Civic Leadership event at our office featuring Adam Geer, Philadelphia’s inaugural Chief Public Safety Director, in conversation with our President and CEO, Pedro A. Ramos. The Conversations series brings together leaders, changemakers, and donors to our Civic Leadership Fund to discuss the practice and impact of civic leadership. 

As Philadelphia Foundation increasingly leans into our civic catalyst role – mobilizing resources, diverse partners, and public attention to drive sustained, collaborative responses to community challenges – the Conversations series offers a unique venue for our team and our supporters to learn from and deepen our partnerships with local leaders.

The importance of working across sectors was evident in the conversation with Geer, whose role exemplifies the importance of coordination, collaboration, and focus on evidence-based approaches when tackling a problem as complex and serious as community violence.

Geer shared an inside view of how standing up his new office has necessitated aligning efforts both within City government and with external partners, who he sees as key to his team’s work. As Geer noted: “We rely on nonprofits in the community – for information and for credibility,” adding that the city “cannot go into neighborhoods and operate effectively without them.” He shared that the Civic Coalition to Save Lives – which Philadelphia Foundation co-founded and helps lead – recently funded a new AI tool for the Group Violence Intervention teams that helps identify specific areas of the city in which to focus outreach efforts.

Philadelphia has made remarkable progress in reducing gun violence, with homicides at their lowest level since 2007. Yet, as Geer thoughtfully observed, there is cognitive dissonance between these improving statistics and people still not feeling safe in our communities. This disconnect points to the complex, multifaceted nature of public safety work and the importance of maintaining focus on the proven intervention strategies that save lives.

In addition to exploring Geer’s current work, the Conversations event included discussion of what motivated and inspired him to pursue public service (first and foremost, his mom!) and engaging, thoughtful questions from attendees. Throughout the dialogue, Geer’s passion for his work and sense of purpose shone through. As he put it, his new role feels like destiny and exactly what he should be doing at this moment.

We are deeply grateful for Geer’s dedication, partnership, and civic leadership!