About Us

Ted Hershberg

I taught public policy and history for more than 50 years and founded the Center for Greater Philadelphia at the University of Pennsylvania. Along the way I served as assistant to the mayor of Philadelphia for strategic planning and policy development and as acting dean of Penn’s School of Public and Urban Policy. My research has encompassed education reform, regional cooperation and urban-industrial transformation.

I have long believed that Philadelphians working collaboratively can improve their quality of life. To celebrate the 300th anniversary of our city’s founding in 1982, I led a citizen-driven initiative that developed 56 projects to improve Philadelphia; roughly half have been implemented, proving positive change can come from reform-minded efforts. I also firmly believe that the destiny of Philadelphia and its surrounding suburban counties are inextricably linked. In 1995, following a decade of meetings that brought together state legislators and corporate leaders from Southeastern Pennsylvania, some 2,000 area residents gathered at a “Call to Action Conference” where regional organizations unveiled 89 initiatives to improve our region.

With the advent of email and social media, citizen-led reform initiatives should be easier to mobilize, and I am delighted to participate in current efforts.