Sharmain Matlock-Turner is the President of the

Greater Philadelphia Urban Affairs Coalition (GPUAC). Through her multiple leadership roles, Sharmain demonstrates her commitment to improving the quality of life for urban residents. She began her tenure at GPUAC in March, 1999, with a special distinction: she is the first woman to lead GPUAC in the organization’s 37-year history.

GPUAC unites government, business, neighborhoods, and individual initiative to improve the quality of life in the region, build wealth in urban communities, and solve emerging issues. In partnership with a diverse Board of Directors made up of business, non-profit and community leaders, Sharmain and her team of managers forge coalitions and build consensus to help families reduce poverty and reach the middle class. GPUAC has grown over the last 7 years from a $20 million organization to one with an annual budget of $33 million and nearly 400 full-time employees.

With a history grounded in Philadelphia’s civil rights movement, GPUAC under Sharmain’s leadership, in addition to providing social services, has become a leader in the public policy arena working with national partners such as The Brookings Institution and PolicyLink, and with regional partners such as the Pennsylvania Economy League, the Franklin Caucus and the Metropolitan Caucus.  Issues of focus include education reform, charter schools, financial education, asset building, job access, small business development and alternatives to predatory lending.

GPUAC’s innovative programs have also expanded in recent years. They include the “Keep Kids Safe Summer Camp,” enabling city children affected by violence to enjoy overnight camp in the country and learn conflict resolution skills; a pilot to place inner-city high school students in good paying jobs in the suburbs; and being hired to take the GPUAC model of economic inclusion on construction projects to Atlantic City and Baltimore.

Sharmain chairs the boards of trustees/directors of the West Oak Lane Charter School, the Ogontz Avenue Revitalization Corporation (OARC) and the Peoples Emergency Center. She is currently a board member of La Salle University, the Redevelopment Authority of the City of Philadelphia, The Reinvestment Fund, and United Way of Southeastern Pennsylvania. She also served on the Executive Committee of Governor Rendell’s Task Force for Working Families and co-chaired the Task Force’s “Increasing Incomes” Committee.  She is a Penn/Del representative to Wachovia's National Corporate Community Development Advisory Council and more recently, she was selected by LEADERSHIP Inc. as one of “Philadelphia’s Connectors” and the Philadelphia Tribune's "Most Influential African Americans."

Sharmain currently co-hosts a weekly radio show, Financial Voices on WURD 900 AM. The show focuses attention on consumer and small business issues important to the community.

Sharmain has been honored by the American Women’s Heritage Society, Pennsylvania Senate, Pennsylvania House of Representatives, City of Philadelphia, OARC, Black United Fund, WOMENS WAY, Philadelphia Business Journal, Philadelphia Tribune, the March of Dimes, Consumer Credit Counseling Services and received City Councilwoman Reynolds-Brown’s “Making a Difference” award. She received the first Helena T. Devereux Leadership Award, presented by The Devereux Foundation, and was recently honored by La Salle University - the first woman to receive their Annual Charter Leadership Award.

Sharmain holds a BS degree in Education from Temple University. In 2005, she was one of three Philadelphia nonprofit leaders selected to receive a scholarship to the Harvard Business School’s nonprofit leaders' summer program. She is a Philadelphia resident; married to Tony Turner with two grown daughters, Ayanna Matlock and Naima Turner.

Prior to being named President and Executive Director of GPUAC, Sharmain was associate vice president, legislative and community affairs, for Mercy Health System.  For nine years prior,Sharmain was chief of staff to the late State Senator Roxanne H. Jones.

Photo of Sharmain Matlock-Turner available by contacting Jennifer Banks, Communications Associate, at 215-851-1887; jbanks@gpuac.org