The Original Pittsburgh Winery and SCALE Fellowship Program are thrilled to announce a new music series launching this spring, designed to spotlight local artists while fostering a vibrant, community-driven creative scene. This partnership blends the rich, soulful ambiance of The Original Pittsburgh Winery’s Cellar performance space with the mission of the SCALE Fellowship—a dynamic initiative that supports creative entrepreneurs on their journey to sustainable creative careers. The series, designed to raise awareness and funds for future SCALE programming, will feature curated performances by SCALE Fellows and local musicians, offering audiences a unique experience that combines artistry, storytelling, and community connection.
The series kicks off on May 14th, with additional shows scheduled for August 13th and December 17th. Each event will feature live performances, artist spotlights, and opportunities for networking and community connection.
“We’re excited to partner with SCALE to create a space for emerging voices,” said Tim Gaber, owner ofThe Original Pittsburgh Winery. “Supporting local musicians is part of our mission, and we can’t wait to share this experience with our community.”
“This collaboration is about more than just great music,” said Leigh Solomon Pugliano, Creator and Director of the SCALE Fellowship program. “It’s about building a platform where artists are not just recognized for their talent, but supported in their entrepreneurial journey and celebrated for their cultural impact.”
The series launches with MAY FLOWERS: ATribute to Legendary Black Women in Music, featuring performances by SCALE alum Erika Denae J. and Anita Levels with musical interludes by DJ Femi.
MAY FLOWERSwill also feature an incredible lineup of musicians, including:
Joe Sheehan
James Johnson III
Mike Hugo
Denzel Chismar
Sean Baker
Jevon Rushton
Glyn Lloyd Jr.
Tickets for the first show are available now at pittsburghwinery.com. Proceeds benefit the SCALE Fellowship program.
For media inquiries, interviews, or sponsorship opportunities, please contact:
East Liberty, PA, February 3, 2023 – The Equity | Impact Center is pleased to announce the appointment of Laura N.K. Miller’s as the inaugural Chair of the Board. Ms. Miller, Sr. Associate Counsel, VP Government Programs & Provider Contracting for UPMC Insurance Services Division, was appointed to lead the Board of Directors by President & CEO, Leigh Solomon Pugliano, last month.
Prior to joining UPMC as a staff attorney in 2006, Ms. Miller worked as an associate at Burns White, LLC. Ms. Miller assisted with the development of UPMC Health Plan’s shared savings arrangement and various bundled payment programs. She also provides counsel to Community Care Behavioral Health Organization, the country’s largest not-for-profit behavioral health managed care organization, and serves as its Corporate Secretary.
Ms. Miller received her law degree and Health Law Certificate from the University of Pittsburgh School of Law and MBA from the University of Pittsburgh’s Katz Graduate School of Business. Ms. Miller earned her undergraduate degree from the Pennsylvania State University, where she majored in Science.
As a steadfast supporter of the Equity | Impact Center and its values, Ms. Miller’s advocacy and commitment to equity are demonstrated through her community work. Ms. Miller is a member of the United Way Board of Directors and Chair of the UW Good Neighbor Volunteer Committee. She serves on the Board of Trustees of the Frick Pittsburgh and Carnegie Library, Co-Chairing the CLP Inclusion, Equity, Diversity, and Access (IDEA) Committee. Laura resides in Point Breeze with her husband and two daughters.
About the Equity | Impact Center
The Equity | Impact Center addresses systemic inequity through broad social, cultural, and economic solutions and comprehensive, intentionally designed initiatives. The organization, founded in 2019 by Leigh Solomon Pugliano, provides capacity-building programming, leadership development, and organizational development support to advance social justice missions through programs and initiatives that address systemic inequities.
“The Transformative Leader program was created to be a space for people who have accepted the call to make change and who have sacrificed themselves, and their own wellbeing at times, to improve the lives of others.”
-Leigh Solomon Pugliano, Creator of the Transformative Leader Program
The Transformative Leader program (TLP) was developed to recognize social justice, social impact, and nonprofit leaders from all sectors for their impactful community-centered work. In addition to a financial award, the program supports leaders in building strategies that navigate existing barriers and lead to sustainable change.
The Equity | Impact Center’s mission is to transform leaders, nonprofit organizations, and arts and culture for a more equitable society and improved quality of life. The Transformative Leader Program is intended to fulfill our mission by supporting leaders with powerful ideas and solutions crafted from knowledge, expertise, skills and lived experience, designed to be a space for collective learning, growth, and collaboration.
The Program
An essential element for leadership growth is the presence of a supportive ecosystem. As organizations grow, leaders face new challenges and need varying resources to support them. Cultivating and curating these resources requires knowledge of the various stages of organizational growth and leadership development, an understanding of the barriers leaders face, and a commitment to intersectional leadership development in order to design effective programs and initiatives.
An impactful leadership development program should provide social justice and nonprofit leaders with targeted knowledge, resources, and experiential opportunities to engage with peers around common issues, challenges, and promising practices. This is the mission of TLP.
The curriculum takes leaders through a series of sessions from the tenets of transformative leadership, to reflecting on their work in progress. The sessions are designed for collective learning and individual reflection.
The Cohort
This year’s inaugural cohort is an exceptional group of community leaders making an impact and addressing systemic inequity across sectors and cities including Pittsburgh, Atlanta, Baltimore, New Orleans, and Washington, D.C.
Pictured above, TLP Cohort awardees, Equity | Impact Center staff, and guest facilitator janera solomon in session 2 on June 8, 2022.
This inaugural cohort connected in a powerful way at the Transformative Leader launch. Initially through their introductions and recognition of the power and impact each leader brought to the space, then forming a deeper connection through the sessions facilitated by anupama jain, Tameka Cage-Conley, and Felicia Savage Friedman. The affirmation, vulnerability, and joy exhibited in the first session established a beautiful foundation for the inaugural program.
The 2022 Transformative Leader Program Cohort:
Alydia Thomas, Graduate Student Diversity, Engagement & Inclusion Manager at University of Pittsburgh
Bianca Moore, Founder of BMoore Consulting, LLC
Fatima Bunafoor, Director of Talent and Equity at Pittsburgh Equity Arts Coalition
Isaiah Johnson, Founder of Greenmount East Leadership Project
Kelli Shakur, Founder of Frogang Foundation
Martice Sutton, Executive Director of Girls Going Global
Nadyli Nuñez, Executive Director of AscenderPGH
Natalie Sweet, Executive Director at Brew House Association
Riley Jones, IV, Ventures Director at CityBridge Education
Terri Shields, Founder & Executive Director at JADA House International
Tiffany Huff-Strothers, Founder & CEO of When She Thrives
Reflections
“I’m elated to be a part of such an amazing and talented group of individuals who are making an impact on people of color and in their communities…the information and selected presenters were awesome, and very informative…I can’t think of anything to add or change about the program.”
“We need to keep it going, the lessons are there but when we get together and see each other it makes a big difference…I’m honored to be a part of this cohort and hope everyone is able to lean on each other moving forward.”
“Leigh investing in me gives me hope; ‘thank you’ isn’t able to capture how I feel about the experience. The Equity | Impact Center is setting itself above a lot of other leadership programs I’ve participated in.”
“I connected deeply with the time we spent early on getting to understand where people were coming to this work from. I appreciated the range of experiences the cohort had in being thoughtful advocates for social justice, equity, and for inclusion.”
“I’m thankful to Leigh for selecting a group of people that were able to relate to one another.”
“Sometimes you need people to recognize you as a leader. The first session just tore me up because I didn’t think about things with that perspective. I need more, this was great.”
“I tell people about this experience ALL the time. This was literally the best fellowship I have ever been a part of. I’m genuinely sad about this being the last session. Please let’s continue to meet regularly.”
“I cannot begin to thank Leigh and Equity Impact for inviting me to take part in the first Transformative Leader Launch Event. So many of the leader-participants and their faces and stories have remained with me since the presentation. This opportunity created a deeper witness with me that sharing my work in this capacity feels like part of the next leg of my career and journey. Leigh, I have been talking about your dynamism since the event. Leigh is a rare visionary, and I look forward to October 15.”
Transformative Leader Facilitator
Pictured above, Final TLP session with Equity | Impact Center staff and facilitator anupama jain on September 14, 2022.
We invite you to come celebrate these exceptional leaders with us in Pittsburgh, PA on October 15, 2022 at AMPLIFY: Celebrating Transformative Leaders. Tickets range from $50 – $100 and go to supporting Equity | Impact Center programming.
The evening includes complimentary food and drinks, live music, and the opportunity to connect with some of the most impactful leaders within the Pittsburgh community and beyond. Click here for tickets and additional information.
The Transformative Leader Award Program (TLAP) intends to recognize leaders who are making an impact and are dedicated to social change.
Through a series of virtual gatherings, work sessions, and expert-led workshops, this program will provide nonprofit and social justice leaders with targeted knowledge and resources. Participants will also have experiential opportunities to engage with peers around common issues, challenges, and promising practices. TLAP will facilitate growth and applicable solutions at the individual, operational (internal), and system-based (external) level.
Selected participants will receive a $3,000 award for acceptance into the program and participate in six (6) virtual workshops, individual leadership growth sessions, and attend the Transformative Leader award celebration.
The Transformative Leader Award Program will support social justice and nonprofit leaders in developing and enhancing the skills they need to grow and sustain their work and build strategies that navigate existing barriers while working towards systems-level change.
Leaders from all sectors are invited to apply including, but not limited to, nonprofit organizations, philanthropic organizations, social impact businesses, community groups, corporations, academic institutions, and government and political leaders. The Transformative Leader Award Program model incorporates:
facilitated learning and discussions that follow a curriculum designed to build specific areas of knowledge
individualized personal leadership development
organizational growth plans that center equity and inclusion, and work towards impactful solutions
mentoring and coaching based on the specific needs of the leader and the strategic growth of the organization
training, tools, and resources that focus on wellness and care for social justice and equity workers
The TLAP application and nomination process is now open. Please complete and submit applications by midnight (11:59 PM) EST on March 10, 2022 in order to be considered for the 2022 cohort.
