Inclusive Recovery and Renaissance for North Broad

Shalimar Thomas is the Executive Director of the North Broad Renaissance, a non-profit supporting revitalization efforts along North Broad Street, from City Hall to Germantown Avenue. With the support, feedback, and engagement of the community, the NBR is working to keep North Broad clean, green and safe, making local hiring a priority, and improving the overall quality of life for all who visit, live, work and play on and around the corridor. Collectively, the NBR is laying the foundation for inclusive business attraction, and inclusive economic development.

In her role as Executive Director, she is responsible for helping the organization move forward its mission through community planning, community revitalization, business development and community education
and engagement. Her results-oriented approach and ability to think strategically has played a pivotal role as the organization works to revitalize North Broad Street. In her first two years, Thomas lead efforts to create a solid foundation for strong economic development efforts, which included creating a cleaner and safer corridor, managing over 50 planters to improve the greenspace and walkability, and ensuring that the North Broad community and other stakeholders are updated on development along North Broad, and its impact.
A graduate of Community College of Philadelphia, and Temple University, where she graduated Magna Cum Laude, Thomas has been recognized as a Women on the Move by the City of Philadelphia, a Philadelphia Business Journal 40 Under 40 awardee, an Influential African-American Leader by the
Philadelphia Tribune, a Women of Substance and Style by Joan Shepp, an outstanding African-American Woman by PECO and WURD, and one of the region’s most influential women in the non-profit sector by Councilwoman Blondell Reynolds-Brown and Vivant Art Gallery.