Metropolis of Pittsburgh: Workplace of Neighborhood Well being and Security expands staff to broaden social work, group engagement and authorized efforts …

07/10/2021

Pittsburgh, PA (October 7, 2021) The City of Pittsburgh’s new Office of Community Health and Safety (OCH&S) has expanded its team to provide the Continuum of Support Program to address long-standing health, safety and justice issues in our communities. The four newly hired employees will focus on social engagement, distraction, collaboration and post-engagement support.

Alexandra Abboud, MSW, LSW, strengthens the OCH & S team as Head of Social Work. Abboud previously served as a victim support coordinator in the city’s public security department, where she provided trauma-informed care, advocacy and resources for crime victims. Her expertise includes crisis intervention, harm reduction practices, survival support and youth engagement. In her previous role she supported OCH & S in the development of the Continuum of Support Program. As a social work manager, she will oversee social work staff who assist those with needs outside of the traditional public security response, work with crime survivors, and help develop joint public security / social worker response programs.

Eric Williams, MURP, serves as Community Engagement Coordinator for OCH&S after serving as community liaison for the city’s Office of Community Affairs for two years, presenting citywide services and events for community organizations. Before coming to town, Williams was a community development consultant with the Peace Corps in Albania, where he set up a food bank to help tackle food insecurity for a thousand residents. Williams will bring his community engagement expertise to work closely with community members, groups, and religious organizations in Pittsburgh to ensure that community members are partners in the development of OCH&S programs and services.

Camila Alarcon-Chelecki, MSPPM, joins OCH & S as project coordinator for Law Enforcement Assisted Diversion (LEAD). Alarcon-Chelecki has worked as a policy advisor and project manager. She also served as the development director for Guatemala Visible, working with youth across South America to support thriving communities and prevent cartel-based violence through educational and economic opportunities. As the LEAD project coordinator, Alarcon-Chelecki will work with the Congress of Neighboring Communities (CONNECT), community-based providers, the Pittsburgh Bureau of Police, the Allegheny County leadership, and community members to design, implement, and manage LEAD across the city of Pittsburgh.

Photo: Ilan Berkman

Malaysia Smith is the LEAD Community Engagement Coordinator. Smith joins OCH&S from the Pittsburgh Housing Authority, where she served as a portability specialist in case management, customer engagement and advocacy for residents. Smith previously worked as a communications coordinator for all projects at Just Harvest, where she established and moderated educational programs, stakeholders and public meetings, and developed public relations plans. As the LEAD Community Engagement Coordinator, Smith will work closely with CONNECT, residents, officials, and community organizations to incorporate feedback into program planning and promote partnerships between the community and OCH&S.

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