Directory

Staff

LEO DILLINGER IV
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

Leo Dillinger IV officially joined GU in early November. Leo comes to us with nearly a decade of experience in community development right here in northwest Philadelphia. He was the Director of Operations for the Manayunk Development Corporation and the Manayunk Special Services District, where he led impactful initiatives in business support, grant writing, placemaking, and beautification.

Throughout his career, Leo has successfully managed capital improvement projects and built strong coalitions between neighborhood stakeholders, government agencies, and elected officials to advocate for community needs. A graduate of Penn State University’s College of Communications, Leo has called East Mount Airy home for the past four years.

AUBREY FINK
CORRIDOR ENGAGEMENT and MARKETING MANAGER

Aubrey joined Germantown United CDC in the Spring of 2024. While studying graphic design at the University of the Arts, she gained hands-on marketing experience with organizations such as Mural Arts Philadelphia, WXPN, and Quirk Books. After graduating, she worked as the Marketing & Communications Manager for the Bok Building in South Philadelphia. There, she supported the growth of the nearly 300 artists, small businesses, and nonprofits housed in the building. In 2020, Aubrey started her own freelance design studio specializing in branding, web design, and small business marketing strategy. Over the last four years, she’s collaborated with entrepreneurs across industries to implement marketing efforts that bolster their businesses. At GU, Aubrey aims to offer practical, thoughtful, and creative marketing support to the many small businesses that exist in the neighborhood.

MATTHEW GEORGE
BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT MANAGER

Matthew joined the organization in August 2021. He brings over ten years of professional experience delivering supportive services to clients and business partners. Matthew holds a degree in Business Administration from Montgomery County Community College. As a resident of Germantown and native of Northwest Philadelphia, Matthew’s passion for sustainability and community pride is the foundation of his initiative I Love Thy Hood. Matthew has organized the placement of over 100 public trash cans across the City of Philadelphia, collecting over 100,000 pounds of waste. He is committed to reducing the amount of litter on our streets, empowering businesses and residents to resolve local issues, and building thriving neighborhoods through advocacy and accessible resources.

DESIREE THOMPSON
OPERATIONS COORDINATOR

Desiree joined the organization in July 2023. The throughline in her work is tending to the resource gap between where people are, and where they envision themselves to be.  She creates collaborative tools to help her community better connect to their bodies, to the land, and to each other—supporting an interconnectedness that allows us to locate our power inside of and beyond oppressive systems. She’s grateful to The Village of Arts and Humanities, Children First (formerly PCCY), the Women’s Community Revitalization Project and Nana Catherine’s Apothecary, for guiding 13 years of her administrative and social service experience. She is also the co-organizer of the Philly Herb Hub, a free community apothecary that has offered herbal education and over 4,000 teas and bottled remedies to hundreds of Black Philadelphians. Desiree is passionate about place-based programming, urban agriculture, alternative economies and protecting the cultural legacies of our city’s many vibrant neighborhoods. She is on the board of Hansberry Garden and Nature Center, and serves as the co-chair for the City Harvest committee. Desiree was raised in Mt. Airy and Germantown, and is a proud (K-12) Philly public school grad.

SHEIRCE WHITE
RESIDENT SERVICES COORDINATOR

Sheirce is passionate about helping others and has a deep understanding of the unique challenges that individuals and families from low-income and disenfranchised communities face. Her experience and expertise in this area make her an excellent addition to our organization. Prior to joining Germantown United CDC, Sheirce contributed her skills to Pathways to Housing, Philadelphia Fight, and the People’s Emergency center, where she further honed her ability to make a positive impact in our community. Sheirce has a bachelor’s degree in Business Management from Lincoln University, Magna Cum Laude. She is also the force behind #Philly.TeenJobs, a valuable social media platform that is all about connecting communities and opportunities for teens in Philadelphia. In Sheirce’s downtime she enjoys investigative journalism, hanging out with family, and enjoying good food/desserts. 

If you’re interested in speaking with Sheirce about community resources please send a brief message and connect with her.