Sharmain Matlock Turner

Sharmain Matlock-Turner is the CEO of the Urban Affairs Coalition. She began her tenure in March 1999 with the special distinction of being the first woman to lead the Coalition. The Urban Affairs Coalition, formerly 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, nonprofit and community leaders, Ms. Matlock-Turner and her team of managers and nearly 450 employees create partnerships and build consensus to help families reduce poverty and reach the middle class. The organization’s efforts are focused in four areas: improving life chances for youth and young adults; building wealth in low-income communities; forging strategic partnerships and strengthening the nonprofit sector through fiscal sponsorship. The organization has successfully managed more than $1B in public and private funds over its 50+ year history.

Ms. Matlock-Turner is co-founder and chair emeritus of the 24-year-old West Oak Lane Charter School. In addition, she serves on the following boards and committees: Deputy Chair of The Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia; Peirce College Board of Trustees; PECO Board of Directors; Entrepreneur Works Board of Directors; Greater Philadelphia Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors; Philadelphia Equity Alliance Board of Directors; United Way of Greater Philadelphia and Southern New Jersey Board; Summer Youth Employment Cabinet, Civic Coalition to Save Lives Advisory Board; IBC Regional Advisory Board; Black Nonprofit Chief Executives of Philadelphia Advisory Board; City & State Pennsylvania Advisory Board; Foundations Inc. National Advisory Board; Children First Advisory Council; Philadelphia Diversity & Inclusion Advisory Committee; African American Leadership Forum Advisory Board of Directors; Philadelphia Civil Service Commission Nominating Panel; Philanthropy Network Greater Philadelphia; Regional Strategy and Leadership Committee; Public Citizens for Children and Youth Advisory Council; PropelPHL Advisory Council Committee; The Philadelphia Foundation’s On the Table Steering Committee; Thomas Jefferson Community Health Needs Assessment (CHNA) Committee; Pyramid Club Board of Governors. Ms. Matlock-Turner is a founding member of the National Network of Fiscal Sponsors. She was appointed by Gov. Wolf to serve on the PA Redistricting Reform Commission, and the Census 2020 Complete Count Commission. She formerly served as co-chair for Philadelphia City Council’s Special Commission on Poverty Reduction & Prevention. She co-chaired the Draw the Lines PA East Steering Committee. Matlock-Turner co-authored the ‘Reflecting Forward: Philadelphia-based Black Leaders’ Recommendations for Regional Funders‘ and the ‘PAALF Research Report on African American Non-profit Organizations in Philadelphia‘ reports.

Ms. Matlock-Turner has received numerous awards including the 2023 Philadelphia Award, the Committee of Seventy’s Civic Leadership Award, Mann Center Voices Innovation Award for Community Advancement, Community Design Collaborative’s 2023 Leverage Award, Philadelphia Inquirer’s Diversity and Inclusion Award, and the Philadelphia Business Journal’s Most Admired CEO Award. Additionally, Ms. Matlock-Turner was inducted into the Historic Germantown Hall of Fame. She is often asked to speak to local, regional, and national organizations. She is a regular guest commentator on 6abc’s public affairs television program, Inside Story.

Ms. Matlock-Turner 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 Strategic Perspectives in Nonprofit Management. In 2014 she received an Honorary Doctor of Humane Letters from Peirce College. She is a Senior Fellow at the University of Pennsylvania’s Fels Institute for Government.

She is a Philadelphia resident and is married to Anthony “Tony” Turner with two grown daughters, Ayanna Matlock and Naima Fleming, and is the grandmother of Joshua Matlock Hale.

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For media interviews with Sharmain Matlock-Turner, contact her office at 215-851-0110.