Vibrant Pittsburgh: By The Numbers

140+ Employer Members

60+ Training Hours Facilitated Annually

2000+ Employees Trained Annually

12 Unique Trainings,
5 Book Discussions

104 Vibrant Index Participants

11 Vibrant Index Champions

Lack of Diversity is Having an Economic Impact on Pittsburgh and Its Employers

Skilled, qualified workers are looking for workplaces where they can thrive. Diverse talent is heavily sought after and will invest their resources in regions that demonstrate a commitment to belonging and success for all. Organizations looking to stay competitive, profitable, and relevant are offering inclusive workplaces that foster prosperity and belonging, making them a top choice for people of all backgrounds.

Despite Pittsburgh’s robust industrial history and present day reality of opportunities in tech, medical, and educational fields, there is a lack of diversity in the Pittsburgh workforce. Organizations in the Pittsburgh region are challenged by this lack of diversity when seeking to attract and retain top talent in and to the region. To foster innovation and bolster economic prosperity, Pittsburgh needs to be at the leading edge of inclusive and future-forward workplaces.

At Vibrant Pittsburgh, we serve as the region’s lead resource and spokesperson for workplace DEI, and have done so for the last decade.

Vibrant Pittsburgh plays a unique role in catalyzing a new future for workplace diversity in Pittsburgh by providing resources and partnering with the business community to drive measurable progress towards more diverse, equitable, inclusive, and attractive organizations for the talent of today and tomorrow.

Read Our 2022 Strategic Plan  Read our 2021 Annual Report

Our History

In the beginning years of what is now Vibrant Pittsburgh, business leaders came together to address a community need – an increasing number of immigrant Jewish families and refugees who needed to become more connected and find employment in our region. The Welcome Center for Immigrants and Internationals – as it was known then – eventually grew into an entity, supported by the broader community, which provided support for both immigrants and those who were being marginalized in terms of employment in our region. As the Welcome Center became more well-known, it became clear that it had a larger purpose around economic development; as the Regional Opportunity Center, it gained the support of the foundation community and key corporations who recognized the importance of diverse populations and their role in creating a sustainable region with a vibrant workforce.  

In 2010 the Regional Opportunity Center hired its first CEO, Melanie Harrington and became Vibrant Pittsburgh. With a core group of community leaders, Vibrant Pittsburgh launched a 10-year strategic work plan with the support of Pittsburgh’s business, non-profit and philanthropic leaders. Since 2010, Vibrant Pittsburgh has increased programming and staffing to attract, retain, and elevate a diversity of talent in the region.  

In 2019, Vibrant Pittsburgh underwent a leadership transition. The new President and CEO, Sabrina Saunders Mosby, was charged with charting a new strategic direction for the organization. Top of mind was leveraging the exciting potential of member organizations to make bold diversity, equity, and inclusion (“DEI”) efforts that would successfully attract, retain, and elevate top talent in our region’s workplaces. Today, Vibrant Pittsburgh’s mission and scope have evolved to address the workplace development needs of our region’s employers, supporting over 130 member organizations as they accelerate their DEI efforts to become top employment destinations for people of all backgrounds.