March 05, 2024
YWCA Greater Pittsburgh CEO to Deliver La Roche University Commencement Address
PITTSBURGH, Mar. 5, 2024 – La Roche University is pleased to announce Angela M. Reynolds, Ph.D., as its 58th commencement speaker. Dr. Reynolds serves as chief executive officer of YWCA Greater Pittsburgh.
“The YWCA and La Roche University share many of the same values: a commitment to peace, to justice, to equality and equity, to the marginalized, and to our children. Dr. Reynolds’ tireless efforts to empower women and families in the Pittsburgh area are a wonderful example for our graduates and people of all ages to emulate,” said Interim President Howard Ishiyama, Ph.D. “We believe Dr. Reynolds’ community involvement has impacted countless lives, and her passion for helping others will resonate strongly with our graduates and others in attendance.”
Dr. Reynolds will deliver the commencement address and receive an Honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters at La Roche’s graduation ceremony at 10 a.m. on Saturday, May 11 in the Kerr Fitness & Sports Center.
Dr. Ishiyama added, “Dr. Reynolds’ humanitarian efforts epitomize the essence of Pittsburgh, a city imbued with a spirit of determination and a tradition of generosity and compassion. We are pleased to present Dr. Reynolds with an honorary degree.”
As CEO of YWCA Greater Pittsburgh, Dr. Reynolds is committed to eliminating racism, empowering women, standing up for social justice, helping families and strengthening local neighborhoods.
Previously Dr. Reynolds served as senior director of United for Families and 2-1-1 for the United Way of Southwestern Pennsylvania. She was instrumental in shaping the United for Women initiative to help women get back on their feet. The initiative served more than 10,000 women during her seven-year tenure.
Dr. Reynolds began her career testing for housing discrimination through the Fair Housing Partnership, before embarking on an assistant professorship at the University of Pittsburgh’s Graduate School of Public and International Affairs. There she taught statistics and public policy, researching racial disparities in housing and criminal justice.
Dr. Reynolds is a recipient of the Urban League of Great Pittsburgh Ronald H. Brown Civic Leadership Award (2023) and an ATHENA award (2021). She was recognized as a New Pittsburgh Courier Woman of Excellence (2022), a Pittsburgh Business Times Woman of Influence (2021) and a member of the Pittsburgh Smart 50 Class of 2020.
Dr. Reynolds also is a member of the following organizations, among many others: PA Long Term Care Council, the board of directors for Sustainable Pittsburgh and Pittsburgh History and Landmarks Foundation, Adagio Health Advisory Board and Highmark Western Region Advisory Board. A married mother of four and caretaker for her mother, she is an associate pastor for her church.
A native of New Haven, Connecticut, she has called Pittsburgh home for many years. Dr. Reynolds hold a Ph.D. in Public Policy Analysis from Heinz College at Carnegie Mellon University, an M.S. in Statistics also from Carnegie Mellon and a B.A. in Mathematics (sociology minor) from Bryn Mawr College.
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About La Roche University: A private liberal arts university in the North Hills of Pittsburgh, La Roche University offers 68 undergraduate programs of study, seven master’s degrees and two doctoral degrees, with particular strengths in education, business, criminal justice, psychology, nursing, and health and medical sciences as well as interior architecture & design and graphic design. This residential university provides a vibrant campus community for women and men enjoying 30-plus student organizations and an exciting NCAA Div. III athletics program. Founded by the Sisters of Divine Providence in 1963, La Roche University embraces its Catholic heritage while welcoming people of all faiths and backgrounds. With a legacy of social justice and a commitment to international exchange, La Roche University educates students to be lifelong learners and achievers in an increasingly diverse and global society.