Deborah Diamond

Director of Anchor Economy at Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia

Deborah is currenly the Director of Anchor Economy at Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia. The Anchor Economy Initiative at the Philadelphia Fed focuses on the role that higher education institutions and hospitals ("anchor institutions") play in regional economies. In many regions, higher eds and hospitals are among the largest employers and have significant economic impacts. This initiative explores what those impacts are, how larger forces in the economy may impact those sectors, and how communities and anchor institutions can collaborate to foster equitable and inclusive economic growth.

In 2019, Deborah co-founded Young Smart and Local. Young Smart and Local is a network of more than 50 cities working to build diverse young talent through college student engagement, inclusion and retention. Launching with a national conference in Philadelphia in April 2019, the learning network includes more than 600 professionals in economic development, city government, higher education and business. Co-founded with Cecelia Thompson, Executive Director of Action Greensboro, Young Smart and Local produces webinars on building equitable, inclusive and growing talent pipelines in cities.

Prior the role at Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia, Deborah joined Campus Philly in 2010 as president and served for 11 years. 

She began her career as a college professor, teaching political philosophy at Columbia University and Bryn Mawr College. But after falling in love with Philadelphia as a place to live, she shifted focus, launching a career in market research and joining Visit Philadelphia as their first director of research and strategy. Deborah holds a BA from Bryn Mawr College and an MA and Ph.D. from the University of Chicago.

She serves on the Executive Board of the Bryn Mawr College Alumnae Association, the board of overseers of the Jewish Grad Network of Greater Philadelphia, and the board of the Home and School Association of Science Leadership Academy.