Marc Wilken, Mpa Email & Phone Number

United States

Pennsylvania Wilds Region

I am one of 65 selected fellows consulting on economic development projects across 44 states and territories for the next 2.5 years. Working alongside the PA Wilds Center for Entrepreneurship, I’ll be helping to build stronger, more resilient, and inclusive economies for Pennsylvania:For over 20 years, the highly rural PA Wilds region, encompassing over 2 million acres of public land, has been purposefully engaging in place-based development for its outdoor recreation and tourism sectors. The goal is to diversify local economies, attract investment, retain population, inspire stewardship, and enhance overall quality of life. This project guided by the PA Wilds Center for Entrepreneurship aims to evolve stakeholder and investment frameworks, ensuring outdoor recreation programs remain locally-informed and responsive to opportunities and challenges as the economy grows. The project will focus on the highly rural Pennsylvania Wilds region, covering 13 counties in north-central Pennsylvania. As an ERC Fellow, I will conduct partner outreach, oversee governance plan evolution, identify best practices for countywide strategic planning, and facilitate partner conversations on prioritizing recreation infrastructure projects. The project seeks to accelerate job creation and increase connectivity, awareness, participation, community engagement, and capacity for outdoor recreation entrepreneurship communities of rural PA.

Work with underinvested communities to improve their quality of life and achieve their goals. Believe in just, equitable, diverse, and inclusive public spaces and principles that serve as a catalyst for change.

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States

Large scale event development and management, corporate and philanthropic fundraising, arts, culture and creative economy programming and business incubation, and procuring goods and services for improving public spaces. Tenure Metrics:Direct + Indirect Reports - 8 employeesTotal Fundraising - Over $10 millionTotal Supported Minority-Owned Business Enterprises - 100 businesses / programmersAnnual jobs created/sustained - 250 jobs Project Highlights:- In the midst of a global pandemic, facilitated the rapid response and deployment of FREE playful learning kits, amenities, and programs to youth from vulnerable communities. All amenities and programs were provided by black owned businesses/program providers. - Created multicultural marketplaces for black and brown makers and artists to engage with new customers and perform and showcase their talents to the public- Make space and provided resources for disadvantaged communities to level up, create and scale their business while teaching and working with neighborhood youth to empower the next generation of entrepreneurs- Transforming a commercial parking lot into Philadelphia’s largest outdoor urban oasis where locals and visitors can enjoy eight acres of food and beverage, art, music and entertainment, wellness experiences, and free special event programming- Developing one of the the nation's first Urban Reforestation Hub: To improve wood waste management operations and prepare for more intense weather events and further deterioration of our urban forests and aging trees, I’ve led a collaboration between local, state and national partners interested in building and operating a lumber yard. This program is intended to expand the job training options to those in tree-related fields, such as arboriculture, milling, carpentry, and forest management. Proceeds from the lumber yards will support TreePhilly and urban forest restoration projects.

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States

Established economic development opportunities for local, regional and national firms to do business in Philadelphia parks and recreation spaces. In doing so, created an entirely new food and recreational concession program for park patrons to enjoy, while generating over $1 million in revenue annually, and creating and sustaining jobs and business opportunities, including for those from disadvantaged communities. - Identify, develop and cultivate business opportunities- Draft Request for Proposals (RFPs) for business opportunities and coordinate RFP processes- Review and assess proposals, including pro formas, and select winning bid- Lead contract compliance management- Review and approve accounting reports- Troubleshoot any facility, contract or service issues- Coordinate communications for promoting concessions to the public

Master Of Public Administration - Mpa, 4.0

Bachelor Of Science - Bs, Political Science And Psychology, 4.0

Education record

A1 Level Spanish Speaking Course