The second annual AL DÍA 40 Under Forty event will serve to highlight and showcase some of the most diverse and impactful young professionals across the Philadelphia region.

At the event, taking place on August 27, 2021, Kellan White will be one of the 40 honorees. He is the First Deputy City Controller at the Office of the Philadelphia City Controller.

As First Deputy City Controller for the Office of the Philadelphia City Controller, Kellan White is tasked with serving as the main liaision between the Office of the City Controller and other governmental agencies. He also oversees and manages the City Controller office's public engagement, which includes special events, community outreach, constituent services and communications. Prior roles include national political director of New Leaders Council, community engagement and special events manager for City Council of Philadelphia, and youth director at Christian Street YMCA Branch. 

White is a graduate of University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, earning a degree in kinesiology and exercise science. 

Here are Kellan White's responses: 

The biggest challenge of my professional career was being laid off from a sports marketing job in NYC. Like all challenges it led to strong important lessons I still carry today and represented a turning point that led me back to Philadelphia and into government/politics.

Diversity, equity and inclusion is absolutely vital in government. Philadelphia, like every city, faces big challenges everyday and our ability to navigate through those challenges is due to the hardworking public servants who keep our government functioning. When this workforce reflects the diversity of Philadelphia, their lived experience allows them to lead with empathy and a true understanding of what Philadelphia residents need and want.

In order to increase diversity in our workforce we need to deliberately recruit diverse voices into the ranks of government at all levels. That means we need to change our traditional recruiting methods and meet people where they are.

Being a leader means you have a responsibility to uplift your community and serve with empathy. 

Impossible to say but I know that I will continue to serve and work diligently to make my community, my neighborhood and my city a better place to live.