Master of Sustainability + MBA dual degree alumna Caitlin Fadgen is rethinking downtown Pittsburgh
One of the things that Downtown Pittsburgh struggles with is that people don’t think of it as a neighborhood—but it is,” says Caitlin Fadgen, MSUS+MBA ’17. That’s one of the things she aims to change in her work with the Pittsburgh Downtown Partnership (PDP).
Pittsburgh Downtown Partnership is a nonprofit community and economic development organization that develops initiatives to enhance the Downtown neighborhood—initiatives that range from festivals like Picklesburgh to an outreach team that interacts with people experiencing homelessness or other crises to connect them with resources.
As Senior Manager of Economic Development, Fadgen does a lot of market research and reporting, which is then used as the main tool to attract businesses to downtown Pittsburgh. “We put out this report every year called The State of Downtown Pittsburgh—I work on it year-round—which is used by the real estate and business community to make smart investment decisions down here.”
Take grocery stores. “Everyone wants a grocery store Downtown,” says Fadgen. “We would love that too. The residential numbers are really close, but they’re just not there yet. So having a sense of the exact population of Downtown is really key for those people who might be thinking about moving a grocery store here, and that’s what our research does.”
“It’s amazing to work on such a big undertaking,” she continues, “We do an event release of the report in the spring of every year, and anywhere from 250-300 people come just to hear about our research. It’s really gratifying to have such a unique resource that can be used to help our local economy. I get calls all the time for businesses or developers who are looking to locate here and they use our research to help make those decisions.”
Fadgen credits her experiences in the Falk School of Sustainability & Environment for preparing her to succeed in her current role. “I think what I got most out of Chatham were the core pillars of sustainability,” says Fadgen.
“Looking at the environmental, economic, and social sides helps me take a more holistic approach to the projects I’m working on. For example, we are constantly meeting with different stakeholders downtown, businesses and residents. if we want to do any kind of project, everyone has to be at the table, and we have to listen to their concerns and wants all of the time. Sustainability is a way of thinking, and I incorporate that into my job here.”
Collaboration is a regular part of her role at the Pittsburgh Downtown Partnership. The skill to work with others is also something she honed at the Falk School. “The nature of the classwork being so collaborative and group-oriented, and having to present in every single class, has been very helpful to my professional development,” she continues. “We are so group-focused here, with our stakeholders and internally.”
Fadgen also credits the experience that she’s gained from the business side of her education at Chatham. “The business consulting capstone class was awesome. Through the Center for Women’s Entrepreneurship, we were able to work with a real business to help them market themselves and get off the ground. We did a lot of research helping our client find a local manufacturer for her product, interviewing them to see if they might be a good fit for her. Having that kind of experience is super valuable.”
Even though Fadgen’s undergraduate degree is in biology, she got a job out of college working as a research and development chemist at PPG Industries. “I’d always been environmentally-minded, and I saw a ton of waste in the environment that I was in,” she says. Fadgen decided that she needed a business degree to make a change in corporate entities such as the one she was working in. “When I saw the Master of Sustainability and MBA dual degree program at Chatham, I thought ‘this is perfect, because I can get the business background I didn’t get as an undergraduate, and I’m also passionate about the environment,’” she says.
Initially, Fadgen thought she would go into corporate social responsibility or corporate sustainability, but her immersion experience changed her path.
“I was working for the Sports and Exhibition Authority (SEA) on the LEED green building recertification of the David L. Lawrence Convention Center. At the time the building was certified, it was the greenest building in the world, receiving a LEED Platinum designation. They gave me a lot of responsibility at that job. I ended up working there the whole second year of my grad program, and for a couple of months after I graduated.”
“At the SEA, we worked really closely with the Green Building Alliance. One of the directors there actually used to be the sustainability coordinator at the SEA, and we had to call on her for some help. This is such a Pittsburgh story,” Fadgen laughs. “She found the job at the PDP, forwarded it to my boss at the SEA, and said ‘I think Caitlin would be really great for this,’ so just through those connections, I found the job that I have now. It’s a lot different from what I was working on previously, but I love it.”
“I’m Pittsburgh-born and –raised, and I love being able to help move the needle,” Fadgen says. “If I can help a restaurant find a space down here, that is rewarding because it’s so close to home. Just knowing that we can be a resource to help our local economy is what I find most rewarding about my job.”
Chatham’s MSUS+MBA program is a joint degree from the Falk School of Sustainability & Environment Master of Sustainability (MSUS) program, in partnership with Chatham's Master of Business Administration (MBA) program. It prepares graduates for sustainability management and leadership positions across all sectors including business, government, and NGOs.