Dave Coplan (SOC WK ’91, ‘93G) (GSPIA ’93) is now in his 29th year at the Human Services Center where he serves as the executive director as well as the director of the Mon Valley Providers Council.
As executive director, Dave leads a talented and diverse staff team that oversees a budget of over $1.5 million serving thousands of residents through the Center and hundreds of youth and adults in direct programs. In recognition for its outstanding outcomes for families and children, the Human Services Center received the Wishart Award for Excellence in Nonprofit Management in 2004, awarded by The Forbes Funds of The Pittsburgh Foundation. In 2006, Dave launched a separate nonprofit, Advancing Academics, which assists low-income, high-achieving youth gain entry and financial assistance for college. Staffed by a cadre of passionate part-time people dedicated to helping youth, the initiative currently boasts an 85% college graduation rate. Dave also serves as an adjunct professor, teaching classes each semester in the University of Pittsburgh’s School of Social Work and Graduate School for Public and International Affairs in subjects such as nonprofit human services management, fundraising, human resources, public policy, and advocacy and lobbying.
In 2019, Dave received the Allegheny Partners for Out of School Time (APOST) Advocacy Award; in 2017, the national Network for Social Work Management recognized Dave with its Exemplar Award for commitment to Leadership and Management Competencies; in 2012, he was honored as the inaugural recipient of the statewide CAAP Sargent Shriver Community Service Award for service to the poor; in 2010, the University of Pittsburgh’s School of Social Work honored Dave as its Outstanding Field Instructor, an honor of great meaning to him for his role as a mentor to those entering the field. He has won two student choice awards for his teaching at Pitt (one as recently as 2018). In 2009, the University of Pittsburgh’s Graduate School of Public and International Affairs honored Dave as one of its inaugural 4 Under 40 recipients, and in 2007, Dave was recognized as one of Pittsburgh’s 40 Under 40 by PUMP and Pittsburgh Magazine. Most recently, Dave’s leadership profile was featured in the book Leadership with Impact (Araque and Weiss) and he is now a member of The Leap Ambassadors Community as a leader committed to high performance.
Dave and his wife Christine have three sons.
Where do you call home today?
I live in the South Hills, but my real home is the Mon Valley – where I am committed to social change to improve the quality of life for people in nearly 40 communities of Allegheny County.
Who inspires you in your work?
I have surrounded myself with some truly talented mentors who inspire me to strive to do as much as I can to help others. I am thankful for Tracy Soska, Randy Thomas, Dr. Kevin Kearns, Jo DeBolt, and Kate Dewey. Other influencers who have passed away but continue to inspire me are Dr. Barbara K. Shore, Dr. Moe Coleman, and Dr. Jim Cunningham.
What is your biggest professional accomplishment?
I am not sure how others would answer this, but for me, I think it is teaching and mentoring talented leaders as interns, staff, and students in classes.
How much do you rely upon your Pitt SSW network in your work today?
It is the cornerstone of my professional existence. I have been in social services in the greater Pittsburgh region for 29+ years and have an extensive network. I am intentionally not on social media, but I am “connected” to over 2,500 real people/contacts. Not a bragging point, rather a statement that meeting people and working with others is critical to our field.
What is the most significant thing you learned at the Pitt SSW?
“Change is a slow, incremental process.” – Moe Coleman
What advice would you have for young Pitt SSW alumni?
Start networking. Build a real network and cultivate relationships. Identify people who can be your mentors – people who will invest in you and connect you to others by making formal introductions and informally opening the proverbial doors. For those in leadership roles, nurture your network and keep contact with your mentors while you begin to mentor others.
What's your favorite memory of the Pitt SSW?
Professor Jim Cunningham hosted pot luck dinners for students, alumni, faculty, and anyone in the community organizing space on a regular basis. This is how I started my professional network, and is something we should reconvene.