Breaking News: Daria Devlin is on the Move
Let the confetti fly!
HHF’s Daria Devlin will be the next mayor of the City of Erie.
Her successful campaign came to a raucous close last night after securing approximately 75% of the vote. For our new mayor-elect and for the entire City of Erie, we couldn’t be happier!
Daria’s last day with HHF and BUILD CDC was October 31, capping more than a decade of partnership that generated a profound impact.
Daria helped HHF bring primary care into Wayne School in 2012, creating the very first school-based health care model in the City of Erie. This groundbreaking work foreshadowed the efforts to come — ones that aimed to improve access to care and address social determinants of health throughout our community.
Fast-forward to 2019. Daria was named the inaugural executive director of Erie Center for Arts and Technology (ECAT). Among her first tasks in this role was leading the redevelopment of the former Wayne School—a huge undertaking that grew in complexity when the pandemic disrupted, well, everything. Only a woman with Daria’s grit and determination could have pulled it off—on budget and on time—with an air of effortlessness. (Trust us, it was anything but.)
With a $12 million renovation under her belt and community-based organizations moving in as co-tenants, Daria turned her attention to leading ECAT and nurturing its growth during those crucial first years.
In 2023, she joined the HHF team as the Director of Social Impact, where she was empowered to dig into social determinants of health. She was a driving force behind the formation of BUILD Community Development Corporation, a subsidiary of HHF. And, naturally, she stepped up to be its inaugural executive director.
Under Daria’s leadership, BUILD CDC wasted no time developing programs of impact. These included expansion plans for the ECAT Wayne campus, acquisition of a Housing First facility and development of the Schoolhouse Apartments, acquisition of numerous properties along East Avenue that are being renovated for workforce housing, and oversight of critical initiatives like street outreach, food rescue, and the pay-what-you-can farmer’s market.
Believe it or not, this list is by no means exhaustive.
Throughout her career, Daria has proven to be a conduit of progress. “She is a remarkable leader whose passion for our community and city is truly inspiring,” said Jaimee Black, COO at HHF. “Daria is a tireless advocate for the causes she believes in and for the people around her.”
Boo Hagerty, President of HHF, added, "The work we have done with Daria is a career for most people, but with her passion for this community, those of us who know her well are quite sure she is just getting started. I am privileged to have worked with her but more privileged to be her friend."
As Daria transitions into her new role as mayor, we all stand to benefit (and, perhaps, learn) from her unshakeable mettle, laser focus, and fearless pursuit of positive change for Erie.