Jonathan Broh
Dear civic association members and members of the WSWCA board. Please include me as a candidate for the upcoming board elections.
I have been a resident of Washington Square West since 2006 and a board member since 2009. I joined the Board in 2009 after meeting several board members during the annual clean-up day and learning of the important work the civic provides for the neighborhood. During my time with the Board, I have served as president from 2015-2016 and have served as the chair of the zoning committee since 2013.
While serving as both president and zoning chair, I have always worked to listen to all points of view and seek compromise when those points of view differ. I am very excited by the Board’s recent advocacy for a WSW Historic district, which I strongly support, and would work with the committee to help advance the nomination.
I am also delighted at the renewed interest in the civic association as witnessed by the increased attendance at civic board meetings. One of the few benefits of the pandemic was the civic association meetings being held via Zoom which allowed for this increased attendance. This renewed energy should serve the civic association well as we work to re-establish clean-up day, Wash West night out, zoning district remapping, and other activities that serve to benefit our community.
I am thankful for the time that I have spent on the Board and hope that my experience can further serve the Board as we enter this next chapter.
Patrick Coué
I have been a resident of Washington Square West for almost 20 years. The central location of Washington Square West, the historical charm of the neighborhood as well as its vibrancy and unmatched high walkability index were essential considerations for my family. Four years ago, after fifteen years of teaching at the Art Institute of Philadelphia, I became a tour guide. All these years of teaching art history were put to good use touring the city with visitors from all around the world. My appreciation for the rich history and culture of Philadelphia, and in particular the Washington Square West neighborhood, is further deepened each time I lead a tour. I am also a contributor and an advisor to Artblog, a non-profit organization supporting and discussing contemporary art and artists in Philadelphia and beyond.
If elected I would earnestly ensure that the qualities and uniqueness that attracted me to this neighborhood are valued and preserved, while addressing the consequential challenges and opportunities faced by Washington Square West. I believe in a vigorous, proactive transparent, and fair-minded WSCA board leadership representing the interests of residents, business owners, workers, and visitors alike. WSCA’s role as a valuable, indispensable, and trustworthy independent civic force and partner is crucial for the future of our community.
Sukrit Goswami
Dear all,
After careful consideration, I have decided to again file my nomination for the WSWCA board position. I have been on this Board for about 5 years, and I would like to continue to strive for consistency and transparency with our decisions along with working on the historic preservation of Wash West as per our community’s feelings.
Katie Dillon Low
To the board members and RCO members of Washington Square West Civic Association:
I am writing to put myself forth as a candidate for the Board of the Washington Square West Civic Association. Some of you may know, I was actually on the Board for a short time in 2016. I did not quit in anger but rather felt obliged to resign over differences with the then-president of the Board. All that is to say- I’d like to try again.
I have reconnected with the Wash West Civic recently as a community member of the Historic Preservation Committee. The preservation of the architecture and history of our Wash West buildings has always been very important to me. Each building contributes to the story of our neighborhood- a building is not merely a construction, but a place that has memory and history attached to it. The collective fabric of the neighborhood is an important part of what makes Wash West the beautiful and unique home that it is to us.
I would represent a different side of the residents of Wash West – a millennial, a renter, an outspoken activist. I have lived on the edge of the neighborhood for more than 10 years, and often feel like my corner of the RCO district gets left out. I want to be sure that all interests can be represented by the people who speak for Wash West, including those of us living north of Walnut Street.
I will always speak for what I believe is in the best interest of the residents of the neighborhood, and what I feel is in the best interest for all citizens of Philadelphia who visit, pass through, or work in our neighborhood. It is the place we live, and maybe work, but we share this place with all of Philadelphia and all who come to visit. As a member of the RCO board, I want to help make sure that we care for this place in the best ways possible.
I’m sure I will “see” you online at our next meeting, and I hope that I can represent the neighborhood in our collective decision-making soon.
Joe Pappalardo
Hi Everyone,
My name is Joe Pappalardo, and I am a member of the WSWCA and would like to share my candidacy for the upcoming Washington Square West Civic Association board election. My wife, Dr. Laura Pappalardo, and I have two little girls (ages 4 and 1) and have lived in Washington Square for the past two and a half years. We moved to the community from Connecticut after my wife was accepted into the neurology residency program at the Hospital of University of Pennsylvania where she is training to become a physician-scientist. I am a partner at Aquiline Capital, a private equity firm with headquarters in New York City and a satellite office in Philadelphia.
We have quickly fallen in love with the neighborhood and developed wonderful relationships with many of our neighbors. We were immediately drawn to the rich history of Washington Square West, the warmth of the community, and the access to so many wonderful outdoor parks and playgrounds. As a board member, I would be focused on preservation of the many historical homes, structures, and their surrounding areas, resident advocacy, transparency, and overall maintenance of Washington Square West as an inviting and long-term home for young families. I would bring governance experience as a board member of several mid-market technology businesses. I value fairness, transparency, integrity, and mutual respect in a board setting.
