How I Got Here: So, what does an equity associate at the Allegheny Conference do?

Consider the Pittsburgh native’s stint in the US Army Reserve. Or, look at his degree in accounting and imagine a career doing audits and completing taxes for harried citizens. Check out his couple of years at KPMG, a Canadian accounting firm, or his master’s degree in data analytics.

“I started my career using both of my degrees as an associate at KPMG,” McAllister wrote via email. “I serviced clients in the technology, media, and telecommunications industry. I fell in love with the pace of client service work and enjoyed utilizing my background to meet unique client needs.”

Overall, he’s only been in the working world for a few years, but this range has offered up skills from data analysis to financial advising. It makes sense that McAllister describes himself as a person with a lot of interests. At first, the Robert Morris University grad said, he didn’t know how they would fit together into a career he could be excited about. But at the Allegheny Conference, he feels his background is being put to good use.

He took on his new role in August. So, what does an equity associate do?

In McAllister’s case, he spends most of his time supporting the economic development nonprofit’s mission to bring economic growth to the region by convening public and private partners. Sometimes that means conducting quantitative analysis so the org can ensure that the region has equitable standards, he said. Sometimes you can find him using data to bring insight on how to create the most favorable outcomes for the most marginalized communities in the region.

When the Allegheny Conference created the position, McAllister said, he found an outlet for his passion.  Among the things he’s proud of so far is the recent $62.7 million Build Back Better Regional Challenge grants that were awarded to the region from the federal government and filtered through the Southwestern Pennsylvania New Economy Collaborative, of which the Allegheny Conference is a leader. The funding, awarded across multiple projects, aims to prepare Pittsburgh for a robotics-forward future, with a focus on the people who will build it.

McAllister said that he’s looking forward to helping his org steward the funding for good for the region.

“Great development can happen equitably, and I hope my position at the Allegheny Conference plays a meaningful part in achieving that outcome,” he said.

After a handful of internships in accounting, a summer working on economic development as an intern in the Mayor’s Office during the Peduto administration, and a time spent auditing, the new role isn’t what he imagined all those years ago. But McAllister feels he’s found a niche at an organization filled with likeminded people who want to create change. What would he tell someone just starting out?

“As I engage more with the community, I can see new areas of opportunity for people to really drive change,” McAllister said. “I think encouraging people to investigate how their skills can be used to create change for good is a first, but essential, step.”

This is How I Got Here, a series where we chart the career journeys of technologists. Want to tell your story? Get in touch.