Phil Kidd

Community Organizer

Phil Kidd was born July 2nd, 1979 and raised in Burgettstown, Pennsylvania - a small town located near Weirton, WV and Steubenville, OH.  Phil's grandfather and uncle worked at Weirton Steel in Weirton, WV. His father worked in county-based redevelopment and his mother is a property auditor for the Pennsylvania Housing Finance Agency.  Phil came to Youngstown in 1998 to attend Youngstown State University where he majored in Political Science/Criminal Justice and joined the Army ROTC program.

Upon graduation, Phil served as an officer in the United States Army. He returned to Youngstown in 2004, intrigued by the city's now nationally and internationally recognized planning effort, Youngstown 2010. Inspired by the vision of the plan and armed only initially with a sign which he held downtown, Phil launched a major information and volunteer-based movement known as "Defend Youngstown" which has been reconized both nationally and internationally. Phil has also completed graduate level course work in Criminal Justice at Youngstown State. 

At MVOC, Phil currently works with neighborhood groups on the South, North and West Sides with issue, project and grant writing. He is also the lead organizer of the Vacant Property Organizing Campaign and is co-organizer of the Youngstown Grey to Green Festival. 

Before joining the MVOC staff, Phil worked for the Mahoning County Court of Common Pleas and also served as the City of Youngstown's Director of Downtown Events and Marketing. He is currently acting Vice President of the Mayor's Community Foundation, is a board member of the Regional Chamber's Government Affairs Council, the Mahoning County-Youngstown Vacant Properties Steering Committee, City of Youngstown's Design Review Committee, and a former board member of the Raymond John Wean Foundation's Neighborhood Success Grant Program.

Phil is a Class of 2008 Leadership Mahoning Valley and 2009 Mahoning Valley Government Leadership Academy graduate. He is also a two time "Top 40 under 40" recipient, receiving recognition as "Most Valuable Professional" in 2008 and was named a "Champion of Change" in the Valley by WYTV Channel 33. He has also been named an "American Vanguard" by Next American City Magazine which recognizes the top 35 urban affairs professionally under the age of 35 nationally.

Phil resides on the city's north side.

"Through his efforts with Defend Youngstown, Phil has been recognized by major media publications such as the New York Times, CNN Money.com, ESPN, and Next American City magazine as well as international media from Italy, Australia, Sweden, Germany, and the BBC."