Title: CFO
Firm: Philadelphia Parking Authority
Age: 36
As chief financial officer of the Philadelphia Parking Authority, Keola Harrington oversees all financial operations, including finance, accounting, revenue, payroll, procurement and risk management of a $300 million operating budget. In addition, she plays a key role in shaping the enterprise's strategic direction.
In 2013, Harrington worked as a financial literacy advisor. "I loved my work, and I thought I would do that forever, but I realized that if I really wanted to help people, I had to take my work from a micro level to a macro level," said Harrington.
In 2016, Rasheia Johnson had been appointed treasurer of the city of Philadelphia. "Rasheia was building her team and asked me to interview. I remember thinking I am not going to get this job, but I did and Rasheia trained me with excellence," Harrington recalled. "My role as assistant city treasurer exposed me to the best bankers, attorneys and advisors across the country."
One of Harrington's biggest accomplishments came in 2021 when she was the senior director of finance for the Philadelphia Department of Commerce.
It was the height of COVID and all municipalities were underfunded. The Department of Commerce budget shrank to $6 million. Harrington was called upon to help the department recover.
"The budget was decimated," said Harrington. Over the course of three years, Harrington nursed the department back to fiscal and operational health and ultimately left the Department of Commerce with a $218 million budget before she moved to her current role with the parking authority in March. "I felt good transitioning out of that role because they were thriving when I left," she said.
A Philadelphia native and first-generation college graduate, Harrington earned a Bachelor of Science degree in finance from Indiana University of Pennsylvania and a Master of Public Administration degree from the University of Pennsylvania.
