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olasade (Sade) A. Olanipekun-Lewis is the Vice President for Operating and Community Partnerships where she leads the development and implementation of the diversity and community outreach strategy for the Terminal 6 & 7 Redevelopment Project at JFK International Airport, and Terminal B LaGuardia International Airports. This includes designing and implementing programs and oversees initiatives to meet affirmative action, equal opportunity, minority and women-owned business, local business, and disadvantaged business enterprise participation goals. She also supports Vantage network in other regional initiatives.
Previously, Ms. Olanipekun-Lewis was Regional Director for Government and Airport Affairs with American Airlines where she was responsible for directing and coordinating all state and local political, governmental, and community strategies to support the company's business goals. She also developed airport affairs strategies and managed properties at PHL & DCA by representing the company’s corporate interests to support American’s operations. Ms. Olanipekun-Lewis also chaired the local airline consortium, PhiliTEC, at PHL which is responsible for conducting certain functions to support member airline’s operations.
Ms. Olanipekun-Lewis also served as Chief Administrative Officer for the Philadelphia International Airport (PHL) where she provided executive leadership over administrative functions, which included Marketing & Public Affairs, Business Diversity, Strategy, Community Engagement, and Government Affairs. She provided strategic organizational leadership and served as business partner and counselor to the CEO and key stakeholders. She also acted for the CEO during her absence.
Other prior experiences included serving as Chief Financial Officer for City of Philadelphia, City Council President, Darrell L. Clarke where she was responsible for providing a wide variety of financial and programmatic support to the seventeen-member legislative body, including facilitating the annual review of the City of Philadelphia operating and capital budgets and five-year plan. She also provided executive project oversight on special projects covering a broad range of municipal activities, including a proposed divestiture of the city owned utility, Philadelphia Gas Works; and Aviation five-year capital enhancement program (CEP). Ms. Olanipekun-Lewis also served as City of Philadelphia Deputy Commerce Director for Finance and Administration where she managed daily operations including finance, contract and program monitoring, human resources, and information technology services; and developing and implementing a project management system for the city’s economic development agencies and commissions. She served as the Chief Financial Officer for the School District of Philadelphia where she oversaw a $1.9 billion budget. Prior to this, she was Director of Finance for the City of Birmingham, Alabama where she administered the City’s combined $580 million operating and capital budgets and served as treasurer to numerous city agencies and boards, including the city's $900 million Retirement and Relief Pension System. Ms. Olanipekun-Lewis also was the City Treasurer for the City of Philadelphia where she oversaw the management and investment of about $2 billion of city cash reserves; and issuing bonds and other various financial instruments over $2 billion on behalf of the city and its related agencies and authorities.
Ms. Olanipekun-Lewis teaches a graduate level course, Critical Issues in Public Finance at the University of Pennsylvania, Fels School of Government, which considers contemporary issues affecting the fiscal state of local governments and the policies/initiatives that seek to address such including privatization/public private partnerships; municipal pension reform; and tax policies aimed at promoting economic growth.
Ms. Olanipekun-Lewis completed secondary school in Nigeria, West Africa; obtained an undergraduate degree in Economics from the Graduate Center, City University of New York, CUNY BA Program; a Juris Doctor degree from Temple University Beasley School of Law; and a master’s degree in government administration from the University of Pennsylvania, Fels School of Government.
