For October we interviewed Thea Phalon, Community Relations Manager East for UGI. The utilities company recently sponsored the Big & Little craft activity at the BBBSLV Giving Garden launch event.
How long have you been with UGI, and what brought you into your role as Community Relations Manager?
I’ve been at UGI for 2 ½ years. I came to UGI from SkillsUSA Council, a local nonprofit that works with career and technical students on leadership development and job readiness. A board member at Skills held the role previously and thought it would be a good fit for me as I love being out in the community and building relationships.
What do you feel sets UGI apart from other Lehigh Valley companies with regard to philanthropy?
So much of philanthropy is focused on causes of interest to our employees. I rely on their input to help determine the projects we do and organizations we support. We also have four focus areas: Education, Environmental, Emergency Response, and Community Development. It’s a wrap around for most needs in communities.
Finally, what do you feel is special about Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Lehigh Valley?
I love the mentoring aspect of the program. Connecting young people to adult mentors is a great way to enrich, not just the student’s life, but also that of the mentor. More caring people makes our community stronger.