Historic City, Fresh Faces: How Temple’s Young Alumni are Shaping Philly

Philadelphia is a city steeped in rich history, filled with institutions forged over centuries. This summer, millions of visitors will arrive to take it all in as they celebrate America’s 250th anniversary. But even as Philly revels in its illustrious past, it continues to demonstrate the spirit of its most famous citizen, Benjamin Franklin, who championed the pursuit of self-improvement and new discoveries.

These impressive Temple Owls embody the ethos of Philly’s famous founding father. The university’s “30 Under 30” honorees for 2026 are diverse in background and vocation, representing the fields of health care, city planning, technology, and more. What they share is a desire to make a real impact, and a Temple education that has prepared them for success.

“Being ‘Temple Made’ means not just being in the room, but making the room better for the next generation,” Morgan Pivovarnik, a 2026 honoree and the manager of brand and creative for the Philadelphia 76ers, said. “It’s about being curious, not being afraid to take up space, and remembering your path doesn’t have to look like anyone else’s to be valid.”

Here’s how Pivovarnik and three fellow Owls are helping the city meet a historic moment.

Manager of Brand & Creative, Philadelphia 76ers

“I think that my success comes from bringing a blend of brand strategy and cultural fluency and emotional storytelling that really pushes sports creative beyond the expected.”

Nothing speaks to the brilliance of Morgan Pivovarnik’s blend of creativity, ambition, and Philly pride more than her contribution to the 2024 “Maxey Museum.” The short-term exhibit, installed in a Center City hotel, was designed to showcase all Maxey has done in his career in Philadelphia before signing the eventual contract extension with the Philadelphia 76ers. When Maxey and his family visited, they were treated to a surprise encounter with 76ers legend Julius Erving. Pivovarnik continues to flex the creative talents she honed at Temple’s Klein College of Media and Communication to create innovative partnerships between the franchise and brands like Crypto.com and Goldfish.

Pennsylvania Political Director, American Federation of State, County & Municipal Employees (AFSCME)

“Growing up, my family was always on government assistance. I knew when I grew up I wanted to be in public service, part of a system that’s helping people.”

When Jordan Laslett was a political science major at Temple’s College of Liberal Arts, he served as a prestigious AmeriCorps VISTA for the City of Philadelphia. What did he do with his access to power? He stood up for the city’s unpaid interns by using his final presentation to convince city officials to fairly compensate workers. The risk could have ended his budding career, but instead it launched it. The administration of former Mayor Jim Kenney began paying interns, and Laslett landed a role as legislative assistant to State Rep. Matt Bradford. This January, Laslett became Pennsylvania political director for AFSCME, where he’ll once again fight for workers’ rights in the city’s largest municipal union.

Senior Planner, Urban Engineers

“Planning excites me, because my job often presents itself as one big puzzle. I balance perspectives and ultimately recommend solutions that maximize safety and limit negative impacts to the community.”

When you drive from Center City into the heartlands of Pennsylvania or New Jersey, there’s a good chance Danielle Baer helped make your journey safer. Since earning a master’s in city and regional planning from Tyler School of Art and Architecture in 2020, Baer has worked on numerous public-private planning initiatives to address dangerous roadways. She has updated the region’s transportation infrastructure by using drones and AI to analyze near-misses on roundabouts on state highways in Pennsylvania and by working with local businesses to re-envision the congested roadways of Old City.

Director, AI & Tech Strategy, Pfizer Vaccines

“The pandemic was rampant. We had to do what typically would take three or four years of work in just six months. The world needed it.”

During the COVID-19 pandemic, developing a vaccine was only half the battle. Health care companies also had to build out vast technological infrastructure to successfully distribute the vaccine and track immunizations. That’s where Nick Rivera, a 2017 Fox School of Business graduate in management information systems, came in. Rivera oversaw a team that built software to coordinate hundreds of Pfizer employees and organize the rollout of millions of vaccines across the country. He now leads AI strategy for Pfizer’s multibillion-dollar vaccines portfolio, which includes RSV, pneumococcal pneumonia, meningitis, and others.

See the full “30 Under 30”