Terry Gillen is an experienced executive who specializes in urban policy and economic development. She recently worked as the director of the Pay for Success program at LISC National in New York. That program was funded by the Social Innovation Fund in the Obama Administration.

From 2007 to 2015, Gillen was director of federal affairs for the City of Philadelphia and was executive director of the Redevelopment Authority of Philadelphia (PRA), where she helped to establish the award-winning Philadelphia Foreclosure Prevention Program and directed the reorganization of the PRA, including systems that created transparency in the public land system. Gillen also led the team that won a $64 million federal stimulus grant. In addition, Gillen and her team at PRA laid the groundwork for the city's new land bank, and five major construction projects were initiated during her tenure.

Gillen previously served as the director of economic development policy for former governor Ed Rendell’s administration. She was also senior vice president of the Philadelphia Industrial Development Corporation, under former mayor Rendell. In that job, Gillen oversaw the planning process that turned the former Philadelphia Navy Yard into a successful business park. Her TED Talk about that effort is on her website.

Gillen also practiced public finance law for Ballard, Spahr, Andrews and Ingersoll.

Gillen has a BA cum laude from the University of Rochester, an MA in public policy from the University of Chicago, and a JD from the University of Pennsylvania, where she served as executive editor of the Law Review.