By CatholicPhilly Staff • Posted November 13, 2024

Paola Cubides Herrera will become the new Executive Director of the Community Center at Visitation (CCV), the Archdiocese announced Nov. 13. CCV is a ministry of Catholic Social Services’ (CSS) Youth Services Division. The appointment, made by CSS’ Youth Services Division Director Dr. James Black, formally takes effect Jan. 6, 2025.

“Paola’s genuine spirit of faith, zeal, and evangelization make her the perfect choice to lead The Community Center at Visitation, to build upon the good work that is currently being done there, and to articulate a vision of the center as a sanctuary serving the needs of the children, youth, and families of Kensington.” said Dr. Black.

Located on the grounds of Visitation B.V.M. Parish, CSS opened the Cardinal Bevilacqua Community Center to serve children, youth, and families in Kensington in 2003. The center has since been renamed the Community Center at Visitation and is operated and managed under the auspices of CSS’ Youth Services Division.

CCV’s mission is to provide a safe place for the children and youth of Kensington, to build meaningful connections, and access resources to improve the quality of life in the neighborhood. The center offers quality resources such as access to healthy food, tutoring, professional development training, and recreational activities.

“It is a profound honor to convey to the Kensington community, through the center’s different services, that they are seen, heard, and loved. I am eager and excited to begin my journey at the center, getting to know the staff and everyone who will play a crucial role in making the Community Center at Visitation a beacon of mercy, hope, and charity in Kensington,” said Herrera.

Herrera joins CSS with more than 10 years of service to the Archdiocese of Philadelphia. Currently, she serves as the Associate Director for the Archdiocese of Philadelphia’s Office for the New Evangelization. There, Herrera oversees the maintenance and growth of major evangelization ministries in the Archdiocese.

Herrera holds a Bachelor of Arts in Business from Externado de Colombia University and a Master of Science in Church Management from Villanova University. She was born and raised in Bogota, Colombia before traveling to New York City in 2002 to study English. While studying in New York, she met her husband and moved to Philadelphia in 2003. Herrera has two sons, Lucas, 20, and Oscar, 17.