Shatara Murphy was selected as an AITF Anchor Fellow

Shatara Murphy, assistant vice chancellor for Anchor Initiatives within the Office of Engagement and Community Affairs, was recently selected as a 2025 Anchor Fellow of the Anchor Institutions Task Force (AITF).

The Anchor Fellows Program adds a dimension to existing training of future anchor leaders by preparing a next generation committed to AITF’s values to successfully navigate the engagement of anchors in their local communities. The training also highlights the competencies required to build and maintain the commitment and infrastructure to sustain a comprehensive commitment to local engagement. 

Now in its fifth year, the Anchor Fellows Program is a cohort of four selected future anchor leaders, who in most cases have recently completed another established higher education leadership training program. The program provides cohorts with an immersion into the considerations involved in leading an engaged anchor institution.

Murphy joined the University in August 2023. In her role, she serves as a strategic leader, thought partner, project manager and collaborator to foster relationships with the University and community-based stakeholders that advance Pitt’s role as an anchor in the region. Murphy also plays a pivotal role in supporting the Buy, Build, Hire Local program — Pitt’s commitment to hire more of its neighbors, help businesses grow and award more construction, service and purchasing contracts across the region.