Connectors

Abstract

So often the difference between a “Yes!” and a “No!” is a matter of trust. As Oprah once said, “In the end, all you have is your reputation.” Trust moves mountains with investors, colleagues, and staff. The lack of it costs you transaction costs, transaction time, lost productivity, and the loss of good employees.

If you were to ask professionals in Philadelphia to list the local role models for trust and integrity, the name Charisse Lillie would be near or at the top of most lists. An attorney by trade, Charisse worked in the Civil Rights Division of the U.S. Department of Justice and at Community Legal Services, taught at Villanova University School of Law, served as Philadelphia’s City Solicitor, and was a partner and Chair of Litigation at Ballard Spahr before joining Comcast’s corporate staff, working with fellow Connector and former Ballard partner David L. Cohen. She is a former chair of the board of the Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia and has played a leadership role on many nonprofit boards, including those of LEADERSHIP Philadelphia, the Juvenile Law Center, Friends Select School, and Howard University.

With Charisse, what you see is what you get. She wears no corporate mask. The Charisse you meet at Comcast is the Charisse you see at home. Both commanding and warm, Charisse has the presence and wit of her fellow Texan, the late State Senator and member of Congress Barbara Jordan, who was also known for her integrity. Charisse is very approachable, and her gentle, logical approach overlies a fierce intellect and long-standing commitment to diversity.