Calvin U. Allen

A recognized authority on organizational culture and translating strategy into execution, Calvin U. Allen has more than 30 years’ strategic and operational experience in the nonprofit and for-profit sectors.

At CHOP, he leads a team of 200 human resource professionals and is responsible for the hospital's people strategic plan, designed to create the desired employee experience from recruitment through retirement for a total workforce of nearly 29,000. This focus has culminated in the creation of various initiatives and programs, spearheaded by Mr. Allen, that bring core recruitment processes in-house, craft an integrated DEI strategy and design clear leadership expectations, among other goals. Mr. Allen created the organization’s first chief well-being officer position to elevate CHOP’s focus on overall employee health, which includes reducing stress and burnout. Under Mr. Allen's leadership, CHOP has seen employee engagement scores rise by more than 20 points post-pandemic, and it has received numerous awards and recognition for being a top employer, including a No. 1 ranking on Forbes’ 2022 list of America’s Best Large Employers.  

Mr. Allen has served on multiple nonprofit boards and is currently the Treasurer and Chair of the Finance & Development Committee of CaringBridge. He is a member of the Executive Leadership Council and the Philadelphia Society of People & Strategy and serves on the Philadelphia CHRO Governing Body. He is also a member of the Children’s Hospital Association’s Audit and Compliance Committee. He’s a noted presenter on leadership, well-being, corporate culture and strategy, and participated in the release of the U.S. Surgeon General’s framework on workforce mental health and well-being.  

Mr. Allen has been named one of Philadelphia’s Most Influential African Americans three times by the Philadelphia Tribune. The Minneapolis/St. Paul Business Journal named him to their annual 40 Under 40 list, and recognized him twice as a Leader in Diversity. In 2024, he was included on Savoy’s list of Most Influential Executives in Corporate America and on Becker’s Healthcare’s list of Chief Human Resources Officers and Chief People Officers to Know.    

Mr. Allen holds a Master of Business Administration from Harvard University and a Bachelor of Business Administration from the University of Notre Dame.