Author Profile

Andrea Custis was named President and Chief Executive Officer of the Urban League of Philadelphia (ULP) in July 2017.  She was formally introduced to the public by National Urban League President and CEO Marc Morial and Interim ULP President & CEO Patricia A. Coulter during the organization’s 2017 Empowerment Dinner.

A seasoned corporate executive, Ms. Custis has 30 years of sales, marketing, human capital and operations experience with Fortune 50 companies. In 2011, she retired from Verizon Communications. She was President and COO of Verizon Avenue, providing bundled communication services to multi-dwelling communities nationwide. Ms. Custis was Group President of Sales and Marketing for Advanced Services. A change-agent in her own right, Ms. Custis led massive culture change efforts across Verizon in various departments.

Throughout her distinguished career with Verizon, Ms. Custis was known for her innovative and performance driven results. She managed a team that was rated first in the nation for three consecutive years in consumer FIOS sales and services and maintained the highest customer retention rates nationally.

A respected public speaker, board member and mentor to many, Ms. Custis has established herself as a true public servant. For six years, she proudly served as a member of the Urban League of Philadelphia Board of Directors, where she sat on the Fund Development Committee. Ms. Custis served on the Board of Directors of Verizon Communications of Washington, D.C. She has also shared her talents and enthusiasm for community engagement by sitting on boards for Inroads, Inc. (Philadelphia, PA); Delaware Valley Child Care Council (Philadelphia, PA); Board Of Governors Academy of Applied Electrical Sciences (Philadelphia, PA); DC Scores (Washington, D.C.); Atlas Performing Arts Center (Washington, D.C.); and Capitol VoIP Solutions (Washington, D.C.).  A strong advocate for education, Ms. Custis is a former member of the Board of Trustees at Lincoln University (PA) and was a member of the Advisory Council for Career and Vocational Education with the School District of Philadelphia. She is also a proud member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc.

Ms. Custis has been recognized as “One To Watch”- Ebony Magazine, “One of 25 Influential Black Woman in Business”- Network Journal, and “Executive of the Year” – Consortium of Information and Telecommunications Executives and Hispanic Support Organization.

She earned a Bachelor of Science in Psychology from Morgan State University in Baltimore and a Master of Science in Counseling Psychology from the University of Pennsylvania.  Ms. Custis is also a graduate of Boston University’s Leadership Institute, a National Science Foundation Scholar of Princeton University, and most recently, a graduate of Georgetown University’s Nonprofit Management Executive Certificate Program.

Ms. Custis is a mother of two and currently resides in Philadelphia.