Rebecca K. Tham

Ms. Rebecca Tham is passionate about creating opportunities for businesses that are ready to grow and helping organizations build the relationships and processes that make those opportunities possible. As Director of the Bureau of Strategic Initiatives within the Pennsylvania Department of General Services’ Office of Business Inclusion and Supplier Development, she helps advance statewide inclusive procurement initiatives for small, diverse, and veteran-owned businesses. She works across agencies and with external stakeholders on supplier engagement, strategic initiatives, program development, performance data, and efforts supporting more than $1.18 billion in annual procurement spend. In short, she spends a lot of time bringing people, programs, and possibilities together.

Before joining the Commonwealth of PA, Ms. Tham served as a Supplier Diversity Program Specialist at Philadelphia Gas Works (PGW), where she worked at the intersection of procurement, contract compliance, supplier development, and business opportunity. Prior to PGW, she spent 13 years with the Women’s Business Enterprise Center – East (WBEC-East), progressing from intern to Human Resources & Operations Manager while supporting programs designed to help women-owned businesses grow. Her experience across nonprofit, corporate, and government environments has shaped her practical approach to supplier inclusion, allowing her to understand the perspectives of the business seeking the contract, the organization procuring the goods or services, and the people and processes that make the relationship work.

Ms. Tham holds a Bachelor’s degree in psychology from Wesley College (now Delaware State University), a Master’s degree in industrial/organizational psychology from La Salle University and is a SHRM Certified Professional. A first-generation daughter of Ghanaian immigrants, Ms. Tham was born and raised in West Philadelphia and remains deeply connected to her community. Her upbringing taught her the importance of community, hard work, and making sure to bring someone else along when you get an opportunity. She carries those values into her professional work and volunteer efforts throughout the Archdiocese of Philadelphia, where she supports activities serving the African Community, young adults, and youth. She is a passionate advocate for small and diverse businesses and believes that sometimes the most meaningful work is simply helping someone see an opportunity they did not know was there.