A life rooted in community

Quinn Kirby has a philosophy that guides their life and work: stay grounded in the place you live, connect with people and learn from their experiences. Quinn calls this neighborhood-maxxing, and it’s the reason they have three roles in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania's second-largest city.

“My partner and I walk to work. We know our baristas by name. We’ve exchanged gifts with friends at coffee shops even when we don’t have their number,” Quinn said. “It’s how we stay grounded in where we live.”

That mindset made Quinn, a 2020 Central Michigan University graduate, a natural fit for the City of Pittsburgh’s Comprehensive Plan’s Community Working Group. The 20-person team is tasked with gathering stories and insights from 30,000 residents to help shape the city’s first long-range planning initiative. 

The Community Working Group focuses on reaching residents whose voices otherwise don’t make it into the conversation: a 65-year-old woman and her husband, who have to shovel their own alley to get to work, are just one example Quinn uncovered in their efforts.

That same spirit and dedication to others also led Quinn to the Three Rivers Business Alliance, Pittsburgh's queer chamber of commerce, where they serve as a trustee and membership committee co-chair. The role connects directly to their advocacy as someone who is “out, proud and involved” in their community. 

Betting on themself

After graduating with a degree in photojournalism and a minor in entrepreneurship, Quinn walked straight into a job market that had ground to a halt.

“I was struggling to find work because of the pandemic,” Quinn said. “So I put my entrepreneurship minor to use and started my own business.”

Rather than wait for an opening to arise, Quinn made one. 

Freelance work for magazines, nonprofit organizations and independent artists eventually led to Pittsburgh and a full-time role at the Northside North Shore Chamber of Commerce. 

Marketing a museum with global reach

Remarkably, Quinn's work with the City of Pittsburgh and the alliance happens outside of their day job as marketing manager at the Mattress Factory. This contemporary art museum and living lab welcomes more than 40,000 visitors a year and hosts artists from around the world who create work on site.

“I’m telling people’s stories directly through their experience. Unlike my previous work, I can be as biased and artistic as I want. It’s easy, because the artists make great work,” Quinn said.

Quinn says the constant motion of three roles isn’t a burden — it’s a hobby, rooted in real people, real causes and real community. 

“I feel so creative when I am having conversations with people about the city's plan or am helping connect queer business owners with resources to sustain their businesses. These roles are involved with real people and have real-life consequences.”

“It’s more than I thought I could achieve. I didn’t see myself being as independent as I am,” Quinn said. “My degree, CMU and the people there have absolutely set me up for where I am.”

Three titles, one philosophy

• City of Pittsburgh, Comprehensive Plan Community Working Group Member — Since May 2025, Quinn has worked to collect community insights — flyering neighborhoods, hosting events and working to reach underrepresented communities. That work will help inform the city’s first long-range planning initiative, and Quinn’s outreach has already exceeded initial goals, collecting 723 resident responses. 

• Mattress Factory, Marketing Manager — Quinn took on this full-time role just a few months later, handling marketing and communications for the museum. That includes telling the stories of visiting artists as they create on-site in the living lab residency program. 

• Three Rivers Business Alliance, Foundation Board Trustee — Two months after being hired at the Mattress Factory, Quinn took a volunteer position at the Three Rivers Business Alliance. There, they co-chair the membership committee, working to recruit and retain members and assisting with communication for Pittsburgh’s queer chamber of commerce.